MORE THAN 50 OF THE MOST USEFUL KNOTS FOR CAMPING,
SAILING FISHING, AND CLIMBING
Peter Owen
PETER
OWEN
BOOKS AN IMPR IN T OF
RUNNING PRESS
PHILADELPH IA, PENN SYLVANIA
QUINTET BOOK
r!it publ ish ed in 1993 by Running Press Copyrig 1993 Qui te Publlshins Lim ted, Al righ ts reserved, No P<' rt this publicati on mlly be reprod uced, stored n a retrieval sys tem or tra nsmi tted in lIny form or by lIny means, ectro ic mechanical, photocopyi g, ecording or otherw se, without the ~ r m i s s l o n of tile copyright older. 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Digit on the right in icates the number of this printin Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publicllti on umbe 92-54943
ISBN 1-56138 225-6 Th
book was designed and produced by Qu te Pub sh ng Li mited
Blundf:11 Street
London N7 9BH
Project Edi or Ui Standelson Creetive D ector: Richard Dewing Designer: James U1wrence Ed itor: Lydia DlIrbyshire II ustrll or Peter Owen I'ho ogrllpher!i: Paul Forreste r, George Steel Typeset n Gre ll Britain by Central SOuthern Typesetter!i, Eastbou rne MCinufactured Singapore by Film Process pte td Printed i Singapore by Stll tande dlndustries Pte td Pub shed by Courege Books, lin mprint of Running Press Book ubli ers 125 South Twenty second Str ee 9103 Ph ilCidel t)llI, P e n n ~ v e WARNING Synthetic rope melts when heated Friction may therefore cause th rope to weaken and break The resul t,. especiaDy for climbers. could be fatal Readers are strongly advised to exerdse extreme caution n s tuations where synthetic ropes ay be expose to friction damage
CONTENTS
Page no
GP
Introdu
STOPPER KNOTS
13
Overhand knot
13
Overhand loop
14
Multiple overhand knot
15
Heavi ng ine
16
Figure
17
HITCHES
18
Half h
19
Highwayman's h tc
• • • • •
eight knot
Timber h tc
Transom knot 24
Constri to knot Clove hi
26
Clove hi
28
ov
Sl
FS
hi
dropped over a po
•
•••• •
made on a ring
fi sherman 's bend
•
32
Angl r' loop
47
Th re
48
Alpine butterfly knot
50
Reef knot
51
Cap
52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59
Th
Carrick bend
60
RUNNING KNOTS
61
Running bowline
62 63
Hangmen' knot
ed reef knot
kn
Su ge on 's knot sherman
knot
Double fisherman's knot
bend
Hunter
Sheet bend Fi gure -o f-eight bend
Noose
rb
knot
65
SHORTENING
Rolling hitc
66
Sheepshank
67
Loop knot
68
FISHING KHOTS
Round turn e! nd tw
half
34
Pru ikknot
35
LOOPS
he
• ••
•• • • • •
Threaded figure of-eight
•
Bowline Bowline casting method
40
Climber'
42
Bowline on a bight
43
Bowline rope under tension
44
Spanish bowline
wl ine
•
71
•• •• •• •• •
•
Blood loop dropper kn
73
Turle knot
74
Water knot
75
Gr nner knot
76
Double gr nner knot
77
uble loop knot
78
Needle knot
79
Glossary
GP "" Gen al Pu pose Cl "" lim bi CA ampl
sa iling
FS
shi ng
•
• • •
blood knot
72
KEY
SL
al tu ke
•
••••
knot
Figure-ot-eight loop
CAS
part crown
Bill hitch
Italian hitch
37 38
GP CL
46
64
Cat pa
30
Page no
BENDS
•••• • • • •
tch
27
CA
on
12
23
Cl
•
•
FS
INTRODUCTION
knot is simply cDlmeclion in
thread, cord or length
of rope formed either by pns in one free end
working end
through
loop and drawing
known it
tight or by
intertwining or tying together pieces of thread, ord or rope. However, there are several quite distinct groups of
knot
hitches and bends, binding knots, stopper knots
knot that form noo es or loops QlId knots that join mall lin es together. Each knot er es a different purpo
although it is not neces ary to know
large number of
four or five should suffice in most
different knots circumstances
and
it
is
important to know which
best uited to the condition in which it
blOt is
to be used.
You hould also bear in mind thai any knot, no matter
how carefully and securely tied will reduce the br aking
sirain of line by between breaks,
and
20
percent. Just befor it
knot slips. The mor tightly you can draw
knot when you are tying it the greater the strain withstal1d befo e it lips.
it
will
ROPE MANUFACTURE ad iti onally made rope is formed of o f the fi bers of erials at have been ed toge er If you loo at an ord nary pi piece ece of hree ra rope, yo aid ght-hande ill find t at ic way ha is, ma tt er yo u h it, th tra nd pp ear asce nd pwar an to right. rig ht. Thi is because w e, th first ou of fibe s a twis ed to form rig ht nd yarn ya rn the yarn s t n t sted og he he ot way to form left hand strands; an th st ands ar twis ed toget er to fo m rig ht aid ope. Th ension created by alterna di ec ti on f the t he wis s holds t op toget an ves it ng . Even when a st an is un coi ed from e ro e, the emain ng two ra nd wi ll cl ing get er, leavi g a clear y de fin ed p in whi e m ssing tr shoul li e. The ay a is laid-up is a v ta conce grasp fo it t, basic principle on ich ropem ki based
Natural tiber ropes ti l about ti me of Wor Wa II op de om na ural ate ials - he p a ma ill a, cotton, co r, fl ax sa l. Now, oweve ra ge of sy he ic fibe mea ere special zed rope for every oss ble application. ost rope ad from natural fib is thr three ee stra nd nd rig t- aid. Left hand rope s muc scarcer a nd of en four-s rand. There s also a ix -s -str tran an ro e, whic is ma e in Fr ce, ut hi ty e of op has a hollow co e, whi st ea st f. Fo ur ur-st -st fill ed wi pe is pp roxi ately 10 percent weaker t n its i ts thr t hr e trand tran d equ va ent, an emarkable, cab cablele-la line t is, ee three strand ropes id u left-han d to t o form a ni ne strand cable) 40 percent weaker than th same size of hawse lai ha t is, is, in three rand) rope. The re a obv ou prob ssocia ed with wi th at al fibe ope. we t swells, ma extreme diffic difficult ult to un kn to beco th op so ten ui br ttle. en s suc as ha sh n a d c mi ca lso nd to wea her t ope.
Synthetic r opes Synthetic natura rope is tr g, it is ot as ven tr g as t would be if th ibers ran th thee whole ng th ope. Sy nt et es, on he th ha nd , can can b ma con ti length. he am ts t hav h av to be iste to eth to ak th cohere. A wid range of opes as bee de oped in e World et II , b ut ey ll share some characteris ics: siz for s ze t ey are li ter t ropes ma ra rom at fibers; they are availab ety of colors an hey are an ap
Wkichevtr way you examine ight-hand laid rope notia how the strands a/ways IlSand upward lind to the right Left-mmd lIIid rope is fllrity.
A,
A,
Ro p" is madr up of ibers Rop" wis ed togethe filch in tke opposite direction 10 the evious one to form Ihe yam; these are twisted loge/ker Ihe opposite way 10 form slra'lds whick in lu are Iwis/M to form right-laid rope
ST ICA,
A,
ED
...
FIBERS
OM
A,
...
ONL Y USED ROP
=>
Sy111hrtic rope can be either laid-up (above) or braided ill IIle 5Ilme li.'fiy that natural fiber rope is al Oilier braided slleatll surroUllds an inner core (below) tile lalier is markedly superior thai of laid up ropt', eSI7f!cially in climb ng situation laid lip rope is tire dlearer of he two.
natural fiber ropes In addition, synthetic ropes tensile strength an outstanding load-bearing qualities; qualities; they are capable of absorbing shocks; they are immune to rot, mildew an degrad ation from salt water; an hey are resistant to chemi chemical cal damage an corrosion from oils, petrol an most solvents. Moreover, because they absorb less water ha ropes made of natural fibers, th ir breaking strains remain more constant when they are wet.
