Robert or Karen Swarts wrote:
I know conventional wisdom decrees that running rigging use polyester
cordage and anchor line use nylon. The nylon is said to stretch more, and
thus take up shock loads more readily. Polyester, on the other hand,
stretches less and is said to make setting the sails easier. I can
understand this for racing purposes, but wouldn't the same tolerance to
shock load be a blessing in a cruising boat where resilience of the rig is
of ultimate importance?

Bob Swarts


You certainly wouldn't want stretchy halyards or jib sheets. But there
are some case where you might want shock absorbing on the main sheet.
When I bought my previous boat, a Nonsuch 30, the mainsheet came rigged
with a rubber snubber, the kind you normally put on a dock line. The
previous owner felt it was worth a little give in the line to have shock
absorbing in the case of a jibe. If you've ever sailed a Nonsuch (or
other large cat boat), you'd understand that jibes can be rather
thunderous. The only other noticeable affect was that the main eased a
little in puffs, not necessarily a bad thing.