The running rigging replacement

[Frank B.]

Today's folly.  A very tight eye splice onto a fixed keeper pin shackle for the main halyard. Two no knot, buried tail, whip ends on the Jib sheets on which I decided to continue with the single line cow hitch as it seems it only hung in very light air conditions and I can live with that.

What did it take to achieve same?  An hour and a half to do the actual work.  Four hours to find the fid set I had not used in about eight years. An hour or so of watching videos to refresh my memory after the eight year hiatus. A serious flare up in both thumb joints that are operating without the benefit of a speck of cartilage.

Conclusion: a solid vow to pay the riggers to do it if there is a next time.You cannot view this attachment.

[Wolverine]

Nice work Frank. Every off season I tell myself I'm going to learn how to do that, but it never happens.

[Brian N.]

I've always admired those among us who can do such nice work. I've tried unsuccessfully a couple of times, but never put in the time to practice. I've tied trout flies for may years and did okay, but nothing like the beautiful flies some members of my fishing club tie. Nice job on the whip finish too.

[Riley Smith]

Good job!!!

The previous halyards for the catboat were such quality. I did them....a long time ago, although I did incorporate a thimble. Notice I said previous. The PRESENT ones are attached to the shackles with a knot. I tried several times to put an eye in the 1/4" rope and finally gave up. It was a mess. So, I have new halyards w/o the eye. In my defense, on my little boat, it's plenty good. The previous ones were replaced because they were over twenty years old and although still not TERRIBLE, they had plenty of miles on them. The eye looks lots better but the knot works too. I am not absolutely sure I had the right fid (you use it to measure with as well as manipulate the plies) and have wanted to try again. I left some extra just in case. And so far, haven't managed.

[Spot]

Nice work Frank. Every off season I tell myself I'm going to learn how to do that, but it never happens.

True, true. I thought I'd be doing more 'marlinspike' work by now too. So far it's just been melted double braid ends and an occasional foray on the interwebs to find an anchor or halyard hitch when a bowline will not do.

[Frank B.]

Carl, this is off season for me, When the temps for the last three weeks and predicted for the next two weeks are in the high 90's with indexes at 108 averages, winds of less than 5mph, there is no sailing going on.  I'll leave the house at dark to make the 35 mile drive to the boat to install these lines with a goal of getting out of there by 10:00 AM.

Brian, It's not practice, I've done very few of these.  What helps is finding a video where a pro realizes his audience doesn't know squat and presents it that way.  This one was great as I was reminded that milking needs to be alternated with a violent snap. That did the trick. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UghIS9xdiDw

Riley, I'm told that the smaller the diameter, the more difficult.  I did a small eye splice on a 1/4" topping lift a few years back and remember it was difficult. And you do have to have a fid that is diameter specific.

Spot, I started out to just use a halyard knot that was suggested on this site, but thought it might be too bulky to get the height I wanted. It probably would have worked fine and took about thirty seconds to tie. But ever the glutton for punishment.......

[Charles Brennan]

Frank, Nice work and a fine example of the difference between me and the rest of the world.
It started at an early age in elementary school arts and crafts; we were given paper lace doilies.
The idea was we folded them three times, cut out sections and unfolded the paper doily to end up with a snowflake to take home to Mommy for the holidays.
I followed the EXACT same instructions as all the other kids and somehow, ended up with three triangles! 

You followed the video and got this:
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I too, followed a video, only somehow or the other, my core and cover got reversed and I ended up with this:
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Ah, well.
It seems to be holding up well enough, but after seeing your attempt, I might cut it off and try again.

Another one of Life's Mysteries,
Charles Brennan

[Frank B.]

Charles et al. in the interest of full disclosure, the eye splice picture is not the first attempt that morning but the second.  On the first when I initially pulled the core out, it came out like an explosion of yarn.  Pressing on anyway I got to the last part and it would not bury.  Which is OK because I had also forgotten to put the shackle on at the appropriate time. So cut it off, started over with new instructional video and that time was quick and without incident.

Hey, yours will be fine, it is class 1, core and cover are supposed to carry the load equally, who cares which one is on the outside.