Nylon (polya mide ropes are st rong an stretch, which make hem usef us eful ul for towing. Nylo ropes also absorb shock loads extremely well, an they do not floa t. Polyeste Polyesterr ropes, on th other hand, give very ittle stretch stretch,, althoug they are nearly as strong as ny lon ropes. Polypropylene is u se to make popular general-purpose rope, which is often used by sailors, bu it floats, which ma rule it ou for some instance Polyethylene rope is not as strong as other types of synthetic rope and is no widely used. On of th strongest of th synthetic bstances is aramide, bu it is expensive an sensitive to ultraviolet light. On of the main disadvantages of syntheti ropes, however, is tha th are so smooth that some knots slip undone. The old-fashioned fiber ropes ha their ow built-in re resista sistanc nc to slippage, bu synthetic rope may need to secured by an extra half hitch or tuc k. Partly to overcome this, on kind of synthetic rope is made in th old way, by fir first st chopp ng the filaments into shorter lengths, an then, tw isting them in alternate directions by uilding up th strands and he the rope itself. This is known as laid -u rope. The other group of sy nthetic ropes are plaited
or braided. Plaited usually describes rope tha t i formed of solid solid plaits of of fourfour- or eight-strand ed Braided Braid ed rope has a sheath of 16 or more strands surrounding an inner hollow braided core or a solid core of parallel or only slightly twisted filaments. Another major problem hat may be encountered with synthetic ropes that they melt when they are hea te ted, d, an is possible for ufficien uff icien heat to be generated simply by two ropes bb ng against each other. This is, obviously, of vital i portance to mountaineers wh shou ld always be quite certain that none of their ropes is like likely ly to rub against another. Jt is even possib possible le for th heat generated by friction to cause the rope that is tied in a knot to fuse together, so ha can ne never ver again be un tied. A rope that is twice th diameter of another will be four t mes as strong. It is not necessarily always true, however, that the stronger of two ropes is the one to select. In some circumstances, elasticity may be more important than strength if the rope has to bear shock loads, for example an d then a rope made of polyester polyamide would be better. Do no buy rope that is too stiff. Laid-up rope that is made from relatively thick multifilaments that are tw is ted ightly together will give excellen t resistanc to wear bu may be awkward to tie, and kn may not hold well. Remember that, despite what the salesman may tell you, rope do not get more supple with time. Beware too, of very so ft twisted rope. Sailors hould not use ro pe that floats for anchoring purposes in ports. A floating rope willl inevi tably be severed by the propellers of wil motor boats Floating lines should be used only fo rescue work, li ht buoys an so forth.
Ho
TO CHOO CHOOSE SE A ROPE
SOME BREAKING LOADS
Rope hould be os accordi accor di ng to th ituation for which it will be se considering cons idering carefully both th ma rial an the type br de or laid up ). Pu"""" Material
.....,.
6mm
CUmbing
Towing
AnChorage
Moon""
Halyards
Fishing
lyester
X
""'"
"".-M
X
looking after rope Rope is expen ive so lwa ys look afte it. Tr to edges, or avoid drag ging it over harp or ro ove surfa surfaces ces wh re particle particless of dirt an grit will penetra te th fibe Do not force rope into harsh nk Use floating line only for es cu wo k, li gh uo s, etc.
CO LING A ROPE
The junction of coiling is that t h ~ ropt will be immediately ufll'SSibJl'ulld u7I/a7lgll'd whell 1I=l1'd. C iltd rupt usl'jul ifyou want to sling the rope on your backpack OWl" your should shouldl'r l'r
Ill:
--
----------------
.....,
8m
25 4m 10mm
....
1650
2980
4590
polyester, 3 strand
1250
22'0
3500
polyester, 16 brald
2200
3750
5730
~
1100
2000
3000
880
1540
2400
nykJn
,
3-strand
3
-
t r a n d
poIythene 3-strand
Sealing ends nt tic rope TO he you bu ndlery an ectricall ea ed knife us to c ut th ve op e req uired engt Th harp edge an sea th en When you cut syntheti se rope yourself, however, you will probab ordinar harp knife an th n m lt th en of th rope th a cigarette cigarette li ht or an electric ring.
1In
5510
aramldcore
purpose
dlJi
Diame-kr
M a t ~ r i a l
Before coiling it ways make sure tha th rope dr even if it is sy nthetic. it as bee se wa te rin se it ith fre wate to remove A t th en of th seaso an epos ts o salt. At wash ropes thor hl in detergent , car full removing an il or ta tains with petrol trichl tric hloroe oroethylene thylene Tying knots weaken ropes Th harper the rve an th tighter th ni th gr ea te s t ance that he op ill ea an wh does so will rea k imm di diately ately outs id knot. Many often se kn ts are urpri si singl ngl harmful to rope th offe nder be bein in th imple ov rhand knot (see page 2) Ne se tw ropes of different materia to gether th tw because on y t he mo rigid ill work under st ain.
Selecting Selecti ng knot One of th main reasons for selecting on knot ather than another th relative reng th th knots. This is es peciall true or cl mb is so a con ideration an mountaineers, bu fo mariners. Other characteristics such as speed and ease of tying, bulk an reliability will so influence th choice. limber gene rally us knots tha aTe bu ky several ral wrapping turn s, which an that have seve ar designed to absorb strains an to avoid weakening the rope unnecessarily. Knots used by climbers must be checked regu ar eSpecia ll if stiff op is used, because it mo more flexib line an ifficult tie knots may be less secure. Anglers us similar, bu ch smaller, barrelaped knots, partly to improv their chances
of a good ca ch an pa rtl o safegu sa fegu ar expensive fishing gear. Ge rall yo sh uld also un e k ot as soon as possible afler use. This ill be ea er you choose a s ita le kno t in the firs ace An
remember tha knots that
isappear wh
they are sli pped off t eir foundat ons such as the clove hitch an Prusik kn ot (see pages 24 an 34 34)) are no le less ss s trong or se ur e. Finally, remember that tying kn requires practise. practi se. You must be ble to t e them quickly an easily when you are halfway lip mountain or at sea. Th on wa to gain t nece sary skil an co fid ce s to practise each knot ov he ep become un an over aga ut om ic an yo do not have to think about them. In some circumstances your life or live of your companio could depend on it.
ROPE PARTS
STANDING
0
TO USE THIS BO
di"'gr",ms Ih"'l acco mpan th
Th
kn ts re int en de to be self· ex pl ;!.na or Theauows indicate th directions in desc iptions of th
which
ou
ould push
pull the working ends of your line, wh
th
co mp ly diffe re nt knot Th knots in thi book ca be
se
different
situ",tio s: ge neral purpose cl imbing, pin g, 5.) 5.)iling iling an shown fishing; th es be ow u sy mbols Each knot in th book is
dotted lines ind ca intermedi",te positions of
accompanied by th rel ev ;!.nt sy symbolJ mbolJs; s;
he rope. Always follow
designed to give yo
th
orde indicated of
go
over or under
ength of line reversing
hi orde co uld result in
GENERAL
gla ce th
CAM"NG
CllMllIoIG
at ·",·
S
101
fo rm at
se of
particular
knot
11
S
101
PURPOSE
STOPPER KNOTS • This OVERHANO
KNOT
ofknots is mo
often sed
to
prevent the end
of length of rope, string or small stuff slipping through an eye or hole. Stopper knots can also be used the end of line
so
to
HEAVING
lltlE
KtlOT
bind
that it will not unravel, and they can
also be sed as decoration. At sea they are frequently used to
weight lines or on running rig in
and they are also
used by climbers, campers and fishermen. OVERHAtlO
other knots,
is
is
the basis of so many
stopper knot. Sailors tend
to Il se
Jigure eight knot for general use and multiple
verhand knots MULTIPLE KNOT
to
weigh down or de orate the
ends of knots.
