Splicing 8 plait

[Guest 000]

I've spliced a fair bit of rope over the years, but this 8 plait 14mm polyester has got me beat.

The problem is that each successive tuck makes the crowns get tighter and tighter, and after three or so tucks they are so tight that I can hardly get the fid in. Obviously I'm doing something wrong, but what?

The problem does not occur with large diameter polypropylene 8 plait because the lay is much looser.

At ideas??

[Island Time 1,246]

KM will know, but try this;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuIsS35IIm4

[rigger 47]

Is it old or new? In old rope that is hard to splice I have used a manrope knot splice, bulky but short

 

Are you using the correct splice for the exact product? There maybe a diff splice?

[Guest 000]

OK, I'm pretty sure its polyester... Not really good enough. To know for sure is better.

My son gave me 100m, and I don't know where he got it from. It has had a minimal amount of use but sun and sea has hardened it up a little. I intend to use it for my anchor rode and like to do 3 full tucks and then taper the splice down by reducing the strands so that it runs nicely through my gypsy.

I find that lifting each crown to tuck a strand under has the effect of tightening up the subsequent crown making it really difficult to get a fid in. Perhaps washing the rope would help?

[Guest 000]

All spliced up now.

For what it's worth, I have discovered that if you have to splice weather hardened 8 plait, wiping the rope and the fid with a candle will make things a lot easier.

Used to do that in my old boatbuilding days to ease brass screws when driving them in.

[rigger 47]

With splicing a used towline have used dish washing liquid.

Makes it easier to splice

hands end up clean

part of the towline gets cleaned

[Black Panther 1,593]

Make excellent heaving lines don't they rigger? 

[rigger 47]

Make excellent heaving lines don't they rigger? 

That was part of the old chaff gear from a towline - yeap just the right size for heaving lines once puled apart