I have a Hood 810 line drive furler that is in need of a new continuous furling line. Much to my surprise, Hood sells this furling line for around $167. That seems a bit high and so I'd like to make up the line myself. Can anyone give me an online reference, or specific book to buy, that describes how to do an end-to-end splice of double braid? Thanks.
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New England Ropes Splice website
Warren, The link below will take you to the splicing section of the New England Ropes website. Once there, you will find links for various splices in double braid line. I've recently acquired a splicing kit and am really enjoying making eye-splices on double braid line. One of my upcoming wintertime nautical projects is to make new dock lines that are specific to my slip. Jack "Friendship" C350, #80
Warren, The link below will take you to the splicing section of the New England Ropes website. Once there, you will find links for various splices in double braid line. I've recently acquired a splicing kit and am really enjoying making eye-splices on double braid line. One of my upcoming wintertime nautical projects is to make new dock lines that are specific to my slip. Jack "Friendship" C350, #80
Some things are not always as they seem.
Well, I've only told this story once before to Brion Toss, who said he didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I own a Hunter 380 with roller furling main. The furling gear uses a continuous furling line which on my boat came apart at the splice shortly after i bought it. Thinking that I am not THAT dumb, I decided to redo the line and splice myself. Off to West Marine I went. First I replaced the line--of course only the best will do for MY boat. Make that $68 dollars plus tax. Since I didn't know how to splice, I decided on a video tape by Brion Toss, $19.95. I'd have to watch the tape at home as my boat didn't have a video on board. So I though maybe having Brion's book also would be helpful, $29.95. The book says I'd have to have this special wand to do certain types of splices, so one wand at $49.95. I take my bag of loot home and sit down to watch the video. It's a long one but Brion has a certain type of humor which I enjoy. Finally somewhere in the middle is the end to end splice. Hot damn. I watch it--it doesn't seem too hard and then rewind to watch it again. Damn, my video tape player breaks down and snarls the tape. No problem, I have fixed many a video tape player at my university. I carefully take the video play off line (forty thousand cords have to be lableled, etc) and I take the video player gently apart. I then take the tape out of the machine and I can roll it up again; great, I save the tape. Then clean the tape player, adjust and put it back together again. Now to re-hook up the system, turn it on and insert the tape once again. Can't find the spot because it is in the middle of the tape somewhere, so fast forward. No, no, no! Because of the fast forward I jam the tape again and this time it is wrecked for sure. My temper is not too good at this point--the wife and cats are definitely staying out of sight. I tell the wife that I'm going to buy a new video tape player--she wants to know why we just don't repair the old one. I tell her it's too old and I need a tape player right away. Off to the Good Guys and buy a top of the line (naturally) vhf video player--$489 on sale. Before heading home, I stop off at West Marine and buy another tape, $19.95. At home I finally find the end to end section in the tape and watch the section several more times. I've got it--piece of cake. Down to the boat with book, wand, new line and sissors and sharp knife. I'm ready. I sew the new line to the end of the old and reeve it through the blocks and pulleys. No problem. Now I open the book and start the end for end splice. You measure, then pull the inner out of the outer and then you put the inner into the inner from the other end and the outer into the outer....You use the wand to push the inner line through the outer but it is not going. I remember Brion does it so easily. I push and struggle. And I break the wand tip. I'm pissed. Back to West marine to buy another wand--$49.95 and back to the boat where I re-read the book and try to put the inner into the outer. Struggle, struggle, and I BREAK the new wand tip as well. I steam home with great hatred in my heart for the general world, Bion's parents, myself, the damn rope. Cats and wife do a quiet disapearance and i watch the tape one more time with vengence. And there it was all the time--you PULL the line through, you don't PUSH it through. Back to the boat. I FINISH THE SPLICE! Sewed it up like Bion says in the tape (probably why the splice failed the first time). It works, it works, it works. One the way home I stop at the Good Guys once again and buy a small color TV with a VHF player built in and a 12 Volt plug in to the Nav locker. Got it on sale for $149.95. They threw the 12 volt cord in for free. So my first splice cost me $726.75 plus tax and not counting the 12 volt video player for the boat. I had the old VCR repaired for $25 (my wife has said nothing about this) and I gave it to a women's care shelter. I'm sure she won't say anthing. I sent the wands to Bion in Port Townsend. He repaired them for free and mentioned he couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry. I had him tune my B &R rig when we were in Port Townsend and I think he gave me a deal. And that is the story of my first and last splice. Oh, and I'm sure that Jack lies about how easy it was.