EIGHT
KNOT
lOOP
The simple overhand knot, which
OVERNANO
GURE
the
I Z D
OVERHAND Also kllown ns: THUMB
This
KNOT KNOT
asis of os ig it is used as ot er knots In its ow mp e sto pe r kn in th en of a line. It is not, howeve wide y used by sai ors as is when the rope is tremely difficu t to un on small stuff can wet. Tigh over nd kn so be ifficult to nd th
knot
for
OVERHAND
th
LOOP
is rather ungain y knot, bu it is extreme y useful in circumstances where bulky stopper is eq red. It is in fact, he loop ha most people would tie without hinking they neede to as en a k ot n he en of a awback is at he line leng of string. he !! probably have to be c ut because the knot is d i f f cul to un e.
Th
t;;;; I
"<3IIr--
j;;;;;;
12
MULTIPLE OVERHAND KNOT Also known as: BLOOD KNOT
Thi knot's altern ativ na me has rath er gruesome derivat on: he knot USL>d to be tied he ends of the las es of t at Q' ne ta ls, the whi used or flogging in both the Br itish Army an Navy unti the punishment's officia
__
abolition in 8. far less grisly us is as weight in the co s with which Capuchin monks tie th ir habits. Sai ors use th no as toppe or we ht g knot small uf f, is fficu lt o untie when he li is althoug wet. When you ie th kn keep the loop open an ac an then pu ll ge ntl on both en of the line simultaneously, twi ting th tw ends in ppos di rectio s as yo do so.
____________________ 13
HEAVING LINE KNOT Also known
as: FRAN CISCAN KNOT,
MONK'S KNOT
This knot is principally used for sailing when heavy line is to be thrown ashore or aboard another boat. It is attache to a heaving linethat is, a light line which ca be thrown ahead so that th heavier line can be pulled across th gap. The knot is tied to th en of the lighter
14
line to give it the necessar additional weight. Heavi ng lin are usually 1f.z-.¥. inch in diameter and may be up to 80 feet long. They hould float an be fl exible an is mportant that they be strong enough to bear man' weight. The kn 's terna ive nam es derive from ts use 0 weig the ends he cord tha se as belts. Fr cisca mo
\
IZS
FIGURE EIGHT KNOT Also knmon
s: FLEMISH KNOT, SAVOY KNOT
Thi interlacin kn t has fo lo been rega de as an emblem of in erwoven affec ti ppearin in era ld ry as he symbol of ait ful ve. It also appear in the ms of the Ho us of Savoy. The knot wh ic is made in the end of a line, with th upper loop aroun d th standing pari an th lower loop around he wo rkin en idely used sa ilor on runnin riggin
...
----- ------..........--...---
FIGURE-Of·E CH Th
HT
popular de orative
chain can be
ade, quite
simply by making series of figure- of -e ight kn ts all in the sa me
dire<:tion. II ca be se as a belt or trap or shoulder ba g. ..
16
HITCHES
Hitches are knots that a e used to secure HIGHWAYM IT
C
hook, ring, spar
or
rope to a post,
rail or to anot er rope that plays
HERMAN
'S
BEND
part in the actual tying. Hitche do not keep their shape on their own Because they are often used by sailors jar
mooring, lashing and fastening they mus be able
to
withstand parallel strain.
MBER
HITCH
ROUND
HALF
O N S T R IC
ITAlIA"
TC
HITCH
KHOT
(lOVE
PRU$IK
KI'IOT
HIGHWAYMAN S HITCH Also kno wn as: D RAW HITCH
The name hi ghway ma 's hit co es fr m th ac th kn was s pposed se by robbe to sw in ure a ift r ease thei orses' reins an th a rapid get-away. ingle pu ll on wo king un ti es t e k ot ut e sta ndin part ca safel be ut un r l
IZE
HALF
HITCH
The half hitch is am on th ost wid ely used of fa te ings, bu s, in fact, a em rar knot, ound th formed of a single h tc ma tan di part of an ot her h tc a ro un and two half hi tches, fo exam le. Th tu no no mea nl an st in ut ra th er use to comple an re he ot r knots, hi may then be se for ing, an ing o ho ki
H " ' l ~
$IHG
HITCH
HI
Tilt o/roious uS
Co
HITCH
o knowlI as
AN
ARD /l l T e l
This hitch, comp sed of two sing le tches, is generall made around ing and is probably e le st secur all th tches an ho be egar ed as only a te mpor ar fasten ng. It ame sugges its os co mon u se as an of te he ing livestock
TIMBER HITC This dist in ctive ooking knot is really only a temporar noose, or med by twisting he wo ki ng en around its ow pa an not Three twis ts ar arou the standing pa ually sufficie nt to sec ur th ro around planks as ee or objects tr pol es so ch unks, that they ma
be raised or lowered
or pulled. Mo re twis s
ay be
ee ed
dragge th
object to be mo ve is especially thick Unfortunate is knot is easily tied incorrectl y.
singl hitch add to tile "core r lld 0[11 log or spr,r with Illil1l/>I'r hi/dllli the jurl/lcr end, the resil/ting iIliclr ii /eli mabies tile load be draXXed wi/holll il swhrginSaroumi
Whfll
21
TRANSOM KNOT will fin thl' t an so m no part ic la rly us ful fo r makin g t el li ses or tyin
Gardene
p bean see
is si milar to t co tri or ge 23) wit h t i kno , t he en ay be me ff fo nea ess be pr un robab lt e, it as er ly 10 cut through th iagona wh en e tw halve ill fall apart.
Tying loge tiler (Jfu ki l' bes ran Slllll/mol
cross bar I'
with 11
22
le
CONSTRICTO R KNO This knot has grown in popularity in recent years, an it ha dozens of uses It can be used on the ends of ropes as permanent or temporary whipping; ca be used to secure fabric bags such as those containing bouquet garni; can be used in woodworking to hold tw pieces in position while th glue drie Th knot is formed from an overhand knot, rapped beneath
crosswise round turn, which
holds it firmly place. The constrictor knot will stay tied an grip fir ly, and, in fact, th rope ma have to be cu fre unless the las tuck is made with a bight to produce slipped knot
Tile COlls/rictor knot is popular as an all purpose knot becallse it is a firm kllol which does/I'/ slip.
23
holding onto
guard rail with th
other.
