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MORE THAN 50 OF THE MOST USEFUL KNOTS FOR CAMPING,SAILING, FISHING, AND CLIMBING

PeterOwenI

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PETER OWEN

BOOKSAN IMPR INT OF

RUNNING PRESSPHILADELPH IA, PENNSYLVANIA

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A QUINTET BOOKFr!it publ ished in 1993

by Running PressCopyright 1993 Quinte t Publlshins Lim ited,Al l righ ts reserved, No P

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Page no61213131415161718192021222324262728293031323334353637383940424344

CONTENTS

IntroductionSTOPPER KNOTSOverhand knotOverhand loopMultiple overhand knotHeaving line knotFigure-ot-eight knotHITCHESHalf hitchHighwayman's hitch(ow hitchTimber hitchTransom knotConstricto r knotClove hitchClove hitch, dropped over a postClove hi tch, made on a ringfi sherman 's bendCat's pawBill hitchRolling hitchRound turn e!nd two half hitchesItalian hitchPru sikknotLOOPSFigure-ot-eight loopThreaded figure -of-eightBowlineBowline, casting methodClimber's bowl ineBowline on a bightBowline, rope under tensionSpanish bowline

GP Cl CA Sl FS Page no464748 49 50 51 52 5354 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62

63 64 65 66 67

687071 7273 74 75 76 77 78 79

KEY:GP "" General Pu rposeCl "" Climbi ngCA = ( amplngSL = sa ilingFS = Fshing

Angler's loopTh re e-part-crownAlpine butterfly knotBENDSReef knotCapsized reef knotTh ief kno tSurgeon 's knotFisherman's knotDouble fisherman's knotHunter's bendSheet bendFigure-o f-eight bendCarrick bendRUNNING KNOTSRunning bowlineHangmen's knotNooseTarbuck knotSHORTENINGSSheepshankLoop knotFISHING KHOTSBlood knotHal f tucked blood knotBlood loop dropper knotTurle knotWater knotGrinner knotDouble grinner knotDouble loop knotNeedle knotGlossary

GP CL CASL FS

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INTRODUCTION

A knot is simply a cDlmeclion in a thread, cord or lengthof rope formed either by pnssing one free end - known asaworking end - through a loop and drawing it tight or byintertwining or tying together pieces of thread, cord or

rope. However, there are several quite distinct groups ofknot - hitches and bends, binding knots, stopper knots ,knots that form nooses or loops QlId knots that join smalllines together. Each knot serves a different purpose, andalthough it is not necessary to know a large number of

different knots - four or five should suffice in mostcircumstances - it is important to know which blOt isbest suited to the conditions in which it is to be used.

You should also bear in mind thai any knot, no matterhow carefully and securely tied , will reduce the breakingsirain of a line by between 5 and 20 percent. Just before it

breaks, a knot slips. The more tightly you can draw aknot when you are tying it , the greater the strain it will

withstal1d before it slips.

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ROPE MANUFACTURETrad itionally made rope is formed of the fi bersof materials that have been twisted together .If you look at an ord inary piece of three-stra ndrope, yo u will find that it is laid right-handed tha t is, no ma tter which way up you hold it, thestrands appear to ascend upward and to theright. This is because when it is made, the firstgroup of fibers are twisted to form right-handyarn i the yarn is then twisted togethe r the otherway to form left-hand strands; and the strandsare twisted together to fo rm right-laid rope. Thetension created by the alternate di rec tion of thetwists holds the rope toget her and gives itstrength . Even when a strand is uncoiled fromthe rope, the remaining two stra nd s will clingtogether, leaving a clearly defin ed gap in whichthe missing strand should lie. The way aseparated strand is laid-up is a vital concept tograsp fo r it is t,he basic principle on whichropemaki ng is based.

Natural tiber ropesUn til about the time of World Wa r II, rope wasmade from na tural mate rials - hemp andman illa, cotton, coir, fl ax or sisa l. Now,however, a ra nge of syn the tic fibers means thatthere is a specialized rope for every possibleapplication.

Most rope made from natural fibers is threestrand and righ t- laid. Left-hand rope is muchscarcer and is often four-s trand. There is also asix-strand rope, which is made in France, butthi s type of rop e has a hollow core, which has tobe filled wi th cheap stuff. Four-strand rope isapp roximately 10 percent weaker than its threestrand equivalent, and remarkable, cable-la idline (that is, three three-strand ropes laid upleft-handed to form a nine -strand cable) is 40percent weaker than the same size of hawse rlaid (tha t is, ordinary three-strand) rope.

There are many obv ious problems associa tedwith natural fibe r rope. When wet it swells,making it extremely difficult to un tie the knot the rope also tends to become quite brittle.Elemen ts such as ha rsh sun and chemi cals alsotend to wea ther the rope.Synthetic ropesEven though natural rope is strong, it is not asstrong as it would be if the fibers ran the wholelength of the rope. Sy nthetic ropes, on the otherhand, can be ma de [rom one con tinuous length.The filaments do not have to be twistedtogether to make them cohere. A wide range ofsynthetic ropes has been developed since WorldWar II , but they all share some characteristics:size for size they are ligh ter than ropes madefrom natura l fibers; they are available in avariety of colors; and they are cheaper than

Rop" is madr up of iberstwis ted together, filch in tkeopposite direction 10 theprevious one to form Ihe yam;these are twisted loge/ker Iheopposite way 10 form slra'ldswhick in lum are Iwis/M toform right-laid rope .

COMMONLY USED ROPE

E l A, ST ICA, T ED ' I G

S I S A, l

7

z0Wkichevtr way you examine "ight-hand laid rope, notia chow the strands a/ways nIlSand upward lind to theright . Left-mmd lIIid rope is a 0fllrity.

Zs T A, ... 0

Y A, R ...

F IBERS

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Sy111hrtic rope can be eitherlaid-up (above) or braided illIIle 5Ilme li.'fiy that naturalfiber rope is : al l Oilier braidedslleatll surroUllds an innercore (below) ; tile lalier ismarkedly superior to thai oflaid -up ropt', eSI7f!cially inclimbing situations. laid-liprope is tire dlearer of he two.

natural fiber ropes . In addition, synthetic ropeshave a high tensile strength and outstandingload-bearing qualities; they are capable ofabsorbing shocks; they are immune to rot,mildew and degradation from salt water; andthey are resistant to chemical damage andcorrosion from oils, petrol and most solvents.Moreover, because they absorb less water thanropes made of natural fibers, their breakingstrains remain more constant when they arewet.Nylon (polyamide) ropes are st rong andstretch, which make them useful for towing.Nylon ropes also absorb shock loads extremelywell, and they do not floa t. Polyester ropes, onthe other hand, give very little stretch, althoughthey are nearly as strong as ny lon ropes.Polypropylene is used to make a populargeneral-purpose rope, which is often used bysailors, bu t it floats, which may rule it out forsome instances. Polyethylene rope is not asstrong as other types of synthetic rope and isnot widely used. On e of the strongest of thesynthetic substances is aramide, but it isexpensive and sensitive to ultraviolet light.

One of the main disadvantages of syntheticropes, however, is tha t they are so smooth thatsome knots slip undone. The old-fashionedfiber ropes had their own built-in resistance toslippage, but synthetic rope may need to besecured by an extra half hitch or tuc k. Partly toovercome this, one kind of synthetic rope ismade in the old way, by first chopping up thefilaments into shorter lengths, and then,twisting them in alternate directions, bybuilding up the strands and then the rope itself.This is known as laid-up rope.

The other group of synthetic ropes are plaited8

or braided. Plaited usually describes rope tha t i5formed of solid plaits of four- or eight-stranded.Braided rope has a sheath of 16 or more strandssurrounding an inner hollow braided core or asolid core of parallel or only slightly twistedfilaments.

