Page 134 - The Complete Rigger’s Apprentice

occasionally pull on this side
of the eye if the cut-off core
bunches up inside

Figure 4-16I. Finishing a Double-Braid Eyesplice in swallow all that extra material. This will loosen
hard-laid rope. A line is Icicle-Hitched to the core side up the fibers.
of the eye. A come-along or winch pulls at the other
end. The operator works the slack in the cover toward 5. When forming very small halyard eyes, there
the eye. will not be room for your hand in the eye as
it approaches home; put a marlingspike or
really tough rope, Icicle-Hitch (Figure 3-12) screwdriver in and hold on to that.
a smaller, separate line to the core side of the
eye. Attach this line to a winch or come-along 6. No matter how little or much effort it takes,
and crank it tight (Figure 4-16I). For absurdly the splice will be home when you (a) get the
tough or really large rope, you might need to Cover Marker Yarn to the edge of the bury;
tension with a fork lift. Be certain your anchors and (b) have no slack in either the eye or the
can take the strain. Unless something is odd (see standing part.
problems, page 114) you won’t have to revert to
this last dodge. Remember to pause occasionally If you run out of slack before the yarn is at the
to deal with bunching up in the eye cover. bury, if you are positive there’s no slack in either
the eye or the standing part, and if you’re sure that
4. As my friend J. Mark says, “Rope loves to be all your measurements are correct, then there’s an
massaged.” So whenever it gets hard to make adjustment you can make for subsequent splices:
the cover move, stop and bend the rope, firmly Let’s say you ended up one inch short of your goal.
and repeatedly, where it’s tight from trying to The next time you splice this rope, make the vivid

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