Dock Lines

I always keep newer lines on the boat when she is slipped. I also have been buying the braided lines instead of the twist. The old lines are in great condition, clean and soft, they just have the twist in the splice. I can not throw them out. I am a dock line hoarder. Over the winter I am going to master the splice.
Al
 
quote:
Originally posted by ALKA2710

I always keep newer lines on the boat when she is slipped. I also have been buying the braided lines instead of the twist. The old lines are in great condition, clean and soft, they just have the twist in the splice. I can not throw them out. I am a dock line hoarder. Over the winter I am going to master the splice.
Al

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Al

Do not buy a book on how to splice, it will confuse you and you will never succeed at it.

Get a guy that knows how to to do it and he will teach you.

If you have to, there is one video that is excellent.
 
There IS a trick to splicing so the eyes don't twist, but for the life of me I can't figure out what it is. I use 3-strand exclusively and I splice all my own lines. Some of them twist, and some don't.
 
quote:
Originally posted by November Charlie

Must be three strand. It happens. The only advantage of three strand is price.

Used line can be re-spliced without losing any more strength than you would with new line (your BS will still be lower than new line, but the percentage you lose splicing it will remain the same with used vs. new). The problem with splicing used line is it is a lot more difficult to do.

Dock lines are cheap enough I'd just replace with new double braid nylon, or better yet - buy a spool and splice new dock lines to the lengths you want them. This way you can rig a set for your own slip with eyes on each end, to the exact length you want them, as well as an onboard set for traveling - and still have enough left over for a new double braid anchor line.

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Question about this: You mentioned that the only advantage to three strand is the price. My understanding is that three strand and braided have very different characteristics when it comes to elongation -- or stretch. I've seen folks in bumpy harbors change from braided to three strand because the braided wasn't allowing enough give and being to hard on the boat, whereas the three strand acted like a shock absorber (similar to an anchor rode).
 
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