Page 125 - The New Encyclopedia of Knots

figure 88.2

Marline or spunyarn: an impregnated cordage available throughout a large range of sizes and grades
of quality. Mainly used as a form of protection to bind splices, it can also be used as a whipping on
very large ropes.

Marlow eye splice: this is an eight-plait eye splice, and suitable for 9 or 10mm (0.4in) diameter
ropes on dinghy sheets, as it has no great strength.

First tie a figure of eight loop (see page 82), about 2m (6ft 6in) from the end of the rope. The effect of

this will be to prevent the outer plait from being disturbed beyond the area where you are making the
splice.

Slide the outer plait back to reveal the inner core, from which you need to cut off 70cm (27.5in). Then
slide the outer plait back to its full extent to leave a hollow sheath. Unlay 100mm (4in) of the outer

plait and taper it in 25mm (1in) steps so that it can be threaded through the eye of the splicing tool.
Work the splicing tool, eye first, into the hollow sheath about 15mm (0.6in) from the end of the inner
core. It should re-emerge through the sheath wall about 300mm (12in) away. Now thread the tapered
plait yarns through the eye of the splicing tool and pull the tool back through the sheath. The plait will

follow, filling the 300mm (12in) of hollow sheath (figure 89). The splice is now complete, and
leaves you with an eye of about 100mm (4in) circumference at the end. The surplus yarn should be
trimmed off once you have ensured that the splice is smoothed out, and then the figure of eight loop
can be untied.