Dyneema Loops

[belizesailor]

I had a few scraps of dyneema left over so made up a few continuous loops of dyneema. They are not as trendy as soft shackles, but are super easy to splice and have lots of handy uses.

Like as a keeper for the end of my main halyard:

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

I had a few scraps of dyneema left over so made up a few continuous loops of dyneema. They are not as trendy as soft shackles, but are super easy to splice and have lots of handy uses.

Like as a keeper for the end of my main halyard:

Attachment 169687

Heck yeah, they are at least as useful. Rock climbers and construction rigging live by them, and there are many boat uses.

Another use is capturing loft friction rings, which have uses on any boat, racer or cruiser.

Adjustable bobstay. I use them on barberhaulers and outhauls as well.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

I had a few scraps of dyneema left over so made up a few continuous loops of dyneema. They are not as trendy as soft shackles, but are super easy to splice and have lots of handy uses.

Like as a keeper for the end of my main halyard:

Attachment 169687

I have attached a few "permanent" loops all over the boat using leftover scraps of thin dyneema. Knotting the loops does not look as elegant, but it uses dramatically less line (small loops can be made as no bury length is needed) and it slashes time taken. I use these simply as attachment points to clip lines as you have done, ditto for the anchor ball and washing line. High load is not expected, so I have used a triple fisherman's, which should be more than adequate in this application.

One drawback is they are not easily removable, but this is also an advantage. There is no risk they will fall off while not in use.

SWL

[TheOffice]

I buy loops from climbing shops such as REI. Not worth my time to splice loops.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by TheOffice

I buy loops from climbing shops such as REI. Not worth my time to splice loops.

Its a very, very long way to an REI store from here:

https://maps.google.com/?q=9.572236,...12&hl=es&gl=us

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by thinwater

Heck yeah, they are at least as useful. Rock climbers and construction rigging live by them, and there are many boat uses.

Another use is capturing loft friction rings, which have uses on any boat, racer or cruiser.

Adjustable bobstay. I use them on barberhaulers and outhauls as well.

I had a block fail on me recently. Its one of a group of line fairleads at the base of the mast. My plan is to replace them all with low friction eyes on dyneema tails.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by TheOffice

I buy loops from climbing shops such as REI. Not worth my time to splice loops.

Then you will recognize the tan loop! Yes, they are a smart choice when they fit, which they very often do.

Really short dog bones are also handy.

https://sail-delmarva.blogspot.com/2...t-pendant.html

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

I had a block fail on me recently. Its one of a group of line fairleads at the base of the mast. My plan is to replace them all with low friction eyes on dyneema tails.

LFRs are NOT just a racer thing. There is less to bang around and they can't break. However, they do add friction, so it depends on the application. I'm not sure about mast base fairleads, unless the line is Dyneema; friction is often too high.

The bobstay, on the other hand, is not adjusted under load, so friction is not very important.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by TheOffice

I buy loops from climbing shops such as REI. Not worth my time to splice loops.

I stock up on these when back in the states too. Various lengths and colors. Cheap and they last a long-time in the tropical Sun.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by thinwater

Then you will recognize the tan loop! Yes, they are a smart choice when they fit, which they very often do.

Really short dog bones are also handy.

https://sail-delmarva.blogspot.com/2...t-pendant.html

I have been simply doubling the bury if I need a short strop. I use two bits of doubled over SS to act as wire fids and feed them both (from opposite directions) when the tails are ready to be buried. If you do the second after the first bury has been made, the fit is tight and the wire can't be fed through well without snagging. A soft fid would be even better in this application.

Have you tried this technique?

SWL

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by thinwater

Heck yeah, they are at least as useful. Rock climbers and construction rigging live by them, and there are many boat uses.

Another use is capturing loft friction rings, which have uses on any boat, racer or cruiser.

Adjustable bobstay. I use them on barberhaulers and outhauls as well.

Ditto!

They are easily as useful as soft shackles and I use lots of them on board, more than shackles.

They are easier to splice than going to the chandlery to buy one.


Hail the return of proper ropework on board!! Which really adds something satisfying to our sport, allowing us to rig all sorts of things outside of the bounds of store-boughten fittings.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by thinwater

LFRs are NOT just a racer thing. There is less to bang around and they can't break. However, they do add friction, so it depends on the application. I'm not sure about mast base fairleads, unless the line is Dyneema; friction is often too high.

The bobstay, on the other hand, is not adjusted under load, so friction is not very important.

By now I have more of these on board than blocks, I reckon. You are right that there is more friction, but there are very few applications where this is really a problem. I pulled a sheet lead block out of my deck last summer, and spent the next couple thousand miles using a low friction ring on a strop, which worked superbly well, better I think than the block, because you don't worry about the loads.

You can put one anywhere and rig any thing your mind can come up with. It radically changes barber hauling and so opens up new worlds of sail shape.

I use them for all kinds of handy tackle -- raising my transom platform for example; lifting my outboard; etc etc etc etc.

Best thing since sliced bread.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

...

They are easier to splice than going to the chandlery to buy one.


Hail the return of proper ropework on board!! Which really adds something satisfying to our sport, allowing us to rig all sorts of things outside of the bounds of store-boughten fittings.

Yes, I can splice one up in about the time it would take me to order one online (assuming good Internet service...which I often dont have out cruising)...and WAY quicker than going to a brick & mortar store (assuming I lived in a metropolitan area with stores like REI).

And I enjoy doing rope work! I find it relaxing and satisfying. Basic rope work is also a good self-sufficiencey skill to have...especially if you spend a lot of time far away from fancy stores that take credit cards...Im about 2 days travel away from such, and none of them likely stock dyneema loops.

I spliced up a loop of old 3-strand today over coffee today, just because a bit of scrap was lying there and I had the time. Not as fancy or as strong as dyneema, but still plenty of uses aboard.

[hpeer]

Is there a good place to go to get splicing instructions?

[belizesailor]

Grog's animated knots has a category on splicing, and of course other categories on just about everything else:

http://www.animatedknots.com/indexsplicing.php

Many rope manufacturers have splicing instructions on their web sites.

And I expect there are plenty of tutorials on YouTube.