Capt. JG wrote:
"Howard" wrote in message
ervers.com...

Some where, within the last week or two, I read a report about a fellow
who used a bowline to affix his bosuns chair. He was using some new
fangled, high tech rope. Any way, or so the story goes, he was working on
the top of the mast alternatingly putting stress on and off the bowline.
The new fangled rope worked out of the bowline and down he came. He broke
his fall but still screwed up one foot bad enough that it had to be
amputated, eventually.

Sorry but I can not recall the source of this story.

The jist was that there are some new high tech ropes that have different
characteristics than we are accoustomed to and you may need to be careful.
I think that this was some sort of braid over a parallel core but would
not swear to it.

Howard


Typically, one uses more than one line when going up the mast to prevent
just this sort of thing.

Climbers use a double figure eight with a long tail. Anyone going up
the mast should as well. The bowline is the wrong knot.

On Tue, 14 Mar 2006 15:08:04 +0000, Gary wrote:

Climbers use a double figure eight with a long tail. Anyone going up
the mast should as well. The bowline is the wrong knot.

The difference is there's enough tension on a jib sheet to keep a bowline
tight. A climber's safety line is slack most of the time, so a bowline
can shake loose. This is why climbers use figure eights. They're also
easier to untie. After catching a fall, a bowline could be too difficult
for a climber to untie as well.

The problem with a double figure eight is the weight and bulk. It catches
on shrouds, and can be as bad as a metal shackle when flogging around. I
know because I've tried it.

If you have to use a knot to tie your jibsheets on, a bowline is the way
to go, unless your cringle is small enough for a stopper knot to work.
Even then, a bowline is probably better, except in rare cases.

Matt O.

Matt O'Toole wrote:
On Tue, 14 Mar 2006 15:08:04 +0000, Gary wrote:


Climbers use a double figure eight with a long tail. Anyone going up
the mast should as well. The bowline is the wrong knot.


The difference is there's enough tension on a jib sheet to keep a bowline
tight. A climber's safety line is slack most of the time, so a bowline
can shake loose. This is why climbers use figure eights. They're also
easier to untie. After catching a fall, a bowline could be too difficult
for a climber to untie as well.

The problem with a double figure eight is the weight and bulk. It catches
on shrouds, and can be as bad as a metal shackle when flogging around. I
know because I've tried it.

If you have to use a knot to tie your jibsheets on, a bowline is the way
to go, unless your cringle is small enough for a stopper knot to work.
Even then, a bowline is probably better, except in rare cases.

Matt O.
I wasn't trying to convince anyone to use figure eights on sheets but to
use them when going up the mast.

I am firmly in the bowline camp on sheets.

Gary