What's With the 3 Strand Lashings - Single Row Vs Double Row

Introduction

Lashings are one of those things that seem like they should be simple, but often times aren’t. Lashings are used on boats to secure things together and can be made out of a variety of materials depending on what you’re tying down or attaching. In this blog I’m going to discuss the basic types of lashings so that next time you need a 3 strand lashing you will know exactly what one is!

3 Strands lashings are called single row, two row, and three row.

The most common lashings are the single, double, and triple row. The names refer to how many strands of rope there are in each row. A single-strand lashing uses one strand of rope to hold a load in place, a double-strand uses two strands, and a triple-strand uses three strands.

In general, you’ll see this terminology used when talking about holding spars together at their ends or attaching them to masts or booms (both called “lifts”).

Another way to think of them is how many times you wrap the rope around itself.

Single row is one, double row is two and triple row is three.
This type of lashings are also called a “crown”, “round”, or “braid”.

The most common lashing used on a boat is the single row 3 strand lashing.

The most common lashing used on a boat is the single row 3 strand lashing. It is used to lash together two pieces of wood or rope and you can use it to secure any object.

There are various other lashing types, but they are not as common and should only be used in certain situations. Here’s an example of how you might use them:

A double row 3 strand lashing is useful for securing objects that need more strength (such as a mast)

It was used for dinghy rigging before shrouds came with the bolt rope built in.

As you may already know, a shroud is a rigging line used to support the mast from above. The most common type of shroud is made of nylon and comes with the bolt rope built in. You can also make your own shrouds out of Dacron or Polyester if you want, but that’s beyond the scope of this article (although we will have an article about doing it soon).

Nowadays, many dinghies are using double ropes as their main rig lines instead of single ropes. Why? Well, there are several reasons for this:

Double ropes allow for easier adjustment because both ends are controlled by one person
They’re less likely to rub against each other and cause wear on the fabric
They provide more support under load since they’re thicker than single strand lashing

Start about 6 to 12 inches back from where you want to lash something.

When lashing something, the first step is to know where to start.

Start about 6 to 12 inches back from where you want to lash something. If you start too close, you can’t get the knots tight enough because there isn’t enough space between them for your fingers and hands. If you start too far away, then each knot will be too far apart and not hold as securely as they should be able to.

Lashings seem complicated at first but if you take your time, practice on some scrap, and remember your first couple attempts may not be pretty.

Lashings seem complicated at first but if you take your time, practice on some scrap rope, and remember your first couple attempts may not be pretty.

When you get the hang of it, lashings can be quite beautiful and will add a nice decorative element to your boat’s interior.

Take your time and make it pretty if you’re taking pictures for a blog post or other project that requires photogenic results.

The easiest way to get a good lashing is to take your time and make it pretty if you’re taking pictures for a blog post or other project that requires photogenic results. Practice on some scrap first, then do your best when doing the real thing. This may seem like cheating, but it’s very important that the ends are not loose or messy looking when finished; they should be neat and tidy as if they were tied with twine or some other type of string. You shouldn’t try to cheat by using twine instead of wrapping it around itself a bunch of times — this will give you an inferior result compared to what lashing can provide!

If all else fails cheat by using twine to tie the whole thing together instead of wrapping it around itself a bunch of times, but try not to do that too much because people will notice eventually.

Twine is easier to use and looks just as good or better than lashings in most cases, but it’s kind of a bummer for those who want an authentic look. If you’re going for authenticity, make sure you don’t use too much twine (you can always cut off extra). Twine is also something you should avoid if taking pictures since it doesn’t really show up very well in images.

Lashings aren’t easy but they aren’t impossible either.

Lashings may seem like a difficult task but they are not impossible. It’s important to understand that lashings can be made with no tools or equipment, just some rope and your hands.

There are many great resources online that can teach you how to do lashings. However, I recommend practicing at home when you get the chance because it is always better to learn the techniques while there are no constraints such as time or other distractions (especially if you have kids).

The first thing that needs to happen is developing muscle memory through repetition of the motion needed for completing a lashing technique. This will also help with making sure that it is done correctly every time as well as reducing any chance of error due to fatigue during an emergency situation where having good knot skills could mean life or death!

Conclusion

In the end, lashing is a handy skill to have. It will save you time and frustration when working on projects around the house or on your boat. The single row 3-strand lashing is the most common type of lashing in nautical use today because it’s easy to learn and even easier to teach others how to do it correctly.