Another major problem that may beencountered with synthetic ropes is that theymelt when they are hea ted, and it is possible forsufficient heat to be generated simply by tworopes rubbing against each other. This is,obviously, of vital importance to mountaineers,who should always be quite certain that none oftheir ropes is likely to rub against another. Jt iseven possible for the heat generated by frictionto cause the rope that is tied in a knot to fusetogether, so that it can never again be un tied.A rope that is twice the diameter of anotherwill be four times as strong. It is not necessarilyalways true, however, that the stronger of tworopes is the one to select. In somecircumstances, elasticity may be moreimportant than strength - if the rope has to bearshock loads, for example - an.d then a ropemade of polyester polyamide would be better.Do not buy rope that is too stiff. Laid-up ropethat is made from relatively thick multifilamentsthat are tw is ted tightly together will giveexcellent resistance to wear but may beawkward to tie, and knots may not hold well.Remember that, despite what the salesman maytell you, rope does not get more supple withtime. Beware, too, of very so ft twisted rope.

Sailors should not use a rope that floats foranchoring purposes in ports. A floating ropewill inevi tably be severed by the propellers ofmotor boats . Floating lines should be used onlyfo r rescue work, light buoys and so forth.

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How TO CHOOSE A ROPERope should be chosen according to the situation for which it will be used- considering carefully both the material and the type (braided or laidup ).

Pu"""" .....,. CUmbing Towing AnChorage Moon"" Halyards FishingMaterial purposePolyester X X X""'" X X X X X X"".-M X X

Sealing endsWhen you buy synthetic rope (TOm a chandlery,an electrically hea ted knife is used to cut therope to Ihe req uired length. Th is gives a sharpedge and sea ls the end . When you cut syntheticrope yourself, however, you will probably usean ordinary sharp knife and then melt the endof the rope with a cigarette lighter or an electricring.looking after ropeRope is expensive so always look after it. Try toavoid dragging it over sharp or rough edges, orove r surfaces wh ere particles of dirt and gritwill penetra te the fibe rs . Do not force rope intoharsh kinks. Use floating lines only for rescuewo rk, light buoys, etc.

CO ILING A ROPEThe junction ofcoiling is thatt h ~ ropt will be immediatelyufll'SSibJl'ulld u7I/a7lgll'dwhell 1I=l1'd. Coiltd rupt isusl'jul ifyou want to sling therope on your backpackOTOWl"your shouldl'r.

Ill:\

--)( --- -- - - .....,dlJi ---------

9

SOME BREAKING LOADS(lbs )

M a t ~ r i a l Diame-kr 1In : 25.4mm6mm 8mm 10mm

aramldcore 2_ 5510 ....nykJn, 3-strand 1650 2980 4590polyester, 3strand 1250 22'0 3500polyester, 16-brald 2200 3750 5730~ , 3 - t r a n d 1100 2000 3000poIythene, 3-strand 880 1540 2400

Before coiling it, always make sure tha i th erope is dry, even if it is synthetic. If it has beenin sea wa ter, rinse it with fresh water to removeany deposits of salt. At th e end of the season,wash ropes thoroughly in a detergent, carefullyremoving any oil or tar stains with petrol ortrichloroethylene.

Tying knots weakens ropes . The sharper thecurve and the tighter the nip, the greater is thechance that the rop e w ill break, and wh en itdoes so it will brea k immediately outside theknot. Many often-used knots are surprisinglyharmful to rope, the worst offender being th esimple overhand knot (see page 12) . Never usetwo ropes of different materials togetherbecause only the more rigid of the two w illwork under strain.

oocoz

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Selecting knotsOne of the main reasons for selecting one knotrather than another is th e relative s treng th ofthe knots. This is es pecially true for cl imbersand mountaineers, bu t it is also a considerationfo r mariners. Other characteristics such asspeed and ease of tying, bulk and reliability willalso influence the choice.

Climbers gene rally use knots tha t aTe bulkyand that have several wrapping turns, whichare designed to absorb strains and to avoidweakening the rope unnecessarily. Knots usedby climbers must be checked regu lar ly,eSpecia lly if stiff rop e is used, because it is moredifficult to tie than more flexible line an d theknots may be less secure.

Anglers use similar, but much smaller, barrel-shaped knots, partly to improve their chances

of a good ca tch and pa rtly to safeguardexpensive fishing gear.

Generally, you should also un tie knots assoon as possible afler use. This will be easier ifyou choose a suitable kno t in the firs t place.And remember tha t knots that d isappear whenthey are slipped off their foundations such asthe clove hitch and Prusik knot (see pages 24and 34) are no less strong or secure.

Finally, remember that tying kno ts requirespractise. You must be able to tie them quicklyand easily when you are halfway lip a mountainor at sea. The on ly way to gain the necessaryskill and confid ence is to practise each knot overand over aga in un til the steps becomeautoma tic and you do not have to think aboutthem. In some circumstances your life or thelives of your companions could depend on it.

ROPE PARTS

S TAND ING END

R 0 P E

I G H T

HOW TO USE THIS BOO K

The di"'gr",ms Ih"'l completely different knot GENERAL PUR PO S Eaccompany the The knots in thi s book ca ndescriptions of the knots be used in differentare inten ded to be self situ",tions: generalexpl ;!.na tory . Theauows purpose, cl imbing, CAM"NGindicate the directions in um ping, 5.)iling andwhich you should push or fishing; these n e shownpull the working ends of be low u symbols.

C l lM l l I o IGyour line, while the Each knot in the book isdotted lines indica te accompanied by theintermedi",te positions of rel ev;!.nt symbolJs;he rope. Always follow designed to give you at", S A I l I 101 Gth e order indicated of gla nce info rmatio n about

going over or under a the uses of a particularlength of line; reversing knot. 11his order could result in a f I S N I 101 G10

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O V E R H A N O K N O T

O V E R H A t l O l O O P

"-"M U L T I P L E

O V E R N A N O K N O T

STOPPER KNOTS

This group ofknots is most often used to prevent the endof a length of rope, string or small stuff slipping throughan eye or a hole. Stopper knots can also be used to bindthe end ofa line so that it will not unravel, and they can

also be used as decoration. At sea they are frequently usedto weight lines or on running rigging, and they are also

used by climbers, campers and fishermen.The simple overhand knot, which is the basis of so many

other knots, is a stopper knot. Sailors tend to Ilse theJigure eight knot for general use and multipleoverhand knots to weigh down or decorate the

ends ofknots.

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H E A V I N G l lt lEK t lOT

f i G U R E E I G H TK N O T

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/III II \ / I//

,III

t?'' - --"

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MULTIPLE OVERHANDKNOTAlso known as: BLOOD KNOTThis knot's alternative name has a rathergruesome derivation: the knot USL>d to be tied inthe ends of the lashes of the cat Q'nine tails, thewhip used for flogging in both the Br itish Armyand Navy until the punishment's official

abolition in 1948. A far less grisly use is as aweight in the cords with which Capuchinmonks tie their habits. Sailors use the knot as as topper or weighting knot on small s luff,although it is d ifficu lt to untie when the line iswet.When you lie the knot, keep the loop open

and slack, and then pu ll gently on both ends ofthe line simultaneously, twis ting the two endsin opposite di rections as you do so.

___ ____________________o

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HEAVING LINE KNOTAlso known as: FRANCISCAN KNOT, MONK'S KNOTThis knot is principally used for sailing when aheavy line is to be thrown ashore or aboardanother boat. It is attached to a heaving line-that is, a light line - which can be thrown aheadso that the heavier line can be pulled across thegap. The knot is tied to the end of the lighter

)

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line to give it the necessary additional weight.Heaving lines are usually 1f.z-.. inch in diameterand may be up to 80 feet long. They should floatand be flexible, and it is important that they bestrong enough to bear a man's weight.The knot's alternative names derive from itsuse 10 weight the ends of the cords thatFra ncisca n monks use as belts.

