How do I put an eye in the middle of a line (to make a bridle for the pole)

tudorsailor

tudorsailor

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I plan to make a bridle to making it easier to rig the spinnaker pole and pole out the headsail. So I need to have a line with an eye in the middle to attach a shackle to pole and an eye or bowline at either end - once I have worked at the right lengths - attaching foreguy and aft-guy.

I have spliced eyes into other lines at the ends, but and am not sure if there is a way to splice an eye in the middle of a line.

Am I better off tying a knot in the line????

Thanks

TS
 
In a situation like yours where the tension would be coming from both sides of the knot I think a figure of eight loop would be better than a bowline, you just double the rope and tie a figure of eight knot in it. Or you could make a stitched and seized eye - plenty of instructions on the net.
 
tudorsailor said:
I plan to make a bridle to making it easier to rig the spinnaker pole and pole out the headsail. So I need to have a line with an eye in the middle to attach a shackle to pole and an eye or bowline at either end - once I have worked at the right lengths - attaching foreguy and aft-guy.

I have spliced eyes into other lines at the ends, but and am not sure if there is a way to splice an eye in the middle of a line.

Am I better off tying a knot in the line????

Thanks

TS
Click to expand...
I'd feel tempted to splice two lines to a ring.

You'll need two bridles though wont you. One for the up-haul/topping lift and one for the down-haul/foreguy.

0_0_0_0_250_187_csupload_41994379_large.jpg
 
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Best knot = alpine butterfly

splice = brummel, easy to do in the middle in single braid, not so easy in double braid

Or use two sections of line both eye spliced to the middle shackle, can be done with any sort of line

I used option 3
 
Probably easier to show than describe!

One way to do this is to cut (the horror) your bridle mid-length. You have two pieces - A and B.

Overlap the cut ends.

Eye splice the cut end of piece A into the standing part of piece B.

Eye splice the end of piece B into the standing part of piece A – gives an eye.

Of course, the bridle’s now shorter than it was.
Eye in Bridle.jpg
Tried to draw it.
 
I'd probably use a racking seizing if the lines are departing in the same direction, or at least not more than say 100º from each other.

If they're going off in opposite directions then the classic answer is a cunt splice ("cut splice" is the Victorian bowdlerisation) but I only know how to do that in three-strand and I assume you're probably using braid. Probably better to use two separate lines with eye splices really, if they're going in opposite directions.

If tying a knot, there is one I use often which I was originally taught as a "bowline on the bight", except I've since learned that name applies to something else and I was probably misinformed. I'll see if I can find any pictures of what I tie...

Pete
 
Not a knot for a semi-permanent fitting, it looks far too amateurish.

Two options:

If three strand rope splice a short length of the same rope parallel to the existing line. Just think of making an eye splice at each end with the short length going in to the existing line. Looks similar to a cut eye splice but the main span is continuous.

If braided rope the simple answer is to make an eye in the bridle and sew the two limbs together. Then make a very tight whipping over the sewn length. I use thin nylon netting twine from a commercial fishing gear chandlery. If each turn is stretched as tight as possible the finished whipping shrinks tightly onto the rope and can only be removed by cutting. Have had many years service from sewn eyes made in this manner.
 
You need a loop that stands proud & i have just experimented sitting here in my armchair ( nothing like a lounge expert)
I have just done it with a bit of loose laid single braid 8mm diam so expect it would work Ok with thinner line
I think the answer is to go to the middle of the line & mark the loop.
Pass one end of the line through the centre of the other at 90 degrees to it.
Having done that ensure you have the loop the correct size & immediately after the passing point repeat the process by passing the other line through the first, again at 90 degrees

Pull the passing points close in to each other & then stick a stitch through the overlap to keep the overlap from slipping

I think that will do Ok although in some ways I feel a steel ring would be better as it hangs down & is easy to find in the rush of spinnaker pole handling
 
ancientsailor said:
One way to do this is to cut (the horror) your bridle mid-length. You have two pieces - A and B.

Overlap the cut ends.

Eye splice the cut end of piece A into the standing part of piece B.

Eye splice the end of piece B into the standing part of piece A – gives an eye.

Of course, the bridle’s now shorter than it was.
View attachment 48045
Tried to draw it.
Click to expand...

If you do go down this route Join at the 2 ends first then cut it in the middle afterwards
that way if it goes T..ts up you only loose a small amount of the bridle
You did buy it a bit over length I hope !!!!!!
 
VicS said:
I'd feel tempted to splice two lines to a ring.

You'll need two bridles though wont you. One for the up-haul/topping lift and one for the down-haul/foreguy.

0_0_0_0_250_187_csupload_41994379_large.jpg
Click to expand...


Great drawing.

I have a uphaul that comes out the top of the mast. I plan to have a foreguy and an aft guy each going from the outer end of the pole so that I can set the pole up before leading the sheet through the pole.

Thanks

Ts
 
tudorsailor said:
Great drawing.

I have a uphaul that comes out the top of the mast. I plan to have a foreguy and an aft guy each going from the outer end of the pole so that I can set the pole up before leading the sheet through the pole.

Thanks

Ts
Click to expand...

Not my diagram... just one I found quickly on an other site.

If you are using your pole for the headsail

Set it up on the topping lift and downhaul/foreguy, on the windward side resting, gently against the forestay, before you gybe the headsail, with an additional sheet ( eg a spinnaker sheet) running through the end fitting, across the foredeck , inside the forestay but over the rails and outside the shrouds, to the clew of the head sail.

Then you can gybe the headsail and sheet it in from the safety of the cockpit using the additional sheet, without any no-hands balancing acts on the foredeck.

You are then able to sheet it in further under the pole using the normal sheet if necessary or gybe it back again and sheet in normally, all from the cockpit without the need for further antics on the deck.

I think the after-guy you are contemplating might be an unnecessary additional complication
 
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