Can you taper Polilite?

Despite using Polilite® in its many diameters for many years, I am embarrassed to say that I have only just realised that you can taper Polilite®. Basically, you can take the centre core out of the rope (pulling it from an end) leaving the strong outer core to do your work. You will not be able to pick out the core midway down the line as its 32 plat Polyester outer core is super tight. This means that you have to be sure how far to take out the core. You will only get one chance to pull the core and cut the length you want to taper once. When you have milked the outer core back over the rope, there is no going back. If you want to be super neat, you could grade the taper by taking out one plat of the core at a time over a couple of inches. Once tapered, you will find it much easier to sew and whip a loop into an end. I now am a proud owner of a continuous jib sheet (so no more annoying knotty tangles around the crew's feet ) and I now have a neat Dynema soft shackle to join the ends of the jib sheets to my jib cringle. I used a needle and whipping twine to sew through the tapered Polilite to make the loop. In my first stab, the picture on the boat, I did a stitch, then a wrap along the join. This was my way of making me feel confident that it was strong enough for the job, even if it looked a little suspect. I have since done another more tidy version with some pictures below. The inspiration for trying out the 7mm Polilite taper was my wife, Sarah. She insisted that despite all the high tech rope we have at Rooster - she just loves Polilite, she loves the feel in her hands and positivity of un-cleating. I guess she knows quality when she sees it, as Polilite® has won more Laser World Championships than any other rope. OK - so now I am feeling slightly bad about my quick and dirty whipp - so I have done it and improved it somewhat. Take your 7.5m of 7mm Polilite Cut the ends of the rope off to reveal the white inner core Pull out the inner core to the length you want to taper Using a 3mm fid - after thinning the excess outer core (trim and tape) you should be able to use the Rooster Rope Tape to push the rope through the core once. This part of the process just made me feel that I had created a slightly stronger loop. I am not really sure that it is needed, so if you do not have a 4mm push fid and some Rooster Tape for Rope, just do a few more stitches in the loop. Using doubled whipping twine, sew using your palm and perhaps even a pair of pliers to help pull the needle through. Making a nice flat stitched join. Then continue to wrap the twine back to where you started - -using lots of tension. Once at the top, finish off with a captive stitch. Then take that stitch back to the bottom of the twine wrap. This will hold the wrap in one place. Take that stitch back to the top again and burn off the end of the twine. Job done.