Locking turn or OXXO on a cleat

[tudorsailor]

My yacht is looked after by a dutchman (in Mallorca). He insists that I put a locking turn on the mooring line when securing to the cleat on deck. He says this the most secure for long term mooring. He likes O and then a locked X +/- another O
I had an instructor on board last week (RYA Yachtmaster) who said never put a locking turn. Instead use OXXO.

What do forumites prefer? OXO, OXXO or O +locked X?!

TudorDoc

 

[Emjaytoo]

Two Os, lots of Xs (four or five - depending on how large your cleat is), and then one, or possible two, locking turns.

 

[dt4134]

It depends upon the boat.

Quite a lot of Swedish built boats, for example, have larger cleats and if you don't put a locking back turn on the line may well work loose. Just be sure to put an OXO on first so that the back turn is easily undone.

For a lot of boats you can do without the locking turn.

I know professional mariners dislike an initial O as it is likely to bind on under load. On a larger boat I take note of this and start with an X. On a sub 40' boat I don't bother and just use the RYA OXO method.

 

[whipper_snapper]

Never never never a locking turn. OXO or OXXO will hold anything and will never jam.

In fact a locking turn will do no harm on top of a proper OXXO, but it is a lethal habit because inexperienced crew come on and see it being done, then do dreadful thing like XX-lock or even X-lock.

You would be surprised how many people don't do that proper O around the base of the cleat first.

 

[whipper_snapper]

[ QUOTE ]
Two Os, lots of Xs (four or five - depending on how large your cleat is), and then one, or possible two, locking turns.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ugh, that is horrific

 

[caribbeancat]

OXO works fine, doesn't come undone, won't unlock, won't jam and can be held easily when down to only O. If you want to be supersecure for long term mooring then sometimes I would put a round turn and two half hitches around the dock cleat and OXO on the boat.

Try undoing a locking turn that's had some load with small diameter line on a dinghy in January!

 

[Emjaytoo]

Always looks pretty neat on my boat!

 

[whipper_snapper]

[ QUOTE ]
I know professional mariners dislike an initial O as it is likely to bind on under load. On a larger boat I take note of this and start with an X. On a sub 40' boat I don't bother and just use the RYA OXO method.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well it should bind under load! I don't know any professionals on 'real' boats who do that. I have routinely sailed 30m gaffers without a single winch, where the headsail sheets goes straight to a cleat. The loads are colossal, the ropes are 22mm, but OXXO is the only thing ever used. Anyone putting a locking turn on would be hung, drawn and quartered.

In fact it is because of professional experience on seriously big boats with very basic rope handling that I am so passionate about this on all boats. If it is not done right, every time, you could find yourself in serious trouble. You could literally loose a rig if a runner jammed up during a gybe. And you could loose an arm if there wasn't a proper initial O so that you could gradually and safely ease the load.

 

[doug748]

Here we go, this has all the hallmarks of a classic "anchor debate"... I have very, very few heartfelt convictions concerning boats, but of this I am sure. If you do not use a locking turn, you may just as well throw the whole lot overboard and cut out the middle man. If you possibly can use a bowline.

 

[caribbeancat]

he he - but how do you untie a bowline under load

et al....

 

[FullCircle]

I prefer to think of it as 0800....... work it out!

 

[awol]

Never a locking turn on running rigging - never, ever! But mooring lines, yes - and why not? I am unlikely to be in a panic to undo them.
Exception is Norway, where a clove hitch is all that's needed.

 

[Emjaytoo]

[ QUOTE ]
If it is not done right, every time, you could find yourself in serious trouble. You could literally loose a rig if a runner jammed up during a gybe. And you could loose an arm if there wasn't a proper initial O so that you could gradually and safely ease the load.

[/ QUOTE ]

I thought the original post was about mooring lines!

I would never use a locking turn on a working line whilst sailing, but when mooring my boat up, for weeks on end, I'm afraid it's at least one and possibly two locking turns after putting several XXXs on.

 

[whipper_snapper]

Oh all right! I will accept that as a pragmatic approach !!

(But still, I would bollock anyone who ever used a locking turn on my boat on the grounds that they might get into the vile habit. Tie it off if you want it semi-permanent.)

 

[dt4134]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't know any professionals on 'real' boats who do that.

[/ QUOTE ]

I was thaught that by a master mariner with many years experience and have heard it from others since.

The discussion was only about mooring lines, not running rigging.

 

[whipper_snapper]

How many fingers did he have?

 

[Emjaytoo]

[ QUOTE ]
The discussion was only about mooring lines, not running rigging.

[/ QUOTE ]

Quite!

 

[whipper_snapper]

Yea yea, see my response to awol above.

 

[Dipper]

I use a final locking turn but I don't half get a lot of muttering and evil looks from ex Royal Navy types if they are cruising with me at the time! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Emjaytoo]

[ QUOTE ]
ex Royal Navy types if they are cruising with me at the time

[/ QUOTE ]

Kick the bu**ers over the side!

/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif