Line rope
A stretch rope is a stretched rope or strap on a ship that seafarers can hold on to on the upper deck in heavy seas or attach with a snap hook.
designation
The term stretch rope comes from the fact that they extend over a relatively long distance in order to maintain freedom of movement and must therefore be strongly pre-tensioned (stretched). Otherwise, if the weight of a man is placed across the rope, the rope would give way quickly.
Yachts
On yachts, for example, the rope is attached to the bow and runs freely on deck to the stern , where it is also firmly anchored. The seaman wears a safety harness (lifebelt) with a short connecting line (the care line) and a snap hook at the end. In bad weather with a lot of wind and swell, the seaman can hang in here in order to find support against strong ship movements and waves and not to be washed overboard or to have both hands free when working on deck. Extension ropes are either permanently attached or are only used when the sea is increasing. They are deployed as far as possible from the railing so that the roped sailor cannot fall over it.
Large shipping
On large deck areas, waves can create a torrent of water (“sea hammer”) and unsecured seafarers can wash overboard. On large ships, stretch ropes are therefore attached wherever work has to be carried out on deck in bad weather conditions. They are usually attached a little above man height so that they do not restrict freedom of movement.