Our boat has lots of marlinspike–wonderful ropework done (we think) by the US Coast Survey crew over the years that the Gyrfalcon was a government boat. Sections have disappeared or are cracking off, and need replacing.
My first attempt (Nancy) at serious ropework was last summer. Katie W taught Jessica and me how to make Turk’s heads during our trip around the San Juans. Jessica was the better student (which is why we have a Turk’s head around our bicycle pump to this day). I was the remedial learner.
Since then, I have watched innumerable Youtube videos (over and under, then under and over and under….). I wouldn’t say I have internalized the Turk’s head, but I have gotten good enough to make a passable knot.
Next step, finding the right size cotton line so that the new marlinspike would blend in with the old. I measured the line in the broken marlinspike and made my best guess at what size line I needed to buy. I was SO far off. Two orders later, I finally hit on the right size. It only came in 1000 ft lengths, but each Turk’s head and the line underneath takes about 20 feet.
