Mousing

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richardbrennan

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Several parts of my running rigging are rather green and would benefit from taking out and giving a dose of Patio Magic.. However, I have never done any mousing and wonder if the forum could offer advice, particularly on the best line to use and how to attach it. Some of the halyards have a loop of the cover material on the end, but not all; am I right in thinking stitching a loop into the tail ends and then attaching the mousing line with a bowline would be the way to go?
 
I remove halyards etc every winter, to save deterioration as much as anything! I use 8mm polyprop rope, cheap to buy on a drum. If you use small dia signal flag type rope, this can jump the sheaves and jam.

I now always use sizing wire and tape to make the connection. At one time I just used tape, but this came apart one time so learned my lesson!
 
I use three or four mm line for mousing: strong enough to do the the job, small enough not to foul anything. To attach the mousing to the rope, I whip the line round the end to be pulled through, exactly as if I were whipping the end of the rope. If I'm worried about a small entry, I use a bit of tape to fair the end of the rope.
 
I use light line like signal halyard line and have never (yet) had it jump out of the sheave, maybe by keeping some tension on it. I join it with a rolling hitch and clove hitch in tandem and fair it off with vinyl tape, making sure that the helix is wound the right way round to provide a smooth run.
 
Make sure the mousing line isn't too light, or prone to chafing - I moused my lines last year and one of the mousing lines wore through - a right faff to remedy.
 
I tend to use old lines for mousing. To replace the new line with the old one, butt them up against and stitch them together. As it is just temporary I usually use some upholstery thread rather than whipping twine. Tape over the join to make it smooth. Pull gently and if necessary (it usually isn't) work back and forth to get past a block etc. rather than trying to use brute strength.
 
Another vote for bigger (6mm or bigger) lines stitched end-to-end.
Light cheap line will stretch over a halyard length, so it is prone to flapping about and chafing.
Learned that the hard way.
I now make sure there is a big knot at the top sheave, and wind the fall of the mouse around the backstay or forestay to keep it from flapping.
 
And another vote for stitching end to end. I always use whipping twine as it's the strongest thread readily available. It takes a bit longer than just tying on but is so much more secure and runs smoothly over the sheaves.
 
I once used light line and half the lines jumped the sheave so were totally stuck - cheapo 6 or 8mm would have been a lot more sensible
 
Hoolie said:
And another vote for stitching end to end. I always use whipping twine as it's the strongest thread readily available. It takes a bit longer than just tying on but is so much more secure and runs smoothly over the sheaves.
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This is my chosen method as I am terrified of the consequences of loosing a line in the mast. I also wrap the joint with super amalgamating tape as secondary security. No problems, but am willing to hear/learn.
 
Seashoreman said:
This is my chosen method as I am terrified of the consequences of loosing a line in the mast. I also wrap the joint with super amalgamating tape as secondary security. No problems, but am willing to hear/learn.
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I find that shiny vinyl tape passes through better than amalgamating tape, which leaves a slightly tacky surface.
 
I can't see the point of using tape. If you put stitches all round the line there's no risk of snagging and it's as flexible as the lines themselves.
 
Hoolie said:
I can't see the point of using tape. If you put stitches all round the line there's no risk of snagging and it's as flexible as the lines themselves.
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I find it helps sometimes. Particularly when you're replacing a 6mm mouse with a 12mm halyard.
Often the stitching is too flexible.
A couple of stitches and a bit of tape is also quicker than a really neat sewing job.
 
Even quicker after a bit of initial effort is to remove 50 mm of the inner core of the halliard / whatever and sew a permanent 25mm loop into the outer braid. Put some 6mm blue polyprop through to make an eye and 'splice' the full thickness of the polyprop back three times through the lay, short bit of tape to smooth the tail and off you go. To be really anal, label the various lengths of polyprop so you know which to use where next year.
 
+1 for post 12, method 1 which I've used for years, a whipping with a loop of whipping twine at the end. Then pass the light polyester three strand through that loop, and back on itself, through the lay three times and finish with a bit of duct tape on the polyester to smooth it off. Strong and I've never had it jam.

edit - I use 8mm blue polyprop - we found a drum of it in a jumble for £10, enough for all five halyards and hardly touched the reel.
 
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