Allene,
I know this thread is old, but your sugestion to buy a roll and use it for everything I just couldn't let pass.
Even assuming that every line needed to be so heavy (which isn't true on a S2), there is a HUGE advantage in color coting the lines on the boat. When you have crew with you of course it heps to be able to say "release the blue halyard" but even when by yourself, trying to quickly visually identify if a line is tangled, or to untangle it from other lines makes life a lot easier. I learned this the hardway when an owner I race with got a great deal on a spool of vectran. One day of racing with the new monocrome line system, and we swapped out almost every line on the boat for new.
lavery,
I would highly recommend hiring a local racer to come out with you for an afternoon and go through the lines with you. Even knowing you have no intention of racing, a 21 year old serious racer can be hired for between 2 and 3 beers an hour almost anywhere in the US, and will be able to walk you through every line you have and what to replace it with.
There are a number of issues that need to be considered before just jumping in, and while some of them really are not important for a cruiser/day-sailor it is a good idea to understand why the racers do what we do.
For instance, one of the problems with a stretchy mainsheet is that as the wind builds the loads increase. And since stretch is a function of load, it means that as the wind builds the sheet will stretch, this has the same effect as you intentionally easing the mainsheet just a little. Now it might seem this would be a good idea in a blow, but what is really happening is that it won't stretch enough to spill the air from the sails, but it will ease enough to open the leetch, reduce down force on the boom, and increase the amount of power the sail is generating, exacally when you don't want it to.
That being said, a traveller line typically has perhaps 10% the load on it that the sheet has. So even though my lines are exacally the same diamater, the traveller line is chasen without regard for strength, but instead for something that won't absorbe water, and is less prone to kinking than other lines (Oh its another color too).
By understanding what you need out of each line you can choose the best tool for each job, instead of just trying to get by. It might cost you a tad more, or you might decide it isn't worth it for the marginal gains, but at least it will then be an informed decision.
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