Well, I've only told this story once before to Brion Toss, who said he didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I own a Hunter 380 with roller furling main. The furling gear uses a continuous furling line which on my boat came apart at the splice shortly after i bought it. Thinking that I am not THAT dumb, I decided to redo the line and splice myself. Off to West Marine I went. First I replaced the line--of course only the best will do for MY boat. Make that $68 dollars plus tax. Since I didn't know how to splice, I decided on a video tape by Brion Toss, $19.95. I'd have to watch the tape at home as my boat didn't have a video on board. So I though maybe having Brion's book also would be helpful, $29.95. The book says I'd have to have this special wand to do certain types of splices, so one wand at $49.95. I take my bag of loot home and sit down to watch the video. It's a long one but Brion has a certain type of humor which I enjoy. Finally somewhere in the middle is the end to end splice. Hot damn. I watch it--it doesn't seem too hard and then rewind to watch it again. Damn, my video tape player breaks down and snarls the tape. No problem, I have fixed many a video tape player at my university. I carefully take the video play off line (forty thousand cords have to be lableled, etc) and I take the video player gently apart. I then take the tape out of the machine and I can roll it up again; great, I save the tape. Then clean the tape player, adjust and put it back together again. Now to re-hook up the system, turn it on and insert the tape once again. Can't find the spot because it is in the middle of the tape somewhere, so fast forward. No, no, no! Because of the fast forward I jam the tape again and this time it is wrecked for sure. My temper is not too good at this point--the wife and cats are definitely staying out of sight. I tell the wife that I'm going to buy a new video tape player--she wants to know why we just don't repair the old one. I tell her it's too old and I need a tape player right away. Off to the Good Guys and buy a top of the line (naturally) vhf video player--$489 on sale. Before heading home, I stop off at West Marine and buy another tape, $19.95. At home I finally find the end to end section in the tape and watch the section several more times. I've got it--piece of cake. Down to the boat with book, wand, new line and sissors and sharp knife. I'm ready. I sew the new line to the end of the old and reeve it through the blocks and pulleys. No problem. Now I open the book and start the end for end splice. You measure, then pull the inner out of the outer and then you put the inner into the inner from the other end and the outer into the outer....You use the wand to push the inner line through the outer but it is not going. I remember Brion does it so easily. I push and struggle. And I break the wand tip. I'm pissed. Back to West marine to buy another wand--$49.95 and back to the boat where I re-read the book and try to put the inner into the outer. Struggle, struggle, and I BREAK the new wand tip as well. I steam home with great hatred in my heart for the general world, Bion's parents, myself, the damn rope. Cats and wife do a quiet disapearance and i watch the tape one more time with vengence. And there it was all the time--you PULL the line through, you don't PUSH it through. Back to the boat. I FINISH THE SPLICE! Sewed it up like Bion says in the tape (probably why the splice failed the first time). It works, it works, it works. One the way home I stop at the Good Guys once again and buy a small color TV with a VHF player built in and a 12 Volt plug in to the Nav locker. Got it on sale for $149.95. They threw the 12 volt cord in for free. So my first splice cost me $726.75 plus tax and not counting the 12 volt video player for the boat. I had the old VCR repaired for $25 (my wife has said nothing about this) and I gave it to a women's care shelter. I'm sure she won't say anthing. I sent the wands to Bion in Port Townsend. He repaired them for free and mentioned he couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry. I had him tune my B &R rig when we were in Port Townsend and I think he gave me a deal. And that is the story of my first and last splice. Oh, and I'm sure that Jack lies about how easy it was.
