Changed my Truck, Now the Ropes Need Changing

[Jim Koepke]

My old truck had hooks installed on the side shortly after it was purchased. This was fine for using with ropes having an eye on one end and a blind eye on the other.

After so many years it was time for a new truck. It had loops welded in place on all four corners inside the bed. They are not as easy to use as a hook. I tried to use carabiners for a while, but that is a bit of a hassle.

So now all my ropes are fitted with a blind eye at each end and after passing the end through a quick bowline is tied and all works well. Then with the older ropes the end of the blind eye splices started to fray and catch in the loops. So it was time to change the ways of my rope splicing.

Now my splices are tapered at the ends and wound with some 80#-9 braid fishing line and then coated with a sealant.

Monkey Fist & Accesories.jpg

After trying a short bit from the previous spool, a new spool was made of holly from a tree a neighbor had removed. The ends were made to fit in the 3/4" dog holes on my bench. It holds a hundred yards of line quite well. If it was about 1/8" longer it wouldn't have fit in the reel winder at the sporting goods store.

Before another fill up is needed it may have a 1/4" removed from its length.

The winding on the left side of the Monkey Fist knot took about two yards of 3/8" line.

For those enquiring minds a Monkey Fist knot is used on the end of a light line to toss to shore and lead a heavier rope to tie up a ship at port. This one has a piece of wood inside. Wood or other light weight center is standard for use on ships and around workers. Something heavier like a rock or a hunk of steel can cause some real pain if it hits someone.

jtk

[Tom M King]

I raced a Laser sailboat before they allowed all the fancy multi purchase equipment. I had a Monkey's Fist on the end of my Vang line so it could be grabbed quickly instead of a loop. It had a Ping Pong ball inside it.

My 2001 Chev has tie loops in the bed from the factory, but I just use the stake pocket holes most of the time.

[Jim Becker]

I'm curious about why you are using rope rather than the ubiquitous ratchet straps for lashing things down in your truck?

[Jim Koepke]

I'm curious about why you are using rope rather than the ubiquitous ratchet straps for lashing things down in your truck?

I am used to rope and can deal with it faster than a ratchet strap. Even tying a bowline is faster than feeding an eye through the truck rings and then feeding the rest of the rope through the eye. At the other end tying a trucker's hitch to pull the rope tight is also pretty fast.

Trucker's Hitch.jpg

My younger brother can tie one of these faster than I can sneeze.

jtk

[Tom M King]

I use line because it's quicker most of the time. I have a 10 gallon bin in the toolbox that's full of different straps, but line is just quicker by a Lot unless it's something complicated that needs to be tied down. The straps are mostly for something that needs to be tied down on a trailer. I don't remember ever preferring straps in the truck bed.

edited to add: Being a sailor, we can it line. The same line is called a rope for tree work. For stuff in the truck bed, specifically, I use Samson 5/32" Prestretch.

Back to that Laser, and the mentioned Truckers Hitch. I used Truckers Hitches in the downhaul line for multiple purchases. The end of the line was tied to one of the truckers hitch loops, and had a small monkeys fist without a filler. I could release the cleat, but had to pull on the little fist to get it to release. After the class went Olympic, they allowed all sorts of fancy gadgets. Back when I was racing one, everything had to be bare stock, except you could use whatever tiller extension, and types of line you wanted to.

[Tom M King]

Jim, I think your Brother and I would get along fine. I use an Alpine Butterfly instead of a Truckers Hitch, even though I said earlier I had used truckers hitches. It only take another second to tie, and is easier on the line.

Speaking of a Bowline brought up an old memory. Years ago, I was at the Annapolis Boat Show, and Cruising World Magazine was having a promotion. They were selling subscriptions to their magazine, and had three different sizes of line on their table. You could choose what size line you wanted to use, and if you could tie a Bowline in less than ten seconds, you got a free subscription to their magazine.

The guy started his stopwatch, and I tied a Bowline in each of the three lines with seconds left over. He said no one had done that so far. I told him I appreciated it, but I wasn't a Cruiser, and his printing and postage would be wasted on me. I told him I learned to tie a Bowline in Boy Scouts. I did.

[Jim Koepke]

I learned to tie a Bowline in Boy Scouts.

I learned a few knots from my dad and the family furniture & appliance business.

Learned more when I put in some time as a night watchman at a boat yard. The guy who hired me also had me doing odd jobs and taught me a few knots. He had a book, Ashley Book of Knots that was so interesting I bought a copy for myself.

My brother was in the Navy and was in the merchant marines after that. He used to do a lot of macramé to pass the time at sea.

jtk

[Chris Parks]

I'm curious about why you are using rope rather than the ubiquitous ratchet straps for lashing things down in your truck?

From many years of professional driving ropes are light years quicker to use than straps but for us they are now illegal and we have to use load rated straps. When you unload a B double every night and it has 30 straps on the load you begin to appreciate the difference in time.

[John K Jordan]

I'm curious about why you are using rope rather than the ubiquitous ratchet straps for lashing things down in your truck?

For me it depends on what’s appropriate for the load. I use ropes to secure lighter-weight loads, straps for heavier loads, and chain binders for the bg stuff. For example, when I haul the tank to fill with 110 gallons of diesel fuel I use multiple ratchet straps in the truck or trailer. Straps for big heads of hay. Load binders for equipment. Ropes for smaller things on a smaller trailer or truck bed, especially oddly shaped loads covered with tarps.

[Jim Becker]

I was just curious about the rope vs ratchet straps and the answers make sense. Thanks!

[Jim Koepke]

One thing missed about having hooks on the side of the truck is when untying it was easy to give the rope a flip from the other side of the truck to get the eye off the hook. Then it was a quick task to wind up the rope, having the eye at the end where it was ready to be hooked next time it was used.

jtk

[Lee Schierer]

. At the other end tying a trucker's hitch to pull the rope tight is also pretty fast.

My younger brother can tie one of these faster than I can sneeze.

jtk

Thanks for teaching me a new knot.

[Bill Dufour]

Would splicing in a thimble make it last longer or is that worth the trouble.
I understand in california the ropes have to have some extra color thread to identify them as safety tested for loads. I have no idea how they get rated as they age and weather.
I do not trust ropes from Horrible Fright regardless of the listed load limit.
Bill D