Interest Sign Up – Marlinespike D Dyneema®, Amsteel®, Soft Shackles and Hollow Braided Line UHMWPE

This is not a lesson sign-up, it is an interest survey. Sign up below to get further information and to help us plan.

The club will be offering one or more Marlinespike lessons on using and splicing HMPE lines including work with Soft Shackles. Samson Ropes defines Amsteel® as a “high-modulus polyethylene” rope. The high-modulus part means that Amsteel® has “low elasticity elongation,” or in other words, it doesn’t stretch much. However, this also means that this type of rope doesn’t like to be shock-loaded! Safe working loads do not apply to shock loading.

This is an interest sign-up that does not obligate people to anything. If you are interested in such a lesson please sign up here. This will be used to notify people when such a lesson is offered. We have reserved room for Marlinespike lessons every month from December through April on Saturdays or Sundays.

Preference will be given to those who have the Marlinespike A rating but it likely will not be required.

Here are some links about UHMWPE (Ultra-high-molecular-weight-polyethelene) rope and Soft Shackles in case you are curious.

• The Amazing Lightweight Rope That Can Lift a Car!
• What is Dyneema® and Why is it Awesome?
• Working With High-Tech Ropes – Practical Sailor
• On Deck: Soft Shackles: Sail Magazine
• Brummel LockSingle Splice - video
• Splice Hollow Braid 12-Strand Rope - Locking & Mobius Brummel Splice - Thimble Eye - video
• How to tie a Two-Strand Diamond Knot – paracord video
• How to tie a Lanyard Knot (Diamond Knot) – Animated Knots
• Edwards Soft Shackle (Diamond Knot) – Animated Knots
• High-Strength Soft Shackles Using the “Brion Toss Button” Knot- Cruisers Forum
• 10-Second Soft Shackles – video – Interesting but nowhere near as strong – much easier to make, though
• Soft Shackles Diamond Knot vs. Button Knot (video with some fun sailing pics)
• How Important Is It To Taper Your Splices (article with videos)
• Here is a link to my page on how to calculate the length of line needed for a Dyneema® soft shackle based on the diameter of the line used.

We will start with a basic paracord soft shackle that can substitute for a carabiner and progress to diamond knot and button knot soft shackles. Hollow-braid rope is much easier to splice than even three-strand line. People are replacing standing rigging on boats with it! It requires different knots or knot strategies than other line.

Please sign up if you want to be notified about these.

Chas Kenyon

Instructor