Luggage Taging vs Simple Eye Splice in Amsteel

[Tripp26zoom]

Hello

I am rerigging the lifting line for my keel on a Tripp 26 sailboat. The keel weighs 1000 lbs. I was going to use 1/4 Amsteel blue with breaking load of 6700 lbs for my new lifting line.

The lifting line is attached to a stainless steel fitting that is bolted to the trailing edge of the keel. The keel retracts into a keel slot in the middle of the boat. The keel lifts straight up and down like a dagger board in the keel slot. The lifting line runs from the keel attachment point to a block on the deck and then down through the deck to a manual winch that is attached to the bulkhead.

The line is typically under load only two to four times a year ie when I launch and haul out the boat. When the boat is in the water, the keel is bolted in the keel slot and the lifting line is slack. On land, the keel sits directly on the trailer.

The old lifting line was attached to the keel attachement point with a bowline. After all I have read about knots weakening the strength of lines I don't want to attach my new line with a bowline.



I was considereing simply (a eye splicing the new line around the lfiting point or (b).doing a mobius brummel eye splice and luggage tagging the line to the stainless steel attachment point.

Would luggage tagging the line to the attachment point weaken the line more then simply eye splicing?

Thoughts?

Thanks for your insight.

[Brion Toss]

Hello,
If the pin size is close to the rope diameter, a ring hitch (I refuse to call it a Luggage Tag Hitch) will be stronger, as HM rope doesn't like tight radiuses, either. The only other obstacle might be the splice; for 1/4" uncovered HM you could have an 18" tail, and that might jam in the turn. If so, a multiple Brummel would be plenty strong, as would a tuck splice.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

[Tripp26zoom]

Thanks Brion, sounds like the Ring Hitch is the way to go.

The diameter of the pin is larger then the diameter of the line and there is adequate space to pull the splice end around the pin and pull the working end of the line through the splice.

Thanks again for your help . This is a fantastic resource for all of us. Keep up the great work.