Single braid lifelines
 

Any suggestions on the eye splices? Locked brummel at one end but I have no tricks on how to make a locked brummel that captures the eye on the end fitting.

It depends
 

Hi,
Which end fitting is that? We use a round thimble, or one of Colligo's "Terminators" at the lashing end, and size the eye so that you can ju-u-st fit the piece in after the splice is done. If it's a pelican hook, you should be able to Ring Hitch it on. And if it has to be a fixed eye, I've found that many single-braid HM ropes are loose-woven enough that you can pass the fitting through the rope, so you capture it while making the Brummel. Let me know what you are dealing with.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

I guess I'm being pretty ambitious. I'm using all johnson hardware with captured eye fittings all round. I want to keep things neat with brummel eyes at both ends of each line. I'll see how well I can stuff the fitting through the line on the second mcdonald brummel. I'll also have to estimate well and pull out as much of the construction stretch as I can as the adjustment on the turnbuckles is limited.

Option
 

Hi again,
Ah. You can, and probably should, ring-hitch to the Johnson gate eyes. And the thimble (or Colligo's Terminators) can be squeezed into the finished splice. That's how we do it. So at least for this application, I don't think you need to do any fitting stuffing. But as you say, stretch and take-up are the tricky bits.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

Hi Brian,

Got one side done. I went with brummels at both ends. The eyes worked through the line pretty easily and it looks neat. I still need to stich and whip but I'm happy with how it turned out.

http://secondjump.wordpress.com/2011...worklifelines/

THX, Mike