( - \\ \\ \\ \\ \\ \\ \\ \

\ I > I

15

IJ

\ I' -

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IZS FIGURE EIGHT KNOTAlso knmon as: FLEMISH KNOT, SAVOY KNOTThis interlacing knot has fo r long been regardedas an emblem of interwoven affection,appearing in hera ld ry as the symbol of faithfullove. It also appears in the arms of the Ho use ofSavoy.

The knot, wh ich is made in the end of a line,with the upper loop around the standing pariand the lower loop around the working end , iswidely used by sa ilors on the running rigging .

... _ .

- - - - -L -- - -_- - - - -_L ------..........--...-

FIGURE-OfE IGHTCHAINThis popular decorativechain can be made, quitesimply, by making aseries of figure-of-eightknots all in the samedire

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H I G HW A Y M A N ' SHIT C H

T I MBER HITCH

C ONSTR IC TORKHOT

(lOVE HI TCH

HITCHES

Hitches are knots that are used to secure a rope to a post,hook, ring, spar or rail or to another rope that plays nopart in the actual tying. Hitches do not keep their shapeon their own . Because they are often used by sailors jarmooring, lashing and fastening they mus t be able to

withstand parallel strain.

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F IS HERMAN 'S BEND

ROUND TUR N ANDT WO HA L F H I TC HES

ITAlIA" HITCH

PRU$ I K KI ' IOT

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HIGHWAYMAN'S HITCHAlso known as: D RAW HITCHThe name highwayman 's hitch comes from thefact the knot was supposed ly used by robbers toinsure a sw ift release for their horses' reins andthus a rapid get-away. A single pu ll on thewo rking end un ties the knot, but the standingpart can safely be p ut under lension .

IZE HALF HITCHThe half hitch is am ong the most wid ely used offa stenings, but it is, in fact, a tem porary knot,formed of a single hitch made around thestanding part of another hitch - as in a roundtu m and two half hi tches, fo r example. Thekno t is not meanl lo lake any strain but is ra therused to complete and strengthen other knots,which may then be used for tying, hanging orhooking.

T W O H " ' l ~ HI TCH tS

$ I HG l E H A L F H I TCH

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Tilt o/roious uS

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Cow HITCHAlso knowlI as: LANYARD /l lTel IThis hitch, composed of two single hitches, isgenerally made around a ring and is probablythe least secure of all the hitches, and it shouldbe regarded as only a te mporary fasten ing. Itsname sugges ts its most co mmon use - as ameans of tethering livestock.

,/

/

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o

TIMBER HITCH

Whfll a singlehitch is addedto tile "corer elld 0[11 log orspr,r, with Illil1l/>I'rhi/dlllithe jurl/lcr end, the resil/tingKiIliclr ii i/eli mabies tile loadto be draXXed wi/holll ilswhrginSaroumi,

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This distin ctive-looking knot is really only atemporary noose, for med by twisting thewo rki ng end around its ow n part and notaround the standing pa r t. Three twis ts areusually sufficient to secur e the ro pe aroundsuch objects as tree trunks, planks or pol es sothat they ma y be raised or lowered or draggedor pulled. More twis ts may be needed if theobject to be mo ved is especially thick.Unfortunately, this knot is easily tied incorrectly.

I

Im

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Tying logetiler thecross-bars(Jfu ki l l' is best donI' with 11TranSlllll/mol ,

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.

TRANSOM KNOTGardene rs will find thl' transom kno tparticula rly useful fo r making trellises or tyingup bean poles. It is similar to the cons trictorknot (see page 23) , and, as wit h thai knot, theends may be t rimmed o ff fo r neatness.Although i t can be pr ized un done, it is probablyeasier simply 10 cut through the d iagonal, wh enthe two halves will fall apart.

/'

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Tile COlls/rictorknot ispopular as an all-purposeknot becallse it is a firm kllolwhich does/I'/ slip.

CONSTRICTOR KNOTThis knot has grown in popularity in recentyears, and it has dozens of uses . It can be usedon the ends of ropes as permanent ortemporary whipping; it can be used to securefabric bags such as those containing bouquetgarni; i t can be used in woodworking to holdtwo pieces in position while the glue dries .

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The knot is formed from an overhand knot,trapped beneath a crosswise round turn, whichholds it firmly in place. The constrictor knot willstay tied and grip firmly, and, in fact, the ropemay have to be cut free unless the last tuck ismade with a bight to produce a slipped knot.

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Also known as: BOATMAN'S KNOT, PEG KNOTThe name clove hitch firs t appeared inFalconer's Dictionary of the Marine in the 18thcentury, but the knot was probably known forcenturies before then.

The main advantage of the clove hitch is that,given practise, it can be tied around a post withjust one hand, which makes it particularlyuseful for sailors wh o may, for example, needto tie a dinghy to a ballard with one hand while

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holding onto a guard rail with the other.Although it is often recommended as a mooringknot, the clove hitch is not, however, totallysecure if the strain is intermittent an d at aninconstant angle, an d while it will afford atemporary hold, it should be replaced bysomething more stable as soon as is practicable.Adding a stopper knot or making one or twohalf hitches around the standing part of therope will make the knot more secure,

Campers often use it to secure tent poles,which is the origin of one of its alternativenames, the peg knot.

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Iftll r Clave hilch is loaet as amooring kiwi, a sloppt'rkllolsI,o,lid be added for srmty.

o25

Th e big ht in a slippeddov e hitch enables theknot to be quickly undonewhen the rope is unders train .

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CLOVE HITCH, DROPPEDOVERA POSTThe knot formed when two overlapping halfhitches

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CLOVE HITCH, MADE ONA RINGThis particular version of the clove hitch is morecom mon ly used in mountaineering than insai ling, for in sailing the ring is usuallynarrower than the rope, which ca n becomebad ly chafed and therefore dangerous.Cl imbers use it to regulate the length of ropebetween the climber an d the piton (tha t is, thepeg or spike driven into rock or a crack tosupport the rope).

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m

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. IZE FISHERMAN'S BENDA lso known as: A NCHOR BENDIf the cow hi tch is the leas t secure of the hitches,the fi sherman's bend is the most stable. Simplyfo rmed by making two turns around the post orthrough the ring and then tucking the working

CD28

end through both turns , the kno t is widely usedby sa ilors to moor their boats at the quayside.Extra security can be provided by adding a halfhitch.The knot's other name - the anchor bend -de rives from the fact that sailors use it to tie onthe anchor ring, although a stopper knot shouldbe add ed (or safety's sake.

f l S HERMAN " S l ENDWI T H AN ADDEDHALf H IT C H

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CAT'S PAW

o

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Because the strain is equa l on both sides, this isthe best hoo k knot for rope of mediumdia meter. It has long been used by dockwo rkers and sailors to sling hea vy loads, andthe name cat's paw has been current since atleas llhe early 18th century. When a single pa rtof a loaded rope is hung over a hook, the line isweakened by abou t one-third. A cat's paw,securely drawn up, gives the additionalassurance thai, should one leg break, the otherwill lasllong enough to allow the load to besafely ioweI'd to the ground.

o

0'

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r;:

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CDTiremaill / J e n ( f t t o f f l r ~ Rollillg hitch is itsability tos/idetQsily%llgOt( lint towhich it iso/taclitd. Dileo/I h ~ traditiO/la/llses of/helorol is formakillg Ihejlagirlllyard/as/ to IlIeb llrgce staffor o rhoislirrg thelIa/yardilOriumlally.

