whats the best knot to use for a halyard or topping lift or for spinnaker sheet shackles. I just ordered new spin sheets online but want to use my existing shackles so I did not have them put an eye splice on the ends. A bowline just looks to big....Thanks.
Knot to use for Halyard or Spinnaker Sheet shackle
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Learn the eye splice
First thing I did when I bought my boat was pick up a kit to teach you how to do an eye splice. My first one was perfect. You can find lots of instruction on the internet for how to do it, and the required equipment will cost you less than $10. Maybe I'm weird, but I find it a lot of fun and quite relaxing. I use a crayola washable marker for marking the cover and core, which disappears as soon as the lines get wet. It is however quite difficult to mark the cover of a non-white line (learned this the hard way). Before you make up your mind, thy it out.
First thing I did when I bought my boat was pick up a kit to teach you how to do an eye splice. My first one was perfect. You can find lots of instruction on the internet for how to do it, and the required equipment will cost you less than $10. Maybe I'm weird, but I find it a lot of fun and quite relaxing. I use a crayola washable marker for marking the cover and core, which disappears as soon as the lines get wet. It is however quite difficult to mark the cover of a non-white line (learned this the hard way). Before you make up your mind, thy it out.
Yep, learn to eye-splice
Muised is right on. Unless you really want your boat to be a hole in the water where you throw $$$, you need to learn some skills that are not really useful anywhere but in sailing. Working with rope is one of these.
Muised is right on. Unless you really want your boat to be a hole in the water where you throw $$$, you need to learn some skills that are not really useful anywhere but in sailing. Working with rope is one of these.
Gee ... it would seem to me that if you ...
feel good about using a couple of bowlines on the clew ... you would feel good about using bowline on the head ... I have done it for years. when the original wire halyards went I cut off the snap and tied the bowline to that. But hey ... you can make it as hard to do as you want. Vic "Seven"
feel good about using a couple of bowlines on the clew ... you would feel good about using bowline on the head ... I have done it for years. when the original wire halyards went I cut off the snap and tied the bowline to that. But hey ... you can make it as hard to do as you want. Vic "Seven"
Vic there are better choices than the bowline
as long as you don't anticipate untying them. Once a Buntline hitch is drawn up tight it is the devil to untie. The Buntline was the line to the lower corner of the square sail and you didn't want it to come loose in a blow.
as long as you don't anticipate untying them. Once a Buntline hitch is drawn up tight it is the devil to untie. The Buntline was the line to the lower corner of the square sail and you didn't want it to come loose in a blow.
To Splice or Knot ... 
I've been thinking about the pros and cons of splicing shackles on halyards. I know this is heresy coming from a rigger ... but ... Why not knot? Today's high tech lines are not loaded even close to their rated strength. The added strength and security of a splice just isn't needed. A high end 3/8" halyard has a rated breaking strength (spliced) of over 14,000 lbs. Since we don't need the splice for strength, the beauty of knots becomes clear. As halyards wear due to chafe at masthead or rope clutch, it is easy to end for end a knotted halyard or freshen the nip by cutting of the knot and tying a fresh one. I would knot to a shackle rather than the head of the sail, to avoid chafe between the halyard and headboard. The same arguments can be made for many of the lines on our boats. How many really need spliced ends? If you are replacing a 1/2" low tech halyard and using 3/19 high tech line of similar strength, you should learn to splice ... In most other cases splices are not needed and indeed make preventative maintenance more difficult and effectively shorten the life of the lines.
I've been thinking about the pros and cons of splicing shackles on halyards. I know this is heresy coming from a rigger ... but ... Why not knot?
Today's high tech lines are not loaded even close to their rated strength. The added strength and security of a splice just isn't needed. A high end 3/8" halyard has a rated breaking strength (spliced) of over 14,000 lbs. Since we don't need the splice for strength, the beauty of knots becomes clear. As halyards wear due to chafe at masthead or rope clutch, it is easy to end for end a knotted halyard or freshen the nip by cutting of the knot and tying a fresh one. I would knot to a shackle rather than the head of the sail, to avoid chafe between the halyard and headboard. The same arguments can be made for many of the lines on our boats. How many really need spliced ends? If you are replacing a 1/2" low tech halyard and using 3/19 high tech line of similar strength, you should learn to splice ... In most other cases splices are not needed and indeed make preventative maintenance more difficult and effectively shorten the life of the lines.Bahamian halyard knot
At Club Colonna on Antigua I was introduced to the shackless Bahamian Halyard Knot. It's sort of a noose knot on the end of the line' It works something like this. Just above it you make a loop. Stick the loop thru the headboard hole, stick the knot thru the loop, and pull it taught. I was told its always easy to untie and is stronger than a traditional knot. Good luck
At Club Colonna on Antigua I was introduced to the shackless Bahamian Halyard Knot. It's sort of a noose knot on the end of the line' It works something like this. Just above it you make a loop. Stick the loop thru the headboard hole, stick the knot thru the loop, and pull it taught. I was told its always easy to untie and is stronger than a traditional knot. Good luck
long eye splice, aka "luggage tag"
follow the link to the APS rigging services to see an example of how the long (or luggage tag) eyesplice is used. Lots of other info on this page... note the reasonable prices. As for a knot, I am in agreement about the buntline hitch. A bowline is okay but the buntline allows you to tie the knot then snug it cleanly up to shackle's eye.
follow the link to the APS rigging services to see an example of how the long (or luggage tag) eyesplice is used. Lots of other info on this page... note the reasonable prices. As for a knot, I am in agreement about the buntline hitch. A bowline is okay but the buntline allows you to tie the knot then snug it cleanly up to shackle's eye.
APS rigging certainly has a great variety
of ways to treat a piece of rope when they turn it into a line. Most of which I was unaware. A lot of the power boaters use the luggage tag splice when they tie up to the slip.
of ways to treat a piece of rope when they turn it into a line. Most of which I was unaware. A lot of the power boaters use the luggage tag splice when they tie up to the slip.
Buntline
The buntline hitch is my favorite for this use. See link below. Don't worry about not being able to untie this hitch. Once it's tightened up and put in use for a while, you certainly will be challenged to get it untied. But why bother? Just cut it off and you lose maybe a foot of line. When I need to end-for-end halyards to avoid wear or chafe, I just cut the old hitch off and retie the other end. And, unlike the bowline, this hitch will not unknot in use....
The buntline hitch is my favorite for this use. See link below. Don't worry about not being able to untie this hitch. Once it's tightened up and put in use for a while, you certainly will be challenged to get it untied. But why bother? Just cut it off and you lose maybe a foot of line. When I need to end-for-end halyards to avoid wear or chafe, I just cut the old hitch off and retie the other end. And, unlike the bowline, this hitch will not unknot in use....
Animated knots...while you watch.
Didn't see a buntline listed...but an interesting site none the less..
Didn't see a buntline listed...but an interesting site none the less..
Ross, re: APS
Annapolis Performance Sailing is an excellent resource for racers and daysailors alike... or any sailor who likes expert advice and service with fair pricing. These guys really know their stuff. They're quite happy to help with any sailing solution and save you money to boot. Compare their cordage prices with those of West Marine. You will like it.
Annapolis Performance Sailing is an excellent resource for racers and daysailors alike... or any sailor who likes expert advice and service with fair pricing. These guys really know their stuff. They're quite happy to help with any sailing solution and save you money to boot. Compare their cordage prices with those of West Marine. You will like it.
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