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| Welcome to our glossary
of rope terminology. We hope the definition you are looking for is
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Abaca - A species of banana plant grown almost exclusively in the Philippines; the fiber of which is processed to become Manila rope. The abaca is also grown in Central America, Sumatara and Borneo.
Abrasion Resistance - The degree to which a fiber or rope is able to withstand surface wear and rubbing due to motion against other fibers (internal abrasion) or an external surface (external abrasion).
Acceleration Stress - Additional stress placed on rope due to increasing the velocity of load.
After Spring Line - Leads aft from the ship and keeps the ship from moving forward.
Alaskan King Crab Line - A specialty rope of various materials used in King Crab fishing. Characterized by its firmness of lay.
Anchor Line - Rope with a thimble spliced into one end for attaching an anchor.
Awning Cord - Small diameter cord used for many utility purposes; most commonly a cotton braid with stretch resistant fiber core.
Back Splice - A method to finish off the end of a rope by burying the end back into the center for braids or splicing the strands back into the body of a twisted rope.
Backstay - A stay to keep a mast from leaning forward. Can either be fixed or running. Running backstays are rigged on both sides of the boat and are set up or slacked off depending on the point of sailing.
Baler Twine - Single ply twine, usually of sisal or polypropylene, used by farmers for tying bales of hay.
Bend - A knot used to join two ends or two separate ropes together.
Bight - A loop made in any part of a rope, line or chain.
Binder Twine - A twine used in binding and for other utility purposes; most commonly of natural fibers - jute, sisal, etc...
Bitt - A post or pair of posts with or without a crossbar (norman) for securing heavy lines; usually in the bow of a boat.
Bitter End - in tying knots or splicing, refers to the end opposite the end in use. Used to give mechanical advantage when lifting or pulling heavy weights.
Blend - A combination of rope mix of different synthetic fibers to form one rope.
Block - A pulley; there are many kinds - single, double, snatch, cheek, etc... The rope runs over the sheave set between the two shells (cheeks) of the block. Also a die of steel in the form of a tube of a desired diameter into which yarns are fed to be formed into a strand of rope.
Blown Filament - Monofilament polypropylene into which is blown a special gas during extrusion. This produces a lighter, less expensive and less strong rope, size for size, than standard polypropylene; also called foamed filament.
Bollard - A round heavy post for securing lines; sometimes on a boat but usually on a pier.
Bonding - A liquid coating that increases abrasion resistance and prevents water absorption.
Bow Head Line - Runs through the bullnose and controls aft movement and assists the breast lines. Forward Spring.
Break-In - A period of use in which the filaments of a rope settle in together; thus the rope lengthens somewhat.
Breaking Strength - The measured load required to break a rope in tension; also called tensile strength.
Breast Line - A line that leads to a right angle to the centerline of the ship and controls the distance from the pier.
Cable Laid Rope - Consists of three small ropes twisted together to form a single rope.
Capstan - A rotating cylinder used in winding a rope or cable; also used in spinning and twisting yarn, twine or rope.
Carrier - Part of a cordage braiding machine that carries the group of yarns or the single yarn like a single strand through the braid as it is made. May also refer to that yarn or group of yarns.
Catline - A heavy line used for general hoisting in oil well drilling; also called cathead line.
Chafing Gear - any device - leather, rope, plastic, etc... used to prevent lines, sails, decks or spars from wear.
Chalk and Mason Line - Small cords of various fibers, braided or twisted, used in construction for marking straight lines, the cord must have a rough texture to hold chalk.
Co-efficient of Friction - Gripping ability important for rope use on winches and in situations where slipperiness can be dangerous or cause problems. Gripping depends upon the friction or texture of the rope itself, its elasticity, creep (or taffy effect, as in monofilament polypropylene), the area of contact and the ratio of rope size to bitt size.
Co-Polymer - A naturally occurring or synthetic compound consisting of large molecules made up of a linked series of two or more different repeated simple monomers.