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ROLLING HITCH

Also known as: M AGNER'S /fiTCH, MAGNUS HITCHThis useful knot is basically a clove hitch withthe first turn repea ted. It is employed by bothmariners and mountaineers and is the mosteffective way of securing a small rope to a largerline that is under s train . As long as the sma llerrope is perpendicular to the larger, the knot willslide easi ly along; once tension is exerted on thestanding pari and working end of the smallerrope, the knot locks in position. I f you placeyour hand over the knot and slide it along thethicker line it will slide off the end and uncoilinto a straight length of rope.

The name rolling hitch has been used sincethe 1840s; before then the knot was known asmagner's or magnus hitch.

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ROUND TURN AND TWOHALF HITCHESUse this versatile knot whenever you need tofasten a line to a ring, hook, handle, pole, rail orbeam. It is a strong, dependable knot, whichnever jams. It has the additional advantage thatonce one end has been secured with a roundturn and two half hitches, the other end can betied with a second knot, which makes itinvaluable for fastening unwieldy objects toautomobile roof racks.

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TWO HA lf H ITCHES

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ITALIAN HITCHAlso hlOwn as: MUNTER FRICTION HITCH, SLIDINGRING HITCHThis ad di tion to the mountainee rs' lexicon ofknots was in troduced in 1974, and it is theofficia lmeans of belaying (that is, fixing aru lUling rope around a rock or a cleat) of the

TI IC/ ~ l l 1 / l l l i l c l is 1111inllova l i!Jf: climbillg kllotIIsed for belaying; ils cI,fe!advantage being its means ojabsorb/lIS the ellergy ofQ jail.

33

Union Internationale des Associationsd'Alpinisme. The rope is passed around andthrough a carabiner and will check a climber'sfa ll by locking up . AJternatively, the rope can bepaid out or pulled in to provide slack or tensionas requ ired .The ma jor d isadvantage of the knot is that itis easy to tie incorrectly. I

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I j PRUSIK KNOTThis knot is named after Dr Carl J'rusik, whodevised it in ]931. It is a comparatively simpleknot to tie, which is used by climbers to attachslings to a rope so that they slide smoothlywhen the knot is loose but hold firm when asideways load is imposed. Although the knotdoes not always slide easily, once the load is inplace it can be released on ly by removing theweight an d freeing the turns of the rope. ThePrusik knot is useful for anyone wh o has toscale awkward heights- tree surgeons and(avers, for example - as well as for climbers,who use it as a safety mechanism whenabseiling or rappelling (that is, descending asteep rock face by using doubled rope fixed il t ahigher point).

The knot must be tied with rope thai isconsiderably thinner than the line aroundwhich it is tied, and it is important to note that itmay slip if the rope is wet or icy.

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1HRI"'0(0f i GURE liGHT

1 0W l I I< I (

C l l"'I 'R '10WliHI

10Wll"'0" ... liGHT

Loops

Loops are made to be dropped over an object, unlikehitches, which are madedirectly arollnd the object and -follow its shape. They are knots formed by folding back

the end of a rope or Line into an eye or loop and OWlfastening it to its standing part so that the knot is fixed

and does /lot move, Sailors find loops, especially thebowline, indispensable.

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5' ' ' '"151110WlI"'

" ' "G lER ' S lOO'

T"Rll . . . . RTC R0 ."

"'l""'IUTTER f l Y kNOT

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/Zl] FIGURE EIGHT LOOP

Thl' Figuretight /0011 15particularly suitnl or usewith mool'rn hatntsstSbccauSt'of I t l ' symmetry. It isstrong. uncompliro lcd QndIInlikl'ly /0 wa,k ilSl!lfloose.

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Also kflOWII as: FIGURE EIGHT ON TIlE BIGHTAlthough this kno t is di fficult to ad jus t andcannot easily be untied after loading, itsad va ntages outweigh these drawbacks. 1\ is acomparat ively simple knot to tie, and it s taystied, even when stiff rope is used . In addition,because ils appearance is unmistakable, it canbe qui ck ly checked, which is important when itis used by d i.mbers.

This general purpose loopis 0111110 often used byclimbers to atta(h a line toa carabiner .

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/

THREADED FIGURE EIGHTThis is a variation of the figure eight loop. Themost frequen t uses of the threaded figure e ightare for tying on to the rope and fo r anchoringnon-cl imb in g members of a tea m.Th is is probably the commones t way of

attach ing rope to the ha rness. Tying -on us ing aBowline is equally sa tisfactory, but not aspopular.

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A stopper knot must beadded when th e threadedfigure eighlloop is used totie on 11 line.

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IZE BOWLINEThe bowline is simple, strong and stable. It isone of the best known and most widely usedof knots, especially among sailors, an d isgenerally tied to form a fixed loop at the end ofa line or to attach a rope to an object. At sea it isused on running rigging an d for hoisting,joining and salvage wo rk.Tie a bowline by forming a loo p in thestanding pa rt of the line . Pass the working endup through the eye of the loop, around the backof the standing part an d then down through the

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eye aga in . For safety's sake, finish the bowlineoff with a stopper knot to prevent it fromturning into a slip knot.

Among the knot's advan tages are the factsthat it do es not slip, come loose or jam and thatit ca n be quickly and easily untied, even whenthe line is under tension. A major disadvantagecan be that if it is tied with st iff rope, it is liableto wo rk loose as the line ca nn ot "bed down"properly.

The running bowline makes a noose that fallsopen as soon as the tension is removed from theline . The left-handed bowline is not as secure asthe bowline itself an d should be avoided.

If the bowline is tied tooloosely it may turn into aslip knot. Always finish itoff with a stopper knot.

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/

BOWLINE, CASTINGMETHODUse the method of tying a bowline illustra tedhere when you need to fas ten a line around anobject. When synthet ic rope is used to tie thi sknot, it might be less reliable. It is a good idea tosecure the end with an extra half-h itch, or tuckit and trap it beneat h one of the rope's s trands.

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I Z B CLIMBER'S BOWLINEAlso known as: BULIN KNOTClimbers use the bowline - which is known bythem as the bulin knot-as a safety measureduring ascents, when it is clipped into thecarabiner.Climbers also tie this knot directly aroundtheir waists so that they can adjust the length ofline before undertaking an ascent. Whenever itis used in this way , the knot must be finishedoff with a stopper knot.

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)

The Climber's bowIiue is foslto tie alld is easily umlOllcafter it has beelr iWllvilyloaded, bill il dOtrs have IItellde/lcy 10 work loose ,especially i[lIlc rope is stiff. IIshOldd always, therefore, bellsed in c(mjullctiOll willI IIStopper kilO!,

4'

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I I Z U BOWLINE ON A BIGHTThis is an ancient kn ot, bu t on e that is still inuse today, especially in sea rescues. If theperson who is being rescued is conscious, he orshe places a leg through each loop and hangson to the standing part.

I f the casualty is unconscious, both legs areplaced through one loop while the other loop ispassed under the armpits . The knot is equallysuitable for salvaging inanimate objects.

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The knot is formed fro"two loops of equal size.The loops overlap e olher bu t ~ a n be openedout and used separately .

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BOWLINE, ROPE UNDERTENSIONThis knot is used by sai lors to altach boats torings. The stand ing part remains tautthroughout , w hile the working end is tied tocreate a secure fastening.

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-" SPANISH BOWLINEAlso known as: CHA.IR warTIlis is an extremely strong knot that is used byfiremen (when it is known as the chair kno t),coastguards and mountain rescuers. Like thebowline on a bight, it is an ancient knot, whichis formed of two separate and independen t

CD ,

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loops that hold securely, even underconsiderable st rain . One loop is slipped overthe casualty's head, around the back and underthe armpits; the other loop goes around ho thlegs, just behind the knees. It is vital that eachloo p is adjusted to size and locked into position,otherwise an unconscious casualty could easilyfa ll - perhaps to h is or her death - through theloops.

