Sheet lines and halyards; a summary
- A halyard must be mute; you hoist the sail with it. Why it needs to stay in place
- Halyard are made either entirely of polyester, or with Dyneema core and polyester cover
- A sheet line does not have to be as blunt, but it should not be elastic either
- Sheet lines often have a thicker sheath than a halyard, to withstand higher wear
Sheet lines and halyards are like night and day, right?
A halyard needs to be blunt because it should keep your sail stretched. That’s why many people choose a halyard with a core of Dyneema or HMPE as it is also called. The result is a case that stays put, but the wallet has taken a beating. Do you really need a halyard with this blunt core?
The simple answer is no, probably not. Indeed, there is every reason to look towards alternatives in polyester. A fiber that is both reliable and significantly more affordable. Something that many sailors talk about is work strain and it is quite true that it is slightly larger in cases made of 100% polyester, but for you as a recreational sailor it is hardly noticeable.
Thanks to the fact that polyester is cheaper than Dyneema, the big advantage lies in the price, where you can find polyester cases significantly cheaper than the corresponding rope with Dyneema core.
Of course, there are those that require that little bit extra in terms of heat resistance, breaking strength and elongation. Then, of course, the Dyneema lines are tougher, albeit more expensive.
The most important property of a sheet line is to be durable and dimensionally stable
The most important task of a sheet line is to be durable rather than extremely stiff. Here, muteness is not as crucial. Polyester ropes have always served as bulkheads thanks to the combination of durability and price.
The most important feature of a sheet line is that it fits well in the shrouds and winches. Since shippers have a tendency to chew up the sheathing of the rope, the bulkheads are therefore of a different construction than the halyards. The casing is rougher on the bulkheads for precisely the reason mentioned above.
When it comes to sheet lines, there are variants with Dyneema/HMPE core. Because even here there are sometimes specific requirements for muteness.
Now that you know the difference between the ropes and how they are used, we’ll go into a little more depth. For those who like to know things and understand the structure of rope, the following minutes of reading will enrich your life with new knowledge.
Halyard with 100% polyester
Our PROLine series halyards have a polyester core and sheath construction. The core is made up of straight wires as you can see. The big advantage of this is that the core is more silent because the strands are not braided in the same way as a traditional rope. However, this type of rope is difficult to splice. Therefore, we have developed our own solution called IQ-Line, which is a type of seam that replaces the splice. Just as durable, but above all flexible.
The casing in these cases is made of 32-plait polyester. The reason why it’s not the same type of braid on sheets and cases is simple. In one case, you want muteness. Therefore, it is more core and less shell. Because it is mainly the core that contributes to the crime rate.
Sheet ropes with 100% polyester
Our classic sheet lines have a 24-braid sheath because durability in the sheath is important. The core is braided in this rope and it is thanks to this that the rope remains round and dimensionally stable under stress. One advantage of a thick casing is its durability.
The braided core gives the rope a little more stretch and a slightly lower breaking point. But as I said. In a sheet, neither elongation nor breaking strength is a determining factor.
Halyards with Dyneema core
If you are still looking for a rope that is strong as wire and can withstand weather, wind and extreme stresses, we of course have a halyard for this too. We call it ProRace ONE. A line that has a core of HMPE/Dyneema and a cover that has a combination of Cordura, Technora and Polyester. Here you get close to 0% sheath slippage and a working strain of 0.6%. If you are looking for the silliest and most alternative, this is just right!
Sheet lines with Dyneema core
Sheet lines don’t have to be completely mute, but if you still want it, there’s ProRace FOUR. A rope with a core of HMPE/Dyneema and PP. Which, thanks to this blend, gives you a truly silent line, but which is still affordable. The sheath is made of polyester and gives you a good bite in the winch, while the sheet line is pleasant to handle. This line is suitable both as a sheet and a halyard.
Sheet line or halyard line that’s best for you?
The difference between a sheet and a halyard is, as I said, quite large in terms of construction. There are countless pundits who say that Dyneema/HMPE is a must, and we say that it is not. One polyester rope is enough for most needs and occasions. This is not to say that Dyneema/HMPE is a sharper alternative. However, it is an option that is more painful for the wallet.