Although it is often recommended as
Also known as:
BOATMAN'S
KNOT, PEG
KNOT
The name clove hitch firs appeared in Falconer's Dictionary of the Marine in th century, bu th
18 th
knot wa probably known for
centuries before then. Th main advantage of th clove hitch is that, given practise it ca be tied around post with just on hand, which makes particularly useful for sailors wh may, for example, need to tie a dinghy to a ballard with one hand while
24
mooring
clove hitch is not, however, totall secure if th strain is intermittent an at an inconstant angle, an while will afford temporary hold, it should be replaced by something more stable as soon as is practicable. Adding stoppe knot or making one or tw half hitches around th stand in part of th rope will make th knot more secure, Campers often us it to secure tent poles, which is th origin of on of its alternative names, th pe knot. knot, th
Iftll r Clave hilch is loaet as a moor ng kiwi, a sloppt'r kllol
sI,o,lid be added for s«rmty
Th
bi ht in
ov
slipp hitch enables the
knot to when th train
quickly undon rope is under
HITCH DROPPED OVERA POST CLOVE
Th not formed when two overlapping hal hitches
26
CLOVE HITCH, MADE ON A RING Th is part cular version of clove hitch is mo com on used in mountainee ing than in sai ing, for in sailing the ring is usually narrower than th ope, which ca beco bad chafed an therefore dangerous. Cl mbers us it eg lat th engt of rope betwee th climber an th piton th is, th a crack to pe sp ke driven into roc uppor th rope)
27
IZ
FISHERMAN'S BEND so
co
If
th
ow
fi
fo rm
th ou
n a s:
BEND
lea secure of the h tc es, mo st st e. S pl akin two turn ar ou ost or the rin an n tu kin th wor kin hi
ch
NCH
is
an 's be
nd th ou h bo urns th kno is wid el use by sa il or to mo r their boats th uayside. xt a secur ty c be pr ided by adding a lf itch. Th knot's othe na me he chor be t sailors us to ie on ri ves fro m the fact t he an ng, a a st opper knot be dd d ( or sa ety's sake
HERMAN
WI HALf
CD 28
AN
ADDED
CAT'S
AW
Because he strain is equa on both sides, is the best hoo knot fo rope edium dia meter. It ha be used by ck wo kers a nd sa lo to slin hea vy oa s, an urre nt ince at he name cat' pa as be eas he ar 8t cent ry. When ngle pa of a loa ro un over hook he ne is weake ed by bou e-t hir d. ca 's paw, secure dr up gives he dditional assurance thai, ld on leg break, th othe will lasllong enough to allow th loa to be safely ioweI'€d to th groun d.
r;:
IZD
BILL HITCH This knot can be mad an un eas il y, a nd it er ropes. It is suitable or use wi ed is ot however ed fo ailing p ur poses ve an te to be ssociat ith campi ng act ivities. It s g oo r h st ht bjec oft
30
ROLLING HITCH Also known as:
AGNER'S /fiTCH, MAGNUS HITCH
This ul knot s basicall cl ove hi ch w th the firs ur re ea ed. It employe ot ariners nd un ineers nd he most fective way of securing a small rope rg er lin ha is nd tr As on as th sma ll rope is pe ndicular to th la ger, the kn will ide easi along; once ension i exerted th anding ri an work ng e nd f the smaller rope, the knot locks in position. yo u plac your hand ov r the knot an slide it along th will slide off th en and unco ic er li into a straig ht ength of rope. The name rolling hitch has been use d since th 840s; before then the knot was known as magner's r magnus ch.
CD Ti
maill
/ J e n ( f t t o f f l r ~
Rollillg hitch is ability to s/idetQsily%llg Ot( lint to which it iso/taclitd. Dileo/ I h ~ traditiO/la/llses of/ oro is formakillg Ihejlag irlllyard/a s/ IlIeb llrgce staff hoislirr thelIa/yard ilOriumla ll
ROUND TURN AND TWO
HALF HITCHES Use this versatile knot whenever yo need to fasten line to ring, hook, handle, po e, rail or beam. It a strong, dependable knot which never jams. ha the additional advantage that once one end ha been secure with a round turn an two half hitches th other en can be tied wi h a second knot, which ma kes invaluable for fastening unwieldy objects to automobile roof racks.
HA
32
HITCHES
ITALIAN HITC A l s o h l O w n as M U N T E R
FRICTION HITCH, SLIDING
RING HITCH
Th
ad di ti n to he
kn
oduced
wa
unta nee s' lexi co of 74, an
at s, fixin officia me an be yi ru lUl g ro e a ound ock or clea t)
TI
inllova
l 1 / l
i!Jf:
l l i l c l
11 11
climbillg kll
IIsed for belaying; ils cI fe! advantage being its means oj absorb/lIS the ellergy of jail.
th
Uni n Internationa e des Assoc atio Alpinism e rope is passe around an th a ca biner an will c eck a climber' be ll lock up AJternativel y, the r pe c ac pa or ulled in to pr or ns on de eq ir Th ma or is ad ntag of kn at easy tie inco ectly.
PRUSIK KNOT This knot is named after Dr Carl J'rusik, wh devised it in ]931. It is a comparatively simple knot to tie, which is used by climbers to attach slings to a rope so that they slide smoothly when the knot is loose bu hold firm when sideways load is imposed. Although th knot does not always slide easily, once th load i in place it ca be re le ased on by removing the weight an freeing th turns of th rope. Th Prusik knot is us ul for anyone wh ha to scale awkward heights- tree surgeons an (avers, for example as well as for climbers, wh us it as a safety mechanism when abseiling or rappelling (that is descending steep rock face by using doubled rope fixed il higher point). The knot must be tied with rope thai is considerably thinner than th line around which it is tied, an it is mportant to note that it ma slip th rope is et or icy.
34
Loops • 1HRI"'0(0 liGHT
fiGURE
Loops are made to be dropped over an object, unlike
hitches, which are mad directly arollnd th objec and
5''''"1511
10WlI"'
follow its shape. They are knots formed by folding back the end of rope or Line into an eye or loop and
fastening it to its standing part
so
that th knot
is fixed
and does /lot move, Sailors find loop s, especially the
bowline, indispensable.
1 0 W l I I< I ( "'"GlER
T"Rll
ll"'I'R
lOO'
. . . . RT
10WliHI
" ' l " " 'k N O T
IUTTERflY
10Wll"' ... liGHT
0"
35
/Zl]
FIGURE EIGHT LOOP A l s o kflOWII as:
FIGURE EIGHT
ON
TIlE BIGHT
an lt hough thi kn t i di fficult to ad cann ot eas ly be untied after loading va ntages utwei h these drawbacks 1\ is co pa rat vely s knot to ti e, an ay ie ev when tiff op is use In addition bec use i appeara ce is unmi taka bl e, can be q ui ck ecked, w ic is importa nt when it used by i.mbers.
Thl' Figuretig ht
/0011 15
particularly suitnl or use
with mool'rn hatntsstS
bccauSt'of I t l ' symmetry. It strong. uncompliro cd Qnd II nlikl'ly
is
/0 wa,k Sl!lfloose.
This general purpose loop is 0111110 often used by climbers carabiner
36
atta(h
line to
THREADED FIGURE EIGHT This is a ariation of th figure eight oop. Th mo st freq ue uses of th hreaded figure gh ar for tying to th op an fo anchoring no cl mb bers of tea commo es wa Th is probably t attach ing rope to ha rn ess. ng on us ing a Bow ne equall sa ti sfac ory, b ut no as popular.
stopper knot must be th thr aded ad ed wh figure eighlloop is used to tie o 11 ine.
IZE
BOWLINE he bowli
s simple, strong nd stab e. It is the best k nown an most dely used on of knots, espec ally among sailors, an generally tied to for a fixed loop at he en of a line or to attach a op to an object. sea t is an for hoisting, se on running ggi oining an sa vage wo k. e a bowline by forming a oo in he stan in pa t o the ne Pass he wo ing e nd loop, aro nd the back up hrough he eye of of the standing pa an he do thro gh the
ey aga
. For safety's sake, fi sh he bowline off it a s opper knot to prevent fro turning nt a sli knot. Among knot' advan ages are he facts that do not p, come loose o r ja that it c n be quickly an easily untied, ev when th line is under te sio n. A major disadvantage ca that is ed with st ff rope, it s liabl to wo k loose as the li e ca nn ot "bed dow proper y. oose that alls he runn ing bowline ma es removed ro m he open as soon as th tens on ne Th t-handed bowli not as secure as the bowl ne itself an ould be avoided.
If the bowline is tied too
loosely it may turn into slip knot. Always finish it of with stopper knot.
BOWLINE, CASTIN METHOD Use he method of ty ng bo lin illu stra ed here wh you need t as en e a un an bj ec When synt et ope is used to t e t hi ot it ig ht be es eliab It goo idea sec ure t en tu an extra half it nd ap be eat one of e rope 's tran s.
