Greetings,

Well, my spectra running back project went well so I'm headed onward and upward. I want to make a new spinnaker halyard. I certainly want to be able to end for end the halyard when it gets older. Brion mentions in the Rigger's Apprentice how hard it is to splice old line so it seems it would be good to splice an eye in both ends when the line is new. I'm pretty certain that the smaller spectra line will make for an eye splice that I'll be able to reeve through the existing block OK. The question I have is: How do you handle the shackle? Most splicing instructions show how to permanently splice the shackle on but I haven't seen anything to make them removable.

Not too long ago, Brion mentioned ring hitching the spectra eye splice in a life line to one of the new Johnson fittings. I'm not sure what a ring hitch is. By any chance, is it when you pass the eye of the splice through the center of a ring, then spread the eye and pull it back over the ring? I've also been told you shouldn't tie knots in spectra because it weakens the line considerably. Is the ring hitch OK where a knot is not? If not, how do you successfully end for end?

Lastly, is a cow hitch the same thing as a ring hitch? I've seen it referenced several times on this site. Sorry, I don't have the Ashley Book of Knots.

Thank you and pardon my ignorance,

Greg Rodgers