‘Until a few years ago, lines used on captive winches were fairly standard ropes that took a lot of abuse. They were relatively simple pieces of equipment even on large Superyachts. In the past decade with the amazing increase in power and performance of modern Superyachts a remarkable amount of R&D work has been undertaken to optimise their performance.

With loads that are continuously rising as a result of more powerful rigs and the stiffer materials used in boat building and sails, all lines onboard a high-performance Superyacht are now put under very high stress with captive winch lines being among the most highly loaded.

We work with the specialist rope manufacturers Gottifredi Maffioli who have spent years researching and developing highly technical ropes to ensure they are fit for task when all these factors are considered.  

With many of the actively racing Superyachts using these lines we are seeing less gear failure leading to happier owners and crew at the end of the regattas.’

Allan Wester, Head of RSB Rigging Splicing Department