Figure 4-22. - A vertical barrel hitch.

parts of the overhand knot (fig. 4-22, view 2) and pull them down over the sides of the barrel. Finally, pull the line snug and make a bowline over the top of the barrel (fig. 4-22, view 3).

SPLICING FIBER LINE

When it is necessary to join lengths of line, a splice, rather than a knot, should be used. A properly made short splice will retain up to 100 percent of the strength of the line, while a knot will retain only 50 percent.

"Splicing" means the joining of two separate lines. It also means the retracing of the unlaid strand of the line back through its own strands in the standing part of the line.

Four general types of splices in fiber line are commonly used in rigging work. They are the eye splice, short splice, long splice, and back splice. Once you learn how to make one type, the others should not be difficult.

Eye Splice The principal use of an EYE SPLICE is to make an eye in the end of a line. The eye is useful in fastening the line to a ring or hook. It can also be made up with a thimble. A thimble is a grooved ring that may be set in the eye of a line to prevent chafing. The eye splice is estimated as being 90 percent as strong as the line itself.

To make an eye splice, you UNLAY (untwist) the strands in the end of your line about five turns, and splice them into the standing part of the line by TUCKING the unlaid strands from the end into the standing part. An original round of tucks plus two more complete rounds is enough for an ordinary eye splice.

With large lines, you must whip the ends of your strands before you start; otherwise, they will frazzle out and cause you trouble. Large lines must also be seized at the point where unlaying stops or you will have trouble working them. With any lineup to about 2 inches (50 mm), you can open the strands in the standing part with your fingers.

With larger lines, you use the fid. A fid is a tapered and pointed tool made from maple, hickory, or other hardwood. Figure 4-23 shows you the knack of working the fid in making an eye splice. Lay your line out along the deck with the end to your right. Bend it back until your eye is the size you want it, and shove the fid through the standing part at the right spot to raise the top strand. Shove the fid through the rope AWAY from you with your right hand as you hold the line with your left. Take the raised strand with your

Figure 4-23. - Working the fid