Ed,



I haven't heard of the process which you are talking about. I do not know how you could remove a portion of the core.



I have heard of people removing the cover off the core for the area that goes through the blocks. I do not recommend this for the same reasons I don't recommend tapered lines.



Mike Hill

H20 #791

Look at the mainsheet as if it were different pieces of line with different requirements.

The section that runs throught the blocks, but doesn't reach the cleat, must be very strong, but can be very skinny without a friction cover.

The section that gets runs from the cleat to the skippers hands, upwind, must be fat enough and "grippy" enough to pull and cleat without hurting his hands and yet still run well.

The section that runs from the traveler deadend to the skippers hands must be biggest of all (less purchase), but carries little load. It is hardest to pull because it is only a 2:1 while the main is 7:1 or 8:1, so the load on the line is far less.

The section that connects the "upwind section to the "traveler" section, the "downwind" section, carries the least load of all, but it still must be gripped.

So, if you take a small spectra core line, appropriate to your block selection, you can strip the cover off the section that is behind the mainsheet cleat, pull the core out of the "downwind" section and add the core to the "traveler" section.

You would end up with a continuous line with four different strengths and thicknesses.

It is much easier than it sounds.

P.S.

There is also Marlow Taperable Sheets which has a Spectra core and TWO covers on it. Think of the possibilities :-)

...and it all gets even more interesting when you consider that at least one of the lines I looked at last night claims to have a dual fiber core - one for strength, one for bulk.



Fascinating, but I'm still no closer to knowing how to actually do any of this.... core removal an like that.



Ed

The lines with dual fibers are interwoven, you can't separate them, but you get the idea.

Core removal is the easiest.

Assume you have a 15 foot section of line which is never heavily loaded. Measure from the traveler end and mark it. Milk the cover splice open to get to the core. Cut the core in one spot.

Milk the core out from the blocks end 15 feet.

You now have a 15 foot stripped tail also.

The ends should be sewn tight.

You can also "taper" the core so you don't get an abrupt transition from full line to core only- Just take point where you want "full line" and then cut some of the core, remove these strands, move down several inches, cut more, etc. until get to point where cut the rest and have cover only beyond that point. One advantage of tapering is tends not "slip" or bunch at the transition- You can also sew/stitch the cover to the core at/near the transition to help prevent this- Just stretch line very well (tying off the "full" end) first-

There are many good books at West Marine, etc. on lines and rigging that go into lots of details and most of the rope companies will send you literature if you ask for it on exactly how they recommend "modifying" (even knotting!) their lines-



Regards,

Kirt