I Z B CLIMBER'S BOWLINE Also known as:
B U L I N KN
Climbers us th bowline which is known by them as th bulin knot-as safety measure during ascents, when it is clipped into th carabiner. Climbers also tie this knot directly around their waists so that they ca adjust th length of ne before undertaking an ascent Whenever it is used in this wa the knot must be finished off with stopper knot.
40
The Climber's bowIiue is fosl to tie alld is easily umlOllc after it has beelr iWllvily loaded,
bill il
dOtrs
have
II
tellde/lcy 10 work loose
especially i[lIlc rope is stiff II shOldd always, therefore, be in c(mjullctiOll willI Stopper kilO!, llsed
II
I Z U
BOWLINE ON A BIGHT This is an ancient kn ot, bu on
that is still in us today, especially in sea rescues. If the person wh is being rescued is consc ous, he or sh places a leg through each loop an hangs on to th stand in part. ty is unconscious, both legs are the cas placed thro gh on loop while th her loop is passed under th mpits The knot is equally suitable for salvaging inanimate objects.
fro"
The knot is formed two loops of equal size Th loops overlap olher bu
~ a n
be opened
ou and used separately
42
BOWLINE, ROPE
TENSION
UNDER
Thi kn used by sai ors to altach boa rings. Th stand in pa t re in au ougho ut hile t he or ki ie to nd create a sec ur e fasten ing.
SPANISH BOWLINE so known as: CHA.IR
TIli is an ext em ly stron kn fir em
(when it
nown
that is used
th chair kno
coas guards an mountain esc ue s. Li th bowline bight, is an ancient knot, which or ed of two ep ate ndepend
CD
loops that hold sec ur y, even under co si de able st loop is s lipp ov he cas lty's ead, a rou back and under the armpits; the oth er loop goes around ho th legs, just behind th knees. It is vital that each oo p is adj sted to s ze an d locked in po tion, therwise an un co scio casualty could easil ll perhap to h s or he death through the
loo s.
Tht Spanish bowline is II u-rsatill' kno, which is l i s e d ill mallY silualions including r=:lI ng peoplefrol'll the se and hOisting objects in If hori:wntal position.
Ii
ANGLER'S LOOP Also known as: PERFECTION
an
LOOP
er's loop is know n
ha ve be n i
se
05. It is, as its na st nc he sugges s, fre ue ly ploye by fi sher en. ad iti n fi shing ne, it call be ie wi th st ng or fine synt etic li
ties iffer ab ut whethe is a s ui table knot fo r r ope. It is ifficul to untie, whic ma litate agains t its prone to ja se an so a us It is ra th ulky ot. ut ho
OIICC the angkr' loop
ma5lercd il
fal!
be lied very
qllickly. ami il is a/St.) very
secllre and stable knOI, Campers liSt' it hi 11 variety of
ways
46
1:<'
THREE-PART CROWN This
ure knot, bu it ot gene ll y used difficult untie after ht It is somet me ha ported he vy ood an gca II ca used by campers to ha so be us ot om as deco ve hang ob ec s. is
or because
AL PINE BUTTERFLY KNOT This symmetrica knot is sometimes used by climbers, wh loo it around chest. It will ho equa lly well whichever en is he d; it ca be tied uickl y; the loop does not shrink when (
48
BENDS
• • Bends are used to join the ends of wo lengths of rope to
form one longer piece, Ideally to insure that the knot is
II,..
DOUILl HIIIMAN
secure, the two ropes that are to be joined should be of the
JIC"OJ
same kind and have the same diameter, Unusually the sheet bend (see page 57)
is
secure
when it is used to jo in ropes of different diameters,
IE"O
HU"1EI CA IIllf
Cl
11
"'
HEET
TH
IE"O
II"'OT
GIO"
.,..OT
flGUlI1
liGHT
I l " 0
FlSHEI"'
""
l("'Of
gD
REEF KNOT Al so known as:
SQUARE KNOT
Thi is an a
nt no which wa known Late Stone Age. The Ancient Gre an it wa also kn ew it rcu les kn tied in cient e. It of th nl no ap fro m t he an kn Ihat an peop tl know nd th en no to leave loops an to drawn th rough th form ubl reef bow freque ntl us d t tie shoe aces. It traditional an proper use i durin
WAINU4
THIIIIIOT
II NOT
N I V I I I . t l l D WitH 1 0 , . 1
th
IAFI.IHD AND IHOUlD
D l f n l I M ' DIAMIUI$
CAPSIZED REEF KNOT Also known
s; LARK'S HEAD KNOT, CAPSIZED
SQUARE KNOT
ll ed an Th reef of sa il tha pa t w ic tied u p b the ree oin o reduce th ea caug ht by e wind, an th ease with which reef knot ca be sli pp apart ma pe fect fo r reefing ails. When one end of a reef knot is pulled sharply or is ubjected 10 strai he knot ll untie an become unst able. ap size reef kno ts hav caused accid ts an be ed with caution 50
to jo in th two nd of rope when eefing sail. ot short e nd he kn are on th sa i d e - if th ar not, it is a thief k n o t - a n d th kno t i fla is not, it rann kn Th fec thief knot ot is more sec ur than both an th granny ot, ut it should be sed only as te ra ry measure an with lines of th same diame er hat wil no be s bjec to stra in If ha o be se with ines ha will bea considerable weigh , s topper knots hould be ied in th rt ends.
The Rcefknol is mulli· purpose kiwi which is
symmetrical and made from two j n t e r l o c k ~ d /rights. lis beauty IiI'S in its simplic;ty.
knot can then formed, which can easily slide of the b r o k ~ n by pulling straight length of rope. sharply on one of the short ends. A cow hitc is Usually th
THIEF
KNOT
According to legend, sailors on whaling ships used this knot to tie their clothes bags. Thieves would retie them with reef knots, thus revealing that th bags ha been burgled. The thief knot is very similar to th reef knot, bu th hort ends are on pposite ides
"-
--
Reeflowt lyi side--by sidewi the Thief Kn ot shows clearly how easy it is to confuse he two krwts.
The
52
SURGEON S KNOT As its name uggests, this knot is used by to ti off blood vesse s, an it seems to urge have been se since about end of Wo ld
War II. Th knot has good grip, hvisting as it is drawn up an th diagonal is wrapped le ss bulky an flatter than so me around it It of th other knots used by surgeons he carrick ~ n d an th reef knot, for instance which tend to eave visib
\
overhand knots, which ar
FISHERMAN S KNOT
other so that th
Also known as: ANGLER'S KNOT, ENGLISH KNOT, ENGLISHMAN'S BEND OJ< KNOT, HALIBUT KNO'l',
TRUE-LOVER'S BEND
011
KNOT, WATERMAN'S kNOT
Th fisherman's knot should not be confused with th fisherman's bend (which is actually hitch, se page 28). The y are quite different knots. This knot wa invented during the 19 th century, although some writers have suggested that it ma have been known to th Ancient Greeks. It is formed from two identical
54
pushed against each
short, working e n d s of th
ropes lie in opposite directions, almost paral!el
to their standing parts Generally, the two component knots can be easily separated an undone.
to join lines of equal diameter, bu it is no suitable for ropes with large or even medium diameters. It is widely used by anglers to join fishing line, an it is also suitable for string an twine. The knot is not, in fact, as strong as th ine from which it is formed when is under great strain It
should be
se
r.;<
DOUBLE FISHERMAN KNOT Also kn own as:
GRAl'EVINE KNO
This is on of th st onges t kno for oi ning se no ropes r for fo rm ing s ings, an it ly, ts am ggests, angle s to secu ll st uff. cl mb rs on thei IinC' ut so ulky kn an ot, for is comparative ha t reason, uitable for anyth in more bstantial tha thin line or st ri ng. Th ends he working pa s t ca e ta pe seize ni ze th isk of the knot working loose.