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Tht Spanish bowline is IIu-rsatill' kno, which is l ised illmallY silualions includingr=:lIing peoplefrol'll the se Qand hOisting objects in Ifhori:wntal position.

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Ii ANGLER'S LOOPAlso known as: PERFECTION LOOPThe angler's loop is known to ha ve been in usesince the 18705. It is, as its na me suggests, mostfrequently employed by fishermen. Inadd ition to fishing line, it call be tied with st ringor fine synthetic line . Autho rities differ aboutwhethe r it is a sui table knot fo r rope. It isd ifficult to untie, which may militate against itsuse at sea, an d it is prone to jam. It is also ara ther bulky knot.

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OIICC the angkr's loop isma5lercd . il fal! be lied veryqllickly. ami il is a/St.) a verysecllre and stable knOI,Campers liSt' it hi 11 variety ofways .

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. 1:

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ALPINE BUTTERFLY KNOTThis symmetrical knot is sometimes used byclimbers, who loop it around the chest. It willho ld equa lly well whichever en d is he ld; it canbe tied quickly; the loop does not shrink whenthe knot is tightened; an d it (

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I llf II,.. O T

CA ' !l l l ClIIllf 11" 0 1

(

" TH I E f I I" 'OT

S U I G I O " ' ! . , . .OT

F l SHE I " ' A "" S l ( " 'O f

BENDS

Bends are used to join the ends of wo lengths of rope toform one longer piece, Ideally , to insure that the knot issecure, the two ropes that are to be joined should be of the

same kind and have the same diameter, Unusuallyhowever, the sheet bend (see page 57) is secure evenwhen it is used to join ropes ofdifferent diameters,

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DOU I L lf l S HI I IMAN ' S

J IC"OJ

HU " 1 E I ' ! I E "O

"'HEET I E "O

f lGUl I1 l i GHTI l " 0

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gD REEF KNOTAlso known as: SQUARE KNOTThis is an a ncient knot, which was knownduring the Late Stone Age. The Ancient Greeksknew it as the Hercu les knot, and it was alsotied in Ancient Rome. It is often the onl y kno t apa rt from the gran ny knot - Ihat many peopleknow, and when the ends are only partlydrawn through the knot to leave loops and toform a double reef bow, it is freque ntly used totie shoe laces. Its traditional and proper use is

WAINU4 THIIIIIOT II NOTA IAFI.IHD AND IHOUlDNIVIII. tllD WitH 10, .1 0 ' DlfnlIM' DIAMIUI$ .

CAPSIZED REEF KNOTAlso known as; LARK'S HEAD KNOT, CAPSIZEDSQUARE KNOT

The reef of a sa il is tha t part wh ich is rolled andtied up by the ree f points to reduce the areacaught by the wind, and the ease with which areef knot can be slipp ed apart made it perfectfo r reefing sails. When one end of a reef knot ispulled sharply or is subjected 10 strain, the knotwill untie and become unstable. Capsized reefknots have caused accidents and should beused with caution.

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to jo in the two ends of a rope when reefing asail.Both short ends of the knot are on the same

side- if they are not, it is a thief knot-and thekno t is fla t - if it is not, it is a granny knot. Thefecf knot is more secure than both the thief knotand the granny knot, but it should be used onlyas a tempo ra ry measure and with lines of thesame diame ter that will not be subject to strain.If il has to be used with lines that will bearconsiderable weigh t, stopper knots should betied in the short ends.

\

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Usually the red knot canb r o k ~ n by pullingsharply on one of theshort ends. A cow hitch is

The Rcefknol is a mullipurpose kiwi which issymmetrical and made fromtwo j n t e r l o c k ~ d /rights. lisbeauty IiI'S in its simplic;ty.

then formed, which caneasily slide off thestraight length of rope.

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THIEF KNOT

\ "-\ "",

According to legend, sailors on whaling shipsused this knot to tie their clothes bags. Thieveswould retie them with reef knots, thusrevealing that the bags had been burgled. Thethief knot is very similar to the reef knot, bu tthe short ends are on opposite sides.

----

The Reeflowt lying side--bysidewith the ThiefKnotshows clearly how easy it is toconfuse the two krwts.

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(

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i SURGEON 'S KNOTAs its name suggests, this knot is used bysurgeons to tie off blood vessels, and it seems tohave been in use since about the end of Wo rld

\

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War II. The knot has a good grip, hvisting as itis drawn up and the diagonal is wrappedaround it . It is less bulky and flatter than someof the other knots used by surgeons - thecarrick ~ n d and the reef knot, for instance which tend to leave visible ~ a r

\ \ \\ \\ \\ \\ \\ \\ \\ )V z"

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i FISHERMAN 'S KNOTAlso known as: ANGLER'S KNOT, ENGLISH KNOT,ENGLISHMAN'S BEND OJ< KNOT, HALIBUT KNO'l',TRUE-LOVER'S BEND 011 KNOT, WATERMAN'S kNOTThe fisherman's knot should not be confusedwith the fisherman's bend (which is actually ahitch, see page 28). They are quite differentknots. This knot was invented during the 19 thcentury, although some writers have suggestedthat it may have been known to the AncientGreeks. It is formed from two identical

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overhand knots, which are pushed against eachother so that the short, working ends of theropes lie in opposite directions, almost paral!elto their standing parts. Generally, the twocomponent knots can be easily separated andundone.

It should be use d to join lines of equaldiameter, bu t it is not suitable for ropes withlarge or even medium diameters. It is widelyused by anglers to join fishing line, an d it is alsosuitable for string an d twine. The knot is not, infact, as strong as the line from which it isformed when it is under great strain .

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r.;< i DOUBLE FISHERMAN 'SKNOTAlso known as: GRAl'EVINE KNOTThis is on e of the strongest kno ts for joiningropes or for fo rming slings, and it is used notonly, as its name suggests, by anglers to securethei r IinC's but also by cl imbers on small stuff. Itis a comparatively bulky knot and is not, fortha t reason, suitable for anyth in g moresubstantial than thin line or stri ng. The endscan be ta ped or seized to the working parts tominimize the risk of the knot working loose.

Climbel'5 lape the ends tostop them ca tching on therock (ace.

__ 11 -55

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HUNTER 'S BENDAlso known as; RIGGER'S BENDOn 6 October 1968 The Times (London) carried areport on the front page describing howDr Edward Hunter, a retired physician, hadinven ted a new kno t. The article generated a lotof interest in both Europe and the UnitedStates, bu t at the height of the publici ty itwas found that the knot had already been

described by Phil D. Smith, an American, inabout 1950 in a publication called Knots forMountaineers. Phil Smith had been workingon the waterfront in San Francisco duringWorld War II when he had devised the knot,which he had named a rigger's bend.

It is also easy to untie. [t is based on twooverhand kno ts and is stronger than thefisherman's bend, the sheet bend and thereef knot, although it is not as strong as theblood knot.

The Hun/er's bend is a usefulgelleral purpose knot, whichis stable alld has agood grip.It is also easy to ulilie.

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SHEET BENDAlso knowll as: COMMON BEND, FLAG BENDThe sheet bend is unusual in thai it can be G)used to join lines of unequal dia meters. It isprobably the most often used of a ll thebends, bu t il is nO l l00 percent secure andshould never be used in circumstanceswhere it is going to be subject to grea t st rain .Its breaking strain is further reduced inproportion to the difference in the diametersof the lines jOined .Although the knot may be see n in AncientEgyptian paintings, the name did not appear in print in 1794 . The sheet was originally therope attached-fClthe clew (the lower or aftercorner) of a sa il, which was used fo rtrimming the sa il , and it was from this usagethat the knot derived its name. It is alsotraditionally used to join the two corners of aflag to the rope used for raising or loweringit. On such occasions it is so meti mes referredtoas a flag bend. It can also be used to makea rope fast to anything with an aperture - ahandle on a spade, for example - throughwhich the line can be passed and trappedunder itself. Whe n the knot is tied with theshort ends on opposite sides it becomes aleft-handed. sheet bend , but this is to beavoided as this knot is not secure.

