Twine Whipping Becoming Obsolete?

[Hamrow]

Traditional whipping the end of a dock line historically was done with whipping twine, which I respect and also thought it would be a sort of fun skill to refine. However, it seems like you don't see it as much even with marine or captain's training classes... Is this because more are going the easier route with melting, shrink tubing, magic tape or liquid rope whipping?
Also is there advantages or disadvantages to the various options that might be moving the industry away from twine whipping...?



Finally; is this sort of like asking what is the best anchor?
Ha!

 

[Maerin]

Ah, the butane backsplice!

One problem with the melting backsplice (other than screaming shortcut) is that it can have burrs that are uncomfortable if they slip through a hand, or worse, can injure.

Well executed whipping looks good, is soft to the hand, and lasts a long time. I have 10 yr old whipping that's still in excellent shape. Whipping with colored twine is helpful to identify lines, our long spring lines have red whipping, easy to pull out of a pile of gasket-hitched stowed lines in the line locker. Fenders with lines on both ends have colored whipping to quickly pull one that needs to be rigged horizontally.

Is being anal a bad thing?

 

[Sailor of Fortune]

Traditional whipping the end of a dock line historically was done with whipping twine, which I respect and also thought it would be a sort of fun skill to refine. However, it seems like you don't see it as much even with marine or captain's training classes... Is this because more are going the easier route with melting, shrink tubing, magic tape or liquid rope whipping?
Also is there advantages or disadvantages to the various options that might be moving the industry away from twine whipping...?

View attachment 73463

Finally; is this sort of like asking what is the best anchor?
Ha!

Not taught in captains course because it is an expected skill at that level. Basic OS rating taught skill. Ex military were expected to have this skill for advancement from seaman apprentice to seaman.

 

[Lepke]

The melted end version with use often breaks apart. I still do it the old way. The pic at the top is the best method. But sometimes in smaller line I just wrap and bury the ends. Never had it fail.

 

[Giggitoni]

I’m in the old school. I also whip the top center of my steering wheel to give a tactile reference point in tight quarters.

 

[Dwk]

I’m in the old school. I also whip the top center of my steering wheel to give a tactile reference point in tight quarters.

Never thought of whipping center of steering wheel for reference, going to do this on next visit. I whip two sections with heavy gauge whipping twine on our wooden boat hooks for slippage ,works well.

 

[dhays]

I whip lines. But then I also do my own splicing. My skills are degrading since I don’t have a sailboat and the opportunities to keep them up are less.

I rarely will use a stitched whipping and will just do a wrap and bury as Lepke mentions above. In over 5 decades of boating, having one of my whippings fail is extremely rare. If a 10 year old whipping fails, it takes me all of 5 minutes to redo it (that includes the time to dig out my rigging bag and get the whipping and a knife).

For those rare times when I want to do a stitched whipping, I have taken to using this method instead of the more traditional method. It works great on double braid.

https://captnmike.com/2011/10/26/mikes-quick-rope-whipping/

 

[Gabe n Em]

Never thought of whipping center of steering wheel for reference, going to do this on next visit. I whip two sections with heavy gauge whipping twine on our wooden boat hooks for slippage ,works well.

Just a note on a "King spoke" whipping: it wanders if you have hydraulic steering and doesn't stay as the "king spoke". Tried it already

Melting is faster. I'm ashamed to say I don't even keep a sail palm on board

 

[dhays]

Just a note on a "King spoke" whipping: it wanders if you have hydraulic steering and doesn't stay as the "king spoke". Tried it already

Melting is faster. I'm ashamed to say I don't even keep a sail palm on board

Yup, I had the same disappointment.

I always had a turks head at the center position of my starboard helm on my sailboat. It was really nice to have a tactile indicator of zero helm. However, that helm was only about 4 1/2 rotations lock to lock.

My current boat doesn't have a lock. So no turks head on the wheel.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
I think the term for any and all "ropework" is marlinspike seamanship. I DO have a fid on board and I DID purchase it but for the life of me, I can't remember why....Saloon!

 

[tiltrider1]

If you wrap the end with electrical tape, then cut through it with a hot knife, you will end up with a non frayed end and no burs.

 

[dhays]

If you wrap the end with electrical tape, then cut through it with a hot knife, you will end up with a non frayed end and no burs.

But a truly ugly rope end... One of the reasons I like whipping is that it makes the lines look neat and finished.

Of course I could probably do more by simply washing the green slime off my boat occasionally, but...

 

[Al]

Just a note on a "King spoke" whipping: it wanders if you have hydraulic steering and doesn't stay as the "king spoke". Tried it already

Melting is faster. I'm ashamed to say I don't even keep a sail palm on board

Correct, was thinking of posting the same as I came to the end. My steering wheel will revolve at will it seems. No way to center mark.

