Polypropylene v. Rooster "Inside Out" Mainsheet

Polypropylene vs. Rooster Polilite "Inside Out" Which do you prefer

  • Polypropylene

    Votes: 9 17.6%
  • Rooster Polilite "Inside Out"

    Votes: 42 82.4%

  • Total voters
    51

LChamplain

New Member
I currently use a polypropylene main sheet. However, I have also heard a lot of good things about the Rooster "Inside out" line. I am wondering how people feel about each and which one is better.
 
My boat came with polypropylene, but I already had a Rooster mainsheet.
The poly felt unbelievably stiff in comparision.
 
I perfer the rooster because it is between 1/4 and 5/16 and does not twist as much. in a breeze winds without gloves it can be harsh on the hands so i simply use a 5/16 line instead
 
I would recomend the "Inside out" line to anyone having problems with twisting mainsheets. As Long as your organised and get rid of all the twists before you go sailing, It works like a dream and doesnt twist nearly as much as "traditional" mainsheets.

I'm not sure, however I think you can get the Inside Out main from places other than Rooster.
 
Any deck or dual midshipman knows that Polypropylene line floats, and from a Laser sailors persective this can be very very bad. If you have a poly main sheet you know what I'm talking about.

Your pounding upwind in moderate to heavy breeze, lots of spray and water getting into the cockpit, more then the auto-bailer can empty. You finally reach the windward mark, and you go to turn down, and you mainsheet is just one big tangled mess under your feet. NOT GOOD.

This happens because the line will naturally want to float because of the material it's made of. Polypropylene line is used in the maritime industry as hawsers on mooring buoys because it floats. this enables tug & barge crewman to use an oversized boathook to pick it up and make it fast to their own hawsers, mooring themselves to the buoy. Fishermen also like to use ployprope line on their nets and traps, so even if they lose a float, the line will still stay there.
 
> Any deck or dual midshipman knows that Polypropylene line
> floats, and from a Laser sailors persective this can be very very
> bad. If you have a poly main sheet you know what I'm talking
> about. [...]

From what I've been reading, it seems the difference between sinking and floating mainsheets on the Laser comes down to the difference between sinking to the bottom of the cockpit and getting tangled up, and floating on top of the water in the cockpit and getting tangled up.

I'm currently sailing with a 1/4" polyester mainsheet (Sta-Set, or some such - a sinker), and I find that it's frequently a tangled mess at the windward mark.

Cheers,

Geoff Sobering
DN US-5156/Laser 145234/Renegade 510
 
I agree with Geoff. Even though I have the Rooster Polilite, I quite often find it in a tangled mess at the windward mark. The only difference is that it sinks and comes out of the tangle faster compared to others that I've experienced. I don't know, I like the Rooster but it certaintly is not tangle proof or whatever it may claim to be. Again, I like it, but I don't think it is an absolutley amazing thing thats gonna win a race for you alone.
 
The only problem i have with the Rooster sheet is that it's advertised as a no tangle option and mine seems to knot up pretty nicely other than that she's a fine piece of rope.... lol
 
Didn't like my Rooster main at first since it is not tangle-proof as implied by the advertising, but after over a year with it I'd use nothing else. It's stiff and light and doesn't absorb water.
 
It looks like either the Radial World Champion Steve Cockerill is a liar and cheat getting away with murder in spite of all the stringent "truthful advertising" requirements of UK and the EU...

or none of the users of this mainsheet posting here have any idea about how to maintain the Rooster mainsheet to "make it" a non-tangling line, as advertised.

I bet it's the latter. Otherwise, why would all the hot shots consistently use the Rooster Sailing mainsheet?

The least that you could do was to ask an explanation from Steve Cockerill. If you don't have his e-mail (and are too lazy to find it), the least you can do is to check the "drLaser" web site FAQ before making comments here.

