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The end of ropes can be finished in many different ways depending on the type and diameter. Here are a couple of the best ways to secure and terminate rope in the most effective ways.
Splicing is the best way to terminate the end of your rope as this will maintain as much of the structural strength in the rope as possible. Splicing will only reduce the breaking load of some ropes by 10% and in 12 strands Dyneema rope like Rig12 and D12 it will maintain around 100% of the strength. Eye splices in double-braided rope is very common for halyards, sheets and mooring lines. This is due to the amount of structural strength these retain over knots being only a 10 to 20% loss of strength.
However, in some applications, this is not always possible to splice the end of your rope.
Knots will reduce the durability and strength of your rope significantly. Tight compression and kinks in the rope weaken the structure of the rope. Depending on the ropes type and materials this can vary hugely.
Different knots can vary in the approximate loss of strength. But all knots below reduce the minimum breaking load by over 50%.
A figure 8 loop in double braided ropes will only leave you with approximately 40 to 50% of the minimum breaking load from standard.
A Figure 8 Loop in a d12 or Rig12 (12 strand) Dyneema will only leave you with 30 - 40 of the minimum breaking load from standard.
A Bowline in double braided ropes will only leave you with approximately 45 to 55% of the minimum breaking load from standard.
A Bowline in a D12 or Rig12 (12 strand) Dyneema will only leave you with 20 - 30 of the minimum breaking load from standard.
A Round Turn 2 Half Hitches in double braided ropes will only leave you with approximately 45 to 55% of the minimum breaking load from standard.
A Round Turn 2 Half Hitches in a d12 or Rig12 (12 strand) Dyneema will only leave you with 30 - 40 of the minimum breaking load from standard.
Splicing is the optimum way to secure a rope but this is not always possible. Knots are good but you need to make sure that the rope you are tying is strong enough to take the load.
As a rule of thumb if you are tying a knot in a rope make sure that the load is not more than 50% of the minimum breaking load.
