: Kevlar and Spectra are both super strong with Spectra being probably double
: the strength of Kevlar. Kevlar is maybe 5x the strength of a similarly
: sized piece of steel while Spectra is about 10x. They abrade differently.
: You might want to go and read the spec sheets from the manufacturers. I am
: using Yale Cordage Spectra for yachts. It comes in convenient spools and
: the price is fair.
What is the per-foot cost by the spool? What diameter do you prefer? What colors does it come in? white, off-white, white with red tracers? 
:I do use some Spectra runners for different stuff. I
: get those from the climbing store. I always carry some static line,
: carabiners, pulleys, figure-8, prussik cords, and flat webbing for camp
: duties and possible rescue situations (Z-Drag and stuff like that).
Whoa...the great inland sea is gnarlier than I thought!
: Spectra can be challenging to work with. It is a devil to cut... it is almost
: as slippery as Teflon, and it is hard to knot... which is why I use
: Spectra-core and not plain old Spectra fiber.
It seems to cut pretty well with a hot knife in the climbing store.
: Actually... I don't have that. It is a great idea and I made a note of it in
: my head to do that the last time I was over at the Chicagoland Canoe Base
: ogling Seaward Kayaks... then in my old age, I forgot how they did it!
It's a piece of 3/4" polypro webbing...probably 5" or 6" long. Folded in half and stitched about 1 1/4" from the fold. The free ends (I think) were glued inside a bead or something. The loop is forced over your side-release buckle, and the bead ends up sticking out perpendicular from the buckle. When you pull the bead, the tension in the loop pushes in on the buttons on the side-release and the buckle opens.
Shawn
