[Tripp26zoom]

Hello

I am rerigging the backstay on my Tripp 26 using Precourt round thimbles and 1/4 inch amsteel. I intend to create a cacade with 4 working legs of 1/4 inch amsteel hanging off the 1/4 inch amsteel running down from the top of the mast.

I have been using Precourrt round thimbles and mobius brummels at the working end of the cascade. 4 round thimbles to create the cascade with 4 lines of amsteel running through the thimbles.

I was experimenting with my setup and thought about using the round thimbles at the dead end to attach to the boat, but 4 thimbles would be pretty bulky at the attachment point .

Then I struck on the idea of pulling the amsteel through itself and setting the thimble inside the loop that I create in the amsteel. I would then be creating 2 legs of the cascade out of one continous line. One round thimble at each end of the amsteel with a mobius brummel and then a round thimble towards the centre of the line as the attachment point. By setting the middle thimble at something other then equidistant from the ends I can create the 4 different length legs out of 2 continuous lines with only 2 attachment points in the cascade.

My questions are:

If I pull the amsteel through itself and around the round thimble, am I lowering the breaking strength of the line.

Is there a recommend method for pulling the amsteel through itself so that the loop I create for the round thimble doesn't open up in the course of sailing and maintain the strenght of the line. I was practicing mobius brummels on an old piece of line a few days ago and realize now that I can create a fixed loop in it without tucking the end of the line but am I maintaining the strength of the line.

Thanks
.