A cord comprises a braided sheath of strands having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a central hollow portion defined by the inner surface and having a volume and a core within the central hollow portion of the tubular braided sheath, such that when the cord is in a relaxed state the tubular braided sheath has a cylindrical shape and a relaxed volume of the central hollow portion wherein the core does not fill the relaxed volume of the central hollow portion of the tubular braided sheath; when the cord is in a longitudinal tensioned state, the tubular braided sheath elongates under the longitudinal tension such that a tensioned volume of at least a part of the central hollow portion of the tubular braided sheath is less than the relaxed volume; and the inner surface of the tubular braided sheath of tensioned volume contacts and cinches a surface of the core.

A rope and a method of constructing the rope. The rope may be of 1212 braided construction and include a core for its length. The rope includes a plurality of primary strands, and each of the primary strands includes a plurality of fibers which may be made of a high-friction material. The rope also includes a secondary strand surrounded by the plurality of primary strands. The secondary strand includes a plurality of fibers which may be made of a low-friction material.

An elongate, flexible line for providing a linkage between a first structure and a second structure. The line may be a mooring line. It has a braided tubular sheath, the sheath being able to change reversibly and repeatedly in length and its braided structure being such that an increase in sheath length is accompanied by a lateral dimensional decrease. Within the sheath is an impervious flexible bladder. The bladder defines a fluid-containing internal chamber which is acted on by the sheath so that the volume of the chamber varies with the sheath length. A pressure source arranged to pressurise the chamber. A restricted passage communicates with the chamber.

The pressurised bladder urges the sheath to expand laterally and to contract. An increase in sheath extension causes fluid to be exhausted from the chamber through the restriction, increasing chamber pressure and providing a damping force opposed to the sheath's extension.

A mooring member comprises a rope configured for extending between a vessel floating in a body of water and an anchoring device. The mooring member comprises a plurality of functional elements, wherein a first functional element is wound onto at least a portion of the rope, a second functional element is wound onto the first functional element, and so on, until an outermost functional element is wound onto a second-to-outermost functional element. The functional elements are wound in a helical configuration, and are configured to provide at least one of the following functions: damage protection, buoyancy, optical detection, sonar detection, stiffness control, and anti-fouling.

A fiber tow and methods for separating a fiber tow are disclosed. The fiber tow may include adjacent filaments and a polymer coating covering at least a portion of the adjacent filaments. The polymer coating may include a polymer that is configured to contract in a direction generally parallel to the adjacent filaments and expand in a direction generally perpendicular to the adjacent filaments. The polymer coating may contract/expand in response to an energy source, such as heat or a UV light source. The methods may include coating at least a portion of a plurality of filaments with a polymer, bundling the filaments into a fiber tow, and exposing the fiber tow to an energy source to contract the polymer in a direction generally parallel to the filaments and to expand the polymer in a direction generally perpendicular to the filaments. The filaments may be carbon fiber filaments.

A cord comprises a braided sheath of strands having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a central hollow portion defined by the inner surface and having a volume and a core within the central hollow portion of the tubular braided sheath, such that when the cord is in a relaxed state the tubular braided sheath has a cylindrical shape and a relaxed volume of the central hollow portion wherein the core does not fill the relaxed volume of the central hollow portion of the tubular braided sheath; when the cord is in a longitudinal tensioned state, the tubular braided sheath elongates under the longitudinal tension such that a tensioned volume of at least a part of the central hollow portion of the tubular braided sheath is less than the relaxed volume; and the inner surface of the tubular braided sheath of tensioned volume contacts and cinches a surface of the core.

A rope and a method of constructing the rope. The rope may be of 1212 braided construction and include a core for its length. The rope includes a plurality of primary strands, and each of the primary strands includes a plurality of fibers which may be made of a high-friction material. The rope also includes a secondary strand surrounded by the plurality of primary strands. The secondary strand includes a plurality of fibers which may be made of a low-friction material.