CO² Inflatable Lifejacket - Used to keep individual afloat. Carried in a pouch and fastened around the waist, inflated by CO² cartridge or mouth.
Combo or Combination - Blend of two or more rope materials into one cord.
Composite Rope - A combination of polypropylene/polyester or other combinations of fiber types.
Cordage - String, line, rope, twisted or braided, generally refers to small sizes one inch diameter and under.
Cork Line - A floating line, braided or twisted, made of regular or foamed polypropylene. May have nylon or polyester protective covering for greater abrasion resistance; also called float line.
Crab Lay - An exceptionally tight twist given to rope used in the crab fishing industry. The hard lay is necessary to prevent hockling.
Crab Trap Line - A small diameter cord used for lifting crab traps. May be twisted or braided. Cotton is the most common though various fibers may be used.
Cracker - Manila rope spliced to the end of a wire rope drilling line.
Creep - The "taffy effect" - a slow flow of synthetic material such as polypropylene under high temperature or great pressure.
Crimp - To bend, kink, curl or wave a fiber to give it more loft.
Crown Splice - Braiding or splicing the end of a rope into itself to prevent fraying and unraveling. An alternative to whipping.
Curtain Cord - Small diameter cord used for drapery, traverse cords, etc. Most commonly made of braided cotton with various fiber core.
Dacron® - DuPont trademark for polyester.
Diamond Braid - Cordage construction with 8, 12 or 16 strands of fibers braided under and over each other in a circular direction. The center of the rope may be hollow, such as in a hollow braid, allowing for easy splicing; or it may have a center rope of parallel fibers. It is generally stronger than solid braid, but not as strong as twisted or braid on braid cordage.
Dielectric - A non-conductor or poor conductor of electricity. Polypropylene has excellent dielectric properties.
Double Braid - Cordage construction with a jacket braided over a braided rope core; two ropes in one. A very strong and flexible rope that doesn't hockle, kink or rotate under a load. It is spliceable; also called braid on braid, double spliceable braid and yacht braid.
Downhaul - In sailing, tackle lifted to the boom gooseneck to keep a proper strain on the forward edge of the sail.
Drapery Cord - Braided cord of small diameter made usually of cotton with various types of fiber core, such as fiberglass, polyester, etc. Used as draw cords, traverse cords and curtain cords.
Dress - Partially closing the knot by drawing up the knot to make sure the knot is tied correctly.
Dynamic Loading - A sudden or rapid force applied to a rope caused by stopping, jerking, swinging, etc. In some cases, the force may be two, three, or even more times the normal load involved. For example, picking up a tow on a slack line or stopping a falling object, can cause a dynamic loading of a rope. Working loads do not apply under such conditions.
Easing Out Line - A length of line that is secured at one end, with a bight thrown over the hook on a hose and run back to a cleat, allowing the hose to be gently retrieved. Used during high line operations.
Eight Strand - A plaited (or braided) construction of eight strands; usually found in large sizes for mooring, shipping and towing uses. Exhibits no torque in heavy towing. Made of various fibers.
Elastic Recovery - The degree that a fiber, yarn, or cord will return to its original size and shape after deformation from stress.
Elongation - The deformation in the direction of load caused by a tensile force. Elongation is measured in units of length (e.g. millimeters, inches) or calculated as a percentage of the original specimen length. Elongation may be measured at any specified load or at the breaking load.
End - An end is simply one of the twisted yarns that make up the strand. Use either 1, 2, 3, or more ends to make a strand in a covered braid. There can be more ends in a core braid.
Extrude - To push a melted resin through small tube shaped dies, thus forming a single fiber, as in monofilament or multifilament polypropylene. Split film polypropylene is extruded into sheets of plastic and split into ribbon-like fibers that are twisted into rope.
Eye - A temporary or permanent loop in a line.
Eye Splice - A fixed loop formed in the end of a line by splicing the end back into its standing part.
