Rope Best Sellers: The Yacht Braid, Softline, Dock Line, Anchor Warp and Cray Rope Kiwis Are Buying Now

Boats are coming off the hard, trailers are getting hitched and the first warm weekends of the season are here. So we went back through our real orders from the last 90 days to see which ropes in our Rope | Cordage range boaties are actually buying. Natural manila by the metre is still our biggest seller overall (we've covered it before), so this time we're focusing on the boat side: sheets and halyards, control lines, mooring line, anchor warp and cray rope.

Quick heads-up: some of these are cut to length and sold by the metre, and others come as full coils or reels. We've said which is which for each one.

1. Fineline Classic Polyester Yacht Braid: the yachtie's go-to

Our best-selling boat rope by a long way is Fineline Classic Polyester Yacht Braid, cut to length. It's a double braid made from 100% high-tenacity multifilament polyester. You get high strength and low stretch, and the softer construction makes it easier to splice. It has good UV and chemical resistance, and there's a fleck colour code so you can tell your lines apart. It's built for cruiser-racers, and people buy it for sheets, halyards, downhauls, runners, reefing lines and spinnaker guys. There's a big choice of sizes and colours, from $1.30 per metre. If you're re-rigging the whole boat, see the Fineline Classic double braid range, where it also comes on full spools.

2. Fineline Softline: easy on the hands

Fineline Softline has been a steady seller with dinghy sailors and anyone who handles lines all day. It has a spun polypropylene outer that feels soft in the hand and a braided polyester core for strength and minimal stretch. It also grips well on standard cleats. People use it for control lines, sheets and general rigging. It comes in 6mm, 8mm and 10mm in three colourways, from $2.09 per metre. More in Fineline general marine ropes.

3. Fineline Nylon Dockline 100m Reel: our pick for the season

For marinas, clubs and anyone looking after more than one boat, the Fineline Nylon Dockline 100m Reel is the bulk buy we'd point you to. It's UV-stabilised nylon with a tough black cover that stands up to sun, salt and abrasion. Nylon stretches a lot, which cushions your cleats and fittings when there's wave action and sudden snatch loads. It's easy to splice, so you can make up a set of dock lines exactly the length you want. Reels range from 10mm to 24mm, from $282.58 per 100m reel. Browse braided nylon ropes.

4. Polyester 3-Strand Rope with Blue Tracer: anchor warp done right

The Polyester 3-Strand Rope with Blue Tracer is a classic choice for good anchor warps. It's made from abrasion-resistant polyester filaments, it's low stretch and stays soft in use, it resists UV well, and it sinks. The blue tracer is the international mark for polyester. Apart from anchoring, people use it for mooring, docking and safety lines. It comes in 6mm to 16mm on 110m or 220m coils, from $91.58. See 3-strand polyester anchor ropes.

5. Donaghys 12mm Southern Aquatec Cray Rope: for the pot lines

Cray season keeps the 12mm x 220m Southern Aquatec Cray Rope moving. Donaghys makes it from their PP/PE crushed mono blend, 3-stranded for strength, abrasion resistance and easy splicing, and it's UV resistant with good shock-load resistance. It's orange/black fleck and comes as a full 220m coil for $187. See the rest of our commercial cray pot rope.

Also popular right now

• Winchline UHM12 5mm by the metre: a 12-plait coated braid for winch lines, strops and vehicle recovery, $4.12 per metre (winch lines and soft shackles).
• Donaghys 8mm x 50m Ankapak: a floating polypropylene anchor warp, pre-spliced with a stainless thimble, $29.99 (anchor packs).
• 6mm x 250m Aquatec Mono Rope: Donaghys' green-and-gold crushed mono rope, $49.99 a coil.

Whether you're re-rigging a yacht, setting up a berth or getting the cray pots ready, these are the ropes Kiwis are actually buying right now. Plenty of them suit boats and fishing around the Pacific Islands too. Email sales@actionoutdoors.kiwi for export enquiries.

Browse our full range at actionoutdoors.kiwi.