Dinghy trot knot

[Stemar]

I am dead against Cow Hitch normally as its what it says ... a COW hitch and has very few uses in serious rope handlers inventory.

It's what I used on the genoa sheet of my Snapdragon for years, with no problems. I was, of course, using it "to give two ropes to control" the genny without any metalwork to slap me in the eye.

 

[thinwater]

I think one factor needs to be considered ..... if I understand OP's need ... its for a secure but easily applied ... easily released secure hitch as the dinghy is i n regular use ... and we have all had those days when weather / sea state is not so good and faffing about with fancy knots is not exactly a good idea.

On the subject of the words Hitch and Knot ..... as a young kid .. it was put to me :

Horses get HITCHED to a buggy .... meaning Hitch is to an object.

Fishing line gets all knotted and a mess ... meaning knots are generally without a non rope object ...

Of course there is the Bend .... which can apply as per Hitch .. as a seaman bends on a rope.

A bend is a knot joining two ropes. Sheet bend. Fisherman's bend. Overhand bend. Carrick bend.

Bending on a rope is a verb and is not specific to the class of knot/bend/hitch. Just sayin'. Perhaps it comes from the oft misnamed halyard bend, which is actually a halyard hitch. Really, an anachronism.

Being pedantic gets so weird. We're all guilty occasionally.

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Yes, it should be simple, but having your dinghy drift off is a major PITA. I suggested a rolling hitch because it is really fast, just a clove hitch with one extra turn. It's not a knot I have to think about.

Long tails really help security on most knots. No reason not to, if it's not in the way.

 

[oldbloke]

How about two or three round turns and the tie off back on the boat so the knot isn't wet and smothered in weed and sh.t. If worried it might slide down the trot line then a couple of turks heads or similar to act as a barrier to sliding

 

[Daydream believer]

It depends where abouts along the trot rope the op wants the dinghy. If it is not far from a post then the answer for me would be to have a large spring hook on the painter & pass it round the post or a loop & back on itself. ( Accepting allowance that it will be able to rise & fall with the tide) If mid trot rope then fix a loop of cordage by tying & passing a couple of the turns through the trot rope with a large splicing needle such as the type found in a Marlow set, to stop it slipping. Then hook to that

 

[Refueler]

It depends where abouts along the trot rope the op wants the dinghy. If it is not far from a post then the answer for me would be to have a large spring hook on the painter & pass it round the post or a loop & back on itself. ( Accepting allowance that it will be able to rise & fall with the tide) If mid trot rope then fix a loop of cordage by tying & passing a couple of the turns through the trot rope with a large splicing needle such as the type found in a Marlow set, to stop it slipping. Then hook to that

That fine until someone parks their dinghy not same as before .... near all trot ropes I've used .... you never tie to same place twice unless lucky.

 

[Benny81]

I've just relaunched the boat after sorting some damage from storms earlier in the year.

I swapped out the bow painter for a softer rope, and used a round turn and two half hitches on the trot line, and then tied the end/tail back on to the painter with a clove hitch. Rereading all this I'm sure that's the wrong way round!

 

[LiftyK]

I like the round turn and two and a half hitches. However, if you want peace of mind then I suggest you use the modified form which is an anchor bend. All that means is the first hitch passes through the round turn. Easy and reliable. As you are not applying a large load you should still be able to release the knot when required.

 

[Refueler]

I like the round turn and two and a half hitches. However, if you want peace of mind then I suggest you use the modified form which is an anchor bend. All that means is the first hitch passes through the round turn. Easy and reliable. As you are not applying a large load you should still be able to release the knot when required.

Anchor Bend ??? Do you perhaps mean the 'Fishermans Bend' ??

 

[Mistroma]

Anchor Bend ??? Do you perhaps mean the 'Fishermans Bend' ??

Same thing. I've heard it called both and a hitch and even an anchor knot.

I use it all the time to tie the line down from my anchor ball to a slippy metal padeye. Never likely to come undone and actually easy to untie in that scenario.

 

[johnalison]

Same thing. I've heard it called both and a hitch and even an anchor knot.

I use it all the time to tie the line down from my anchor ball to a slippy metal padeye. Never likely to come undone and actually easy to untie in that scenario.

I think that there are many perfectly good solutions, such as those above, to this fairly non-specific task. When using a bowline I often put a locking turn round with the tail, and two would be easy enough. I sometimes put a similar turn on as an addition with other knots with synthetic line if I am concerned about them working loose.

 

[Refueler]

If a knot or bend is going to be subjected to a serious use or long term .. an additional half hitch to tame the loose end is my goto.

 

[Benny81]

My clove hitch should have on the trot line, with a couple of half hitches back on the painter I think

 

[Mistroma]

If a knot or bend is going to be subjected to a serious use or long term .. an additional half hitch to tame the loose end is my goto.

Ditto. I used to use about a dozen bends and hitches but mainly to remember how to tie them.

In practice I rarely need bends and usually resort to a pair of bowlines. Everything else tends to be bowlines, clove, round turns and anchor. Probably couldn't remember a Carrick nowadays.

I do even put an extra half hitch with the anchor hitch though that is probably irrelevant.

 

[Stemar]

I use anchor hitches to attach the painter to my dinghy, one each side. The first half hitch does all the work, and the second comes undone over time. I've never had a problem, but if it really mattered, I'd whip or put a bit of heat shrink tube to hold the bitter end to the standing part

 

[Boathook]

A few turns round the trot line and then some half hitches, minimum of 2. Leave a decent tail on the rope. I've seen too many lines come undone due to lack of a tail on the line as a boat "works" the knot.

 

[Refueler]

If chafe is not an issue ... quickest way to sort a loose tail ...... cable ties ... pass round - pull tight - snip off extra. Easy to remove - nail clippers or side cut pliers etc.

Its worth remembering that a bowline by itself without any securing of loose tail - and kept under tension - works free .. its inherent in the design.

I do have pet dislike of when people join two ropes by two bowline's .... Full Carrick Bend is the better way

 

[johnalison]

If chafe is not an issue ... quickest way to sort a loose tail ...... cable ties ... pass round - pull tight - snip off extra. Easy to remove - nail clippers or side cut pliers etc.

Its worth remembering that a bowline by itself without any securing of loose tail - and kept under tension - works free .. its inherent in the design.

I do have pet dislike of when people join two ropes by two bowline's .... Full Carrick Bend is the better way

I confess that I have never actually used a Carrick bend. For general use I normally use a common bend, or a double if the sizes are different.

 

[Stemar]

I confess that I have never actually used a Carrick bend. For general use I normally use a common bend, or a double if the sizes are different.

I'd have to look up a Carrick bend. My goto knot to joint two bits of line is a sheet bend, a double sheet bend if it's going to be flapping about, like a flag halyard, or have a serious load.

 

[Refueler]

Sheet bend is designed for a smaller rope to join to a larger ...

Carrick bend is designed for two similar sized ropes and is not recc'd for small rope joining large.

 

[Stemar]

Yes, that's what I was taught in the scouts. For equal sized line, it was a reef knot, but I'd be hung, drawn and quartered if I dared suggest that on a boaty forum! The sheet bend works fine on equal lines, and has the huge advantage over the Carrick bend that I know how to tie it without thinking.