Probably all the knots you really need to know?

[AntarcticPilot]

I get hours of fun replacing other people's knots with my left handed ones and coiling all their ropes up for them backwards.

In laid rope, a left handed knot may not be as strong as a right handed one, and a laid rope coiled "backwards" is more likely to kink than one coiled right handed. That's why sailors were discouraged from doing things left handed - it wasn't just prejudice, though no doubt prejudice played a part. Of course, in modern braids, it doesn't matter.

 

[jimi]

yes sorry, rappelling is indeed an Americanism which crept into use in certain circles in place if the correct and pukka term abseiling

I shall chastise myself vigorously immediately!

Can we watch ?

 

[Bru]

Can we watch ?

Too late, I couldnt decide between a damn good thrashing with a rope end or a spot of keel hauling so I settled for a drive along the A14 to Thrapston and back. Frankly, the thrashing would have been preferable

 

[snowleopard]

I regularly use the truckers hitch, definitely one I wouldn't be without!

Looks like hard work. This is the version most truckers use:

 

[snowleopard]

yes sorry, rappelling is indeed an Americanism which crept into use in certain circles in place if the correct and pukka term abseiling

I shall chastise myself vigorously immediately!

It may be used by Americans but the name is French (abseil is German)

 

[snowleopard]

The rolling hitch is an essential knot that too many of us can't tie. It's one of those that can save your life (or at least get you out of a tricky situation) - trouble is we don't need them that often, so it's easy to forget!

I use a rolling hitch every time I anchor to attach the bridle to the cable.

Not a lot of people know that there are two ways of tying a rolling hitch: when attaching to a spar or other rigid object the second turn lies alongside the first but if tying to a rope the second turn overlaps the first.

 

[Lakesailor]

The timber hitch is ideal for what it is designed for - to attach a line to a spar with the load along or partially along the spar.

The timber hitch is designed for hauling timber. We used to use it a lot for getting tree trunks out of difficult places. It does what it says on the tin and undoes easily when you want it to.

The trucker's hitch is also ideal for the next bit of the job.
There are at least two on this little trailer-load

 

[Bru]

It may be used by Americans but the name is French (abseil is German)

indeed but it was indeed an American who got me into bad habits, he was a RAT and he was forever jugging and rapping

 

[Amulet]

There is no added security, except when the ropes are of very different diameters.

....

Doubling the knot merely adds complexity, making it slower to tie the knot, with no advantage except in special cases.

Mildly disagree. If only strained in the intended direction everything you say is correct. However a second turn makes the knot much harder (impossible?) to spill by pulling the ends of the "U" apart. I put an extra turn on if I'm tying it to a bosun's chair as I have a vision of the free end snagging on the way down and spilling the knot. So I appeal to your "special cases" get out clause.

I too am a sad old geezer who's been playing with bits of string for more than 50 years and has a well thumbed Ashley.

Here's an idiosyncratic rule on my boat. The dinghy shall be tied down to the grab rails using its long painter in a round turn and two half hitches ON THE BIGHT at each end of its two lashings. This means that all four knots can be undone simultaneously by different people if in a hurry, rather than having to thread all the rope through to undo each knot.

 

[estarzinger]

I got a load cell for Christmas, and been doing quite a bit of testing and breaking . . .knots and soft shackles in different types of lines . . . summary here: Load Testing. (that's a completely non-commercial/no advertising website) I consider myself moderately knowledgeable abut cordage but have learned a lot and been surprised by the results several times.

 

[Neil]

I use a rolling hitch every time I anchor to attach the bridle to the cable.

Not a lot of people know that there are two ways of tying a rolling hitch: when attaching to a spar or other rigid object the second turn lies alongside the first but if tying to a rope the second turn overlaps the first.

If the spar is smooth aluminium or stainless, or you want it on ss rigging, the rolling hitch will probably slip. The one to use here is the icicle hitch - will even grip a tapered spar (in the direction of the taper) as it's name suggests.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

I got a load cell for Christmas, and been doing quite a bit of testing and breaking . . .knots and soft shackles in different types of lines . . . summary here: Load Testing. (that's a completely non-commercial/no advertising website) I consider myself moderately knowledgeable abut cordage but have learned a lot and been surprised by the results several times.

Excellent information, with some mildly surprising aspects. Couple of points:

I presume you tested with a steady strain. Ashley conducted similar (though less precise) tests on natural fibres, but included a jerk test as well as a steady strain. He found there was often a considerable difference between the results for a steady strain and repeated jerks.

What you call the "luggage tag" has an established name - it is the Cow hitch.

 

[Beachcoma]

I use a rolling hitch every time I anchor to attach the bridle to the cable.

Not a lot of people know that there are two ways of tying a rolling hitch: when attaching to a spar or other rigid object the second turn lies alongside the first but if tying to a rope the second turn overlaps the first.

Thank you snowleopard. I've always tied a rolling hitch when the second turn overlaps the first. However, I have seen the other method and always wondered what that was for.

What do people use the sheet bend for? For example, when having to extend a mooring line (tying up to trees) I attach the lines together using a bowline not a sheet bend.

 

[Slow_boat]

I once sailed with a famous round the world skipper who couldn't tie a bowline, let alone anything else.

I vowed never to sail with him again but that was for other reasons.

 

[snowleopard]

What do people use the sheet bend for? For example, when having to extend a mooring line (tying up to trees) I attach the lines together using a bowline not a sheet bend.

I usually use it when joining two ropes. I don't like reef knots and they only work if the two ropes are of equal size. I prefer a double sheet bend, particularly if there is a significant difference in sizes of rope.

 

[onesea]

I usually use it when joining two ropes. I don't like reef knots and they only work if the two ropes are of equal size. I prefer a double sheet bend, particularly if there is a significant difference in sizes of rope.

+1 I like the sheet bend.

Really the same know bowline and sheet bend anyway...

Cut the loop of a bowline and you get a single sheet bend.

 

[Beachcoma]

Actually when extending a mooring line I normally put a bowline in the end of each line and then attach them together with a cow hitch (I think that's the right term, passing the eyes through each other).

I understand it is meant to be used for attaching two lines together just never actually use it for that purpose!

 

[Neil]

Strangely enough, I went down to the boat on Wednesday to find that, halfway up the mast, the free end of a small lanyard cord, under the influence of the strong winds, had tied itself into a passable imitation of a rolling hitch around the main halyard, with the result that the halyard could be neither raised nor lowered. Fortunately, the cordage was frayed and eventually snapped under my 93kg. Knot evolution in practise!