For Les (less?)
I JUST LOVE YOUR STORY....! Maybe I'll just call Hood and have them send me one...
I JUST LOVE YOUR STORY....! Maybe I'll just call Hood and have them send me one...
With all respect to Les
Ropework on a sailboat (marlinspike seamanship?) is one of the greater pleasures of owning the vessel. Now that Les has the equipment, and experience, the next splice will cost nothing. My first eye splice took almost 2 hours, now I can make one in less than 30 minutes. I didn't buy a book, the instructions came with the fids, (the wand makes it even easier btw). You'll find all the splcing information you need on any of the major rope manufacturer websites. The money you save by doing your own splicing is nice... even nicer is the personal satisfaction of working with the rope to create an attractive, functional upgrade to your yacht.
Ropework on a sailboat (marlinspike seamanship?) is one of the greater pleasures of owning the vessel. Now that Les has the equipment, and experience, the next splice will cost nothing. My first eye splice took almost 2 hours, now I can make one in less than 30 minutes. I didn't buy a book, the instructions came with the fids, (the wand makes it even easier btw). You'll find all the splcing information you need on any of the major rope manufacturer websites. The money you save by doing your own splicing is nice... even nicer is the personal satisfaction of working with the rope to create an attractive, functional upgrade to your yacht.
Well, Joe...
I used to splice everything. I hadn't done it in years, at least a dozen. I recently tried to put an eye-splice in some 3/8 Sampson with their fid and directions. Even without beer, I must have screwed up four feet of the stuff! It sure seemed to me that the directions were a lot more complex and had more steps than I remembered. I'm going to go after it again soon. It was just TOO humiliating to admit I was stymied by something I used to be able to do easily... WITH beer. Maybe brain cells dying off... <smile> Rick D.
I used to splice everything. I hadn't done it in years, at least a dozen. I recently tried to put an eye-splice in some 3/8 Sampson with their fid and directions. Even without beer, I must have screwed up four feet of the stuff! It sure seemed to me that the directions were a lot more complex and had more steps than I remembered. I'm going to go after it again soon. It was just TOO humiliating to admit I was stymied by something I used to be able to do easily... WITH beer. Maybe brain cells dying off... <smile> Rick D.
I took the easy way out....
I too got interested in this. I learned how to do the splicing thing in Boy Scouts with three strand line. So, I went down to our local Junior College Sailing Program, registered for a splicing class. It cost something like $75. After a so called learning experience in the one night class, I was thoroughly baffled. My response was to take the line to a rigger and pay $15 for the splice. Not too bad for Southern California prices. And, he did it in a matter of minutes. John Richard s/v Jack's Place
I too got interested in this. I learned how to do the splicing thing in Boy Scouts with three strand line. So, I went down to our local Junior College Sailing Program, registered for a splicing class. It cost something like $75. After a so called learning experience in the one night class, I was thoroughly baffled. My response was to take the line to a rigger and pay $15 for the splice. Not too bad for Southern California prices. And, he did it in a matter of minutes. John Richard s/v Jack's Place
I'll be tracking this thread!
I'm in the same situation...the outer covering on the continuous furling line has come apart, presumably at the point of the original splice. I've got the replacement line on the boat, just waiting for the courage to attempt the splice! Somehow I think it would be wise and less stressful to call around to the folks at the HHN yard and see if I can find a pro to come and do it.
I'm in the same situation...the outer covering on the continuous furling line has come apart, presumably at the point of the original splice. I've got the replacement line on the boat, just waiting for the courage to attempt the splice! Somehow I think it would be wise and less stressful to call around to the folks at the HHN yard and see if I can find a pro to come and do it.
