Dyneema splicing instructions

[Anilah]

Hey folks


I'm just starting to splice dyneema for various applications on our boat.
Mainly for attaching low friction rings and for soft shackles.
My problem is I can't really find a source with a more complete collection of splice instructions.
There are some amazing sites like l-36.com, balancecommunity.com, animatedknots.com and youtube. But some sites seem like they were not actualized since years and I'm just missing a more complete source.


For example I find variations of the better button(stronger shackle) for selling (https://www.soft-shackle.com/product...on-knot-hybrid), but no instructions anywhere.


Another application for which I'm looking for a solution is to attach a low friction ring to a U-bolt or similar.
And I'm just overwhelmed by the different opinions and methods and can't find a source with pros and cons of different solutions for this application.


Do you know such a source with a more complete collection of splice instructions?
Or how do you handle this?

[dougweibel]

I don't know of a unified site that does a good job with all the things you can splice from dyneema. You have found some good sites already. Also check the various rope manufacturers websites. The easiest things to find are how to do eye splices, loops and soft shackles. Other stuff you have to look harder. On this forum Seaworthy Lass has had several threads of interest - for example a great method of low friction ring attachment.

[Anilah]

Yes there are a lot of instructions around for the 4 -5 same splices.
But it seem dificult to find more specific ones.


I read some threads here around and i'm using Seaworthys high strenght shackle instruction right now.


I saw his bullseye version and its beautifull.
I'm looking for a version to attach the low friction ring to a U-bolt on deck which stops the clanking on deck though. And im not sure if there is a version of the bullseye which does that?

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by Anilah

Hey folks


SNIP

Do you know such a source with a more complete collection of splice instructions?
Or how do you handle this?

I have been playing around with this stuff for some time. Here is a link to a sailinganarchy thread by a member named seaworthylass who is friendly and smart. It is an older thread but the first one the search came up with. You can go to that site and find lots of other threads on this topic. I would also note that there is a constant development in this area. Bottom line is you will probably find the latest advances on the internet since by the time it gets into print it will be outdated.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by dougweibel

I don't know of a unified site that does a good job with all the things you can splice from dyneema. You have found some good sites already. Also check the various rope manufacturers websites. The easiest things to find are how to do eye splices, loops and soft shackles. Other stuff you have to look harder. On this forum Seaworthy Lass has had several threads of interest - for example a great method of low friction ring attachment.

Yep, SWL's instructions for soft shackles and low friction ring loops here are as good as, if not better than, anything else you will find on the intertubes.

[Breaking Waves]

Originally Posted by Anilah

My problem is I can't really find a source with a more complete collection of splice instructions. There are some amazing sites like l-36.com, balancecommunity.com, animatedknots.com and youtube.

well you have in fact found most of the useful public resources, along with SWl's instructions.

There is no 'complete' source because there are actually a 1000 variations to make the various Dyneema constructions - all (or most) of which are perfectly satisfactory.

For example I find variations of the better button(stronger shackle) for selling (https://www.soft-shackle.com/product...on-knot-hybrid), but no instructions anywhere.

And yea, this is a perfect example. It is a combination of the 'stronger button' with the 'traditional single leg'. You can easily look up instructions for these two soft shackles approaches and see how they are put together . . . . but it is not typically done because the 'traditional single leg' is nicer looking but both stiffer to use and weaker (unless absolutely perfectly made). The stronger button is more often paired with the 2-leg Kohlhoff-style, because if you are using the button you are probably looking for strength and 2 legs are (usually) stronger.

As an aside, I am a bit skeptical of the strength numbers on this website. It looks to me like they may have took some testing results of mine (% strength) and applied that to their shackles. However, I never tested their particular design (which is, as I note above) a bit of an unusual combination, and ofc never tested their construction QA which I have found can have high variance even among 'pro' makers.

Another application for which I'm looking for a solution is to attach a low friction ring to a U-bolt or similar.

You might read thru: https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ey-219050.html. A test series on some of the common options. The 'best' option depends on what you are trying to accomplish. If you want it really easy and fast to move around then SWL's bulls soft shackle is the easiest to move (but the weakest). If you want it short and low (to the deck) then a lashing is probably best - but not movable. Somewhere in between balance is the tapered whipping - very strong, moderately easy to move.

