A question for you keen knotting types...

[sarabande]

If you fit a towball to the bumper, fit
one with a pin to allow the sheepshank or other knot to be removed easier.

Yes, a pin would allow the knot to be removed, but tension still crunches the knot into an almost solid mass. This is what I am trying to avoid. And we all have seen knots slip and tighten.


And a kind forumite has offered to drive over and teach me how to make soft shackles. This is the second genuine kindness that has come from the forum this last week.

 

[[194497]]

My thoughts are now towards a ball hitch and a bollard or cleat on the front bumper. But the spirit of Ashley and his book of knots still makes me look for a knot, bend or hitch that can take high tension, with 3 strand nylon (or indeed any other rope) and STILL undo easily when towing is finished.

The lighterman's / tugman's hitch was invented for precisely your situation so probably can't be bettered... I guess the problem is that any ordinary knot around a slim towing eye will put tight turns in the rope, which are likely to lock up, whereas the tugman's hitch only turns the rope around the full diameter of the bollard.

 

[Refueler]

Put a large screwdriver or 2 through the knot where it bights. Remove the screwdrivers then undo the knot.

That's the key to this as any knot will tighten - even one with a quick release loop ....

I suggest a smooth rod so that diameter is same and not expanded at end ...

 

[Refueler]

The lighterman's / tugman's hitch was invented for precisely your situation so probably can't be bettered... I guess the problem is that any ordinary knot around a slim towing eye will put tight turns in the rope, which are likely to lock up, whereas the tugman's hitch only turns the rope around the full diameter of the bollard.

I drag my boats and pontoons around .. up the banks ... etc. with just the turns I described earlier .....

Think of it like your mooring line ... those fig 8's do the work ... we add that hitch on the cleat really for our own peace of mind -----

 

[[194497]]

I drag my boats and pontoons around .. up the banks ... etc. with just the turns I described earlier .....

Think of it like your mooring line ... those fig 8's do the work ... we add that hitch on the cleat really for our own peace of mind -----

Yes - I've used it myself, towing and maneuvering boats on the inland waterways, you definitely need to use something like that with a 20 tonne + boat that's getting out of hand on the river in winter...