Another Newby Question.. (knots)

craigbalsillie

craigbalsillie

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 Feb 2002
Messages
161
Location
masterton, new Zealand
Visit site
I recently bought a book about knots. It's crap.. !!!!
I was seduced by the two pieces of rope that came with it for practising,

The only ones I can see that might be useful are the bowline, the sheet bend and the sheepshank..
The truckers hitch might be useful when trailing and the parcel knot when sending bottles of single malt to everyone who has helped me to follow my sailing dream..

What other knots should I be trying to memorise... ?

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
The RYA selection isn't a bad one: figure-of-eight, reef knot, single and double sheet bends, clove hitch, round turn and two half hitches, rolling hitch and bowline. Personally I would add the lighterman's hitch and the prussik knot, while I've sometimes used triple and quadruple sheet bends.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
The book I bought , can't remember the name of it, seemed to have a real downer on the reef knot. I always thought it was the puppies privates when it came to joining two pieces of rope..


<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Most books say so but often qualify that by advising making it a double for synthetics.
The knots I use most (as also stated by someone else) are : bowline ;sheetbend; round turn and two half hitches;clove hitch . any others require a bit more thought as I am out of practice on them .
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by chippie on 12/05/2003 08:13 (server time).</FONT></P>
 
The constrictor knot (variation on a clove hitch) is very usefull and when pulled up is incredibly hard to undo. Ideal for quick whipping of rope ends and I have used it in a get you home pipe clip.

Scott

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
In climbing the only knot used for joining two ropes together that is safe enough to trust your life to is the double fisherman's knot. The name of this knot suggests that it has a nautical origin, but I never see anyone using it (apart from climbers). Wonder why knot? (aargh!)

<hr width=100% size=1>Adventures of the VAT unpaid <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.xrayted.fsnet.co.uk>Teddy Bear Boat</A>
 
The double Fisherman was taught to me by a climber as well. He also used the figure of eight to make a loop. Ashley's recommends the Carrick bend for tying together two tow-ropes, as it is always easy to undo, and can't capsize. Trouble is it's a bugger to get right in the first place. One false tuck and it turns into a snowball knot.
An instructor also once told me "if you can't tie a knot, tie a lot", i.e. 17 half-hitches will hold anything.
Dave

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
The double-figure-of-8 is used by climbers to create a loop. The bowline is also used, and both are suitable for life-trusting situations. The double-figure-of-8 is a bit of a fiddle to tie when you are connecting it onto a closed loop, but the reason it is used is it is very easy to see by a quick look that it is tied properly when you are checking your partners equipment.

The bowline is easier to tie but not so easy to check. In climbing, as just about everything is a fiddle, but you only get 1 life, the double-figure-of-8 is preferred. It's doesn't have any marine applicaions though, apart from maybe connecting a halyard to a bosun's chair.

<hr width=100% size=1>Adventures of the VAT unpaid <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.xrayted.fsnet.co.uk>Teddy Bear Boat</A>
 
For newbies:

A reef knot is ok for tying things a little bit: left over ight and under, right oover left and under. Rubbish except for tying up the sails a bit

A clove hitch is a sort of crap knot for quickly putting up the fender, but won't work if the rope is shiny and new.

A main knot is a round turn and two half hitches. Which is good cos you can untie it under tension, and cos it doesnt need tension to hold.

The other main knot is a bowline. If you can tie a bowline and a roundturn and two half hitches, you are in top 10% of boating types, cos lots of them can't, and just go round and round on a cleat without tying an axshul knot. Boatwise you can get away with just round turn and 2 half hitches, and bowline. Exam wise you need a couple of the extra (easier) ones

Now, this is all very well. But a newby will want to know which knot to know so gosh wow gasp that craig is v sharp salty type my goodness. And that knot is a one-handed bowline. If you did one of these for the instructor in an exam, they will probably gulp and not ask you to do any others. But you have to practise do it fast. Full instructions at <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.iland.net/~jbritton/bowline.htm>http://www.iland.net/~jbritton/bowline.htm</A>



<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Re: 17 half hitches

If you leave your dinghy secured to the mooring with 17 half hiches just be certain not to be away for 18 days!

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
I\'d add the tugman\'s hitch....

no, it's not a knot, and all the better for that in its intended use.

You can do away with cleats for genoa sheets.

Dead easy to do too.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
>>>The RYA selection isn't a bad one: figure-of-eight, reef knot, single and double sheet bends, clove hitch, round turn and two half hitches, rolling hitch and bowline.

I haven't tied a figure-of-eight in years. There are far better stopper knots around.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
the only boaty knot you will need

the spur lash, you've all seen it so often when boating.. and you didn't know what it was.

PM me if you need a discription of it.

regards, steve.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://homepage.ntlworld.com/s.amos/index.html>http://homepage.ntlworld.com/s.amos/index.html</A>
 
Re: the only boaty knot you will need

I've managed for the last 5 years with a reef knot, a bowline, a round turn and two half hitches (or sometimes three depending on how expensive the thing on the other end is!) and a figure of 8 knot. I think I once did a sheet bend but probably couldn't do one now!

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top