Access
This article is part of Nature's premium content.
Published online 21 May 2003 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news030519-3
News
Rope trick calculated
Mathematical analysis reveals sailors' splicing secrets.
Mathematics is unpicking the secrets of a centuries-old nautical skill called splicing - joining two ropes together end to end by interweaving their strands1.
Chris Leech of rope and fibre consultants Technology Tension International has calculated the mechanical properties of three different kinds of splice, to understand what holds them together and what rope properties give the best result.
To read this story in full you will need to login or make a payment (see right).
Comments
Reader comments are usually moderated after posting. If you find something offensive or inappropriate, you can speed this process by clicking 'Report this comment' (or, if that doesn't work for you, email webadmin@nature.com). For more controversial topics, we reserve the right to moderate before comments are published.
There are currently no comments.
