
What is a marlinspike?
The marlinspike may be a separate tool or one item on a pocket knife . Sailors who become proficient at knot tying, splicing, and sewing using the marlinspike are said to have mastered marlinespike seamanship, earning them the right to be known as marlin spikes or marlinspike seamen .
What is marlinespike seamanship?
The art of working with line or rope is called marlinespike seamanship, named for a handheld, spike-like tool used in working with wire rope, called a marlinespike. A similar tool used with fiber is called a fid. Like in so many nautical topics, the terms used in marlinespike seamanship can be tricky.
What are marlin spikes used for?
Sailors who become proficient at knot tying, splicing, and sewing using the marlinspike are said to have mastered marlinespike seamanship, earning them the right to be known as marlin spikes or marlinspike seamen . As levers to open strands of laid rope when forming eyes or inserting items into the lay.
What fish is named after the Marlinspike?
The long-billed fish marlin is thought to be named after the marlinspike. ^ "marlinespike". Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1), Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary. 2006.

What is marlinspike used for?
Note: Marlinspike is a nautical term that refers to a sharp, six to 12 inch metal pin, usually made of iron or steel, that's used to splice rope, untie knots, or form toggles or handles. Skippers, mates and deckhands that become proficient with the marlinspike can be referred to as Marlin Spikes or Marlin Spike Seamen.
What is the importance of having a knowledge of marlinspike?
Marlinspike seamanship keeps coming up because it's so important. It separates the men (and women) from the boys (and girls). It's important to know about rope and its construction, even if you don't make your own splices. Every boat uses rope — or line, when it has a purpose on board.
What is marlin spike in Navy boot camp?
During the course of our initial training, we were sent to a large room known as the USS Marlin Spike, a makeshift pier and ship designed to teach us proper line handling and mooring/unmooring.
What is the meaning of marlinspike?
Definition of marlinespike : a tool (as of wood or iron) that tapers to a point and is used to separate strands of rope or wire (as in splicing)
What is the difference between a FID and a marlinspike?
A marlinspike is used in working with wire rope, natural and synthetic lines, may be used to open shackles, and is made of metal. A fid is used to hold open knots and holes in canvas, and to separate the "lays" (or strands) of synthetic or natural rope for splicing.
What is the highest rank you can get in Navy boot camp?
To reach the rank of E-1, all sailors must complete Basic Training, or "Boot Camp", which lasts 8 weeks in North Chicago, IL. Until graduation, they are Recruits and essentially E-"nothings". Upon graduation, sailors may be promoted to E-1, E-2, or E-3 depending on several factors.
What is a Navy boot camp graduate called?
After recruits have completed eight weeks of Navy boot camp successfully, they will graduate as sailors and join the world's finest Navy.
How many phone calls do you get in Navy boot camp?
Recruits have three guaranteed calls during boot camp: the "I'm here" call the night they arrive, the "I'm still alive" call in the 3rd week of training, and the "I'm a sailor" call in their 7th week. Any other calls have to be earned.
What is the importance of marlinespike seamanship skills?
It is used for mooring lines, towing hawsers, signal halyards, dressing lines, and many other purposes. Plaited line is made of eight strands–four right-twisted and four left-twisted. The strands are paired and worked like a four-strand braid.
What is Marlinspike seamanship skills?
∎ Marlinespike is the art of. seamanship that includes. the tying of various knots, splicing, working with cable or wire rope with cable or wire rope, even making decorative ornaments from rope or line.
Which marlinespike seamanship skills is used to tie a rope to an object or to another rope?
Knots are used to to join lengths of ropes to each other or to secure them to another object; this is part of marlinspike seamanship. A lashing is a sort of knot which is often used to hold objects such as wooden poles together.
What are the materials needed in performing Marlinespike skills?
Ground Tackle and Mooring Equipment Cleat - Consists of a double-ended pair of horns, used for securing a line or wire. Bitts - Pairs of heavy vertical cylinders, used for making fast lines led through chocks. Bollard - Strong cylindrical upright on a pier, about which a mooring line is placed.
What is bluejacket rope?
Bluejacket's Manual. View Issue. Comments. In the Navy, the term “rope” refers to both fiber and wire. Fiber ropes can be natural or synthetic, the former made of natural materials such as manila or hemp, and the latter made of man-made materials such as nylon or polyester.
Is marlinespike seamanship absolute?
While there are certain “rules” of terminology, they sometimes overlap and are not absolute.
What is marlinespike seamanship?
Marlinespike Seamanship is the art of handling andworking all kinds of fiber and wire rope. It includesevery variety of knotting, splicing, serving, and fancywork. Although canvas and leather work are not part ofmarlinespike seamanship, we will briefly discuss themin this chapter.
How to splice a manila line?
To make an eye splice with manila or syntheticlines, you must untwist the strands in the end of yourline anywhere from 4 inches to 2 feet, depending on thesize of the line , and splice them into the standing part ofthe line by tucking the unlaid strands from the end intothe standing part.
What is a bowline?
The bowline (fig. 3-15) is the standby forputting a loop in the end of a line. It neither slipsnor jams, yet unties easily. A bowline is the bestknot to use for bending a heaving line ormessenger to the eye of a hawser because it isquick to tie and easy to get off.
When are lines short spliced together?
Lines are short spliced together when a slightenlargement of the diameter of the line is of noimportance. Slings are made of pieces of line, with theirown ends short spliced together.
How to put temporary eye splice in wire?
temporary eye splice may be put in wire by usingwire-rope clips. The correct and incorrect ways of usingthese clips are shown in figure 3-32. The U-bolt alwaysgoes over the bitter end and the roddle goes on thestanding part. Space the clips at a distance apart equalto six times the diameter of the wire. After the rope isunder strain, tighten the clips again as a safety measure.The clips must be rechecked periodically thereafter andretightened as needed. Pay particular attention to thewire at the clip farthest from the eye because vibrationand whipping are dampened here and fatigue breaks arelikely to occur.
Where is the PIR page?
Please see changes to attending PIR in the PAGES column. The PAGES are located under the member icons on the right side.
What division is Making a Sailor?
All Hands Magazine's full length documentary "Making a Sailor": This video follows four recruits through Boot Camp in the spring of 2018 who were assigned to DIV 229, an integrated division, which had PIR on 05/25/2018.
Is there a PIR for RTC?
Due to COVID there is no public PIR. The graduations are on Thursday, and the video of the graduation is posted on RTC's FaceBook on Friday at approx 3pm. Please keep in mind that a division may need to complete additional quarantine during training which will delay their graduation.
