This page contains some affiliate links. We may receive a small commission if you purchase items through links on this page. All recommendations are genuine. These are the items and sources that I use to keep our boat stocked with critical gear.
Aboard Mosaic, we LOVE dyneema.
What is dyneema? It’s a specific type of synthetic rope that is something like 15-times stronger than equivalent size steel cable. It’s really easy to work with and splice, too. We use it for all sorts of things aboard our sailboat (like our dyneema lifelines)!
It is a fiber and, of course, can be susceptible to failure in certain conditions, such as extended exposure to strong UV-rays and chafe. But keeping these weaknesses in mind, there are very few single supply items that I would rank higher in importance aboard a cruising sailboat over a good stockpile of dyneema line and some splicing tools.
Our Primary Uses for Dyneema Aboard our Cruising Sailboat:
- Soft shackles- seriously, I keep a large supply of soft shackles of different sizes handy at all times. We use them all the time.
- Mainsail boom strop, outhaul, and topping lift attachment
- Location-independent low-friction rings
- Soft lifelines & gates
Supply Options for Dyneema and Accompanying Pieces:
For dyneema itself, I like to order bulk through AmsteelBlue.com (not affiliated, you can buy by-the-foot or a bulk spool) or directly from West Marine (not affiliated, sold by-the-foot or in bulk options).
For splicing dyneema, this is the set of fids that I use. You can easily find more expensive options like this Samson set, but I’ve never found the set I bought to be lacking. I also have one of these splicing needles that is really helpful for splicing really small line. I like to use a simple electrical tape to hold the dyneema in the fid as I pull it through itself.
I use these Harken low-friction rings to make moveable attachment points for running a line through where we need a turn. I’ve used these in place of an actual block on the boom for the mainsheet, and we use them to turn lines for our preventer setup and also when flying our spinnaker (just to name a few uses).
Instructional Videos for Common Dyneema Splices
These are the three most common dyneema splices that I use. I’m not affiliated with these videos in any way, I just find them useful. (Also, I wanted a place on my own site here where I keep track of these links, as I like to review the instructions from time to time when I’m making something with dyneema.)
BRUMMEL LOCK-SPLICE (EYE SPLICE) WITH ONE SIDE FIXED
DYNEEMA LOOP – I USE THIS AND LASHING TO MAKE MY LOW-FRICTION RING ATTACHMENTS