A full rigged ship of the line uses a good deal of rope, also called rigging. The ropes are used for two different purposes on a sailing ship. One use on the ship is to hold the masts in place and to help hold the masts together, this is structural rigging or standing rigging. This rigging keeps things from moving, or moving too much. This type of rigging is normally a different color that the other rigging. This way it is easier to tell them
apart during times of confusion or battle.

The other type of rigging on a ship is the running rigging. This is what is used to control the sails. Anything that needs to be done to a sail is done using the running rigging. These ropes are different from the standing rigging in two distinct ways. First they are much more flexible than the standing rigging. Secondly they are not coated in tar, therefore the running rigging is lighter in color than the standing rigging.

The ropes for both have been made from various materials down through the years.
Hemp was possibly the most used material for the longest time. Hemp fibers are strong and flexible and perfectly suited for making ropes. George Washington grew hemp on his Mount Vernon estate for military use. Hemp was used well into the 20th century as a rope making material, until cotton and synthetic materials took over in popularity.

With a sailing ship having so many ropes onboard a seaman was tasked with learning which rope did what. He was expected to know the function of each and every rope onboard the ship. This was called learning the ropes. When it was time for him to prove his knowledge either the ships master or captain would walk around the ship and quiz the sailor as to the function of different ropes. If the sailor passed he could be promoted and earn more pay and even have an increase in his rum ration.

On a modern warship ropes are still in use. Most of these are used for mooring the ship. But, there are a few other uses as well. During an UNREP ropes are used to pull over the cables and eventually the fueling hoses. So even as technology races ahead, ropes are still around.