Advice on main sheet and out haul

[dMAC]

Any recommendations for best main sheet lines for durability and performance? My current sheets are 5/8" double braid

Also same question for out haul on main sail furler. Current line is 1/2" sta set, which started to get bad abrasion in less than a year.

[JPA Cate]

dMAC, you can google "5/8" polyester double braid breaking strength" and obtain a strength datum in about 10 seconds. FWIW, 1/2" spectra line is way stronger. Your outhaul chafe could be from a combination of UV damage plus maybe the sheave is not correctly sized, or the lead is not quite right. Check out a spectra line for the application of the correct strength.

(On our boat, we have a stretchy link between the attachment to the boom and the mainsail sheet itself, as Jim thought the spectra line was perhaps a little too non-stretchy.)

Ann

[Snore]

+1 on the sheave. On my Tartan the outboard block in the boom connects to a wire that goes around a wire sheave in the boom end cap. My understanding is that wire sheaves are narrower than rope sheaves. Could be a factor...

What type if boat????

[Stumble]

The outhaul chaff is probably from using to large of a line. 1/2" is rediculiously large for an outhaul. Try using 1/4 amsteel instead.

For mainsheets it depends on the boat, but generally something like salsa is a good go to. Size dependent on the size of the sail and handeling concerns.