# Heat Shrink for Whipping Rope Ends?



## montenido (May 14, 2008)

Hi all. I just got a load of clear heat shrink (adhesive lined) in preparation for slowly rewiring my boat. Well, I put some on the end of some dock line and heated it up and I liked the results. Has anybody else done this before? It's kind of like a big shoe lace end. Being clear, I would think that moisture can eventually be dried by the sun. Can anybody see any downside to using heat shrink for this purpose? I am thinking of doing my reefing lines that are attached to the main. Last time out in a big blow they began to unravel. Anyway, thanks in advance for the input.

Fair winds, Bill


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

montenido said:


> Hi all. I just got a load of clear heat shrink (adhesive lined) in preparation for slowly rewiring my boat. Well, I put some on the end of some dock line and heated it up and I liked the results. Has anybody else done this before? It's kind of like a big shoe lace end. Being clear, I would think that moisture can eventually be dried by the sun. Can anybody see any downside to using heat shrink for this purpose? I am thinking of doing my reefing lines that are attached to the main. Last time out in a big blow they began to unravel. Anyway, thanks in advance for the input.
> 
> Fair winds, Bill


Hey, I like your thinking. I guess one question would be how it stands up to UV but that's about all I can come up with.


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## blt2ski (May 5, 2005)

My wonder would be as to how soft/flexible the ends would be? Whenever I use heatshrinkwrap, it seems to be somewhat inflexible.

marty


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## nereussailor (Nov 3, 2007)

I've seen it done before, but never done it on my lines. I also had a friend that used dip it. (for coating tool handles) It looks good, but don't know how it's still holding up.


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## Omatako (Sep 14, 2003)

Heat shrink that I have used sets pretty hard when it's done - I wonder how long it will last before being cracked and broken by beinbg bashed around.


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## FormerAdministrator (Jan 10, 2000)

I use liquid rope whipping, especially useful for keeping ends from fraying too.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

A proper line whipping, like a french whipping, only takes a few minutes to do. It doesn't affect the rope's flexibility as much... and doesn't risk damaging the rope due to exposure to high temperatures.


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## kiprichard (Aug 1, 2007)

We use it all the time. Seems to work great. You can even color code lines. I concede it's probably not as good as whipping but it sure is fast. We use a heat gun set on low so I doubt there's any line damage.


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## poopdeckpappy (Jul 25, 2006)

Try whipping with rescue tape, this stuff is great for all kinds of applications including line whipping


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## BMCG (Nov 14, 2008)

I'm with SD...take a few extra minutes and do it right. If your near Norfolk, I'll help!


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## knothead (Apr 9, 2003)

sailingdog said:


> A proper line whipping, like a french whipping, only takes a few minutes to do. It doesn't affect the rope's flexibility as much... and doesn't risk damaging the rope due to exposure to high temperatures.


Thank you SD. 
For cryin out loud guys. Heat shrink and Dip itty doo instead of learning how to do a simple whipping? 
You all should be ashamed. 








Heck, you could whip every end of every line on board your boat between beers on an average day sail.


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## nereussailor (Nov 3, 2007)

*whipping*

All of mine are whipped by hand, and it was margaritas, not beer. Thank you
By the way knothead, who pissed in your Cherrios today! 
Remember, once upon a time, man had to kill animals with spears if he wanted to eat too.


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

Knotty, Dog,

you are right you bunch of old curmudgeons....whipping is the way to go but you know damn well that most people out there are not going to do it. 

The dipping liquid stufff, I have used (yes KH and SD to my never ending shame !!) and the end result cannot be any softer than a heatshrink can it ?

I have to admit that dipping and waiting for the damn stuff to dry is almost as slow as a whipping. 

The rescue tap thing is not a bad idea....that stuff is expensive but good for all sorts of things.

Actually peoples, it is true what Knothead and Dog say. A simple whipping does not take any time at all and properly done will last for ever and a day.
What's more any rope work....whipping, splicing etc is seriously good for the soul. Every sailor should keep some lengths of old rope at home and practice while you watch TV or listen to music. (even while making love if your significant other is up for it  and mean tieing knots not whipping !!)


