I have seen some past posts on various sites about tapered gen sheets for Weta, but am looking for some details on DIY. I have the original sheet that is white with green flecks. I think 8mm double polyester braid. The outer cover seems very tightly woven and difficult to pull core out. I also just read you cannot table double poly braid because the core completely unravels when opened. Do I need a new sheet of different type to do this?
I was also thinking of splicing a loop at each end to be able to connect to clew with soft shackle.
Standing by for course correction.
Jim Serpa
I agree, use dyneema cored line for this job, mine has been working great for about a dozen years. The Complete RIgger’s Apprentice by Brian Toss does recommend a bury that’s twice as long for dyneema than on ordinary lines, even using what he calls the Moebius eye splice, the locked splice. I did some whipping in the tapered portions (using normal whipping twine) because the core on the line I had wasn’t as abrasion resistant as the outer material. That may not be needed in your case.
In very high wind (it was gusting 35+ knots at Columbia Gorge one year), tapered sheets are not ideal. Bruce Fleming is the man to explain why in detail. So save your stock sheet for such times. Soft shackles have worked very well for me in securing the eyes to the genneker clew, it hasn’t failed me yet.