It
imb el'5 ape the e ds to ca on th sto p th oc
(ace.
described by Phil D. Smith, an American, in
HUNTER Also known
BEND
as; RIGGER'S BEND
On 6 October 968 The Times (London) carried a
report on th front page describing ho re ired physician, ha ne inv en no t. Th article generat ed a lo of intere st in both Europe an th United tate s, bu at th height of th publi ci ty it wa ound that the knot had already been
Dr Edward Hunter
about 1950 in a publication calle
Knots fo Mountaineers. Phil Smith had been working on th waterfront in San Francisco during World War II when he had devised th knot, which he ha named a rigger's bend. is a so easy to un ie. [t is based on two overhand no ts an is st ronger than the fisherman's bend, he sheet be he an is reef knot, alth ough it not as strong as th blood knot.
The Hun/er's bend is a useful gel eral purpose knot, which is stable alld has good grip. It is also easy to ulilie
SHEET BEND Also k n o w l l as: COMMON
BEND, FLAG BEND
Th eet bend un usua an be li se in es of un eq al dia ers. is pr obably th most often used of ll bend s, is nO 00 perce t sec ur an oul ne ver be use in circumsta ces where it is go ng be su ec o grea st ain It breakin strai is ur reduced in proportion to he difference in the diameter of th line jOi ned Although th knot may be see n in Ancie nt Egyptian paintings, name did not appear pr nt 1794 The sheet as or ginally he ope attache fClt clew (the lower or after corner) of a sa l, which wa used fo im ing t sa il , a nd it wa from hi usage ha th er ved name. It is a so traditiona used to join he tw corners of a flag o t he op used or raising or lowering t. On ch occ on t i so eti es ref rr ed flag be d. It can also be se make anyt hi ng wit ope fas ur ha dle o ade, for exa th which th line can be assed an trappe un self Whe th kn is tied it th or ds on oppos te sides becomes a eft- handed. eet be nd , but th is o be avoi ed this kn ot secure.
G)
A slipped hee bend is formed by placing a bight bdween Ute loop of the he avier rope an the standing part of the lighter rope. Th slipped knot may be more easily untied wh n th rope under tr in
57
FIGURE EIGHT BEN Also known
s: FtEM IS
BEN D
KN
Althou thi is imple no to ti sim pl mak e a figure eight knot in on en nd follow ar is on nd with the ot work ng en of th trongest bend that can be ti ed in both rope an
//--
ring
-----. ...............
---o- -,:c
----
58
CARRICK BEND A l s o k n o w n as
COWBOY KJ"rQ T, SPLI
KNOT, WARP
KNOT
This stable knot, which is form ed from tw
overhand loops crossing each othe most widely used knot on ol
was the
sa ing sh
s. It
co mo na me s s ggest some of the other ci rcumstan ce in which th carrick bend ma be found - it is known as the cowboy knot to cowhands, th
split knot to knitwear
manufacturers an the warp knot to sailors. Today, however, it is less often used aboard ship because it can be fficult to un when th
..-"-","'"
CD
knot known th Japanese Par«I knot is tied in the same wa as th Canick Bend An attractive
using doubled ends
is wet. When it is used, its main purpose to join large-dia meter ha sers an warps, an in these circumstances it is usually left in it flat form with th ends seized (that is, secured by binding with turn of yarn) to the standing parts. In its flat form it is sometimes also used to fasten scarves an belts, an its symmetrical appearance has made great favorite with illustrators of military uniforms When it i drawn it capsizes into completel different shape, an for this reason, although it has been recommende as a knot for moun taineers, may be unsuitable as it is probably too bulky to pass through carabiner. ro
---- --
..------ .....
.......
RUNNING KNOTS
Running knots are also known as lip knots or noo ses. Their main characteri tics are that thelj tighten around the objects on which they are tied but slacken when the
strain is reduced. This group a/knots is divided into two kinds: those that are tied by passing II.U I'I I ' I I I'I
I ' I E
bight through
fixed loop at the end of lin and those that are formed
from
1'1
closed bight knotted at the end of line or alon it
0
Running knots must be among the oldest knot known to man, They were se in prehistoric times to mak
weapons and snares to trap animals,
I'I
AI'I'
AR
KI'I
60
II.
KI'IOT
RUNNING BOWLINE Th
is probably th onl running knot to be by mariner It is ound on th runn ggi or it may b se se fl oat in jects tha have fall en overboard. At sea during 19 h century wa us to ight en sq ua es ai to ya rda m in hi gh
winds, nd at the sa me ime in th country it was used by poache s. [t has many othe r us s, being strong and sec ur eas to slide an ndo. Tying does no wea en th si ple se for hangin op The kn is mo tl ob ec s w th opes of unequa diame ters. Th needed he objec creat es he ten weight to make th knot rip
z
"-
ANGMAN so known
s: A.CK
S KNOT ETCH'S
Thi not is one o nn kn ots t at is form kn tt g a dose bi ht at the e d o li Its eveals ts ma se, an ve name co es ro he noto ri lt rn exec tio r ck di ed 686. It stro g noose, whic li es il y. Th um be of ur can vary betwee dd nd hi een, a mb ys be se
62
NOOSE This simple knot ca be sed as th first knot in tyin up a package. On arge sca e, it is sometimes used to pu tackle cables under st ess. It made of string or mall stuff. The noose ca lso be used as hitch it as tw main functio s. When noose tied around so et hi ng lar ge tree runk or example only a fair short lengt of lin eq red. If constricto kno dove arrow hi tch were nd ar ore ed on the ot needed. rope would be When no ses ar used as hitches they are very sec re. noose can also be used when it is difficult o get close to th object around whi ch the knot to be ied. It may for ns ance, be possible to pass th en of a line around th base of an inaccessib le object, noose and tighten it opper kno t should be added pr event th noose ipping.
CD
TARBUCK KNOT ke th hangman s knot this kn is fo med by knotting closed bigh t at th en of line. It was devised fo r use by climbers w th op kel wa be subjected to eavy or expected tre ss because t no abso bed th shoc It ha ecently fa ll ro fa vor, ho er because e-b id (s eat nd core) ropes can ow absorb an y s oc nd th knot wo in a y c se, da age t e s eath of the se ne type of rope This is ever heless, a useful gener purpose knot which rip under st ain lth ug it can be slid alon he tand ng part. artic ul rly secu re knot. It is not, however
'"
=>
CD
64
SHORTENINGS • As their name implies, these invaluable knots are used to shortell/ ong line s. Short ropes may be needed SHEEP$HAt-Il(
temporarily to tow
car or haul
load for example, and
shortened rope is always more sec ur than two cut eng ths joined together with another knot. In any case,
longer rope ma be needed at some later date, and
rope
shorten ed by means of knot can always be eng th ened at
some later date. Shortenings can also be used to take up weakened or amaged leng hs of line so tha th ey are not
subjected to any strain. hese knots are well wor th
mastering.
Kt-IOT
SHEEPSHANK Th sheepshank is
seafarer's knot: it does no afe, it unties easi y, an it has a good amming action. s an easily tied knot, which
th fa under te on eased, th kn falls apart. The be of ha lf hitches can vary from three to five an at nu ber dete es both th the length fi mn ss of the grip of th knot an by w ich th line ho te d.
n
dition to
need to cu them,
te ni
ines without th
sheepshank is used
sea riggi g.
for tow ng boa an on the runn es to he can also be se keep slac way, which co d ha nume ou appl cations, includin keeping bell rope tidy. When th knot is used to sh n a dama ge ine, is portant that the da aged sec ion o rope passes throu both f the half hitches.
The Sllaps/lDnk able to ry the length ofa rapt to
suit the immediate requirement wit/lOul hlWing tocutlheropt!.
