3 Strand Rope

3 strand rope is available in polyester and nylon and are most suited for docklines and mooring lines due to their ease of being spliced. Nylon rope is the strongest easily available rope material. Although it is quite strong it does lose about 15% of its strength when wet. It should also be noted that it is very dense and sinks in water. Nylon is the best choice of rope for many applications. This includes marine, general purpose, and towing. It is very strong, but perhaps more importantly highly UV and abrasion resistant, so it lasts a long time. Uses: Docklines, Anchor Warp, Mooring Line.

Polyester is almost as strong as nylon, but it does not lose strength when wet. It also has the highest resistance to abrasion, UV, and heat. The main difference between nylon and polyester is the elasticity-nylon stretches significantly more than polyester. Nylon is more appropriate for applications where slight stretch is desirable, such as anchor warps. Similarly, polyester line is more appropriate for applications where stretch is not desired, such as Budget Dinghy Halyards, lifting slings and Docklines.

Bayside Basics Guide to Ropes