Fathom - A unit of measurement. One fathom is approximately six feet.
Fiber - A natural or synthetic filament capable of being spun into yarn.
Fibrillated - An extruded filament used in making rope. When a single filament is laid out, it resembles a net of loosely bonded fibers.
Fid - A tapering pin used to open the strands of a rope prior to splicing. It is sometimes hollow.
Fid Length - A fid length equals 21 times the diameter of the rope or 7 times the circumference. Click Here for a more detailed definition. Click Here to go to the Fid Length Table.
Filament - A fine or thinly spun thread; a fiber.
Flemish - Method of disposing a line by coiling it tightly flat on deck with the second inside the first, and so on.
Float Line - A braided or twisted rope made primarily of foamed or regular polypropylene so that it floats; also called cork line or top line.
Foamed - A monofilament polypropylene into which gas is blown during extrusion. This produces a lighter weight, less expensive, less strong rope size for size than standard polypropylene.
Former - Rope making equipment which combines and twists several yarns into a single strand.
Forward Spring Line - Leads forward from the ship and keeps the ship from moving aft.
Four Stage Construction - A manufacturing process for making three strand twisted rope. The four stages are:
Friction Hitch - A knot tied to another rope, or an object so that it can be adjusted (slid), but stays in place (from friction) when the load is on the standing part.
Genoa Jib - An oversized jib which overlaps the mainsail and is controlled outside the rigging and is used chiefly in races to give a boat more speed.
Gooseneck - In sailing, a fitting which holds the boom to the mast.
Guy Ropes - Lines used for steadying, guiding or holding something.
Halyard - A line used to hoist or lower a sail or a flag.
Hand - The feel of rope to the touch, its roughness, slipperiness. etc.
Hand Line - A small diameter rope managed chiefly by direct contact with the hands; used in fishing and in the utilities industries.
Hank - A looped bundle of cordage. A means of packaging rope or cords by winding it into a series of loops and tying them about the center.
Hawser - A heavy line of fiber that is over 5" in circumference, used in mooring or towing vessels.
Heading Twine - A small diameter twine usually of braided nylon used by commercial fishermen for tying pot heads.
Heat Resistance - The ability of fibers and ropes to resist breakdown, loss of strength, at high temperatures. Heat resistance is normally an inherent property of the fiber used in manufacturing ropes.
Heaving Line - Light cotton cord or sash, weighted line thrown across to a ship or pier when coming alongside to act as a messenger for a mooring line.
Hemp - The fibers of a tall plant, the cannabis sativa, grown in Asia; also called "marijuana" or "Indian hemp". It may also refer to a fiber similar to true hemp such as manila.
Henequin - The Agave Fourcroydes, a plant native of Yucatan, Mexico, the fibers of which are used in making sisal cordage.
Hitch - A knot that attaches a rope to something, like a spar, a post or another rope.
HMPE - High Modulus Polyethylene.
Hockle - A back turn; a twist against the lay that cannot be corrected. Damage that occurs to a rope when a load is suddenly released on the line or when a rope is twisted and the strands form a loop. A line may look like it has knots along its length. This type of damage results in substantial loss of strength which cannot be repaired. It can lessen the tensile strength by as much as 50%. Braided or plaited rope cannot hockle.
Hollow Braid - An easily spliced cord of a diamond braid construction; most common in nylon or polypropylene - for example, water ski tow rope.
Hydrolysis - A double decomposition reaction involving the addition of the elements of water and the formation of an acid and a base, an acid and an alcohol, or an acid and phenol.
Hydroscopic - Having the ability to absorb moisture from the atmosphere. All fibers have this property in varying degrees.
Inherently Buoyant (KAPOK) Lifejacket - Used by personnel working topside during hazardous conditions or evolutions to ensure flotation in the event the wearer falls overboard. UNREP and boat crews wear them at all times. Sometimes called the Mae West.
