Crane rope names: whip line, main line, boom hoist and more

By Dean McDonald, founder, Crane Rope Solutions

Crews, manuals and rope makers often use different names for the same rope. Here is what each name means, so you can order the right one.

• Main hoist / main line / hoist winch rope: the rope that lifts the main hook block. On cranes with two hoist winches, this is usually winch 1 (W1).
• Auxiliary line / aux line / whip line: the second hoist rope, usually single part, running over the jib or boom tip sheave for lighter, faster lifts.
• Boom hoist / boom rope: the rope that raises and lowers the lattice boom. On large wind cranes it is the most often replaced rope.
• Luffing rope / luff rope: the rope that raises and lowers a luffing jib, or the boom of an offshore pedestal crane or a luffing tower crane (“luffer”).
• Jib: the extension fitted to the end of the main boom. It may have its own hoist rope (whip line) or luffing rope.
• Derrick: the mast and counterweight system on large crawler cranes (for example Manitowoc MAX-ER or Liebherr derrick systems). It has its own derrick hoist ropes.
• Kelly rope / kelly winch: on a rotary drilling rig, the rope that lifts and lowers the kelly bar. It ends in a thimble eye fitted to a swivel.
• Crowd rope / crowd winch (upper and lower): on drilling rigs with a rope crowd system, the ropes that push the kelly down and pull it up. The upper and lower crowd ropes are usually the same diameter.
• Pendant: a fixed-length standing rope that holds the boom or jib.
• Apex: the top-most point on the crane where the rope runs over, such as the apex sheave.
• Stinger: another name for the auxiliary or single-part line. Sometimes it means a short single-leg sling (bridle) hung below the crane hook.