Page 120 - The Complete Rigger’s Apprentice

The Long Splice left, leaving a space where it had been. Now adjust
In all of rigging, there is no knot more often asked the position of the two lines, pushing them slightly
about nor less often useful than the Long Splice. closer together or pulling them slightly farther apart
There’s something undeniably fascinating about so that the corresponding strand from the right side
it, about the way it leaves a line’s appearance and falls neatly into that just-vacated space. This is the
diameter almost unchanged. Perhaps it reminds most difficult part of the splice; it’s tricky getting
people of those ever-popular Cut-and-Restored a good, close marriage while keeping everything
tricks (see Chapter 11)—“And now I will take this together while you make these initial setting-in
severed line and make it whole again!” moves. But just as with a real marriage, you only
Handy as that ability might seem, most of the need to be careful, attentive, and to take your time.
times I’ve been called upon to make a Long Splice
have been because of mistakes (for instance, a hal-
yard that was made too short), or in emergencies Figure 4-12A–C. The Long Splice. Marry the two
(for instance, a halyard that used to be long enough ends and Constrictor four of the six strands together.
that suddenly became too short). In either instance, The other two, which lie in the same groove, are laid
a Short Splice might serve as well, so long as the “in and out,” with the one on the left being removed
splice doesn’t have to go through a sheave or stop- from the groove and the one on the right taking its
per. And in that case, just having some spare rope as place (A). Lay out and in as for the Mending Splice
a replacement is the best solution. and Chain Splice until the “laid-in” strand is just
Making a Long Splice requires quite a bit of long enough to make four splice tucks, then halve
rope and a lot of skill. And unlike the more prac- the two strands (optional), Overhand-Knot, and . . .
tical Mending Splice, which only disturbs one-third (B) . . . tuck the ends to finish, again just as for the
of the rope, the Long Splice requires that you deal Chain Splice (C).
with all three strands of two pieces and that you get
them all evenly tensioned to preserve rope strength. the “laid-
As with the Traditional Irony Chain Splice, it’s a out” strand the “laid-in” strand
good idea to practice with a simpler splice, like the
Mending Splice, before tackling this one.
Still want to learn it? Okay, here goes:
First, the ropes must be of the same diameter,
material, and construction. the just-vacated
groove
Next, it’s a good idea to stiffen the ends with
washable school glue (see the Traditional Irony Constrictor Knot
Splice), to help the strands to hold their spiral
shape, or “lay.” This is particularly important with
nylon rope. Gel at least 4 feet (1.2 m) of line for
1
every 1 inch (25 mm) of diameter. So, a ⁄2-inch
(13-mm)-diameter piece would be starched at least
2 feet (0.6 m) from the end.
When the rope is dry, gently unlay the two lines
almost to the untreated section. “Marry” the ends
just the way you’d lace your fingers together (Figure
4-12A). Take any convenient strand from the line
on the left and “lay it out” of the marriage without
disturbing any of the other strands. Hold it off to the

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