Jenny - A rope making machine that twists several single ply yarn or single fibers into one larger yarn.
Jib - Triangular sail set in forepart of vessel.
Jute - A natural fiber obtained from either two Asian plants, Corchorus Capsulans of Corchorus Olitorius; used in sacking and cordage.
Kernmantle - A specially designed rope for use in mountain climbing, rescue, repelling, and certain safety applications. It is a generic term of German derivation where mantle refers to the cover and kern the core. These rope are designed for specific uses and should be used only after proper training.
Kink - A sharp bend or twist in a rope that permanently distorts the strands.
Laid Up - Twisted.
Lariat - A specially constructed rope with a running noose for catching livestock; a lasso. Also a rope used for picketing grazing horses or mules.
Lay - To piece together strands to be twisted into rope.
Lead Line - Sinking line used in fishing for lower line holding down nets or traps. May have a lead filament or core that would make the rope sink; also called bottom line.
Leaving Line - A barge mooring line used primarily to tie up unattended barges. A random mix rope is generally used for this purpose.
Left-Handed Twist - An "s" twist or a twist that would be laid out in a counterclockwise direction.
Life Line - An anchored line used as a support to someone who may fall or drown; a line shot to a ship in distress either to connect it with the shore or for hauling aboard other life-saving devices; lines rigged to keep the crew aboard in bad weather.
Life Ring - When an individual is sighted in the water, a ring should be thrown as close to them as possible to provide flotation and make them easier to sight.
Lift - The line rigged from the mast which holds the outboard end of the bosom or spinnaker pole in a desired horizontal position.
Line - A piece of rope, either fiber or wire, which is in use or has been cut for a specific purpose, such as lifeline, heaving line or lead line.
Linear Density - In rope specifications, means weight per given unit of length; for example pounds per 100 feet.
Lock Lines - A line led from the bow and stern of a tow to the lock wall.
Lofted - A cordage material is lofted if it is made to yield more feet and diameter per pound by crimping the fibers and/or loosening the twist or weave to give more bulk per unit of weight.
Long Splice - A method for joining end to end a three stranded rope without increasing the diameter of the rope. Not as strong as a short splice, but essential in splicing rope that must be used in a pulley where rope diameter cannot be changed.
Loop - Also called a turn; a circle of rope in which the rope crosses over itself, i.e. the end is placed over the standing part.
Luff - The forward edge of a fore-and-aft sail.
Mainsheet - A rope by which the mainsail is trimmed and secured.
Marline - A cord used for winding around the ends of ropes to prevent fraying.
Marlinspike - A pointed spike used to separate strands of rope in splicing.
Mason Line - A utility cord used for alignment in construction and other uses.
Manila - A fiber of the abaca plant used in making rope; also called manila hemp.
Maypole Braid - A non-spliceable braid constructed with 8, 12, or 16 strands of fibers braided around a center core of parallel fibers. The strands from a herringbone pattern on the rope. May also refer to diamond braid.
MFP - Multi Filament Polypropylene.
MK-1 Lifejacket - Primarily designed for carrier flight deck personnel. It is also used by other topside working personnel when required.
Modulus - The ratio of change in stress to change in strain following the removal of crimp from the material being tested; i.e., the ratio of the stress expressed in either force per unit linear density or force per unit area of the original specimen, and the strain expressed as either a fraction of the original length or percentage elongation.
Monkey Fist - Weighted knot in the end of a heaving line. Usually made up of 2 or 3 ounces of lead wrapped up in a rag.
Monofilament - Polypropylene or polyethylene extruded in relatively large round fibers of large denier as compared with the fine fibers of multifilament; usually extruded by the rope manufacturer.
Mooring Line - A rope or cable used to secure or make fast vessel or aircraft.
Multifilament - fine diameter continuous fibers of small denier. Polypropylene, for example, may be extruded as a monofilament. Nylon, used in cordage, is multifilament usually.
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