After just replacing my 23.5 halyards I’m wondering about the knots I just. On the main I was able to ties a buntline hitch (with help from a dock mate) the jib halyard got a traced figure eight. I’ve read that the figure eight retains a lot of the lines strength (about 80%). How do the buntline and figure eight compare for strength?
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Splice is your best bet.
Bob: This subject has come up several times in the last few weeks. Your best bet is a splice. It retains more of the line strength than any knot. I am going to try to find the old article on how much strength is lost by differnet knot types and post it this week.
Bob: This subject has come up several times in the last few weeks. Your best bet is a splice. It retains more of the line strength than any knot. I am going to try to find the old article on how much strength is lost by differnet knot types and post it this week.
strengths
The only strength of the buntline hitch is that it won't come undone on a flogging sail. The only use I know of for that knot is to hitch the bunt of a squaresail. The traced figure eight is a stronger knot because it doesn't require sharp turns at any of its overlaps. For a halyard, however, the only way to go is a splice.
The only strength of the buntline hitch is that it won't come undone on a flogging sail. The only use I know of for that knot is to hitch the bunt of a squaresail. The traced figure eight is a stronger knot because it doesn't require sharp turns at any of its overlaps. For a halyard, however, the only way to go is a splice.
Interesting article.
If you have access to old issues of Practical Sailor (Sept 2001) they have an article on line and knots. Some of the knots actually reduced the line strength to 5% of it's breaking stength. What was really interesting is that there was no pattern to which knot was stronger. It was a combination of knots and the type of line. Without a doubt the splice is the only constant factor. The lines test actually retained 89% to 158% of it's strength with a splice. It just does not seem reasonable that the line would be stronger with a splice. I suppose that it could be that the mfg. under rates their lines as a margin of safety. Typically the knots rated at 70% or less (sometimes much less) of the lines strength. What I gather from this article is not to spend a lot of money on high tech line if you plan on tying a knot in it.
If you have access to old issues of Practical Sailor (Sept 2001) they have an article on line and knots. Some of the knots actually reduced the line strength to 5% of it's breaking stength. What was really interesting is that there was no pattern to which knot was stronger. It was a combination of knots and the type of line. Without a doubt the splice is the only constant factor. The lines test actually retained 89% to 158% of it's strength with a splice. It just does not seem reasonable that the line would be stronger with a splice. I suppose that it could be that the mfg. under rates their lines as a margin of safety. Typically the knots rated at 70% or less (sometimes much less) of the lines strength. What I gather from this article is not to spend a lot of money on high tech line if you plan on tying a knot in it.
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