As to whipping the ends, Honesty, I enjoy whipping all my lines. I am not sure I am perfect, but they hold and look good. Until this thread, as it relates to my local, I believed silently that I am the only person who knows how!!! Everybody does the melting trick or black friction tape!

Al-Ketchikan

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
I may have mentioned this before but on some of our lines I have used heavy duty heat shrink tubing meant for battery cables. Got mine @ WM.

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/anco...t-shrink-tubing--P009_275_003_004?recordNum=3

Also don't recall paying that much....

 

[HopCar]

When I sold rope we would measure the rope and wrap the cut point with masking tape. We would then cut through the tape and melt the ends with a propane torch. When you peeled the tape off, it left a nice neat end.
I tried using a hot knife but it was slow and messy.

If someone was paying me to splice a loop into the rope, I’d always throw a stitched whip onto the end of the rope. Kind of a belt and suspenders approach.

I think my customers appreciated the little extra touch.

 

[ghost]

I have whipping (one color) and other needed items always on board. I'll also admit that those items are so far down the list that one of 4 colors of rescue tape gets used instead.

 

[O C Diver]

I like lines that have been whipped and had intended to learn that and eye / loop splicing of double braided line. After learning that splicing of older lines was near impossible because of the tightened braid, marlin spike moved down my list. Maybe this thread will motivate me to at least learn whipping. Never had this problem with 3 strand.

Ted

 

[Hamrow]

Thx for the feedback, response is much as I expected. In a rush I've used different color rescue tape and melt ends in the past but I've just ordered some waxed twine and plan to do a little practice with old school whipping...

 

[HiDHo]

I’m old school also, still have my sail needles, palm, bees wax and I use dacron sail thread for whipping.
Also you’ll find no fenders hanging from plastic clips aboard, good old tried and true clove hitches and two half hitches on fender lines.
I haven’t eye spliced in some time Parks so I might deferr to my copy of “ The Marlinspike Sailor” to start the strands correctly.
I still remember the Chief Boatswain Mate in my navy boot camp class on marlin spike seamanship. It was winter at Great Lakes so we had undress blues on after lunch when he noticed some drowsy recruits. So to wake us up he call forth one of the offenders and drew a circle on the chalk board waist high level and had the sleeper put his nose in the circle. He then drew another circle on his rear end and said “ guess where the next drowsy recruits nose is going to go”. All eyes wide open, got to love them “ Chiefs” !
Bill

 

[Gabe n Em]

I like lines that have been whipped and had intended to learn that and eye / loop splicing of double braided line. After learning that splicing of older lines was near impossible because of the tightened braid, marlin spike moved down my list. Maybe this thread will motivate me to at least learn whipping. Never had this problem with 3 strand.

Ted

That's why! ! I've had mixed success with putting eyes in braid and couldn't figure it out. This was a very helpful comment!

 

[HiDHo]

Once you finished tucking all the strands in eye splicing I have tapered the irish pennants melted them and quickly roll the splice with your shoe sole and a piece of scrap plywood. This fuses the irish pennants into the splice and dresses up the splice.

 

[FF]

Been a long time , but I think with Capt Hornblower it was ,

Worm, parcel and serve - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worm,_parcel_and_serve


As with worming, parcelling is applied in the same direction as the twist of the line being covered. The rule is "worm and parcel with the lay; turn and serve the other way". When parcelling is used on modern small craft, friction tape or cotton athletic tape can be used for the purpose. On rare occasions, when parcelling is not ...‎Technique · ‎Worming · ‎Parcelling · ‎Serving
,Parcel an serve with the lay

 

[aboatman]

I just tape the ends and melt them. Nobody looks at the ends of my lines. Nobody who would be impressed anyhow. Most of my lines have whatever end treatment the manufacturer put on them.

I put heat shrink on the ends of my dock lines. One piece on the regular ones and two on the longer one. Different colors would be nice but black is available at the home center, red is not.

 

[Comodave]

While I do know how to whip the ends, I prefer to use a hot knife to cut the line and then melt it around the last 1/4” or so of the end. I use the hot knife to smooth around the end. It helps lock the strands together and removes any sharp places. Then I use heavy duty adhesive lined heat shrink to further secure the end. I have not had any problems doing it this way.

 

[dhays]

That's why! ! I've had mixed success with putting eyes in braid and couldn't figure it out. This was a very helpful comment!

Creating eye splices in old braid is really, really hard. It is fine for some practice when you don’t care about how pretty the end result is and then you will find splicing new braid relatively easy.

I’ve done it a lot, but while I can splice 3-strand without a thought, splicing double braid always takes some thought and using some instructions. I have never done it enough days and weeks in a row to get it ingrained.