Anchor line

[jhnmdahl]

Did some research regarding what best to use as an anchor line, and found a few things:

Samson and New England ropes are both top quality, but Samson is somewhat less expensive.

Nylon rope is generally preferred for anchoring and docking, as it has more stretch than most other lines and can cushion shock. Polypropylene line isn't as good, but floats (nylon doesn't), so it's best for tow ropes, mooring lines, or other lines where floating and visibility are key.

Three strand is the longest lasting nylon anchor line and is standard, but I liked the look and feel of nylon double braid better. Double braid is harder to splice, but otherwise a bit easier to handle.

3/8 inch nylon line is recommended for boats up to 35 feet or so, with 1/2 inch line ok for typical boats up to 50 feet.

I ended up with Samson super strong double braid, something like - http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?pat ... 0&id=37332

[tymu]

I use the same rope as my old tow line because it floats.

[jhnmdahl]

That's probably polypropylene then. It has some stretch, but not as much as nylon. If you're prone to dropping your dock line in the water it might make sense, but I think I'd stick with nylon for an anchor rope.