We have some folks on here who are decently knowledgable about the options and techniques. So if you need advice pls ask away. As I mentioned above the specifics of an application will drive which particular variation/approach is 'best' and you may still get different options on the best tradeoffs.

[Dockhead]

1. Brian Toss. If you don't have a copy of The Riggers Apprentice, then buy and read that before anything else.
2. SeaworthyLass. Her posts here and in other fora.
3. Evans Starzinger. I believe Evans' website is down but you might find it in Way back machine.

SWL's constructions are the most beautiful and ingeniuous of all, and I use her lovely bullseye strops for LF rings, but for soft shackles, I use Evans' clever knotless construction, which is like 5x faster to make than others, and performs perfectly (tested by me over tens of thousands of miles of hard sailing), including for blade jib clew attachments which are often under tons of force.

For eye spaces, and end to end splices, or for that matter any other splices, I use the Brian Toss methods.

[Breaking Waves]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

For eye spaces, and end to end splices, or for that matter any other splices, I use the Brian Toss methods.

mostly I use https://samsonrope.com/resources/how-to-splice-rope, simply because I have an engineer contact at Samson who I use as a resource when I have questions and it easier when we have common starting points. Ans I know that the samson techniques pass commercial safety muster (which is a generally higher standard than recreational sources). Brian's books are excellent and he is a super guy (although not super analytical).

[Anilah]

There is no 'complete' source because there are actually a 1000 variations to make the various Dyneema constructions - all (or most) of which are perfectly satisfactory.


It makes perfect sense. It's just like with normal knots. 1000 different knots and variations but at the end of the day you handle everything on the boat with 5 - 10 knots.
I guess it's the fact that you have to learn first which are the 5+ useful knots, how and where to use them and the pros and cons of them.
And it seems that right now, if you don't have a teacher, you have to gather the information from different sources and forums as it's still a too new tecnologie.


You might read thru: https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ey-219050.html.


You guys do an amazing job in basic research for DIY. I will slowly read and digest all that information.

We have some folks on here who are decently knowledgable about the options and techniques. So if you need advice pls ask away.


I like Sample A from your strop methods survey. Seems simple and strong.

I need a 45 cm circumference loop to make a neat close to the deck attachment. So with a 5 mm line I can achieve a 45x diameter bury on each side.

What's your prefered method to splice a loop? Just bury or with a brummel before burying?

[Anilah]

Dockhead, do you have a link for Evans knotless construction?


And yes I have to dig into Brians book


Samsonropes how-to seems to be a good source as well.

[Breaking Waves]

Originally Posted by Anilah

What's your prefered method to splice a loop? Just bury or with a brummel before burying?

I prefer bury plus lock stitching. Its the strongest technique, used in all proof tested commercial applications.

Simple construction with minimal braid distortion, minimal bends, smooth tapers and even leg lengths are always best, always the keys to good strength, for high modulus fibers.

However, the brummel is ok for most applications - it does weaken the construction - but usually dyneema constructions are over strength so it does not matter.

Originally Posted by Anilah

Dockhead, do you have a link for Evans knotless construction?

There are a couple video instructions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU_mmdbQeCQ

is one. They need to do more careful 'pre-loading' of the knot, but I like that they break test their stuff

[Anilah]

Is 45 x diameter enough when bury a loop?


And HowNOTtoHIGHLINE is actually a great yt chanel.

[Breaking Waves]

Originally Posted by Anilah

Is 45 x diameter enough when bury a loop?
.

The typical yachting recommendation is longer bury like 60 -72x

but in commercial applications 45x is in fact considered (minimum) sufficient if (and only if) a proper lock stitching job is done.

[Breaking Waves]

just as an aside . . . . the skydiving slink (soft link) is an interesting design concept. it is similar but less bulky than the soft shackle. Might have some application like attaching jib sheets to clew where you want minimal bulk. It is perhaps a bit easier to make (no complicated knot but a little webbing sewing). People trust their lives to them.

SlinkInstructions_1.pdf

[Anilah]

Indeed an interesting concept.
It Would be interesting to know how important the tuck away part is.
We would need an solution for that if used on a jib clew e.g.