Shevy Gunter
Editor, drLaser
 
It can be the most tangly twisty mainsheet ever produced if you do not follow the information sold with the rope. Frankly - polilite is so stable onlong its length, that if the sailor has not taken out all the twists prior to dead ending it on the boat - then it is like spagetti!! I have had sailors who coiled the sheet into the boat - thinking that it would be great - of course it had as many complete twists in it as it had coils!! A nightmare!
So long as you do your homework - taking out all the twists and dead ending it in the boat -- then you are onto a winner - the ratchet block then does not start to twist the sheet - preventing the nasty knot.

There is one more event that effects the sheet - if you have used it as a tow line - whilst twisted, then the balance of the rope can be effected - then it can become a nightmare....

To sum up - do your homework and it runs a treat - don't and you are in for a really hard time! Please also note that the strength of the sheet is in the outer core. Please check the condition of your rope and consider changing it before it lets you down.. I change mine about once a year.

Steve Cockerill.
 

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Steve,
Thank you for the post. Do you have a digital copy of the sheet users instructions? I would love to get a copy. My boat had one when I bought it and so far I really am having trouble keeping it untangled. Thanks again,
Ralph
 
What make is the laser XD one, cos i had a rooster one on my topper and it was excellant! The XD one on the laser is tangling but im going to have a go at straightening it out now! Do you know whether it is advertised as non twist or not?
 
Could someone explain to me, in detail, how to keep the Rooster main sheet from tangling? I am sorry for being so dense but I am new to lasers.
Ralph
 
Sorry for not responding to this earlier. I hoped Steve Cockerill would answer it directly.

I just contacted him privately, letting him know of your repeated inquiries. If we don't hear from him soon, I'll give it my best shot. I use both his thin and thicker lines myself.

Shevy
 
i think it shows something for steve that he will come in and personally respond , even after people were dissing it. It takes a man to stand behind his products like that
 
lol i do as well! i just bought my new rooster one last week, theyre great and definately better than the XD ones! watever they are called!
 
I've been using a new Rooster mainsheet this season and have been very impressed. I generally coil it like a climbing rope (big, loose loops) between sails and then toss the line into the lake (while holding one end!) to straighten out the kinks. By the end of a night of races, it has its tangles, but they are generally easy to work out. Having the Rooster mainsheet has really helped me improve my game in the squirrelly wind conditions here in Maine. It allows for much quicker, and cleaner, transitions. During last night's races (gusts to about 20 kt., shifting wind direction), I probably would have ended up in the lake if I'd been using my old stock mainsheet.
 
Tom said:
GOGOGOGOGO captain capsize you ames the best0o0o0o0o0o0o!@%^#(^!@&*

Hey Tom could ya translate that?

On another note. Has anyone tried the Maffiolli Swiftcord as a mainsheet and care to comment. It is unbelievable when used as control lines. I saw some boats using it at CORK this summer but never got any feedback as I was busy doing other things.

I find with the Rooster line the longer you keep it dry the better it works. If you can keep the cockpit dry in light and moderate conditions life is grand. As soon as there is water in the cockpit it is more likely to tangle. So get those cockpit plugs to seal properly.

My thoughts.

Steve.
 
capt_capsize said:
I generally coil it like a climbing rope (big, loose loops) between sails and then toss the line into the lake (while holding one end!) to straighten out the kinks.
I do something similiar already when I rig my laser. After coiling it I throw the roostersheet away keeping one end of it in my hand ;) . Now i put the sheet (very loose) back in the laser without coiling it and dead end it there. And it works just great!!

Markus
 
depends on the windconditions. the polypropene is great for going downwind in nonplaning conditions when you have to kite like hell and your mainsheet keeps touching the water. however of course it does a greater problem of getting tangled up.
i find that the rooster mainsheet really hurts my hands even with gloves on in the heavy stuff due to it's relatively small diameter. sometimes it also tends to go into the ratchet block twice totally jamming it which can be very irritating.
a great solution to ropes that tangle easily: soak them in water with a little detergent overnight to get rid of all the salt crystals in the core.
or alternatively you could always tie the end of your main to your hiking strap.
 

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