Replacing lines. Colors?

[windypatrick]

I just picked up my 26x, it has sat in the Arizona sun all of its life and the lines are tired. I intend to replace them all. Any recommendations as to source, approach or color? Thanks in advance!

[Tomfoolery]

I've never paid much nevermind to color until I added a spinnaker halyard to my . I used full black for that, partly to try something different, and partly because it makes it real hard to confuse that halyard with any of the others cleated to the mast in the same neighborhood. I just added downhaul blocks for the spinnaker, and will probably use some 1/4" black yacht braid for that, too. Keeping it consistant.

[Russ]

Color yacht braid is a good idea. When I have a pile of lines in the cockpit, it really makes it easy to tell which is the main sheet and jib sheets. Haylards aren't that hard to sort out and mine are plain white.

I'm assuming you are NOT referring to dock lines. Running rigging should NOT be made of nylon as it stretches. Dock lines SHOULD be nylon because it stretches and the elastic properties absorb the shock.

[windypatrick]

Yes, I am referring to running rigging. If I march down to Westmarine and buy theirs is it adequate?

[Tomfoolery]

For an ? Absolutely. If you're a serious racer, they have higher-tech line at WM, too, with higher-tech pricing to match. If it's the America's Cup or Volvo ocean racing, the sky's the limit, both in properties, and in pricing.

If you're at a marina with a chandlery, check out their pricing. My marina has better pricing on much if not most things, including line. I'll be using them to replace most of the running rigging on my boat this summer.

[mastreb]

When I get around to replacing the standard sheets, I'm going to going to separate the jib sheets and go white/red for the port side, white/green for the starboard (to match nav lights), white/blue for the traveller, blue/white for the vang, and keep white for the halyard and roller furler, since those only rarely need to be called out.

This is mostly so that I can yell at noobs (and my kids) using colors that they'll immediately get rather than having the blank stare when I yell "loose the port jibsheet".

[Miss_Dallie]

white/red for the port side, white/green for the starboard (to match nav lights), white/blue for the traveller, blue/white for the vang, and keep white for the halyard and roller furler

Good idea. I'm going to keep this snippet for when I need to change my rigging.

Ron

[Highlander]

Hope their not colour blind !!

J

[korn_kid_12]

I used Green on halyards and Blue on sheets wanting to differentiate as an opportunity to teach the admiral and kids. Source was ebay, good pricing good people I am a year into them and they work well and still look good.

[heinzir]

I color coded my lines by sail and function. Sheets are solid colors, halyards and control lines are striped or flecked.

Mainsail: Green
Mainsheet 1: solid Green 3/8" Sta Set
Mainsheet 2: dark solid green 3/8" MarlowBraid
Main Halyard: white w/green flecks 1/4" Yale Crystalyne
Cunningham: green w/red stripe 1/4" StaSet

Jib: Red
Sheets: solid red 3/8" MarlowBraid
Halyard: white w/red flecks 5/16" Yale Crystalyne
Downhaul: 3/16" white/red striped StaSet
Tack Downhaul: solid red Amsteel Blue 3/16" w/1/4" red StaSet tail

Staysail: Blue
Sheets: solid blue 3/8" StaSet
Halyard: white w/blue flecks 5/16" Yale Crystalyne
Downhaul: 3/16" white/blue striped StaSet
Tack Downhaul: solid blue Amsteel Blue 3/16" w/1/4" blue StaSet tail

Spinnaker/Drifter sheets: red (port), green (stbd) 1/4" StaSet

Backstay adjuster: Olive green 1/4" NovaBraid
1st Reef: Black 1/4" StaSet
1st Reef nettles: red 1/4" Novabraid
2nd Reef: Grey Vectran 3/16"
2nd Reef nettles: black 3/16" Novabraid
Running Backstays: White w/black stripe 7/16" StaSet
Boom Vang: White w/red stripes 3/8" Novabraid
Outhaul: Blue Amsteel Blue 3/16"
Topping Lift: 3/16" white w/green stripe Yale Crystalyne

Dock Lines*
Midship lines: black 3/8" three strand nylon ( x 2 )
Port Stern: Navy blue 1/2" braided nylon
Stbd Stern: Light blue 1/2" braided nylon
Bow: Bright Green 1/2" braided nylon

Primary buoy mooring line: 3/4" Black braided nylon
Backup/Pickup line: 5/8" Red braided nylon

Fender whips: red 5/16" Marlow fuzzy braid

*All 5 docklines are permanently connected to cleats, coiled, and hung for ready use to prevent scrambling when single handing or sailing with my grandkids, which is the same thing.

The only white lines on my boat are the anchor rodes. Bow: 1/2" nylon 3-strand; stern: 3/8" nylon 3-strand

[windypatrick]

Nice! something like that is what I was considering.

[RobertB]

I color coded my lines by sail and function. Sheets are solid colors, halyards and control lines are striped or flecked.

Mainsail: Green
Mainsheet 1: solid Green 3/8" Sta Set
Mainsheet 2: dark solid green 3/8" MarlowBraid

How do you run two different mainsheets?

[robbarnes1965]

When I get around to replacing the standard sheets, I'm going to going to separate the jib sheets and go white/red for the port side, white/green for the starboard (to match nav lights), white/blue for the traveller, blue/white for the vang, and keep white for the halyard and roller furler, since those only rarely need to be called out.

This is mostly so that I can yell at noobs (and my kids) using colors that they'll immediately get rather than having the blank stare when I yell "loose the port jibsheet".

I did a similar layout of colors. Helps with anyone new on the boat. Having crewed for races aboard several other boats, I would have to say it's nice to have a color to look at even if you have experience. Some boat have a lot of lines and it can make big difference in a race or in a storm on a cruise to make sure the right line is released.

[Russ]

This is mostly so that I can yell at noobs (and my kids) using colors that they'll immediately get rather than having the blank stare when I yell "loose the port jibsheet".

LOL

Training my crew has been a challenge. Eventually it comes down to, "Untie that thing over there...the blue one."

[bscott]

All good advice on colors just make sure your lines are the correct length and are kept off the deck and stowed neatly. When you hang your sheets around a winch, turn the line with your fingers to remove any line twist that can form knots that can foul your block pulleys. I wash my lines each season with dish washing detergent to keep them soft and store the bitter ends down below after each sail.

Bob