I wonder how many people know how to whip lines. I only know because I went to sailing camp when I was a kid.
Mary,
Perhaps it's because the sailing season is so short here in Vermont and I tend to tinker with the boat when it's not in the water, but I use a combination of a fused end AND whipping on all lines of 1/4" or larger diameter. A heat fused end may be perfectly adequate in most situations, but the whipped end gives it a nice nautical look.
