Tying lines together - Strength loss?

[lancelot9898]

I've used a triple fisherman on a bridle and it's held up well under full gale force winds for a couple of days at anchor.

[thinwater]

Jordan Series Drogue - Launching and Retrieval

Same as the bridle/rode join.

[s/v Jedi]

And I use Amsteel Blue the same way for my running backstays. I have always wondered why there is so much talk about minimum radius for these lines when this loop through loop method works so well in practice...

I think that a line like Amsteel Blue has another big plus for this application: being slippery and single braid construction, it prevents kinks etc. I actually replaced my reefing lines with high tech single braid because of this and never had a problem with them again.

cheers,
Nick.

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by delmarrey

You could splice in a thimble to the ends of each and use a shackle between the two, or thimble thru thimble into each other. With Synthetics, knots tend to brake right next to the knot when under lots of stress (no stretch at that point).

Originally Posted by jackdale

+ another 1

I think I'm hearing echo's?

[Sailor g]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

Here' a cool link for knots - http://www.animatedknots.com/knotlist.php

Thanks! That is a really cool site. Its seems the easiest way to learn new knots. This will keep me busy on the sail back to harbor today!

[barnakiel]

New synthetics may be more or less difficult to splice - because of the way they are laid they do not lend themselves to proper/old ways splicing. Additionally, Spectra type materials can be very slippery so the splice would have to be much longer (?) (you probably noticed we do not splice Spectra-type the old way anymore). Other materials of the newer kind may be less than adequate for knots where the bending radius may be way to tight and so additionally weaken the connection.

Given the price of modern ropes, is it not cheaper to keep the Dyneema for another use and simply buy an adequate length/gauge of dacron or nylon rope for use here?

b.

[SteveT]

Samson - manufacturer of Amsteel Blue - recommend connecting a 36mm diameter (103 tonne MBL) Amsteel Blue rope to a 68mm diameter (134 mt MBL) HTP-12 tail with a cow hitch, having already spliced eyes into both ropes. Works just fine.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Given the price of modern ropes, is it not cheaper to keep the Dyneema for another use and simply buy an adequate length/gauge of dacron or nylon rope for use here?

b.

a. Amsteel is quite cheap. Cheaper than polyester, load-for-load.

b. Nylon would work in this case and would be cheaper yet. However, some would argue that nylon stretches too much for sea anchor and drogue applications (Sea Brake) when the rode is suitably long and that a polyester rode or hi-bred rode is better.

c. Amsteel 1/4-inch is MUCH more compact than 5/8-inch polyester.

d. Amsteel is easier to splice than most "traditional" line. Really.

It's not necessarily the choice I would make, but I think it is valid.

[s/v Beth]

Why all this eye splicing? I splice my halyards end to end with amsteel on the mast side, heavy use and 4 years later, the ropes are wearing out but the splicing has never budged.
New England Ropes - Splicing Guide
(for me it is alot easier to work with this way)

[s/v Jedi]

In April 2005, I switched my running backstays from wire to Amsteel Blue 3/8". To attach them at the top, where a fork for the wire is located, I used a single link cut off a stainless anchor chain, which fits in the fork. The Amsteel is spliced with a modified brummel splice, the loop goes through the chain link and then the whole stay is threaded through it's own loop, just like it's proposed her to attach two lines. I checked it out this year and there is no need to replace it. That means we now go into the 7th year with it.

cheers,
Nick.

[neilsailingrn]

Sheet Bend (Becket Bend) | How to tie a Sheet Bend (Becket Bend) | Boating Knots