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Old 26-09-2012, 09:12   #1
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Knot Superstars: Bend Me Your Ear

The current knots I know and love:

- rolling hitch
- trucker's hitch
- bowline
- round turn and two half hitches
- constrictor knot
- bowline on a bight
- .... i think that's it?



For tying spare line off to a rail I used to take the tail end and tie a clove hitch (with the looped line hanging down), but I've been dumping the clove hitch in favor of the constrictor knot. Any thoughts on this from some of you serious marlinspikers?
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Old 26-09-2012, 09:23   #2
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Re: knot superstars: bend me your ear

The square knot although not as secure as many other knots is useful for when there is a load on the line and for whatever reason you cannot release the load in order to tie a more secure knot. Most knots cannot be tied if there is a load on the line. The cleat hitch, truckers hitch and a round turn and two half hitches are the only other knots I can think of that can be tied with a load on the line. That is a weak point of the bowline
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Old 26-09-2012, 09:28   #3
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Re: knot superstars: bend me your ear

Sheet bend, which is basically a bowline tied between two lines/ropes. Great knot, easy to work with
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Old 26-09-2012, 09:50   #4
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Re: knot superstars: bend me your ear

With a bowline the "rabbit goes back through the hole". With a sheet bend the rabbit get tucked under....if that makes any sense. Sheet bends are good for tying rope or cloth of two different sizes....hence the name, tying a sheet (rope) to a cloth sail.

A sheet bend can cinch up very tight, unlike a bowline can, where all you have to do is bend the loop over to untie it no matter how hard it was pulled on.

There are also clove hitches which I do not like. I have seen too many come untied when the load is jerking on the knot. They can also cinch up very tight....if they don't untie themselves first.
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Old 26-09-2012, 10:01   #5
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Re: knot superstars: bend me your ear

for tying spare lines to a rail, I go around the coil a few times, go thru the bottom loops, up thru the top loop, around the rail , then back the top loops (making a loop with the end) and cinch it up tight. Good luck figuring that verbiage out! Hard to desribe I guess!
Normally dont leave those on for passages though... unless protected from getting in the water...
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Old 26-09-2012, 10:03   #6
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Re: knot superstars: bend me your ear

Quote:
Originally Posted by rebel heart View Post


For tying spare line off to a rail I used to take the tail end and tie a clove hitch (with the looped line hanging down), but I've been dumping the clove hitch in favor of the constrictor knot. Any thoughts on this from some of you serious marlinspikers?

For tying of spare line over a rail I normally make one big cow hitch, place all the coils over the rail, and then take the coils back through themselves (if that make sense)
Might be able to see what I mean in this picture

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Old 26-09-2012, 10:16   #7
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Re: knot superstars: bend me your ear

Only reason they're different is because with a sheet bend you have two ends to work with, with a bowline you have to go through the "back through the hole" contortion because you are working with only one end.



It's hard to find a photo of sheet bend from this perspective (most are rolled other side up to show more clearly), but compare this with your own avatar photo. If you cropped the photo so you couldn't see the ends...

I find the sheet bend incredibly handy, and it unjams the same as a bowline, by working at the loop.
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Old 26-09-2012, 10:28   #8
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Re: knot superstars: bend me your ear

I also prefer the sheet bend over the square knot. It's easier to untie after being loaded up.

Two others: the Carrick Bend and the Kleimheist.

The Carrick is great for lines of different size / construction under heavy load - like a tow line - it holds, yet you can always break it apart. And it looks beautiful.

The Kleimheist is my favorite hitch for the snubber, attaching a line to take the load off another line, hanging something from a halyard, etc.
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Old 26-09-2012, 11:28   #9
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Re: knot superstars: bend me your ear

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cheechako View Post
for tying spare lines to a rail, I go around the coil a few times, go thru the bottom loops, up thru the top loop, around the rail , then back the top loops (making a loop with the end) and cinch it up tight. Good luck figuring that verbiage out! Hard to desribe I guess!
Normally dont leave those on for passages though... unless protected from getting in the water...
a little tough to show with a short line, but here it is, the free end can be pushed through the loop for added security:
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Old 26-09-2012, 11:47   #10
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Re: Knot Superstars: Bend Me Your Ear

Generally, I avoid tying anything to the rail.
* Fenders go on the toe rail or other low point. I've seen a lot of rails bent by trapped fenders. Even more leaks, I'm sure.
* Halyards clip at the bow, but they are pulling up.
* Rigging loads certainly don't belong there.
* Davit takles should go to dedicated strong points.

I don't see lifelines and rails as rigging points, only as safety rails. Stern rails may (often) are an exception to this logic, as they can be very strong... maybe. Often a they are overloaded with stuff.
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Old 26-09-2012, 11:48   #11
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+1 for all of the above

I also use

Prusik knot...great for all sorts of uses especially when you are toying with sail driven auto pilot variants when you are bored on long passages
http://www.animatedknots.com/prusik/index.php

Water knot...came from same background as Prussia. A climbing knot. Works great for tying end to end flat webbing but also works for normal line
http://www.animatedknots.com/waterknot/index.php

Baja Fishing Knot...Also as a wannabe fisherman who has a limited fishing arsenal that basically consists of a cuban yo yo and heavy line with endless lures I use this knot as well
http://www.netknots.com/fishing_knots/baja-knot/
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Old 26-09-2012, 11:51   #12
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Re: Knot Superstars: Bend Me Your Ear

My mother used to bend my ear. It really hurt!
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Old 26-09-2012, 13:19   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nigel1

For tying of spare line over a rail I normally make one big cow hitch, place all the coils over the rail, and then take the coils back through themselves (if that make sense)
Might be able to see what I mean in this picture

Cruisers & Sailing Forums - nigel1's Album: My Boat - Picture
+1 also how I keep my spare lines
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Old 26-09-2012, 13:30   #14
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Re: Knot Superstars: Bend Me Your Ear

Quote:
Originally Posted by rebel heart View Post
The current knots I know and love:
. . .

As to extra knots . . . two others are quite useful when working with spectra single braid line - the double (or triple fisherman) for joining to ends together - most other joining knots will slip in this stuff. And the diamond knot to make the end of a 'soft shackle'.

For tying spare line off to a rail I used to take the tail end and tie a clove hitch (with the looped line hanging down), but I've been dumping the clove hitch in favor of the constrictor knot.

I find the clove hitch usually will shake itself out in that application after a while, unless backed up with a couple half hitches.

The 'cow hitch whole coil on itself' (mentioned above) is fast and works well.


......
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Old 26-09-2012, 14:09   #15
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Re: Knot Superstars: Bend Me Your Ear

The cow hitch or lark's head

It can be used around a stanchion or through a scupper to lash objects to a deck. I will store lines temporarily by coiling (I usually flake) and then cow hitch the coil to a lifeline, as per Nigel above.

I do not like as a means of attaching sheets to foresails.

The reef knot should not be used to tie lines together: use to tie the opposite ends of the same line as in neatening up a reefed main sail. Also for lashing.

I use clove hitch to temporarily tie a line to a spar.

Double overhand as a stopper knot; much better than a figure 8.

Rolling hitch for snubbing lines and for taking up tension to remove overrides in sheets.

Double sheet bend rather than a single, just a bit stronger.
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