im thinking about changing my headsail sheet ropes and the control line for the furler with Spectra rope possibly a smaller diameter as my current? Any reasonable comments appreciated cheers.
I think for ease of handling and for your boat size about 10mm would be the min that you should go
Cheers Scott
my view is , stick with the double braid sheets .
may be of benefit for the furler , but like Jethro said , bit harder on the hands .
The only boat I have sailed that had Spectra the rope wouldn't grip in the jaws of the self tailing winches. Might have been the wrong size jaws/rope but it felt like they just had no grip.
I agree; yes for the furler, no for the sheets with 10mm min - you still have to pull the lines hard and fast when tacking. But if you ever need to put the furling line in the self tailing jaws (they're "self tailers", SA - Taylors is a wine company!) they'll have to be the same diameter or the teeth won't hold the line. But with spectra and a decent furler you should never have to do that (probably not recommended anyways).
Currently my Taylor teeth seem a little small for the crusty old sheet ropes I only tack a few times if I have too! I don't see a problem with my hands and I don't even use gloves!
Why would you use spectra on the furling line?
I understand that the main benefit of spectra is the low stretch under load, the only time the furler line has load is if you are using it for reefing. When reefing the load is transferred to the line through the rolled sail so there is lots of "stretch" in the sail any way.
Spectra for halliards, runners etc yes, but I see no benefit for furling line or sheets and it will not necessarily last any longer than good quality double braid.
Select to expand quotesouthace said..
I will have self Taylor's!
When are you going to upgrade to self-tailers? Those self-taylors aren't much chop.
Spectra is a high performance rope and serves no purpose to being used in a non high performance job like a furler line.
One positive of spectra on the furling line is it's smaller diameter means more length can be wound onto the drum giving more turns when furling. This would be the only reason I'd use it (but I don't have a furler).
Select to expand quoteLooseChange said..southace said..
I will have self Taylor's!
When are you going to upgrade to self-tailers? Those self-taylors aren't much chop.
Spectra is a high performance rope and serves no purpose to being used in a non high performance job like a furler line.
Spectra is a great cordage for it's specified uses. Unfortunately our local ship chandler in North street only seems to stock Spectra now in the smaller sizes because "it's best you know"!
My genoa sheets are a nice soft wooley double braid. Furler line I dropped down from 8mm double braid to 6mm and transformed its use. I do use a dinghy ratchet block on the furler line too.
Select to expand quotecisco said..
Spectra for halliards, runners etc yes, but I see no benefit for furling line or sheets and it will not necessarily last any longer than good quality double braid.
+1
Unless you re a particularly hot & fast racing machine, but given you have a furling jib, keep it nice 
Poods
The small amount of stretch in your Double braid minimises the chances of puling your deck gear and winches out of their rightful place. When spectra sheets load up there is no stretch to soften the load . As Cisco says..... DB for sheets and Spectra for Halyards.
