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Keeping lines neat and tangle
free on your bareboat yacht charter is important from a safety standpoint... being able
to let out the mainsheet quickly when a big puff hits
can keep you from swimming
How to eye splice rope
When splicing rope, the strongest and safest way
to make an eye in the end of a rope is to splice the end of
the rope back into the standing part...Of course this can
only be done with laid rope... Braided rope can be spliced
but it requires special tools and some expertise to do it.
These diagrams and pictures of rope splicing will help you to master the
eye splice. Don't forget to make at least five tucks into
the rope after the first tuck. This makes sure when splicing rope that the splice
will never slip and let you down...The secret in doing
a successful eye splice is the way you complete those
first tucks.
Follow
these steps:
Before you start melt the tip, tape (or whip) the ends of
each strand so they won't fray as you tuck back into the rope strands.
- The middle strand (A) is always the first strand tucked
in.
- The second strand (B) to be tucked is always the one
on the left of the middle strand, it must be tucked into the rope left
of the middle strand and under the next strand past it.
- The eye splice must be turned over before the third strand
(C) is tucked. The third strand tuck is always turned back
on itself and then tucked into the only strand remaining
in the standing part that has not had a tuck put in it.
This is the only time that a strand
has its direction reversed.
- When the first tuck is in (that is, the first tuck of
these three strands) hold the splice up by the eye and look
at the strands. They should all be equidistant or level
around the body of the rope. If they aren't you need to
start again.
- If the rope strands are equidistant around the rope,
turn the splice over to its front side and tuck in the strands
in order: (A) strand first, then (B) strand, the (C)... continue
until 4-5 tucks have been done... then heat seal the ends
to prevent fraying.
Coiling rope
Keeping lines neat and tangle
free on your bareboat yacht charter is important from a safety standpoint... being able
to let out the mainsheet quickly when a big puff hits
can keep you from swimming
Any line not in use on your bareboat should be coiled so that you can store
it. We show you below how to coil a rope.
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- To coil a rope, start at one end and make loops of equal size
(usually about 3 feet, or 1m, in diameter) until you get
near the other end.
- When you have about 1.5m (5 feet) left, make three or
four tight loops around the "throat" at one end
of the rope coil and then put the end through the coils, as shown
on the left... for an even more secure coil take the doubled
end through the top of the coil and back over the top.
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Coiling the halyard
Coiling
a halyard after the sail on your yacht has been hoisted and the halyard cleated
is done in exactly the same manner as previously mentioned in
coiling rope for stowage.
- The line is gathered in even loops.
- When the line between the cleat and the loop gets short
a loop is made with the line and passed through the rope coil.
- The loop is then passed over the cleat on the mast.
- For double security the loop can be passed through the
rope coil twice and then hung on the cleat.
This method is used for coiling halyards on practically
all bareboats where the halyards are cleated above deck. When the sail
is to be lowered the coils can be quickly and easily removed
from the cleat, and laid on deck where they should run freely
without snarling or twisting.
Securing the end of a line
When
a rope is cut, regardless of what fibre it is made of, it will
fray unless it is secured in some way to stop it from unraveling.
There are many ways of doing this. One is by 'whipping' the
end...The other (only for synthetic rope) is to bind the end
with plastic tape (electrical tape is fine) and apply heat to
the tips of the fibres till they melt together and form a solid
tip to the rope.
However, whipping with twine is a superior job... here we
show one method of whipping the end of a line, known as 'common'
whipping.
Monkey's fist
Very rarely used... but give
yourself a pat-on-the-back if you decide to learn to tie it!
This is a handy knot to know if you have to regularly throw a rope any distance.

A Monkey's Fist is made in the end of a rope to make it
heavier for heaving.
- Make three loops.
- Make three more loops outside the first three.
- Make three final loops over the second three, but inside
the first three.
- Splice the "free" end into the standing part.
Fisherman's bend
The fisherman's bend isn't
a common knot because other knots, such as the bowline and
the round turn with two half hitches, can also do its job...This
knot is less likely than a bowline to loosen but is more difficult
to untie, making it a good knot to use when you want to
leave the knot in place for a long time. The fisherman's
bend is often used to attach a boat anchor to its line, so it's
sometimes called an anchor bend.

- Make two loops around the shackle or anchor chain.
- Pass the end of the line through both loops and tighten.
- Add another hitch for safety
Trucker's hitch
This hitch strictly speaking
is not a boat knot - but it's so handy a hitch that knowing
how to tie it will never go astray. (A combination purchase
system and knot all wrapped up in one). - A favourite
knot for securing a boat onto a roof rack (or trailer)...this
knot could also be used to lash down a life raft.
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- Make a loop a few feet from the end of the line.
- Tie an overhand knot with the loop and tighten, keeping
the loop big enough to pass a line through.
- Pass the end of the line around your roof rack or trailer
bar
- Put the line up through the trucker's hitch loop and
pull.
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You've made a quick 2:1 purchase. You can tie off the line
with two half hitches. |