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Not the way some of these guys drink. 



knothead said:


> Thank you SD.
> For cryin out loud guys. Heat shrink and Dip itty doo instead of learning how to do a simple whipping?
> You all should be ashamed.
> 
> ...


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## knothead (Apr 9, 2003)

nereussailor said:


> All of mine are whipped by hand, and it was margaritas, not beer. Thank you
> By the way knothead, who pissed in your Cherrios today!
> Remember, once upon a time, man had to kill animals with spears if he wanted to eat too.


There is a right way to do something and a wrong way to do something. Sure you can take shortcuts, you can take the easy path. But if you want to be a real sailor. If you want to be respected by the likes of Sir Francis, or Sir Maine or Sir Dog. You don't dip your lines in a can to keep them from fraying. 
I don't how you could stand to be around yourself. 
Be a real sailor, learn to perform a proper whipping.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

When'd Maine Sail and I get knighted???


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## dacap06 (Feb 2, 2008)

sailingdog said:


> When'd Maine Sail and I get knighted???


Well - better knighted than benighted! OTOH, perhaps the latter applies to those who cannot whip. 

DaCAP


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## nereussailor (Nov 3, 2007)

Obviously you didn't read my whole post.


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## knothead (Apr 9, 2003)

tdw said:


> (even while making love if your significant other is up for it  and mean tieing knots not whipping !!)


Now that's just disturbing. :laugher



nereussailor said:


> Obviously you didn't read my whole post.


Yes, I did and I see that you are a whipper. I'm just yanking chains. I really don't care or think that it says much about a persons whether they whip or dip. As long as you never deploy a drogue from the bow. 
 Just having a little fun.


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## nereussailor (Nov 3, 2007)

*?*

So you're telling us you're an instigator :laugher Crazy isn't it, I've got a four wheel drive.


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## Mornader (May 3, 2021)

montenido said:


> Hi all. I just got a load of clear heat shrink (adhesive lined) in preparation for slowly rewiring my boat. Well, I put some on the end of some dock line and heated it up and I liked the results. Has anybody else done this before? It's kind of like a big shoe lace end. Being clear, I would think that moisture can eventually be dried by the sun. Can anybody see any downside to using heat shrink for this purpose? I am thinking of doing my reefing lines that are attached to the main. Last time out in a big blow they began to unravel. Anyway, thanks in advance for the input.
> 
> Fair winds, Bill


I am a part-time rigger and have been using heat shrink for years! It is brilliant! It is a good idea to experiment with temperatures a bit though. There is a heat shrink tube with internal adhesive which will go from 3 cm to zero! Mine is black which suits the shedload of Aramid cordage I use.
Mornader


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

I once had lines arrive with shrink wrap. I can't recall from where, it might have been Defender, but can't say for sure. I think I did not order whipping, so that's what I got. I was surprised. I would have planned to whip it myself, but didn't bother. I recall, it held up just fine. It would have been a control line, so the bitter end, with the whipping was never in use. It was behind the stopper knot. The truth is, the hot knife melts the cordage together at the ends and the shrink wrap was only holding it together. I beleive the cut was made right through the shrink wrap. The line is long gone for me, but I do not recall it being a problem.


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

Mornader said:


> I am a part-time rigger and have been using heat shrink for years! It is brilliant! It is a good idea to experiment with temperatures a bit though. There is a heat shrink tube with internal adhesive which will go from 3 cm to zero! Mine is black which suits the shedload of Aramid cordage I use.
> Mornader


While I do use heat shrink on dynema, and aramids that I don't back splice, I disagree that heat shrink is a suitable substitute for a whipping. A rigger, that I used to use extensively, was a big believer in heat shrink instead of whippings. Both of the halyards that he made for me had the cores pull into the covers. Once the core slides past the heat shrink, there is nothing keeping the core and the cover together. A proper whipping is stitched on and so keeps the core from creeping. Frankly, I have almost never had to replace a whipping on a control line, but I have had the heat shrink fail long before the line failed. So while heat shrink is convenient, and probably okay for lower tech line, I strongly but respectfully suggest that its a poor solution for heavily loaded lines, expecially since a properly performed whipping takes so little time to make.

