Whipping

Moderator: GreenLake

Whipping

Postby Interim » Mon Mar 23, 2015 10:30 am

I want to upgrade my whipping technique. I currently do this:

1. Hold a loop (bight) of the whipping line against the line to be whipped. The bitter end of the whipping line is maybe 1/4" below the thumb, and the bight should stick out 1/8" or so beyond the bitter end of the line being whipped.
2. Wrap the standing end of the whipping line around the line to be whipped, working towards the bitter end of the line being whipped. Wraps should progress until about the diameter of the line being whipped.
3. Pull the free end of the whipping line through the protruding bight, and pull it under the whips by tugging on the bitter end of the whipping line.
4. Cut ends of the whipping line as close as possible.

But I want to thread the whipping through the line with a needle, and secure the whip with a couple wraps around the whip and through the line. Seems to hold better, and look more seamanlike. But I don't understand what holds the ends of the whipping line tight. I've looked at videos, but apparently not the right one. Is there a knot I should tie? It seems like two loose ends are begging for trouble.

--jf
1979 DSII
Interim
 
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Re: Whipping

Postby Interim » Mon Mar 23, 2015 12:43 pm

The Coast Guard offers this:

https://www.uscg.mil/directives/cim/160 ... 114_5C.pdf

Page 278 (7-59)

It is laid line, not braided, but I don't know if that makes a difference. Still seems like there is no binding pressure on the ends.

--jf
1979 DSII
Interim
 
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Re: Whipping

Postby GreenLake » Mon Mar 23, 2015 1:08 pm

JF,

your procedure ends up with the whipping twine forming two interlocked U's underneath the whipping, with no exposed ends. If the whipping it tight, that should normally be enough to prevent the ends from coming free. If the line is very slippery, there is the potential risk that the entire whipping slides off.

You could certainly try to reduce this risk by stitching. Off the top, here's one suggestion: Thread your twine through a needled and pull about the length needed for your first bight through. Go around the line, and push through at 90 degrees again. Remove the needle and form your bight as before. Continue whipping. At the end, you can either just complete the whipping as before (that would leave you with one set of stitches near the standing end, or you can cut off the twine, thread it, and do two stitches at the end of the whipping, before burying the tail. Now you have two sets, one on each side of the whipping, that should prevent the whipping from sliding off.

Rather than trough-stitching it might be enough to catch the whipping twine under a few strands of the braid. I think you'd still need a needle, but you may be able to lift one of the braids far enough with a spike to fit the twine under it. Some people seem to do the whipping in the other direction (starting at the free end of the line) -- not sure what to think of that.

For three-strand ropes, the procedure is a bit different; because these have grooves, and the strands can be lifted apart a bit, you start by tucking your starting end under one of the strands (leaving a long tail, not formed into a bight). You do the whipping, then tuck under the end again under a strand, leaving a tail. Next, you wrap the tails around the whipping, using a groove to pass under the whipping. Do that three times (once for each groove). Then knot the tails and pull the knot into the rope (above the whipping, that is, towards the standing end of the line).

Some modern ropes really work well with heat sealing the end, while others either don't seal well, or separate into core and cover. (Stitching a whipping would eliminate that separation more positively than friction from pressure).

I must say that I've been content mostly with using a combination of heat sealing, tape and heat shrink (the latter really wants to be glued in place -- superglue). For tape, electrical tape works best, because it can be pre-stretched when wrapping, but I've had masking tape survive on lines for years (applied at the store then cutting the line in the middle of the tape wrap, with a serrated knife, or even better, a hot knife). I have done some whippings with the stitching at one end, as described above.
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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Re: Whipping

Postby GreenLake » Mon Mar 23, 2015 1:22 pm

Interim wrote:The Coast Guard offers this: https://www.uscg.mil/directives/cim/160 ... 114_5C.pdf

Page 278 (7-59)

It is laid line, not braided, but I don't know if that makes a difference. Still seems like there is no binding pressure on the ends.


Similar to what I described, but they operate only on one end of the whipping. But the same thing about following the grooves. They bury the ends in the middle of a strand, which apparently gives enough pressure to hold them. Their instructions follow each groove only once; I've seen other instructions where a double wrap is taken. At some point, even if the free end of your twine works loose in that scheme, it would have to pull out of all three grooves before the whipping can unravel. Relatively unlikely.

And yes, the fact that three-strand has grooves makes a difference.
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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Re: Whipping

Postby Signalcharlie » Sun Sep 20, 2015 3:18 pm

Once you have gone through the loop, pull it under the whips and position it approximately halfway under the whips by pulling on opposite ends of the line. You can see the lump moving back and forth. Then tug on both ends of the line to tighten the whips. Add a fingertip of waterproof glue to the whips as desired.

We start a whip by taping off the line with gaff tape or blue tape, then cutting the tape midway it with knife or razor blade, whipping the line then burning it. The tape helps everything stay tight while you are working it.
Kent and Skipper
1971 DS II #4624 "CYANE"
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