Synthetic (pbo?) shrouds segmented look

[Roberto]

Yesterday I had a stroll at the racing boats base here in Lorient, there was the imoca banque populaire in three pieces, hull on one side, the keel a few meters away, and the mast laying horizontally.
I had a look at the shrouds and all of them had this segmented appearance, like broken bamboo canes, covered by a sheath



Anyone has a physical/mechanical explanation ? All the shrouds were like that, I touched them they are like stiff segments 20-30cm long, kept together by the black cover.

?

 

[olly_love]

That isnt PBO
that sounds like carbon rigging http://www.ecsix.com/ you can have it in aerofoil shape as well
interesting stuff as its immensely strong for its weight but fragile is used incorrectly

 

[Roberto]

Thank you, I have another photograph, it looks very odd