Jeff


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## MikeOReilly (Apr 12, 2010)

I haven't tried the heat shrink approach, but I don't see why it wouldn't work well. As other curmudgeons have mentioned, an actual whipping is really not hard to do, and only takes a few minutes. That said, I bet I have a few lines on my boat that are "whipped" with tape, and they seem to hold up just fine.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Jeff_H said:


> Both of the halyards that he made for me had the cores pull into the covers.


That's an interesting thought, for lines whose strength comes entirely from the core. I'm sure the lines I recall above, were double braid. It was long before I would have sprung for high tech.

Nevertheless, the way they were done was the shrink wrap was clearly put over and shrunk on the line, before it was cut with a hot knife. The wrap, the cover, and the core were all melted together to some degree. In use, I would have put a stopper knot just in front of it, so I'm not sure how they'd pull apart, even if the melting let go a little. I must not have had this on the other end, I just don't recall. Might have been a pre-spliced eye on the other end. However, it would have at least been a knot of some kind. It would have needed to be tied and untied many times to come apart, I would think.

Maybe this idea works best for lines that stay in one knotted configuration all season.


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## pdqaltair (Nov 14, 2008)

Minnewaska said:


> That's an interesting thought, for lines whose strength comes entirely from the core. I'm sure the lines I recall above, were double braid. It was long before I would have sprung for high tech.
> 
> Nevertheless, the way they were done was the shrink wrap was clearly put over and shrunk on the line, before it was cut with a hot knife. The wrap, the cover, and the core were all melted together to some degree. In use, I would have put a stopper knot just in front of it, so I'm not sure how they'd pull apart, even if the melting let go a little. I must not have had this on the other end, I just don't recall. Might have been a pre-spliced eye on the other end. However, it would have at least been a knot of some kind. It would have needed to be tied and untied many times to come apart, I would think.
> 
> Maybe this idea works best for lines that stay in one knotted configuration all season.


You still need to bind the cover to the core somehow, or they will shift. A few stitches or cut the end with a hot knife.

Climbing rope are ususally finished this way. In part, they do it so that they can label the rope specs (UIAA single, etc.). Lots or most of them fall off.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

pdqaltair said:


> You still need to bind the cover to the core somehow, or they will shift. A few stitches or cut the end with a hot knife.


At the very end, all three were essentially melted together, but that's pretty typical, or probably should be.


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

While burning the ends, might work with polyester double braid, aramids are very slippery and do not melt. In fact, I like to use the line for a a few sails. then run stitches through the core and cover a couple feet in front of the lock while under load and then behind the lock when not loaded. I typically put a sacrificial cover over the cover of the line where it sits in the lock (prevents chafe and slippage) and I tuck the cover at the fore and aft ends and then run stitches through the whole assembly. It greatly extends the life of the line, and prevents the whole slippage issue. 

Jeff


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## mstern (May 26, 2002)

I just bought some whipping line and a needle, and have been trying out the whipping thing. It's fun, and it's fairly easy. But I have to say that the quickest and easiest way to keep the ends from unraveling is to melt them. And no, you don't need a hot knife. Just a lighter. Light the end on fire, and let it burn for a few seconds. Blow out the flame, and while the ends are still mushy, squeeze them together. The end will be hot, so it would be best to lick your fingers before squeezing the gooey mess. Do not ask me how I know this. Also, a good idea to let the rope end burn over something sacrificial, as there may be some drips, which could ruin your wife's favorite sweatshirt that she left on the cockpit seat, trusting that only a moron would melt plastic with an open flame without any protection. But once done well, the fix seems to last just as long as whipping.


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## pdqaltair (Nov 14, 2008)

Minnewaska said:


> At the very end, all three were essentially melted together, but that's pretty typical, or probably should be.


Yes, with polyester or nylon. However, with covered Dyneema the core and cover melt at different temperatures and don't always fuse well, and aramid core does not melt. Just being generic.


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