Page 243 - The Complete Rigger’s Apprentice

Figure 6-48. Worming is set tightly on three-strand
Figure 6-46. To secure a boathook on a shroud, serve rope, filling the spaces where moisture could gather.
two short stretches, 2 feet or so closer together than Parceling of tarred canvas or friction tape provides
the length of the handle. Lash sail thimbles in place. waterproofing and smooth bedding for service.

tom up, with the lay, so the turns shed water, shin-
gle-like. Next put the service on good and tight with
no spaces between the turns. Apply it from the top
down so that (a) it disturbs the parceling the least,
and (b) the slight untwisting of the wire under load
will tighten the service.
Service is traditionally done with tarred mar-
line, but tarred (black) nylon works just as well, is
more readily available, and holds up better in trop-
ical climates. Service is usually applied with a spe-
cialized tensioning device called a serving board or
Figure 6-47. Service applied tightly with the aid of a mallet (Figure 6-49), but a marlingspike will do in
Marlingspike Hitch provides waterproofing and pro- a pinch. A serving iron (Figure 6-50) is the tool of
tects rope from chafe. choice for seizing wire. Figures 6-47 through 6-49
show the basic setup and procedure.
As turns of service are taken, the hauling part
hook. Seize another thimble aloft to slide the han- shortens. When it becomes too short, the Marling-
dle into (Figure 6-46). A seizing put onto bare wire spike Hitch (Figures 1-11 and 1-12A, pages 8 and
would be prone to slip. 9) is capsized back into a straight length that in a
Start by smearing a little anhydrous lanolin few more turns becomes part of the service itself.
onto the wire—just a bit. A layer of friction-tape or Make the hitch as shown in Figure 1-12A to keep it
athletic-tape parceling comes next, to keep moisture from jamming.
from settling in the wire’s interior (plastic electrical There are two ways to stop service: If you’re
tape grows brittle with age and should be avoided). using a spike, make the last three or four turns
Put this waterproof “bedding” on from the bot- loosely around both it and the wire. Pass the end

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