Pendants
 

My boat is a Southern Cross 31 cutter. I need to make two pendants (pennants) to allow two new jibs to clear the bow pulpit and life lines. The ones on my other sails are 5/16" steel wire, 24" long, one end spliced into the tack.
I cannot work with wire, so I thought to make them out of some NE Rope 3/8" double-braid I have. I have practiced with some loose ends. I find that the first eye splice is easy enough, but I cannot get enough slack to fully bury the cover on the second splice. Brion calls for a 24 x diameter bury, but Samson only asks for a 21 x diameter bury, which makes me think I could probably cheat even more since I believe my rope is plenty strong to hold the jibs.
How much can I reduce the recommended eye splice dimensions and still make a reasonably strong splice?
Any ideas how to make these pendants?

I made a pendant for my genoa using thimbles and Nicopress sleeves. The sleeves and the protruding ends of the wire rope are covered with amalgamating rigging tape. I don't remember the size wire that I used--probably 3/16." 5/16" sounds unnecessarily heavy to me.

Jim Fulton

The right tool for the job
 

Hello,
If you have to cheat tail length, it is one indication that the material is wrong for the job; reducing tail below 21d. means reducing security to a leve that a smaller size of rope could handle, so why not use a smaller rope?
Better yet, make a grommet in Spectra, or a pendant with multiple Brummels. Both will be easier to work with than wire, and probably be even stronger than wire.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

Amsteel Grommet
 

Brion,
If I understand you correctly, I make, say, a 24" grommet out of 1/4" Spectra. Then, can I push it through the jib's clew and into itself to fasten, then lead it down to a shackle on deck without any thimbles? If so, that would simplify my job immensely!