PASSING A STOPPER - A stopper is used to hold a line under tension while the hauling part is being transferred from the gypsy head or capstan to the bitts or cleat where the line is to be belayed. There are several ways of passing a stopper.
The first method for stopping fiber line is to take the first two turns of a rolling hitch passed against the lay of the rope and backed up by a half hitch passed some distance away from the above two turns, to prevent the stopper from jamming. Several additional turns are then made around the taut line against the lay to complete the stopper. The second method is used on smaller lines like boatfalls. Smaller lines tend to kink and bind the first hitch of a stopper, making it almost impossible to remove the stopper. A half hitch backed up by several turns with the lay is the best way.
For stopping wire rope, a chain stopper should be used. There are two methods by which this can be done. The first method use a chain stopper with a short length of small stuff bent on the end link. The stopper consists of six or more half hitches made with the chain along the wire. The small stuff on the end is intended to keep the chain stopper taut until the strain is picked up. The second method is used to stopper wire rope and spring-lay mooring lines. To apply the stopper, a bight of a length of chain is dropped over the bitt or fitting on which the wire is to be belayed. The two ends are then criss-crossed over and under the wire, at least six times. The ends are held taut by hand or secured by several turns of small stuff until the wire is belayed. With all the stopper hitches it must be remembered that the strain must be put on the stopper slowly. Throwing the turns off the gypsy so that the stopper takes the strain might result in a parted stopper at worst or at best a jammed stopper hitch. The command "Back easy" is used to direct that the turns on the gypsy be eased out until the stopper has the strain. When it is known that the stopper has the strain, the command "Up behind" is given, directing the turns to be thrown off the gypsy and belayed as quickly as possible.
