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December 12, 2018 2 min read
Dyneema is one of the Worlds strongest fibres, it is quickly replacing wire as a lightweight option when strength is needed. Dyneema rope is sometimes called Spectra and has different varieties which have been developed over the years, SK75, SK78 and SK99.
With a dyneema rope you can expect high strength, a low weight, water resistance, chemical resistance and protection against UV rays.
At Sailing Chandlery we see 4mm dyneema being our best selling dyneema rope, it's popular across a number of sailing dinghies and is the perfect size for control lines and halyards where dyneema rope is a perfect application.We have two types of dyneema rope available, 12 strand pure dyneema and covered dyneemas to give the pure dyneema proection. We're going to explore the options for a 4mm rope within those categores.
12 strand means that the rope is made of 12 bits of dyneema rope all twisted together to form the final rope product. With a 12 strand it means that the rope is hollow on the inside and that the pure dyneema is exposed to the eye.
With the rope exposed it's easier to work with and allows you to put splices into the rope such as soft eyes. It's important to note that if you are using a 4mm 12 strand dyneema then you should be splicing and not tieing knots, a splice is much stronger and will last longer.
12 strand dyneema ropes are ideal for purchase systems, travellers, trapeze lines and lashings.
A dyneema core rope does what it says on the tin, it has the dyneema within the rope as a core for strength. Quite often you'll find these ropes with harder wearing polyester covers, this is most popular on applications such as halyards and control lines which move through pulleys and cleats often. The polyester jacket will protect the core and make the rope last much longer, it can also provide more grip on the hands.
There are a few ropes which can be slightly different. Take Maffioli Swiftcord rope for example, it doesn't have a core but the dyneema is built into the cover and blended with other materials to provide extra grip.
You the have the option to taper the ropes, many dyneema core ropes with polyester jackets/covers can be tapered so the core is exposed at certain points. Handy for attaching the 12 strand core and creating an eye, or for having a more lightweight rope where needed. Tapering is most popular on halyards, this would mean the 12 strand dyneema core is exposed where there isn't abraision and then the polyester jacket end can go through cleats, this would cause less friction when pulling the halyards up and down.
Most popular 4mm 12 strand dyneema - 4mm Compact Braid Dyneema
Most popular 4mm dyneema core rope - 4mm Dyneema Core Rope
Other dyneema options - you can explore all of our 4mm dyneema ropes on our sailing ropes page.
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