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Old 15-03-2013, 07:41   #1
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Wot knot 2 heavy ropes, high strain, max strength?

Hi folks,

I have a 18 foot parachute sea anchor and now just acquired 2 bits of 3 strand nylon twist for it. The ropes are about 22 mm, 7/8ths inch so reasonably big. Each is about 50 meters, 150 feet long.

I want the best knot to join them.

I'm not really thinking of splicing.

For a parachute sea anchor conditions the ropes would be in the water for a number of days with high strain on them, so the knot doesn't want to reduce the strength much at all (a Bowline reduces the strength by 50% for example).

They really don't need to be easily undo able because after use if still alive I don't mind chopping a few feet off!

What do you think would be best?

If splicing, how much strength does a short splice take off? And how long would the short splice want to be?
A spliced rope would be useless for any other purpose as its too long.


Thanks for your help.



Mark
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Old 15-03-2013, 08:01   #2
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pirate Re: Wot knot 2 heavy ropes, high strain, max strength?

Just tie a reef knot and use 2 or 3 plastic wire ties to 'whip' the ends to the rope..
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Old 15-03-2013, 08:01   #3
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Re: Wot knot 2 heavy ropes, high strain, max strength?

probably use a triple sheet bend,with the ends pushed back through the lay of the 3 strand
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Old 15-03-2013, 08:10   #4
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pirate Re: Wot knot 2 heavy ropes, high strain, max strength?

Save you cutting... splice a steel eye on each end then join with a BIG shackle...
You've 2 multi purpose lines then.. 3 tucks.. trim a few strands off.. then repeat every two tucks till you run out.. nice taper
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Old 15-03-2013, 08:38   #5
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Re: Wot knot 2 heavy ropes, high strain, max strength?

Or look at the Zeppelin Bend. This is secure, easy to tie, doesn't reduce the strength much (I don't have a %) and can be untied after heavy loading. Here's a link: Zeppelin Bend | How to tie the Zeppelin Bend | Climbing Knots
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Old 15-03-2013, 10:39   #6
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Re: Wot knot 2 heavy ropes, high strain, max strength?

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The ropes are about 22 mm, 7/8ths inch so reasonably big. Each is about 50 meters, 150 feet long.
For lines of this diameter the Carrick Bend is excellent (and it can be undone after a big load) .
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Old 15-03-2013, 10:43   #7
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Re: Wot knot 2 heavy ropes, high strain, max strength?

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For lines of this diameter the Carrick Bend is excellent (and it can be undone after a big load) .
I like the Carrick bend as well. The Zeppelin Bend might be better but I can never remember how to tie one.

But maybe splicing an eye and thimble in the ends would be the best solution. Plus I like doing eye splices. Makes me feel nautical and manly.
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Old 15-03-2013, 10:53   #8
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Re: Wot knot 2 heavy ropes, high strain, max strength?

The Zepp Bend is really easy to tie once you practice a little. The unloaded Carrick is a thing of physical beauty, but I can tie the Zepp much faster. For tying the Zepp, think "6" and "9" (or as Bill and Ted say: "69, dude!").
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Old 15-03-2013, 11:04   #9
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Re: Wot knot 2 heavy ropes, high strain, max strength?

In this case what was above named as Zeppelin bend will work fine.

Very easy to tie as you simply face the two ends with enough overlap to form a loop then one end goes into the loop from one side, the other from the opposite side.

If tied properly, it gets a specific 'square' look.



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Old 15-03-2013, 11:09   #10
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Re: Wot knot 2 heavy ropes, high strain, max strength?

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The Zepp Bend is really easy to tie once you practice a little. The unloaded Carrick is a thing of physical beauty, but I can tie the Zepp much faster. For tying the Zepp, think "6" and "9" (or as Bill and Ted say: "69, dude!").
Is it as good as the Carrick for heavy line?

Just timed a Carrick and it takes 6 seconds so it's not a slow knot . It's my first choice for heavy line.

PS Wouldn't the thought of 6 and 9 be very distracting LOL?
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Old 15-03-2013, 11:16   #11
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Re: Wot knot 2 heavy ropes, high strain, max strength?

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Is it as good as the Carrick for heavy line?

Just timed a Carrick and it takes 6 seconds so it's not a slow knot . It's my first choice for heavy line.

PS Wouldn't the thought of 6 and 9 be very distracting LOL?
Might take me a while to tie that knot. But I could with both hands tied behind my back.
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Old 15-03-2013, 11:27   #12
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Re: Wot knot 2 heavy ropes, high strain, max strength?

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Save you cutting... splice a steel eye on each end then join with a BIG shackle...
You've 2 multi purpose lines then.. 3 tucks.. trim a few strands off.. then repeat every two tucks till you run out.. nice taper

Same here, when you want to get the sea anchor over the bow, its going to p#ssing down with rain, dark, and you will be staggering around the foredeck struggling to hold on, and trying to remembering which way the rabbit went around the tree. Two eyes and a shackle, easy peasy
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Old 15-03-2013, 11:29   #13
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Re: Wot knot 2 heavy ropes, high strain, max strength?

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Might take me a while to tie that knot. But I could with both hands tied behind my back.
Handcuff knot used for that LOL?
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Old 15-03-2013, 11:32   #14
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Re: Wot knot 2 heavy ropes, high strain, max strength?

I agree that if you're going to prepare special-purpose lines then the big steel eye with a proper eyesplice and a *big* shackle will be stronger than a knot. Probably no quicker. Sometimes though, you want to have general-purpose lines on hand, and a big heavy eye at one end might get in the way.
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Old 16-03-2013, 15:35   #15
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Re: Wot knot 2 heavy ropes, high strain, max strength?

One of my books (I THINK it is "The Riggers Apprentice" but I'm not where it is...) has a section about "hauser bends" for connecting big lines that are going to be under a lot of strain, and need to be untied when you are finished. They included the Carrick bend, the Zepplin bend and others. I recall that all of the other knots (technically, bends since they connect two pieces of line together) had higher breaking strength and were easier to untie after strain than the carrick.
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