What is the best way to tie off sheets to head sail?

[rtbates]

I just recently switched my mainsheet to a single braid 12 strand line and used the brummel splice. It can literally be done with your eyes closed. I also recommend Brian Toss's wand. Expensive for sure, but it does it all so much easier than a convental vid.

[Sea Hunt]

Pat:

Thanks for the kind offer. I live in South Florida. You live in New Hampshire. Somehow, I don't think a face to face instructional session is going to happen, although you are certainly welcome to visit South Florida. This time of year is excellent - lower humidity, lower temps, gentle predictable easterly breezes.

I will check out the book you recommended, although I have several books on rope, lines, splicing, etc. plus I have studied several website "how to" photos and videos - all without success.

As the former "Admiral" used to say "sometimes you really are dumber than dirt". I used to try to deny this, but have come to accept it.

[Patrick Harrison]

Seahunt,

Yes that is to far for me to go and show a splice to you, it's to bad though, I know I could make it so you could understand and get it. I teach apprentices and some lineman how to do it well.
One day we'll cross wakes and get together.

[Patrick Harrison]

Seahunt, this is funny, we just had a splicing session today, made up some hand lines for climbing poles. I had six guys splicing rope like champs, some that have never done it before and some that had bad teaching earlier. You missed out.

[Sea Hunt]

That is NOT funny Harrison

By the way, I went to NE Rope website this morning and tried to use their guideline. Let's just say it did not work out well for me.

http://www.neropes.com/SPL_3StrandEyeSplice.aspx

I am assuming the pixs and discussion is accurate and that it is me that is just plain dumb.

[Patrick Harrison]

Now looking at that diagram, I couldn't do it if I didn't know where to start and what I was doing. That is a poor tool there. Let me see if I can put something comprehensive together for you. It may take a few days to put together but I bet I can have you splicing in no time.

[Oswego John]

Sea Hunt, you can do it. Just stay with it and splicing will become easy. I'll tell you how I learned to splice.

When I was 11 years old, I was a tenderfoot in the Boy Scouts of America. To earn 2nd grade scout, I had to learn certain rope knots and how to whip the ends of rope. There wasn't any such thing as vinyl electrical tape or "Whip-It" dip.

By the time I was 12 or 13 years old, I had to know how to make three kinds of splices. Eye splice, back or end splice, and join two lines together with a short splice. (Later on came the long splice.) A second class scout had to know ropework to make first class.

What I'm saying was The Scouting Handbook was plain enough to teach thirteen year olders how to splice. Maybe look into it.

The next thing I have to say won't be understood by many of the readers, but New Hampshire Pat will probably understand what I'm saying (unless vocabulary and slang has changed an awful lot in the last 55 years.

Many years ago I used to be a broadback. Then one fateful day I cut out. I had more creosoted jackpine splinters sticking out of me, I must have looked like a porcupine. By necessity, I become a narrowback.

I still have my gaff hooks but the leather is as dried out as my face. Now most of it is bucket work. But I clumsum.

How does this relate to a sailing forum? Dang if I know.

The doctor has a triple hissy fit when I ask her if I can go up a mast. Her reaction is priceless.

O J

[Neil Gordon]

OJ,

>>The doctor has a triple hissy fit when I ask her if I can go up a mast.<<

Tell her it's not the going up... it's an unplanned coming down too fast that will hurt you. Age and experience is probably a good thing in that regard.

[Patrick Harrison]

The next thing I have to say won't be understood by many of the readers, but New Hampshire Pat will probably understand what I'm saying (unless vocabulary and slang has changed an awful lot in the last 55 years.

Many years ago I used to be a broadback. Then one fateful day I cut out. I had more creosoted jackpine splinters sticking out of me, I must have looked like a porcupine. By necessity, I become a narrowback.

I still have my gaff hooks but the leather is as dried out as my face. Now most of it is bucket work. But I clumsum.

How does this relate to a sailing forum? Dang if I know.

The doctor has a triple hissy fit when I ask her if I can go up a mast. Her reaction is priceless.

O J

No nothing has changed over the years, I've had my share of splinters from numerous cut outs, I keep my gaffs sharp and I'm not in as much of a hurry any more. We're on the transmission side of the coin known as a Highliner, so there is still an abundance of climbing to do, matter of fact I was just up 12 poles the past two days, and more tomorrow.
It may not have anything to do with the forum, except maybe show the diverse background the users have. Plus us broadbacks are very skilled with rope, which translates into sheets, outhauls, halyards, etc.

[jbenagh]

Seahunt, the key to an eye splice is, I think, the third tuck. This is the last photo of step 3 in the NE ropes tutorial you sent. This is the tuck you do after you turn the eye over. Until I got this one right, I could never get it to work out either.

Good luck & keep it up. It will get easier. Then try a rope fender which is like wrestling an octopus.

Jeff