A slipped shee t bend isformed by placing a bightbdween Ute loop of theheavier rope and thestanding part of thelighter rope. The slippedknot may be more easilyuntied when the rope isunder strain.

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/II

///

FIGURE EIGHT BEND

/

Also known as: FtEMISH BEND ORKNa fAlthough this is a simple knot to tie - simplymake a figure eight knot in one end and followit around with the other working end - it is oneof the strongest bends that can be tied in bothrope an d string.

- -----./ / - - ...............

-----

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- ---o- -,:c "

- - - - - - - - - ---- - -

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- CARRICK BEND ro pe is wet. When it is used, its main purpose isto join large-diameter hawsers and warps, andin these circumstances it is usually left in it s flatform with the ends seized (that is, secured bybinding with turns of yarn) to the standingparts. In its flat form it is sometimes also used tofasten scarves and belts, and its symmetricalappearance has made it a great favorite withillustrators of military uniforms .

CD

Also known as: COWBOY KJ"rQT, SPLIT KNOT, WARPKNOT

This stable knot, which is formed from twooverhand loops crossing each other, was themost widely used knot on old sailing sh ips. Itscommon na mes suggest some of the othercircumstances in which the carrick bend may befound - it is known as the cowboy knot tocowhands, the split knot to knitwearmanufacturers and the warp knot to sailors.

Today, however, it is less often used aboardship because it can be difficult to unt ie when the

When it is drawn up it capsizes into acompletely different shape, and for this reason,although it has been recommended as a knot formoun taineers, it may be unsuitable as it isprobably too bulky to pass through a carabiner.

----. . - " - - -- .......","'" ..------ .....- ,

An attractive knot, knownas the Japanese ParIknot, is tied in the sameway as the Canick Bendusing doubled ends.

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II.U I'I I'II I'I G . W I ' I E

H A I'I G M AI'I ' S KI'I O T

RUNNING KNOTS Running knots are also known as slip knots or nooses.Their main characteristics are that thelj tighten aroundthe objects on which they are tied but slacken when the

strain is reduced. This group a/knots is divided into twokinds: those that are tied by passing a bight through a

fixed loop at the end ofa lineand those that are formedfrom a closed bight knotted at the end ofa line or along it .Running knots must be among the oldest knots known to

man, They were used in prehistoric times to makeweapons and snares to trap animals,

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1'1 0 0 S (

T AR I U ( II. KI ' IOT

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RUNNING BOWLINEThis is probably the only running knot to beused by mariners. It is found on the runningrigging or it may be used to raise float ingobjects tha t have fallen overboard.At sea during the 19th century i t was used totighten the sq uaresail to the ya rda rm in high

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winds, and at the same time in the country itwas used by poachers. [t has many other uses,being strong and secure, eas y to slide andsi mple to undo. Tying it does not weaken therope . The knot is mos tly used for hangingobjec ts with ropes of unequal diameters. Theweight of the object creates the tension neededto make the knot grip .

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"- ,

ANGMAN 'S KNOTAlso known as: JA.CK K ETCH'S KNOTThis knot is one of the ru nning knots that isformed by knotting a dosed bight at the end ofa line. Its name reveals its macabre use, and itsalternative name comes from the notorioushangman and execu tioner Jack Ketch, who diedin 1686. It is a strong noose, which slides easily.The num ber of turns can vary between sevenand thi rteen, although an odd number shouldalways be used .

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NOOSEThis simple knot can be used as the first knot intying up a package. On a larger scale, it issometimes used to put tackle cables understress. It is made of string or small stuff.The noose can also be used as a hitch, when ithas two main functions. When a noose is tiedaround something large - a tree trunk, forexample - only a fairly short length of line isrequired. If a constrictor kno t or a dove arrowhi tch were used , on the ot her hand , far morerope would be needed. When nooses are usedas hitches they are very secure.A noose can also be used when it is difficultto get close to the object around whi ch the knotis to be tied. It may, for instance, be possible topass the end of a line around the base of aninaccessible object, tie a noose and tighten it .

A stopper kno t should be added to preventthe noose slipping.

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CD

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CD

TARBUCK KNOTLike the hangman ' s knot, this knot is fo rmed byknotting a closed bight at the end of a line. Itwas devised fo r use by climbers w hen the ropewas likely to be subjected to heavy orunexpected stress because the kno t absorbedthe shock. It has recently fa llen from favor,however , because double-b raid (sheat h andcore) ropes can now absorb any shocks and theknot wou ld, in any case, damage the sheath ofthese new types of rope.

This is, nevertheless, a useful genera lpurpose knot, which grips under st rainalthough it can be slid along the standing part.It is not, however, a particularly secu re knot.

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I

II, I

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SHEEP$HA t - I l (

SHORTENINGS

As their name implies, these invaluable knots are used toshortell/ong lines. Short ropes may be needed

temporarily to tow a car or haul a load , for example, anda shortened rope is always more secure than two cut

leng ths joined together with another knot. In any case, alonger rope may be needed at some later date, and a ropeshortened by means of a knot can always be leng thened atsome later date. Shortenings can also be used to take upweakened or damaged leng ths of line so tha t they are not

subjected to any strain. These knots are well worthmastering.

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lO O P Kt-IOT

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SHEEPSHANKThe sheepshank is a seafarer's knot: it does notchafe, it unties easily, and it has a goodjamming action. It is an easily tied knot, whichholds under tension - in fa ct, as soon as thetension is released, the knot falls apart. Thenu mber of ha lf hitches can vary from three tofive, and that number determines both thefi rmness of the grip of the knot and the lengthby which the line is shortened.

In addition to shortening lines without theneed to cut them, the sheepshank is used at seafor towing boats and on the runn ing rigging. I tcan also be used to keep slack lines outo f theway, which could have numerous applications,including keeping bell ropes tidy. When theknot is used to shorten a damaged line, it isimportant that the damaged section of ropepasses through both of the half hitches.

The Sllaps/lDnk is able towry the length ofa rapt tosuit the immediaterequirement wit/lOul hlWingtocutlheropt!.

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. ""

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Loop KNOTOne of the best ways of shortening a damagedrope is to tie a loop knot. This simple fa steningtakes up the weakened part of the line in thecenter of the knot so tha t it is not put understra in . The knot is often used for towingautomob iles and trucks.

Pull the eods of thecompleh?d Sheepshankand the knot becomesquite decorative.

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,

B lOOD Kt lOT

BLOOD l O O PD R O P P E R K N O T

HAlf TUCKEDB L O O D K N O T

--1/ -

W A T E R KI ' lOT

FISHING KNOTS

Because the conditions on a river bank may not be ideal, itis important that fishermen thoroughly master the art of

tying a variety a/knots before they set out. Knots must betied securely and correctly if they are to be oj any use, and

wet and windy weather or poor light are not the idealconditions in which to attempt to tie a knot for the firsttime . Practise tying the knots that are described on the

pages that follow until you are confident that you can tiethem accurately and quickly - then you are ready to tie

them on the river bank.