""
Loop KNOT of the best ways of sho rt en in g a damaged oo kn ot. This simple fa teni ng ro to t takes up he weakened part o the line in the center of the kn tha not pu unde tr in Th knot is often se for towing utomob iles an trucks. On
Pull the eods of the ompleh?d Sheepshank nd th knot becomes quite decorative.
FISHING KNOTS
• Because the conditions on a river bank may not be ideal, it BlOOD
KtlOT
is
important that fishermen thoroughly master the ar of
: I I I I " " I : . . . . . - GRIN"'ER
KIoI01
tying a variety a/knots before they set out. Knots must be tied securely and correctly if they are
to
be oj any use, and
we and windy weather or poor light are not the ideal conditions in which to attempt to tie knot for the first BLOOD
lOOP
DOUILE
GRINNER
1(1'101
time Practise tying the knots that are described on the pages that follow until you are confident that you can tie
them accurately and quickly then you are ready to tie them on the river bank.
HAlf
TUCKED
BLOOD
KNOT
OQUBl( KI<01 lOOP
1/ tlEEPL(
WATER
KI'lOT
68
KtlOT
The knots used in fi shi ng are differe nt from ho se used by mariners, cl mbers and campers because hey are tied in fin monofilam en t, an he very na ur of monofilament m eans ha once fastened, t ese knots cannot ually be untied. Ea h kn ot that fis he rman uses performs a iffe en fu ction, a nd it i ossible at as many as eight knots at tim ma y be required. A kn ot may b used to join tw en th of fis in line, it may join a line to lea or it may atta ur hook sinker or swivel to a line, for xa ple an knot ha is pe rfect for e tas will no necessarily serve no he purpose. ork with monofilamen you will When yo find that mo steni ng the line by d ip ing it in water or lubricating it with saliva will el yo to draw up moot ly an bed it do n igh y. pair of pliers s esse ntia You will also find ha when you re us g one of the heav er monofilament lines. It is almost impos ible to with your bare hands. draw line really ti Resis th temptation to add a rican such as silicone to help draw the knot tight: th brica nt will remain in he knot an will ad to th line is the chances of he knot slippi ng wh in u e. The finer the ga ge of line you use to ie knot, he easie it is to dr aw it up gh an seat
it securel Th diameter f th line may also influence the kind of knot you tie, or some knots ha work well with fine mo ofilame nt cannot drawn up tight wh en th are ed in heavie gaug line. Remember that when you the ti two le ng th of monofilament tog et he kn ot will be more secure if the ines are de by he same manufacturer. This i th case even if you are tying toget her lines of different am ers Different ma ufa turers produce ines tha t diffe in the degr ee of stiffness, an hi can affect the success of he knot. Once th kno is fir ly seated, should be trimmed . Do not try to urn the tag en you will on ly weaken th knot. Use a pair of nail clippers, sciss or s o cutting pliers or air of pu po se made cutters to trim he nd at an an of degrees so close to he kn that th en does no protrude. It is importan th ta en do not extend; if it does, it might catch on th hoo or get caught up weeds. You will find that some knots can withstand a considerable strain th is consistently appl ied while they ail when they are ub jected to sudden jerk. You can es the cha ra cte ris cs of iffe rent knots for oursel by asking a fr iend to hold th ends of some engt hs of line while you pull on th other ends. Wear gloves to prote your hands when ou do this
Most fishing line, known as monofilament. is made of nylon because it is tough alld flexible. It comes in brmkillg strains of8 OUIlCes up to 1()() pounds fo very stro llg lil es used in derp sea big game fishing.
BLOOD KNOT lso kllow
as:
ARREL
KNOT
Th am barr kn de ves from ce o th numerou wr ap ing t ur ap pe th re r eq uired to comp et thi kn whi ha s a tively high breaking strain It widely ti sed nylon line in a host of itua it most success ful wh n th lin is of lth or ess ual thickne ss. Because an gle rs tie heir knots in hf line, up tightl ce t ey re drawn s almo st po ss e to untie he m - th lin su ll as e cut. During 19th en ury, an er nd
:I:
70
tackl sed o be ab e to ke sec t th in ri cies o f the va riou knot th ey ed be au se s so ffi ult to unra ve th us be d ow er an in ee board an ocea -goin ne Jock Pu rvis, we nt th in in tr uble of diss ec ing a nd tru ting a specim n b oo ot, ee in re co the ut sec ti s in paraffin wax an ing a crosc o examin the twists and turn s of th lin e. Purvi s' finding we publi d in th an lin pr ess in 1 10. When yo a blood knot s bes to eave i sl so that yo can count the tu rns. Thi ill ea ha the e ds ill ha o be cut nea ly, ut he gr ip i excell nt.
BLOOD LOOP DROPPER
KNOT
Also known as: DR OPP
When fishermen wa nt
LOOP
or
on
fly on
line at t he same time, he se we ht ed line wi th se ries of hooks at in tervals a on t. Ad ional flies a know as droppers; an this th loo at is ed attach th em to a paternos because he loop fonned at a r gh angle to th ine.
H A L F TUCKED BLOOD
KNOT Also known as: CLINCH KNO
er
ey need to ti es It an ea sy kno to master an an be tied quickly. wever, it is only rea ll y successful wh en sed with fine monofilament. This is no su table knot fo eavy li s.
sw ve
se thi
when
eyed hook to th ir l
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TURLE KNOT This knot is se by fishermen to tie flies it turned up or turned down eyes to he ppet. th ring-eye hooks. It is no suitable for us The knot wa named after Major Turle of Devon, England, in 884. The line is passed through th ey of th hook, he kno is ed an
he
th
not.
hook is drawn
rough the oo
of
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,
,
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73
G
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WATER KNOT Also known as: COVE KNOT
likely that this strong knot was known to Izaak Walton (1593-]683), an th earliest printed reference to it is believed to have been in 1496. It is especially useful because it can be
It seems
74
used to join Hnes of different sizes, and th breaking strength can be even further enhanced by tucking the ends three m O T e times create quadruple overhand knot with both lines an then drawing them carefully togeth er as you would a multiple overhand knot (see page 14).
ti
GRINNER KNOT Also known as;
NCAN
LOOP KNOT, UN/-KN
This an excellent an tifiabl popular knot or join ing either fly or an eyed ook to leader hat is a le gth of ylo n that forms th junction between the fly-l in an fly) r t tippet (the in term in section o eade r).
TheGrinnerblOlondthe Half-tuckedbloodhwtareth
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twobestmethodsaftyingJly to/ine Theyar difficultto master and flyfishtnntl1 will benefit from p1l1c/isingal h(tTTlt.
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DOUBLE GRINNER KNOT Also known as:
PARACUM
KNOT
,
This kno t is actuall tw grinner or uni-knots tied back to back It is used by fishermen wh are trying to catch la rge fish with small flies on very fine tippets as it is an effective wa of join ing together tw"o sections of tippet or leader.
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76
DOUBLE LOOP KNOT Al so know
as:
SURCEON 'S
LOOP
his kn sa e way ed in t urgeo 's kno see page 53) except ad wi in gt of line Th oo can be ti very q ui y.
loops quite long.
Interlocked loop s are an
th
easy an quick way of attaching to line hooks
Thread on
thai ar
already tied
to
length of nylon. Make two double loop knots in the end of line, leaving
it is
no
loop through
other, pass the en of the hook through the lin
th
loop an
puilihem
carefully together
li
ii
NEEDLE
KNOT
Also known as: NEEDLE
NAIL KNOT
The needle knot se to effect smoo th in between he fly- line an th bu nd (that s, he thick pa of th leader. No only his an extremely strong wa of fastening monofilam t to fly line, also unlikely ca tch or snag on debris as he line is fished.
