Whipping 8-strand rope

We have got a roll of rope for new hawsers on our ship. It is 8 strand
braided construction, 35mm in diameter, and feels quite stiff. We can
figure out how to splice an eye in one end (if we decide to do so, the
discussion is still going strong...), but some people have doubts about if
a simple whipping will hold in the other end, as they claim the rope will
flex and live much more than a twisted construction. Personally I believe
that sewing the whipping on will keep it in place all right, just as it
does in twisted rope. Comments, anyone?

- Heikki

On Jun 1, 2:34 am, Heikki wrote:
Personally I believe
that sewing the whipping on will keep it in place all right, just as it
does in twisted rope. Comments, anyone?

Heikki, I agree with you that a whipping should be no problem
here; one simply needs to use appropriate material for it. A
good stout cord possibly used in twin (two parts, side by
side) form can be tied in an extended Strangle knot, with
one extra tuck/twist of the ends through it, and wraps
sufficient to cover this spread. (Some stout monofilament
fishing line can be used--100# ? 35mm is a bit larger than
what I'm used to whipping.) To best set such a Strangle,
use tools to pull the ends, and some large pliers to squeeze
the knot a bit to try to distribute the tension through the
turns (as it will come most strongly on the outermost
turns, of course).

A French whipping is a series of Half-Hitches, and that
in many materials can be set quite tie on each HHitch.
(And there are cleverer ways to so similar stuff; one can
get maybe two clever (by half) in making a Constrictor
series, but I'll not try to explain that, and in any case
the result is less than folks would think, given the hype
around that knot. That said, one could probably make
out fine with a sequence (individually put on ...) Double
Constrictors. If you can get ahold of the Ashley Book
of Knots, #1253 is what I find best--it's NOT the Dbl.Con.
typically shown.

Cheers,
--dl*
====

Dan Lehman wrote:

On Jun 1, 2:34 am, Heikki wrote:
Heikki, I agree with you that a whipping should be no problem
here; one simply needs to use appropriate material for it.

Thanks for your comments. While I was away, someone did put on quite regular
whippings, sewn over just like we normally do on 3-strand twisted rope. Now
a few weeks in use, they show no signs of giving trouble. The lengthwise
stitches can not follow the groove, as they do in a twisted rope, so they
don't look quite as neat, but the certainly look like they will do the job.
And if not, the guys who did it had enough sense to put a second whipping
one rope-thickness further up, as a backup.

If they fail, I try to be there to put in a new one, and report if I noticed
anything strange.


- Heikki



P.S. Witnessed my second bowline failure last weekend - my folding riggers
knife has a lanyard in braided flagline type line, quite slippery. I had
tied the end of the lanyard around my belt, and later the same day it was
still around the belt, but no longer in a bowline. The first time I saw a
bowline failing, was in the same lanyard, in the knife end. I was out on
the bowsprit, and almost dropped the knife. Now I have a doubled-up
figure-eight loop in that end, and it seems to hold well. Need to find a
better way to tie it quickly to my belt (or where ever). Buntline hitch,
slipped, and the loose end drawn through the slip loop to secure against
unwanted slipping?