Splicing

[cb32863]

After @Jackdaw showed me how he made his lazy jacks last year, and how easy it was, I put together a splicing kit and have finally gotten to doing some. I bought a bunch of Dyneema when APS exited and started futsing about. I made a couple new lines for my boom vang. A couple of lock splices in a run of Dyneema and then an eye splice with a stitched whip in some double braded Sta-Set that was destined for the vang anyway. I am going to replace the coiled line that was at the base of my back stay with a small strop of Dyneema as well.

Been making some soft shackles and going to de-cover about 10 feet of some Flight Line for spinnaker sheets. The milking of the cover on the double braid was the hardest part in all honesty. Once I got it moving and past a certain point, it all just slipped in together.

Splice in the double braid & base of my vang with the Dyneema line.

Vang head with the double braid splice and the other end of the Dyneema line run.

I bought some more Dyneema from Defender, 3/16", which is great for soft shackles, runs about $0.64/foot. Pretty inexpensive.

So who does their own and what have you done?

 

[jssailem]

Soft shackles are a gift I give to fellow sailors. It is a knot that connects us.
I used the Brian Toss designed soft shackle.



Dyneema 3/8" and 3/16"

 

[BigEasy]

Have done several 5/8” dock lines. Really need to replace my boom Vang also, so that will be next project. Yours looks great!

 

[capta]

I went on a splurge one week and redid every bowline with a proper double braid eye splice on every line on the boat. Backstay block and tackles, sheets, vang, topping lifts,the whole shebang. And boy did I get good and quick at doing them. About a year later I needed to do another and thought, no problem. Big problem. Just like doing celestial, if you don't do it regularly, getting back into it can be a lot more difficult that one expects.
I got the splice done just fine, but vowed from that day forward, I'd keep a bit of line around and do a splice at least once a month.
These are our jib sheet eye splices in 3/4" double braid.

 

[JoeWhite]

It works well on a new line. Much harder or impossible on old line as it does not slide or expand. Nice job.

 

[BigEasy]

It works well on a new line. Much harder or impossible on old line as it does not slide or expand. Nice job.

Had similar experience with a new line that I used for a temporary dockline for 8 weeks. Fought with the used line trying to place an eye splice that I could not finish. Definitely need to splice before exposing a line to outdoor elements.

 

[cb32863]

Once a line starts to "stretch" it really tightens up.

After I get some little things done, then it will be time to finish the lazy jacks. Going to look in to Dyneema lifelines for sure as mine are toast and then a Dyneema backstay probably.

 

[jssailem]

Dyneema life lines seem like fun. In your freshwater lake probably will last your boats lifetime. Said to have a 7year life but that may be conjecture. There is a cost in that you need to have all new fittings.

In my salt water environ I elected to go bare stainless. The finished lifelines were less than the cost of the fittings needed to build the dyneema lines. I did opt for dyneema gates. They are excellent. Been on the boat for 2 years, showing no wear. Not like wire easy on the hands. Do not curl up. A great application in my way of thinking.

 

[Jackdaw]

All good. I’m a huge fan of modern cordage. Splitting vang load between the plate and the mast is a huge deal.