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: I I I I " " I : . . . . . - -G RI N" ' ER KIoI01

DOU I LEG R I N N E R 1(1'101

"\)OQUB l (

l O O P K I < 0 1

t l E E P L ( K t l O T

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The knots used in fishing are differe nt fromthose used by mariners, climbers and campersbecause they are tied in fine monofilamen t, andthe very na ture of monofilament means tha tonce fastened, these knots cannot usually beuntied. Each knot that a fishe rman usesperforms a differen t fu nction, and it is possiblethat as many as eight knots at a time may berequired. A knot may be used to join twolengths of fishing line, it may join a line to aleader, or it may attach a lure, hook sinker orswivel to a line, for example, and a knot that ispe rfect for one task will not necessarily serveanothe r purpose.

When you work with monofilament you willfind that moistening the line by dipping it inwater or lubricating it with saliva will help youto draw it up smoothly and bed it down tightly.You will also find that a pair of pliers is essentia lwhen you are using one of the heaviermonofilament lines. It is almost impossible todraw a line really tight with your bare hands.Resist the temptation to add a lubricant such assilicone to help draw the knot tight: thelubrica nt will remain in the knot and will add tothe chances of the knot slipping wh ile the line isin u se.

The finer the gauge of line you use to tie aknot, the easier it is to draw it up tight and seat

it securely . The diameter of the line may alsoinfluence the kind of knot you tie, for someknots tha t work well with fine monofilamentcannot be drawn up tight when they are tied inheavier gauge line. Remember that when youtie two lengths of monofilament together, theknot will be more secure if the lines are made bythe same manufacturer. This is the case even ifyou are tying together lines of differentdiameters . Different manufacturers producelines tha t differ in the degree of stiffness, andthi s can affect the success of the knot.Once the kno t is firmly seated, it should betrimmed . Do not try to burn the tag end as youwill on ly weaken the knot. Use a pair of nailclippers, scissors or cutting pliers or a pair ofpu rpose-made cutters to trim the end at anangle of 45 degrees so close to the kno t that theend does not protrude. It is important the tagend does not extend; if it does, it might catch onthe hook or get caught up in weeds.

You will find that some knots can withstand aconsiderable strain tha t is consistently appliedwhile they fail when they are subjected to asudden jerk. You can test the cha ra cteristics ofdifferent knots for yourself by asking a fr iend tohold the ends of some lengths of line while youpull on the other ends. Wear gloves to protectyour hands when you do this .

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Most fishing line, known asmonofilament. is made ofnylon because it is tough alldflexible. It comes in brmkillgstrains of8 OUIlCes up to 1()()pounds fo rvery stro llg lilIesused in derp -sea biggamefishing.

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0

Ii BLOOD KNOTA lso kllow" as: BARREL KNOTThe name barrel knot de r ives from theappea rance of the numerous wrapp ing turnsthat are required to complete this knot, whi chhas a relatively high breaking strain . It is widelyused to tie nylon line in a host of situations,although it is most successful when th e line is ofmOTe or less equal thickness.

Because anglers tie their knots in such fineline, once they are drawn up tightly it is almostimposs ible to untie them - the line usually hasto be cut. During the 19th century, anglers and

, ,

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tackle makers used to be able to keep secret theintricacies of the various knots th ey tiedbecause it was so difficult to unravel them. Jus tbefore World War L however , an engineer onboard an ocean-going liner, Jock Purvis, went tothe infinite trouble of dissecting andre co nstru cting a specimen blood knot, keep ingthe cut sec tions in paraffin wax and using amicroscope to examine the twists and turns ofthe line. Purvis's findings were published in theangling press in 1910.

When you tie a blood knot, it is best to leave itslack so that you can count the turns. This w illmea n tha t the ends will have to be cut nea tly,but the gr ip is excellent.

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i BLOOD LOOP DROPPERKNOTAlso known as: DROPPERLOOPWhen fishermen wa nt more than one fly on aline at the same time, they use a we ighted linewi th a se ries of hooks at in tervals along it.Additional flies a re known as droppers; an dthis is the loop that is used to attach them to apaternoster because the loop is fonned at a r ightangle to the line.

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0

ill HALF -TUCKED BLOODKNOTAlso known as: CLINCH KNOTAnglers use this knot when they need to tie asw ivel or eyed hook to their lines. It is an easyknot to master and can be tied quickly.However, it is only rea lly successful when it isused with fine monofilament. This is not asuitable knot fo r heavy lines.

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CD

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i TURLE KNOTThis knot is used by fishermen to tie flies withturned-up or turned-down eyes to the tippet.It is no t suitable for use with ring-eye hooks.The knot was named after Major Turle ofDevon, England, in 1884. The line is passedthrough the eye of the hook, the kno t is tiedand then the hook is drawn th rough the loop ofthe knot.

, , ~Z:Z :0-

~ G )

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i WATER KNOTAlso known as: COVE KNOTIt seems likely that this strong knot was knownto Izaak Walton (1593-]683), and the earliestprinted reference to it is believed to have beenin 1496. It is especially useful because it can be

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used to join Hnes of different sizes, and thebreaking strength can be even furtherenhanced by tucking the ends three mOTe timesto create a quadruple overhand knot with bothlines and then drawing them carefully togetheras you would a multiple overhand knot (seepage 14).

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til GRINNER KNOTAlso known as; DUNCAN LOOP KNOT, UN/-KNOTThis is an excellent and justifiably popular knotfor joining either a fly or an eyed hook to aleader (that is, a length of nylon that forms thejunction between the fly-l ine and the fly) or to atippet (the thin, terminal section of a leader).

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TheGrinnerblOlondthe ,.;: I/Half-tuckedbloodhwtareth t Z ZtwobestmethodsaftyingJly 0to/ine . Theyart difficultto ..... Zmasterandflyfishtnntl1 will \/ I Gbenefit from p1l1c/isingalh(tTTlt.

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Ii DOUBLE GRINNER KNOTAlso known as: PARACUM KNOTThis knot is actually two grinner or uni-knotstied back to back . It is used by fishermen whoare trying to catch la rge fish with small flies onvery fine tippets as it is an effective way of joining together tw"o sections of a tippet or a leader.

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Ii DOUBLE LOOP KNOTAlso known as: SURCEON'S LOOPThis knot is tied in the same way as thesurgeon 's knot (see page 53) except that it ismade with a single length of line. This non-sliploop can be tied very quickly.

Interlocked loop s are aneasy and quick way ofattaching to a line hooksthai are already tied to alength of nylon. Maketwo double loop knots inthe end of a line, leaving

the loops quite long.Thread one loop throughthe other, pass the end ofthe hook through the lin eloop and puilihemcarefully together.

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iii NEEDLE KNOTAlso known as: NEEDLE NAIL KNOTThe needle knot is used to effect a smooth joinbetween the fly- line and the bu tt end (that is,the thick part) of the leader. Not only is this anextremely strong way of fasteningmonofilamen t to a fly -line, it is also unlikely toca tch or snag on debris as the line is fished.

FL Y L I t-I E

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MOHOF I L AM N T

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GLOSSARYk line monofilament or a braided

polyester line with a breaking s train of 15-19pounds used under the fIy -line to bulk out a fly-ree l spool. II preve nts the fi ne fly-line fromtwisting an d for ming into tight coils. When alargejish that makes a long run is caught, t hebacking line can also be allowed to ru n ou t afterthe fly-line.Bend verb used to describe the action of ty ingtwo ropes together by the ir ends; thus the nameof various knots used to tie one rope to anotheror to an object.Bight the slack sec tion of a rope, extending fromthe working end to the standing end (qq.v),especially when it is formed into a loo p when arope is bent back on itself. A knot tied "in thebight" or "on the bight" does not require theends for the tying process.Breaking strafn or strength (BS) the ropeman ufacturer's es timate of the load that willcause a rope to part; the calcula tion takes noaccount of wear an d tear, sho ck loading orknots, and it ca nnot be regarded as a safeworking load ('f. v .) . The manufacturer'scalcula tion is based on the strength of a linewhen it is dry . Lines are weaker when they areknotted or we t.Butt the thick part of a leader, the other sectionhaving been joined to the fly-line. it is usuallymonofilament with a breaking stra in of 19-22pounds, although braided monofilament issometimes used.Cable a large rope or anchor warp ('l.v.) orchain.Cable-laid rope fo rmed of th ree right-handedhawsers laid up left-handed to form a larger,nine-stranded rope or cable.Capsize verb used to describe the distortion inthe sh ape of a knot that loosens or sl.ips when itis unde r stress; some knots are deliberatelycapsized as a way of tying or untying them .Carabiner a metal coupling link with a safetyclosure used by mountaineers.Clear ve rb u sed to describe the action ofloosening tangles in ropes.Cleat a small piece of wood or metal withprojecting ends on which a rope may befastened .Co rd the name given several tightly twistedyarns ('l.v.) to make a line with a diameter ofless than 'h inch.

