Making Up a Line
Once line is removed from the manufacturer’s coil,
or spool, it may be made up (for ready use) by coiling
down, faking down, or flemishing. Figure 7-21 shows
the methods of coiling, faking, and flemishing lines.
“Coiling down a line” means laying it up in circles,
roughly one on top of the other. Faking down a line is
laying it up in the same manner as for coiling down,
except that it is laid out in long, flat bights, one
alongside the other, instead of in round coils. The main
advantage of working with line that is faked down is that
it runs off more easily. To flemish down a line, start with
the bitter end, and lay on deck successive circles of line
in the manner of a clock spring with the bitter end in the
center. Right-laid line is laid down clockwise; left-laid
line is laid down counterclockwise.
SPLICES
Splices are used to permanently join two lines or to
form an eye or loop in the end of a line. When time
permits, splices should be used instead of knots because
splices are much stronger.
Eye Splice
To make an eye splice, unlay (untwist) the strands in
the end of your line about 8 to 10 turns of lay. Whip the
end of each strand to prevent the strands from unlaying
while you splice.
NOTE
When splicing synthetic line, such as nylon,
it is sometimes easier to use tape on the strand
ends. Large line, such as mooring lines, should
be seized or bound together at the point where
unlaying stops.
To form the eye, bend the line back until the eye is the
desired size. This is the point where your splicing begins.
Follow the steps shown in figure 7-22 by tucking
each whipped strand under one strand of the line. Pull the
slack out of each tuck and check the size of the eye. (If a
thimble is to be used, insert it at this point.) Follow the
“over one strand, under the next” procedure until you
complete at least three tucks for natural fiber line or four
tucks for synthetic line. (NOTE: The splice can be
smoothed by rolling it on deck under your foot.)
7-13
Student Notes:
Figure 7-20.—Round turn and two half hitches.
Figure 7-21.—Coils, fakes, and flemishes.
