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Steelsafe Ultra: SK78 Dyneema® Covered Lifting and Winch Rope
Steelsafe Ultra is a long lay 12-strand Dyneema® SK78 core rope with a 24-plait polyester cover, available in 22–44mm diameter with minimum breaking loads from 26.9 tonnes (22mm) to 134.3 tonnes (44mm) on spliced terminations. Designed for lifting, winching and pull applications in commercial marine and industrial environments. Made to order to specified lengths with factory-spliced ends.
The polyester cover addresses the primary limitations of bare HMPE braid in heavy industrial and offshore applications. An unsheathed 12-strand rope in service on a drum, through a sheave or over a fairlead is exposed to direct abrasion on the load-bearing core strands. In Steelsafe Ultra, the polyester cover acts as a sacrificial layer, intercepting abrasive contact before it reaches the Dyneema® SK78 core and providing a visible inspection surface where wear can be assessed before it compromises core integrity. The cover also prevents dirt and grit ingress into the core braid structure, where embedded particles accelerate internal abrasion between strands under load cycling. UV protection extends service life in above-deck and surface-exposed deployments.
The long lay construction produces a rope that runs freely through sheaves and over drums with lower bending stiffness than standard lay HMPE constructions at the same diameter, reducing the compressive stress on the cover and core fibres at the contact point. Made to order in white. Custom lengths and factory-spliced assemblies available on enquiry.
- Offshore lifting and subsea operations
- Commercial marine winching and capstan systems
- Industrial winching on drums and drum winches
- Pull and lift winch lines
- Crane and rigging work in harsh environments
- Heavy-duty mooring lines on commercial vessels
- Renewable energy installation and infrastructure
- Steel wire rope replacement in commercial and industrial applications
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Technical Overview
| Dyneema® SK78 core with abrasion-resistant polyester cover |
| Long lay 12-strand core construction |
| Lightweight with low elongation |
| Spliced to custom lengths |
| Excellent resistance to dirt and UV exposure |
| Maintains integrity in harsh environments |
Covered Dyneema® Rope: Why the Polyester Jacket Matters in Heavy Applications
Steelsafe Ultra adds a 24-plait polyester cover to the long lay Dyneema® SK78 core construction of the Steelsafe range. The case for the cover is operational. In offshore lifting, commercial marine winching and industrial sheave systems, a rope is not simply loaded and unloaded in a straight line. It bends over drum flanges, passes through fairleads, contacts sheave grooves and accumulates surface abrasion across every cycle of use. In a bare HMPE construction, all of that abrasive contact acts directly on the load-bearing Dyneema® core strands. In Steelsafe Ultra, the polyester cover absorbs that contact first. Cover wear is visible and progressive, giving maintenance teams a reliable inspection surface: a jacket showing significant surface degradation signals that the rope should be assessed before its next deployment at full working load.
The cover also prevents ingress of grit, sand and dirt into the 12-strand core braid. In a bare braid under repeated load cycling, embedded particles act as an abrasive between strands, accelerating internal strength loss that is not visible on the surface. The polyester jacket seals the core structure against this mechanism. For technical information on Dyneema® SK78 fibre performance, visit the Dyneema® brand page. UK manufactured.
Heavy Lifting and Winch Rope: Long Lay Construction and Commercial Specification
Steelsafe Ultra uses a long lay 12-strand SK78 Dyneema® braid construction. Long lay refers to the pitch angle of the braid. A longer pitch produces a rope that is more flexible at a given diameter, bending more freely over sheaves and drum surfaces with lower contact stress at the radius point. For lifting, pull and winching applications where the rope must pass over large-diameter sheaves, spool onto a drum under load or run through a capstan system, the long lay construction reduces bending fatigue accumulated at each pass and maintains the circular cross-section that distributes load evenly across all 12 strands. The polyester cover further supports drum performance by keeping the rope round under the compressive forces generated by multi-layer spooling, preventing the cross-section deformation that increases inter-fibre friction and accelerates core degradation in bare HMPE winch lines. Breaking loads run from 26.9 tonnes (22mm) to 134.3 tonnes (44mm) on spliced terminations.
Steelsafe Ultra is manufactured to order in specified lengths with factory-spliced ends, in white. For applications where an unsheathed construction is preferred, Steelsafe provides the same Dyneema® core without the polyester cover, across a wider diameter range. Browse the full Dyneema® rope range or contact the team to discuss specifications and lead times.
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