More Start Sail

 More Start Sail tomorrow – but with the Lightning Open on too, we might double as a moving obstacle course! Ten novice-crewed boats drifting about? Navigational chaos incoming…

My wife is already scared, and she hasn't even got in the boat yet.

360° view of a Dinghy Start Sequence

Starting a Race Getting into position

Rope splicing

 Having to splice a rope is a great way to learn. All you need is some time and lots of patience. Splicing is for permanent fitting, and is often preferable to knots, especially when you don't want them to come undone. And learning how to lock ropes together by splicing achieves this.

Learning How to Splice a Rope

Why tie a knot when you can splice like a pro?

When you're learning to sail, there's something wonderfully satisfying about mastering a good rope splice. It's one of those skills that looks impossibly neat, feels like magic, and is surprisingly useful aboard any boat—from a Thames dinghy to a tall ship.

Unlike knots, which can come loose, jam up, or weaken the rope, a well-made splice is strong, smooth, and permanent—ideal for eyes, loops, or joining two lengths of rope.

So, what exactly is a splice, and how do you do it?

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What is Rope Splicing?

Splicing is a method of weaving the strands of a rope back into itself or into another rope. There are different types, depending on what you want the rope to do:

• Eye Splice – makes a strong, fixed loop at the end of a rope.

• Back Splice – stops the end of the rope from fraying.

• Short Splice – joins two ropes together permanently.

• Long Splice – joins two ropes while keeping the same thickness—great for halyards or lines that need to run through pulleys.

All of these are done by unlaying (untwisting) the rope’s strands and carefully weaving them back in using a specific pattern.

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What You’ll Need

• A length of three-strand rope (natural or synthetic)

• A fid or marlinspike (or a smooth pen if you’re improvising)

• A sharp knife or scissors

• Some tape to bind the ends

• Patience. And maybe a biscuit or two.

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Eye Splice – Step-by-Step (with a Loop at the End)

The eye splice is the most useful for attaching rope to a shackle, thimble, or cleat. Here’s how to do it:

1. Mark the loop size – bend the rope where you want the loop to start. Use tape to mark where the loop ends.

2. Unlay the strands – unravel the rope end about 15–20 cm beyond your mark.

3. Tuck one strand under the standing part (this is your first tuck).

4. Rotate the rope and tuck the next strand under the next strand in line.

5. Repeat with the third strand – now you should have three tucks in place.

6. Continue tucking each strand over and under the rope for another 3–4 rounds to secure it fully.

Pull each tuck tight and dress the splice neatly—it should look smooth and consistent.

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Top Tips

• Practice on thick rope first – it's easier to see what you're doing.

• Keep the strands tidy – a messy splice won't hold well.

• Tape or melt the ends – to stop synthetic rope from fraying during the process.

• Keep calm – if it looks like spaghetti, take a break and come back to it!

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When Should You Splice?

Splicing is particularly useful for:

• Making towlines and mooring lines

• Creating a loop for a painter or shackle

• Securing the end of a rope neatly (back splice)

• Joining ropes without bulky knots (short or long splice)

In short, if you’re sailing regularly—or just enjoy the look of a ship-shape rope—splicing is worth learning.

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Learn With Us

We often practise ropework and splicing in our sailing sessions at Upper Thames Sailing Club. Whether you’re crewing a dinghy or launching a safety boat, knowing how to splice a rope is a skill that’ll impress the old salts and help keep your boat in good nick.

Blindforlded Helm

 The Upper Thames Sailing Club Annual Relay Race – With a Twist! 🌬️

One of the most challenging (and hilarious) legs of this year's relay race was the blindfold helm! In this round, the helm was blindfolded and had to sail the course relying entirely on the crew's instructions.

Here, Allie—an experienced jib hand—guides Jacob, one of our top helms, as they set off to collect the baton and navigate the triangular course. Just as they began, the wind suddenly picked up from a gentle breeze to a lively Force 3, giving them an unexpectedly thrilling ride! ⛵️💨

For more tales from the river, including our blindfolded sailing adventures, visit:
👉 pmrsailing.uk

#SailingLife #BlindfoldHelm #RelayRace #UpperThamesSailingClub #DinghySailing #LearningToSailAt65 #pmrsailing

A-Rater

 The A-Rater Carina is out practising at the Upper Thames Sailing Club for the Bourne End Queen's Cup Trophy. The A-Raters are tall, and magnificent dinghies that are the fastest sailing dinghies on the River Thames

Plastic around the Propeller

 We took the Whaly out on the River Thames but came back with an extra passenger

Callum and Dan

 Windy, Spinnaker Fun and a Dip

Daniel, one of the Cadets at the Club, had just taken Paul and me out to help us learn to read the wind - I'm sorry, but that failed, and to learn to hike out - which succeeded. He really loved going out in the RS Toura. It has everything - A spinnaker and a double trapeze, so my Wife and I suggested that he take out the boat with a friend, Callum, who was on the safety boat that day. I swapped with Callum, so I went out in the Safety boat and Callum and Dan took the RS Toura for a spin.

The boys deploy the Spinnaker.

Dan noticed we had a spinnaker and was keen to deploy it in these gusty conditions. We hadn't used the spinnaker; the only time we had used it was on dry land on an RYA1 course when we were looking at the different types of sail. The sail did not deploy well, so the boys moored on a private jetty, with the owners laughing at them fixing the sail. Once fixed, they sailed up the river at speed.