Docking Interactions, or "Get Outta The Way, The Witch Is Here!"

[MLOI]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Different ships, different long splices. It is a custom here, to put a number of crossing turns on cleats, but not to finish with a locking turn.

Not sure exactly where 'here' is for you today, but I would suspect ignorance rather than custom on that one. I've lived and sailed off and on in Australia since the 70s, and a cleat knot done properly has always been as you describe. My kids do them the same way.

What you call custom I'd put under the heading of 'if you can't tie knots, tie lots"

I only do short splices though.

Mike