Worming is filling the intervals between the strands of a rope by laying spun yarn or other small stuff into them. This renders the rope more even and smooth for parcelling and serving. The first end of the worming is securely stopped and passed along one of the divisions of the rope. When it has been carried as far as it is required, it is stopped and laid back down another interval, and then forward along the remaining one, and stopped at the end. To estimate the quantity of serving stuff required for a given length of rope, multiply the length of rope to be served by the number of strands in the rope, and add one-third of the product. The result is the length of serving necessary to do the work. Thus, if six fathoms of three-strand rope have to be served:—(6 × 3 = 18) (18 ÷ 3 = 6) 18 + 6 = 24. Thus 24 fathoms is the length of serving. Fig. 126 shows at A how worming looks when finished.
Fig. 126.—Worming, Parcelling, and Marling.
Parcelling, B (Fig. 126), is done by winding strips of old and generally tarred canvas smoothly round a rope in spiral turns after it has been wormed and before it is served. To secure the canvas it is marled down—that is, some marline or other small stuff is wound round it, which is secured at every turn with a hitch, so that each of the turns is secure and independent of each other (see B, Fig. 126). The proper hitch for securing the turns is shown on a larger scale in Fig. 72, p. 60. In marling down, the coils are not laid close to one another as in serving, but always at some distance apart.
Fig. 127.—Serving.
Fig. 127 shows the way a rope is served or covered with coils of spun yarn or other small stuff laid on quite close to one another. The end of the yarn is first secured by placing it under the first two or three coils. A serving-mallet (see Fig. 127), after being placed against the rope, has two or three turns passed round the body of it, and another turn or two on the handle. This produces sufficient friction to leave the coils taut as the mallet is worked round the rope by its handle. Another person is required for passing the ball of serving stuff. The service must be put on against the lay of the rope. A rope may be served single-handed by carrying the serving stuff on a large reel, with a hole in its centre large enough for the rope to run through. This is kept just ahead of the mallet, and the serving stuff comes off the reel of its own accord as required. When the mallet is within a few turns of the end, the turns are taken off it by hand, the end is put through them, and heaved well taut.
Fig. 128.—Belaying.
A rope is belayed or made fast by cross turns round a cleat in the way shown in Fig. 128. The cleat is assumed to be lashed to a stay or other rope, but it is often made fast to some part of the vessel. Occasionally a single hitch is put over the upper horn of the cleat to make the rope still more secure.