End to end splice?
Love all the great stories above! First, the disclaimer; I am a part time employee at a West Marine store. I have been doing splicing for about 10 years, I have replaced all the running rigging on 3 boats and have done many splices for friends. My current boat, a C30 MKIII, has eye splices everywhere, and I use New England Sta-set and Sta-setX. All of the above is just background so you know that I really can do various splices. I have tried more times than I care to tell you to do an end for end splice that I am satisfied with, AND I AM A MISERABLE FAILURE! I finally got smart and send in a request to our West Marine rigging shop and they do beautiful end to end splices that you have to look hard to find where it is spliced. For the price of the line and I think $20 for the splice, I get beautiful work and my wife and dog do not have to suffer my rages at my incompetence. fair winds Dave
Love all the great stories above! First, the disclaimer; I am a part time employee at a West Marine store. I have been doing splicing for about 10 years, I have replaced all the running rigging on 3 boats and have done many splices for friends. My current boat, a C30 MKIII, has eye splices everywhere, and I use New England Sta-set and Sta-setX. All of the above is just background so you know that I really can do various splices. I have tried more times than I care to tell you to do an end for end splice that I am satisfied with, AND I AM A MISERABLE FAILURE! I finally got smart and send in a request to our West Marine rigging shop and they do beautiful end to end splices that you have to look hard to find where it is spliced. For the price of the line and I think $20 for the splice, I get beautiful work and my wife and dog do not have to suffer my rages at my incompetence. fair winds Dave
Part of the Problem
Part of the problem is, at least for the needs of the 810 Line Drive Unit, it has to be done on the boat (unless I'm missing something.) I believe you have to put the line on the furler and then do the splice, no?
Part of the problem is, at least for the needs of the 810 Line Drive Unit, it has to be done on the boat (unless I'm missing something.) I believe you have to put the line on the furler and then do the splice, no?
Responses
First of all, thanks to you all for the very interesting, hunmorous, and helpful responses. Kirk: Yes, with the 810 LD, you'd have to splice it on the boat. Or, take the furler apart and then find some lead blocks that open like snatch blocks. Maybe you and I should get together at HHN and try this splice together?? Joe: I agree that marlinspike seamanship is very satisfying. I mostly do all my own stuff, but have never (as yet...) done an end-to-end splice. Stay tuned. Jack: Thanks for the New England Ropes link. I've downloaded their instructions and will probably give it a try over the winter. Les: I still LOVE your story!
First of all, thanks to you all for the very interesting, hunmorous, and helpful responses. Kirk: Yes, with the 810 LD, you'd have to splice it on the boat. Or, take the furler apart and then find some lead blocks that open like snatch blocks. Maybe you and I should get together at HHN and try this splice together?? Joe: I agree that marlinspike seamanship is very satisfying. I mostly do all my own stuff, but have never (as yet...) done an end-to-end splice. Stay tuned. Jack: Thanks for the New England Ropes link. I've downloaded their instructions and will probably give it a try over the winter. Les: I still LOVE your story!
We need to laugh at ourselves from time to time
Thanks, Warren, for your kind words. I think sometimes we take ourselves too seriously when indeed, sailing for the most part is an enjoyable hobby. We all make mistakes and do dumb things. And for that we need to laugh once in a while. Have fun and enjoy yourself, Warren, on your boat. Life is short. And maybe if the right subject comes up, I'll tell this group some other dumb and wonderous stuff I've done in the name of sailing. My best to you. Les
Thanks, Warren, for your kind words. I think sometimes we take ourselves too seriously when indeed, sailing for the most part is an enjoyable hobby. We all make mistakes and do dumb things. And for that we need to laugh once in a while. Have fun and enjoy yourself, Warren, on your boat. Life is short. And maybe if the right subject comes up, I'll tell this group some other dumb and wonderous stuff I've done in the name of sailing. My best to you. Les
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