Joining lines to objects with knots, bends, and hitches
The word knot is now a loosely used term for one of the many forms of tying a rope to itself, to another rope, or to an object. In the days of sailing ships, sailors drew greater distinction between knots, bends, and hitches.Knots were more or less permanent connections made with smaller ropes or interworked strands of the same line. Bends were used to fasten a line to an object, or sometimes to another line. Hitches were connections that could be made and released quickly, but which were not expected to be long-lasting.There is a lot of talk among boaters about the need for a thorough
knowledge of knots and their unique applications—but, in fact, you need very few if you choose them carefully. Following is a list of ten simple knots capable of fulfilling every need aboard a boat: anchor bend (also known as the fisherman’s bend), bowline, cleat hitch, clove hitch, figure-eight knot, reef knot, rolling hitch, round turn and two half hitches, trucker’s hitch, and sheet bend or double sheet bend. This list is often reduced to three knots, three bends, and three hitches, as follows:
- knots: figure-eight, reef, and bowline
- bends: double sheet, anchor, and sheet
- hitches: round turn and two half hitches, clove, and rolling
In practical terms, it’s possible to do everything you need to do on most boats with just two knots, two bends, and one hitch;
that is, five in all: anchor bend, bowline, reef knot, rolling hitch, and sheet bend.A good knot has the following attributes:
- it must hold fast under all conditions
- it must come apart easily when you want it to, even under strain
- you must be able to make it almost automatically—that is, your finger muscles should be able to retain a “memory” of the knot and form it quickly without thought
Any tight kink in a fiber line will weaken it, and there may be many in a knot. Some knots are worse than others in this respect. The following list gives an approximate indication of how much the strength of rope is reduced by various knots:anchor bend: 24 percent bowline: 40 percent clove hitch: 40 percent reef knot: 55 percent round turn and two half hitches: 30 to 35 percent timber hitch: 30 to 35 percent sheet bend: 45 percentSee also
Cleats.
