Page 206 - Barbara Merry - The Splicing Handbook

inches/64 mm (3½ inches/90 mm) from the bight. Measuring carefully, cut eight

pieces of filler rope to 9 inches/230 mm (11 inches/275 mm) long. Arrange the
filler pieces around the doubled rope, just below the tape, and tie them on tightly
—with twine and a constrictor knot, see opposite—to give bulk to the fender.
Unlay a few inches (75 mm) of the middle pieces that extend beyond the filler
rope. Wrap the end of each of the six unlaid strands with tape to prevent them
from unraveling. Continue unlaying the middle pieces all the way to the filler
pieces. Make sure the bottom lashing on those filler pieces is about 1 inch (25
mm) from the ends and tight. A constrictor knot (shown in the illustration) works
fine.

The following process will cover the cut ends of the filler ropes. Sit in a
comfortable chair and firmly clamp the fender between your knees so the unlaid
strands come toward you from the center of the fender. Arrange them so they are
uniformly spaced and exit the fender in a fairly orderly fashion.
Select any strand (we’ll call it Strand 1) and place it outside and under the
strand to its immediate left (we’ll call it Strand 2). Leave a loop in Strand 1, and
give the two strands a good, tight twist, sending Strand 1 toward you (see art
following pages).