End to End Splicing Sta-Set of Different Diameters

[chris95040]

Hi,

I have 0.25" sta-set (aka double braid) as my furler line. I'd like to have something better to grip - and able to catch in a small self-tailing winch- by cutting off the last 35' or so and splicing on some 3/8" line. This will give me the best of both worlds, tiny line wrapping/unwrapping in the furler drum, but me handling only the fatter 3/8" line.

Another way to achieve this is removing the core from a fatter line where it wraps up in the drum, but I prefer the method described above ASSUMING I can get the splice right.

1. Is it possible to end-to-end splice double braid lines of two different diameters? I can see removing some material from the core of the 3/8" line when sticking it in the sheath of the 1/4" line, but what about getting the core of the 1/4" line held fast in the sheath of the 3/8" line?

2. Any tips on minimizing how fat the spliced section gets so I'm not getting snagged on the various blocks and sheaves the furler line goes through?

[Stumble]

There are three big problems with what you are trying to do.

1) once lines have been in service they harden and become very difficult to splice again. It's possible, but unless the line is very new I flat out refuse to splice Dacron lines. It is possible if you are in the middle of the ocean, but not easy.

2) you cannot taper double braid Dacron lines. Well, you can but in sta-set the load is balance between the core and the cover, removing either cuts the strength by more than half. In addition the outer cover is treated with UV stabilizers the core doesn't. So the newly exposed core will weather much faster.

3) doing a constant diameter splice is possible. It's called, surprisingly enough, a Constand Diameter End-for-End splice. But by its nature this splice is dramatically weaker than a normal end for end. I couldn't recommend it for a load bearing application like a furling line. MAYBE, but I probably wouldn't on a continuious line furler because the line never needs to carry much load, but defiantly not on a drum.


The best answer is to use micro dyneema for the drum portion of the furling line, luckily 1/8" amsteel has exactly the same strength as 1/4" sta-set so just switch to that. Of course then you have to have a reasonable tail. Going from 1/8" to 3/8" in one step is going to be an issue, so do it in two. End for end splice the 1/8-3/16 then another 3/16-3/8. I like Tenex ends, but you can also do a dyneema to sta-set end for end pretty easily.

Alternatively just start with 3/16 dyneema and go strait to the 3/8 sta-set tail. A little more costly (not much really), but fewer steps.

Dyneema - end for end splice - http://www.samsonrope.com/Documents/...or_End_WEB.pdf
Dyneema/double braid end for end - Splicing Amsteel to Sta-Set

[chris95040]

Is it possible to end-to-end splice double braid lines of two different diameters? I can see removing some material from the core of the 3/8" line when sticking it in the sheath of the 1/4" line, but what about getting the core of the 1/4" line held fast in the sheath of the 3/8" line?

[thinwater]

Personally, I would look for a good deal on Samson XLS (very similar to StaSet but generally much cheaper) and strip the core. If you want some additional wear on the cover end, coat with RP25 or Maxijacket. Very easy, and the cover rolls up nicely.

Why do you "prefer" the splice method? The strength will be the same (3/8 cover = 1/4 line).