Modified stropcicle
 

I wanted to get the end of a loaded sheet (cleated of in a clutch) onto a winch.
Used the stopcicle I have made after the instructions in The Complete Rigger's Apprentice.
Discovered that the flat profile of the stropcicle that give excellent grip on the rope also made it difficult to use on the winch - the flat profile will easily give overriding turns on the winch drum.
The "standard" stropcicle is fine for offloading a rope as you can attach a rope to the eye and lead to a winch - but for this task it didn't work well.
So I decided to try a modified stropcickle, I already had a piece of 12mm (1/2 inch) double braid with an eye splice in one end. At the other end I removed 90 cm (3feet of the core) and put a whipping to keep the end of the core in place another whipping at the end of the cover.
The finished product (image link removed max alowed is four)

Pictures from my test:
I tied the icicle hitch starting the round turns where the flat section started

First turn of the sheet onto the winch, make sure that the ends go on top of the rope entering the winch.
The icicle hitch entering the self tailer, Had to help it a little bit here to avoid snaging.

Done


Do you think that cutting the core square off is a bad idea?

Excellent
 

Hi,
Great work! Though yes, when I make them this way, I always taper the last few inches of the core, as for a double-braid splice, or to partially decore a furling line. Reduced stress riser, less likelihood of chafe.
Also, the whipping should not be necessary, and might actually worsen things, as core and cover can't shift to share loads.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

Hi Brion,
Thank you for your input,
I'm going to remove the whipping and taper the core :) or just make a new one..

Do you have any thoughts on how the texture of the cover affects the grip of the stropsicle?
The first (normal) stropsicle i made was made of a rope with a softer more "fluffy" cover than the one i used for the modified version.

Knut