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Start with a length of 3/4 inch braided cotton twine.
Attach a cast lead weight of 7 or 14 pounds. It's common for
the weight to have a hollow at the bottom end. This hollow
can be "armed" with tallow (Crisco makes an acceptable
substitute) for picking up a sample of the sea bottom.
Mark the line as follows:
| fathoms | mark |
|---|
| 2 | 2 strips of leather |
| 3 | 3 strips of leather |
| 5 | white cotton calico |
| 7 | red woolen bunting |
| 10 | leather with a round hole in it |
| 13 | 3 strips of leather
or blue woolen serge |
| 15 | white calico |
| 17 | red bunting |
| 20 | light line with 2 knots
or leather with two round holes |
The marks are designed to be read by feel at night. They should be
inserted through the line and sewn into place. The line should be wet
when measured for the marks.
|
Boatowners Mechanical And Electrical Manual
by Nigel Calder
An in-depth reference to almost every essential system
found on a sailboat. Calder has well-considered strategies for everything.
Granted, there are good alternatives to some of his approaches, but he
won't lead you astray. This is a book you can trust. Now expanded in
its second edition.
Other books by Nigel Calder
(Note: commissions earned from this link help defray the costs of this website)
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