i am ready to try my new splicing tech on and want to make sure i reduce the chance of creeping (with permanent tapering)

how do you pre stretch your dynema / spectra - HM line

I drive 5 minutes down the street and put it on Layline's rigging bench

Where in the world are you putting it that requires it to be prestretched?

I would not pre-stretch it before you splice it. If you want to make sure it is well set after you make a splice then just attach it to a solid mount and give a good hard yank on it. I have used a main sheet system between a couple of trees one time.

I thought you need to give the line a good yank before you use it to avoid it from stretching?

Its going to be accross the tramp for my 4 way jib adjuster in/outhaul guide. I need it to be a snug as i can get it and it will be spliced on each end so once its done..

Sounds like a good use there Andrew.

If I were you I would make the rope about 5% shorter than it needs to be then stretch it into place with some purchase (block & tackle). the nature of the beast is to stretch but once it gets to its limit it will stop.

Do you want the rope to be super tight after it stretches or will some slack be acceptable?

it doesn't have to hum the high E note... but the less slack the better.
The DYNEX tech page states a 3.7% Elongation.
That works out to 2.7" of elongation (over 73" of line) i would like to reduce.

I would love to avoid shackles completely and stretch it out before it is spliced directly onto the outhaul adjusters (across the tramp)..

That is a great use for that line - that stainless steel cheese grater was a pain in the knees!

Hard to say on that - I don't think you're getting that line loaded up anywhere near it's potential so I doubt you'll see the whole 2.7" of stretch - ~maybe~ half that. Knots suck but in that case, if it does stretch too much, you could take it loose from one side, tie a couple of figure eights in the line, and reattach it. Loading should be well enough under the line's capability that a couple of figure eight knots won't cause it to fail.

Yes, i switched to vectran last year (after my x-gf complained about it) but recently switched to 5mm amsteel. It's been on the cat for 2 months with knots and 1/hitches and trucker 3-1's.... but i want to spliceeeeee!!!!! (yes its overly fat line..)

I am sure your right it will never come close to its breaking limit (3.5ton)...but

i was hoping i could hook up my neighbors bumper to the other neighbors car... and in the morning my line would then be stretched out and good to go? - No???

I would be tempted to say that it will stretch more than the 2.7" because of the splices. but it wont happen until until after a couple of sails.

do the adjusters have removable saddles? that would make splicing onto them so much easier.

No -
The line will actually go from the north/south adjusters (that are mounted on the tramp track on each side of the tramp)and run under a tramp pocket made spacifically for the 4way adjuster lines

i could splice 1 end onto a shackle to make it easier.. .and as jake said to add some knots in the line if it does stretch... but wanted to avoid that with some pre-stretching.

I can NOT Use a block to make this spliced line very tight.. as it would rip the track out of my hull

Note in picture all the rivets in the track to keep it from ripping out of the deck.... disregard the sexy blond... look at the rivets... no... not the blond~!!! NO THE RIVETS)

I have seen a discussion at the Fboats list where this ol' boy took and prestretched by doing the car bumper thing.

He made up the line of interest to some bit of pigtail of breaking strength at or below the stretch in question, ergo a weak link, and then gave this rig a pull until the weak line broke.

But, it's not real difficult to remake an eye to shorten your line should it stretch more than you like. We are talking about singlebraid HM line, right?

Yes. amsteel

I cant imagine this line stretching so much that after i taper the line on both ends... i can make a new eye and it fit (it would need to stretch 18 inches or so)...?

What?

You could shorten it by as little as an inch if you like... you'd just unmake the splice and draw it a bit shorter. You don't have to remake the entire tail, just 'move' the eye a bit, and tuck that bit in the tail.

That's a heck of a birthmark she's got there...

Even with standard fids?

I said look at the rivets!!!!! (Thats a tattoo covering the initials of her x-boyfriend)

I can't remember what movie that line is from ("Gee, that's a heck of a birthmark she's got there")... Probably some rerun on Comedy Central I watched recently...

or Reno 911...

Andrew,
The system I use on my 6.0 is a small block with a becket on each end of the line. Splice or 1/2 hitch to the becket and then shackle the block to the car on the tracks. Use the block for turning the inboard sheeting control line back to the other side of the boat. If you make the line a little short, just use a slightly long shackle till the line stretches.

I am sorry i do not follow at all.
You are shackling to the car on the tracks? doesn't this remove the ability to have the blocks come inboard?

I actually have a small block with a becket currently... but don't understand your method.... please elaborate.. or show a pic.

thank you,