It is worth checking your Spectra winch cable splice occassionally.

[Scott79]

As title suggests, it is worth checking the splice on Spectra winch cables periodically.
I had mine slip completely yesterday whilst retrieving, and luckily enough had a couple of things in my favour which prevented the boat ploughing into the boat behind mine.

I must admit I have never thought to check it previously; but I have never heard of anyone else's slipping either.
Anyway, a couple of granny knots and I am back in business.

Scott.

[johncar]

Scott, you were lucky it didn't end up worse for sure.
If the rope is correctly spliced it will not slip at all, ever. I have noticed quite a few different brands of spectra/dyneema/plasma/super/etc winch ropes on the market that are not spliced correctly, most of the crook ones often have a bit of heatshrink on them disguising the poor job underneath and I have gone to the trouble of contacting the suppliers and warning them of their potentially dangerous ropes just to be ignored.
I have respliced many winch ropes for one local supplier as they have been imported and a lack of training or skills in the countries of manufacture create this problem, but getting the message through seems difficult.

They are reasonably simple to splice the right way so they will never slip but a splicing fid makes it easier and a quick demo of course. Bit hard on here to show you though.

Good warning to others though because there must be plenty of dodgy ones out there being used just waiting to fail.

Of the ones available on evilbay I know the "Boatropes" trailer winch ropes ones are good because I make them.

[cormorant]

Hi Johncar. Are the below videos correct? I see some really bad ones just woven in and out and they fail and even ones with a swage and even a stitch through them.!!Asking for trouble. . Below are same as a rigger showed me but different people have told me longer or shorter tails but I have always gone for the longer option. Watching a rigger who does this all day is impressive as they get it perfect and neat everytime so quickly.

I love getting a good splice. Here is a video and a homemade fid - we have used this homemade fid idea when offshore sailing and can't find the fid kit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YDW8OwL0Oc

This bloke actually mentions the length of his splices but always suggests the manufacturers website for exact details. 50 times diameter of rope.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9kImggLWUQ

[Noelm]

the "splice" can and does slip, at 1770 lat year we were putting the boat back on and when it was at the winch and some tension was applied, it just slipped undone and the boat went straight back in!!! lucky for us, no damage, and as above, a few knots and it was Ok again, but just beware, make sure you have a safety chain attached before driving anywhere.

[finga]

Thanks Cormy.
The Cook gets me to make reins all the time and the method you showed is waaaaay easier then what I've been doing.
I've been doing the core to core eye splice and it's a pain in the posteria.
http://www.neropes.com/Splicing%20Guide%20Individual%20Splices/CORE_TO_CORE_EYE_SPLICE.pdf

[Micadogs]

Thanks, will check mine.

[propdinger]

mine came undone on a trip back from 1770 noticed front of the boat bouncing along had to pull over and tie a few knots in it as i drive the boat on i was lucky it never happened while winching

[cormorant]

Thanks Cormy.
The Cook gets me to make reins all the time and the method you showed is waaaaay easier then what I've been doing.
I've been doing the core to core eye splice and it's a pain in the posteria.
http://www.neropes.com/Splicing%20Guide%20Individual%20Splices/CORE_TO_CORE_EYE_SPLICE.pdf


I'm not sure it is as good and hope the cook doesn't notice it isn't quite as neat. Shsss

It is quick for me to do on the water offshore especially used for lanyards on stuff so people can't undo the knot to move stuff or lose it. Stopped the knobs who steal mooring lines from our docks as well!! Someone here will know if there is a huge difference in risk of slip / "knot strength" from either method and different brands of rope sure do have different textures and I am amazed some even grip as they feel so slippery. Under tension I can see they will never slip but on and off tension all the time with different loads , especially light loads still seems a issue if you don't have a long tail. We mark our splices so we can see if they are slipping so a quick visual check became a habit as early on we weren't 100% confident in this new rope and how thin it is getting. Thinner than stainless and much lighter. For insurance I still always get the riggers to do all the structural load stuff and load test it. .

[MudRiverDan]

I use Spectra braid and it is very slippery.
Great for tangles though.

Your knots have to be spot on, when it recommends 15 turns do 15 not 10.

Dan

[johncar]

Yes thanks for the Vids Cormo, they are spot on. Your dyneema winch rope will definitely not slip if strictly done that way. As I said before, for anyone who has experienced the splice slowly falling out under tension off and on, the rope has just not been spliced correctly in the first place. The step that most people leave out being the second step is the reverse pass of the long tail through the short tail being the most important part of all. That locks the splice and eliminates slippage.
Passing the short tail through and through a few times and sliding it inside the rope, being how many are sadly done, isn't good enough and although may hold initially will eventually fail.

[Scott79]

I have noticed quite a few different brands of spectra/dyneema/plasma/super/etc winch ropes on the market that are not spliced correctly, most of the crook ones often have a bit of heatshrink on them disguising the poor job underneath.

That describes mine, it was "Steadfast" brand, sourced from one of the big marine stores.

[purnong]

So would these types of splicing described in the youtube vids above be suitable for a ski or tube rope?
My ski ropes have a different type of knot in them but they are a nylon braid not dyneema type

[Feral]

Had one of those let go on my fathers boat a few years ago. Wasn't spliced, just some sort of dodgy clamp on it that gave way. Luckily his roller maintenance is not his first priority and the boat just sat there!