🔍 Key Concepts

• Traditional seamanship definition of small stuff vs regular line or rope • Relationship between circumference (around the line) and how thick the line looks in your hand • Common USCG exam cutoff size used to distinguish small stuff from larger lines

💭 Think About

• Think about what kinds of lines are called small stuff on board: marline, ratline, log line, lacing line. Are these very fine or fairly heavy? • Compare the choices to the thickness of lines you’ve actually handled. Which size feels more like light cordage rather than standard mooring line? • Ask yourself: would anything just under this size still be considered light duty line rather than working or mooring line?

✅ Before You Answer

• Be clear that the question is about circumference (all the way around), not diameter • Mentally rank the answer choices from very thin to relatively thick and picture what each would look like in your hand • Recall that the traditional USCG seamanship cutoff for small stuff is a fairly well‑known specific value used in many decks/seamanship texts