Activities The Great Outdoors How to Whip a Line End Using the Oldest and Best Method Print Christine Schneider/Getty Images The Great Outdoors Sailing Gear Climbing Skiing Snowboarding Surfing Paddling Fishing Scuba Diving & Snorkeling By Tom Lochhaas Tom Lochhaas Tom Lochhaas is an experienced sailor who has developed several boating safety books with the American Red Cross and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on 03/27/19 All lines, also known as ropes, on a boat will unravel and fray at the end unless the line end is treated in some manner. 01 of 10 Anchor the End of the Whipping Twine Kate Derrick You can try tightly wrapping the end with tape, but tape usually rubs off or quickly disintegrates in working conditions. You can fuse the fibers of synthetic lines (nylon, polypropylene) with a flame, but the result is ugly, harsh on the hands, and often not long lasting. After hundreds of years of good seamanship, the historical method of whipping the line end with twine remains the best method and lasts the longest. Whipping tightly binds the line’s fibers near the end. Because the line end actually becomes smaller when compressed beneath the whipping, the line will not bind in blocks or other sailboat gear. All you need is whipping twine (usually a waxed synthetic) and a large needle to get started. Whipping is easy to learn if you follow these steps. Shown here is a double-braid line, but whipping works just as well with a standard three-strand twisted line. Step one is to use a needle to pull the free end of the whipping twine through a bit of the line’s outer braid toward the free end of the line being whipped (to the right in this photo). 02 of 10 Form a Loop in the Whipping Twine Kate Derrick Form a loop in the whipping twine away from the free end of the line (to the left in this photo). 03 of 10 Begin the First Wrap Around the Line Kate Derrick While holding the twine loop in place with your thumb, make the first wrap of the whipping twine around the line. 04 of 10 Start the Second Wrap Kate Derrick Make the second wrap of the whipping twine alongside the first wrap, just to the left. 05 of 10 Continue Wrapping the Whipping Twine Kate Derrick Continue wrapping the whipping twine. Pull each wrap tight, positioning each wrap alongside the one before it, moving farther to the left. 06 of 10 Complete the Last Wrap Kate Derrick Wrap the whipping twine until it has covered a distance 1 to 1½ times the diameter of the line being whipped. 07 of 10 Cut the Twine and Bring the End Through the Loop Kate Derrick Now cut the twine a couple inches from the last wrap, and bring its cut end through the loop. 08 of 10 Pull the Whipping Twine Tight Kate Derrick While holding the cut end with one hand (on the left), pull the original end (on the right). Pulling makes the loop smaller until the loop begins to pull beneath the wrappings. 09 of 10 Pull the Loop Under the Wrappings Kate Derrick Continue pulling the twine (from the right) as you watch the loop being pulled along beneath the wrappings. Pull until you see it about halfway through the coil of wrappings. 10 of 10 Trim the Twine and Line End Kate Derrick Carefully cut off both ends of the whipping twine flush with the coil of wrappings. Then trim the line end about one-fourth of an inch from the coil. Now you have a neatly whipped line end that will not continue to fray or unravel or chafe on gear. This is a sign of an accomplished sailor who cares about his or her boat and equipment—a true marlinspike sailor! An alternative to whipping with a thread as described here, Starbrite’s Dip-It Whip-It liquid whipping may have some advantages. Other basic sailing knots can also come in handy when you're out on a boat.