CARE OF HALYARDS

flags and rapid access to them. It also keeps them clean and, with the canvas cover in place during inclement weather, dry. Flags should be washed in the ship's laundry periodically. Only mild soap and warm water (not hot) should be used for cleaning flags. Grease spots can be removed with dry-cleaning solvents. Damp or wet flags are mildew prone. When flags are wet, dry them as soon as possible by hoisting them on the signal halyards. This should not be done when under way or when in high winds. Air bunting is an excellent way to dry flags. This can be done on request from the senior officer present. REPAIR OF FLAGS Although ships carry spare sets of flags, Signalman strikers or third class petty officers may be assigned to repair bunting. If a bunting space is available, it will contain a sewing machine, bunting, thread, tapes, and tabling material. If a bunting repair space is not available, repairs may be done by using a sewing machine located in the deck spaces. When repairing flags, never mix materials. Wool and cotton shrink differently, and combinations invariably become misshapen after the first wetting. For correct dimensions, refer to NTP 13, Flags, Pennants and Customs. HALYARDS 2-21 Signal halyards are made of either nylon or natural color braided cotton line. The braided cotton line is no longer used aboard ship, because it could not hold up under the effects of ships' high speeds, stack temperatures, and gases. Ashore, however, cotton halyards are still used. Double-braided 1 l/8-inch nylon rope is required by the Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV). Double-braided 1 l/2-inch nylon rope is permitted alternately with twisted rope for dressing lines. The twisted nylon and double-braided nylon rope withstand the heat and gases much better than braided cotton line. Halyard blocks are single, roller-bushed sheave blocks. They are attached by means of sister hooks to U-bolts welded to the yardarms. Those attached to stays and mastheads may be of other construction, adapted to the construction of the stay or masthead. CARE OF HALYARDS When reeving halyards through signal halyard blocks, always reeve forward to aft. Rings and snaps on halyards are put on with a halyard eye splice. Splicing double-braided nylon rope is explained and illustrated in the following section. At night and during inclement weather, ease off the halyards to prevent unnecessary strain cased by shrinkage. At other times, however, keep halyards clear and taut to give the signal bridge a sharp appearance. Periodically check the condition of the halyards. Replace them before they become too worn. SPLICING DOUBLE-BRAIDED LINE When double-braided nylon line is being spliced, the end must be worked into the center, and special tools are needed for the job. For line 3 inches in circumference or smaller, a fid and pusher are used. For line larger than 3 inches in circumference, only a wire fid is used. Steps 1, 2, and 3 in figure 2-22 show how to secure the fid to the line. Stamped on each fid is a number indicating the size of line for which the fid was made. Fids also serve as rulers to measure with while splicing is being done. The wire fid lengths in figure 2-23 are in l/2 and l/3 scale. Friction or masking tape and a soft lead pencil, crayon, or preferably, a wax marking pencil are needed. Sharp-pointed shears also are handy. The splice described here, and the line on which it is used, were developed by the Samson Cordage Works of Boston, Massachusetts. Figure 2-22.—Fids used for splicing double-braided line.