FL
t-I
78
MOHOFILAM£NT
GLOSSARY
line filament or a braided lyes er line with a b eaking s train o 15-1 he fIy line to bulk ou pounds used flyfl y-line ro ree spoo l. II pr ve ts th fi or ming into ti ht coils. Wh en tw isting an largejish that makes long ru s caught, t ed to ru ou after back ng ne ca so be all th fly line. used to describe th ac on of ty ng Bend toget he ends; thus th na two ro of various knots se to tie on ro pe to an othe r to a object. fr gh th slack sec of rope, ex e workin en to t he st ndin en (qq.v), oo especially w it is form ed op is bent ack on itself. kn tied "i th bight" or "o th bight" do ot requ re th en for he tying process. eaking stra or trength BS) t he rope uf acturer' es imate of th oa at ill cause a rope rt; the calcul ion takes no acco un of wear an tear, ho ck load ng or knots, an it nnot be re ar de d as a safe work ng load ('f. .) The manufacturer's stre gt of line calcu tion is base it is dr Lines ar weaker when th y a wh notted or we t. Butt the thick part of ea er th ot er sec io avi ng been join to th fl y-line. it is uall monofilamen with a breaking st in of 22 ounds, alth braided monofilament is some me sed. rp ('l.v.) or Cable arge rope or anchor n. Cable laid rope fo rmed of th ree rig handed hawsers laid left handed form ar ge nine-stranded ro or cable Capsize verb used to describ th di ortion in knot that loosens or l.ips when th sh ape de knot ar ress; so liberately capsize as way of tying or untying them Car ner couplin link with safety closure used by mountaineers. Clear ve rb u sed describe th ct of loose angles i ro s. Cleat mall piece wood or et with on which a ro projecting may be aste ne rd th ame giv several tightly twi st a line th a di mete of yarns ('l.v.) less ha 'h inch.
Cordage a collective n am e for ropes an cords, used espe cially to es ro es in ship's be t rigging. heart he in er part or hear of rope or Core sennet ('l.v.) of more th n t hree trand an most ra ided lines; t is formed from oos twi ed st rand or from bund e of paralle yarns an runs the en th of la ge ropes. It ay be cheap, weak filler or serve ec fic all as thene tr tiffener. used to describe th winding back of Dog e tail nd of a ro e a round tself or aroun an th er (often ger) wi th ay ('l.v.) to engthwi secure it em po aril ag in st pull og ge th wo d se to describe draw oo that prevented from undoing accidentally by whipping (q .v.) it or sticking somethin hrough it
Double: line: similar to loop ('l.v.), ut both oget he rath er ha se tr nd working wi th loop t ha is form ed Dropper a s hort length of onofilament bearing th lea er between th oined a w fly nd th fl y-line. So me leaders are en fl pe attached; co ercia ll made with alternative y, dropper ma be attached o a eader by means of a b oo kn (see pa 70). See so team of fli es, below. bu flexible rope ormed Eight pla stro wh ich sp fo ur pairs o stra s, tw cl ockw ise an tw of w hich spiral antid ock is e; such op does no ki k. ngth of rope that End ually th en bein knotted, bu se stand ng en and wo kin g e nd Eye oo rmed th nd of en th f r pe by seizing licin (qq.v.J. Fid tapering wooden pin use to work or loosen str ands of rope. rope th cannot li Fout es ribe because caught. is an ed Fray verb used to describe th unrav eli ng lengt of rope. espe cially of he en , o Grommet a ring, usually twisted pe or ta \, se to st n th edge sa il to its stay ho ld a oa in place, etc. Hanger see penda nt Hawser rope or cabl large en gh for towing or oo in it usually ha a circumf ce of 5-24 inc es ,.
Heart see core. Hitch a knot that secures a rope to a post, g, spar, etc or to anot rope. Kemmantel od rn synthetic rope made of a smooth outer shea h of tightly braided fi bers tted ov er a core of filaments. lanyard short ope or cord, us ll y t hr ee stran ed an often b aided or ornamented, used o secure objects o rigg ng as hand for tools an gear. the di ection either eft- or rig t-handed, o th twist of the st ands forming a rope. Lead the di ection taken by he working en (q.v.) hr gh a knot. th Leader he ength of nylon t at for junction be ween th fly-line an the fly.lt ay be tapered mechanically an us be notless o it may be reduced in dia ete by using sections of lines with fferent dia ete s. Beca se t i less ulk than t e fly- ine itself, or de li ca presentation of fly is possi le In a dd tion, wh a floating li sed, leng hening the leader ma es t possible to fis in deeper wat r. Line he gener or co dage with specific purpose, th gh i ca be used to re er to ro e wit a defi se e.g., fishing line, clot es ine. Loop a p t of a op be t so that ts pa s come together or cross. Marline a th ine of two, oft loosely twisted, st ands, used fo tw st ng round he en s of ropes o cab es to preven t fraying. Mar1ing th act of lashing or bindi ng wit marline (q.u.), aking a hi ch at each turn Mar1inspike or mar1inespike a pointed iron instrumen fo separat ng he stra nd s o a rope in splic ng or marling (qq. v.). Nip th in in pressure wi in a no ha prevents it from slippi Pendant or hanger shor length of rope wi an ey spliced (q.v.) in one en an hook in the other. Plain-laid rope three st anded rope, twistedi.e., ai to th right. Point a conica deco ative en a rope used to el reeve (q.v t t hrough ho es an eyes. Reeve ve se o descr be th act o slipping he en of a rope t rough a b ock, r ng or clea
Seized fasten or attached by bin ng th turns of yarn. Sennit ai co rdage made in flat o r round or sq ua re fo from between ree an ne co ds. of rope that is not under en on Slack th S-Iaid rope left handed rope Small stuff twine, st ng o cord (q v.), or ro ha has a c rc um fe ence of es tha 1 inch diamete f less than Ih nch. Soft laid oose y twisted ope. Splice verb used to describe the act of joining ends of rope by interweav ng stra ds. Standing end th short area at the en the standing par (q u.).
Standing part the pa of a ro pe tha t is fixed or under tension as opposed he en tha t is f ee (the working end) wi h which he kno t i ied. In fishing the standi g p is wound around the reel. Stopper a short ength of op or chain used to limit the running of a line or to ho nes whi ey a e cleate (q he oppos te Strand yarn wis ed together di ection to th yarn self; op ma e with strands ot raided) s known a aid line. Tag end e pa t of a fis hi ng ne in ic the kn is t ed; see wo ing en Team offties two, th ee or four wet fl ies eader by me s of s attache d to the sa lengths of monofilament (or droppers , see above) When three fl ies are sed, the top on (wh ch bounces off th surface of th wa er) known as the b ob fl or top dropper, he midd one is kn ow as th ddle dropper and the bottom one known as th poin or tail fl y. Tippet or point he hi term na section of he eader to which fly is tied. It s usually 12-18 inches lo a ro i.e. the basic Turn on round en of the k ot; a turn is usually ach eved y passing t e working en aro un th art or a s an in oo . T ta e a t rn an in s to mak a sing round wit th ope a ound a cleat (q .v .) balla d. escrib ng the ac of moving a vessel Warp ve from one p ace n a ha bo to othe by ea of ropes or hawsers; a warp is, thus, a rope or hawser used fo that purpose. Whipping e act of tightl wrapping small stuff around he en of a leng h of rope o prevel1tit --- un aying an ay ng. Working end e pa of a rope used in ty ng kn ; t e o posi e of sta ding en (q.v Yarn the asic ement of a rope or cord. Z-Iaid right handed rope
(q .v ).
Rope a thick, strong c rd easu ing mo ha 1 inch in circumfe ence ma e from ntertwis ed rands of fi er, thi wire, leather stri s, etc Safe working load SWL th estimated load at can be place on a rope w thout b r e ~ k n g ,
given i s age, con di on, the knots use an an shoc loa ing. NB: sa wo ing loa may be as li tle as one-six h of the ma fact rer's quoted brea in st engt (q
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