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Cordage a collective name for ropes an d cords,used especially to describe the ropes in a ship'srigging.Core or heart the inner part or heart of a rope orsennet ('l.v.) of more tha n three strands and inmost braided lines; it is formed from a looselytwisted strand or from a bundle of parallelyarns and runs the leng th of la rger ropes. Itmay be a cheap, weak filler or serve specificallyas a s trengthene r or stiffener.Dog verb used to describe the winding back ofthe tail end of a rope a round itself or aroundan other rope (often la rger) with the lay ('l.v.) tosecure it tem po rarily against a lengthwise pull.Dogge d the wo rd used to describe a draw loopthat is prevented from undoing accidentally bywhipping (q .v.) it or sticking somethingthrough it .Double: line: similar to a loop ('l.v.), but bothstrand s of line are used togethe r rather thanworking wi th the loop that is formed.Dropper a short length of monofilament bearinga wet fly and joined to the leader between theend fly and the fly-line. Some leaders arecommercia lly made with d roppe rs attached;alternatively, droppers may be attached to aplain leader by means of a blood kno t (see page70). See also team of flies, below.Eight-pla it strong bu t flexible rope formed fromfo ur pairs of strands, two of wh ich sp iralclockw ise an d two of w hich spiralantidockw is e; such rope does not ki nk.End usually the end of a length of rope that isbeing knotted, bu t see standing end andworking end .Eye a loo p fo rmed at the end of a leng th of ropeby seizing or splicing (qq.v.J.Fid a tapering wooden pin used to work orloosen strands of a rope.Fout describes a rope tha t cannot s lide because itis tang led or caught.Fray verb used to describe the unraveling ,especially of the end , of a length of rope.Grommet a ring, usually of twisted rope ormeta \, used to fasten the edge of a sa il to itsstay, to ho ld an oa r in place, etc.Hanger see pendant .Hawser a rope or cable large enough for towingor mooring; it usually has a circumference of5-24 inc hes.

"o,.

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Heart see core.Hitch a knot that secures a rope to a post, ring,spar, etc. or to another rope.Kemmantel modern synthetic rope made of asmooth outer sheath of tightly braided fibersfitted over a core of filaments.lanyard a short rope or cord, usually threestranded an d often braided or ornamented,used to secure objects or rigging or as a handlefor tools and gear.lay the direction, either left- or right-handed, ofthe twist of the st rands forming a rope.Lead the direction taken by the working end(q.v.) through a knot.Leader the length of nylon that forms thejunction between the fly-line and the fly.lt maybe tapered mechanically and thus be knotless orit may be reduced in dia mete r by using sectionsof lines with d ifferent diamete rs. Because it isless bulky than the fly-line itself, more de licatepresentation of the fly is possible . In addi tion,when a floating line is used, lengthening theleader makes it possible to fis h in deeper water.Line the generic name for cordage with nospecific purpose, although it can be used tore fer to rope with a definite use - e.g., fishingline, clothes line.Loop a part of a rop e bent so that its parts cometogether or cross.Marline a th in line of two, often loosely twisted,st rands, used fo r twisting round the en ds ofropes or cables to prevent fraying.Mar1ing the act of lashing or binding withmarline (q.u.), taking a hi tch at each turn .Mar1inspike or mar1inespike a pointed ironinstrument fo r separating the strand s of a ropein splicing or marling (qq. v.).Nip the bind ing pressure within a knot thatprevents it from slipping.Pendant or hanger a short length of rope with aneye spliced (q.v.) in one end and a hook in theother.Plain-laid rope three-stranded rope, twisted-i.e., laid - to the right.Point a conical or decorative end of a rope usedto help reeve (q.v .) it through holes and eyes.Reeve verb used to describe the act of slippingthe end of a rope through a block, ring or cleat(q .v . ).Rope a thick, strong cord measu ring more than1 inch in circumference made from intertwis teds trands of fi ber, thin wire, leather strips, etc.Safe working load (SWL) the estimated load thatcan be placed on a rope without it b r e ~ k n g , given its age, condition, the knots used an d anyshock loading. NB: safe working load may be asli ttle as one-sixth of the manufactu rer's quotedbreaking strength (q .vJ .

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Seized fastened or attached by bind ing withturns of yarn.Sennit braided co rdage made in flat or round orsquare fo rm from between three and nineco rds.Slack the part of rope that is not under tension.S-Iaid rope left-handed rope .Small stuff twine, st ring or cord (q .v.), or ro pethat has a circum fe rence of less than 1 inch or adiameter of less than Ih inch.Soft laid loosely twisted rope.Splice verb used to describe the act of joiningends of rope by interweaving strands.Standing end the short area at the end of thestanding part (q .u.).Standing part the pa rt of a rope tha t is fixed orunder tension as opposed to the end tha t is free(the working end) with which the knot is tied.In fishing, the standing pa rt is wound aroundthe reel.Stopper a short length of rope or chain used tolimit the running of a line or to hold lines whi lethey are cleated (q .v .) .Strand yarns twisted together in the oppositedirection to the yarn itself; rope made withstrands (not braided) is known as laid line.Tag end the part of a fishing line in wh ich theknot is tied; see working en d .Team offties two, th ree or four wet fliesattached to the same leader by means of shortlengths of monofilament (or droppers , seeabove) . When three fl ies are used, the top one(which bounces off the surface of the water) isknown as the bob fly or top dropper, the middleone is known as the middle dropper and thebottom one is known as the point or tail fly.Tippet or point the thi n, termina l section of theleader to which the fly is tied. It is usually12-18 inches long.Turn one round of a rope - i.e. , the basicelemen t of the knot; a turn is usually achievedby passing the working end aro und thestanding part or a standing loop. To ta ke a turnis to make a single round with the rope arounda cleat (q .v .) or ballard.Warp verb describing the act of moving a vesselfrom one place in a harbor to another by meansof ropes or hawsers; a warp is, thus, a rope orhawser used for that purpose.Whipping the act of tightly wrapping small stuffaround the end of a length of rope to prevel1tit ---un laying and fraying.Working end the part of a rope used in tying akno t; the opposi te of standing end (q.v .) .Yarn the basic element of a rope or cord.Z-Iaid right-handed rope .

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EXPERT INSTRUCTIONS FOR TYING KNOTSCORRECTLY AND SAFELY

STEPBYSTEP, COLOR ILLUSTRATIONS CLEARLY

INDICATE EVERY LOOP AND BENDFULL GUIDANCE IN SELECTING THE RIGHT KNOT FOR

SPECIRC SITUATIONS

USEFUL INFORMATION ON SELECTING THE PROPERROPE FOR THE JOB

INCLUDES STOPPER KNOTS , LOOPS, HITCHES,

SHORTENINGS,RUNNING KNOTS ,AND ANGLING KNOTS