Thursday, December 27, 2012

3-STRAND ROPE SPLICE

by Robin


I have to say that I am rather proud of myself today.  I self-taught myself how to do a 3-strand rope splice, thanks to this man's wonderful You Tube video.  I actually had most of it right all by myself but I messed up on the left side of it and so I corrected it and then, we were done!  The 'old' me would have simply gone to the store to buy more rope but Jack encouraged me that I could do it. 



I don't know if anybody would remember this, but back when we were doing our best to make it through the disasterous night out in the Gulf of Mexico, it was always a real possibility that our frayed rope might give way and we could be adrift.  I still get adrenalin rushes from that fact. 

Well, it was time to do something about it, so we pulled the anchor (in the driveway) and worked on the rope.  I didn't photograph the fray but it was definitely not much left hanging together and I am happy to say that the problem is SOLVED!!

Photobucket

And like I said, I'm pretty happy with myself for starting very young as a horse mane braider, turning self-hair braider and now into a rope braider.  ha ha.  Am I an official sailor now?? shipmate?? 

(Side note: We did not want any electrical tape to interfere with the splice so I simply took highlighter marker to each strand to help me keep them straight. It will eventually wear off in the saltwater and the splice will stay strong.)

Tomorrow, we will be heading to Haulover Canal to see if we can't pick up some black drum.  We will test some minor adjustments we made to the ladder/ platform, the new voltage gauge and the anchor line.  We are missing the offshore blue water, but this will have to do for now.

God bless & Happy Fishing,
Robin
PS: I got a new camera for Christmas and so I am stoked about using it this cobia & mahi season.

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