Hi Guys. What is the problem with clapping on a seizing, either using a thimble or to form a small 'naked' loop? I'm not scoring points here, but asking because I'd like to know! It's my preferred method with braided rope anyway, and if you take a bit of care, use fine whipping twine and put on the extra frapping etc turns (my copy of "Marline Spike Sailor" hasn't surfaced yet after our move, and I can't remember all the jargon), the result is v neat and v strong. Isn't it?
I got some grey plaited 100% Dyneema from Mailspeed Marine yesterday (LOVELY stuff in the slippery stakes!), and I've tried a seizing. It works fine, and round a thimble there would be no kinks or v small radii to weaken the rope. As a hitch a constricter knot also seems to hold, especially if one uses two riding turns.
On the subject of breaking strains, isn't it true that for most uses in our kinds of sailing, ropes parting because of overload is almost never a practical issue? (Shrouds are an obvious exception with special considerations, and I know this is where Claus came in in the first place, until I caused a diversion!) Halyards and sheets are the thickness they are for ease of handling, not because they need to be anything like that strong. The Newlands were entirely logical in this respect with their practical attitude to the jib sheet once the loading had been greatly reduced by using club booms on the Storms etc.