On a sailing yacht, rope is generally the term used for the raw material used to make the ‘lines’ that are used on board. When a rope has a purpose or use, it is called a ‘line’ and every single line that has a job to do will have its own name. The lines that are used when sailing are called sheets and each sheet will refer to the sail that it controls. For example, when you trim the mainsail, you use the mainsheet, and if you are trimming the jib, then you will adjust the jib sheet. There are other lines used for sail trimming such as a cunningham or a kicker. The lines that are used when tying up to a jetty or pontoon are often called ‘docklines’ or ‘warps’ . There are only a couple of examples of lines that are actually called ropes on a yacht; a ‘bolt rope’ a line which can be attached to the edge of a sail or even a ‘bell rope’ used to ring a ships bell.