Page 29 - The Complete Rigger’s Apprentice
P. 29

Figure 1-11C. The completed knot.


                   Figure 1-11A. The Marlingspike Hitch. Hold line   lashings. Each lashing was hove taut with this
                   between thumb and middle fingers of one hand. With   stick-in-hitch procedure, which the Vikings called
                   other hand, lay spike across line and pivot it in a full   “marling”—hence “marlingspike” (commonly but
                   circle, ending with the point behind the standing part.
                                                               with less regard for linguistic antecedents spelled
                                                               without the “g”), “marline (n),” and incidentally,
                                                               “mooring.” Rivets, nails, glue, and bolts eventually
                                                               replaced lashings as hull fastenings, but the point
                                                               remains that flimsy, inexpensive bits of twine can
                                                               be made structurally significant with tension. With
                                                               the advent of materials like Spectra, we have seen
                                                               a sharp resurgence in the use of this and other
                                                               hitches, because very high loads can now be put
                                                               onto extremely small, slick line.
                                                                  The amount one can save in chrome-plated fit-
                                                               tings alone can make spike knots worthwhile, and in
                                                               an emergency they might be a sailor’s only recourse.
                                                               Good knots to know, even if you’re not planning to
                                                               raid the coast of England.
                                                                  The single version of this knot has been all that
                                                               anyone needed for a few thousand years, but today
                                                               we sometimes need a double version for dealing
                                                               with very small, very strong synthetic line. When in
                                                               doubt, use a double. To tie it, start as though for
                                                               a single Marlingspike Hitch, but pass the standing
                                                               part around the tip of the spike twice, before com-
                                                               pleting the knot as usual.
                                                                  The Marlingspike Hitch is used to draw up a
                                                               variety of knots. Some of these knots are marvels
                                                               of intricacy, but we’ll start with a simple one. Snub
                                                               the end of some twine under two or three turns of its
                                                               own standing part, around a piece of rope or wire
                   Figure 1-11B. In mid-pivot, snag the standing part
                   close to the spike with the tip of your middle finger.   rope (Figure 1-12). Make your hitch, and, exert-
                   This makes it easy to grab (with thumb and forefin-  ing even tension, wind on a series of tight, tangent
                   ger) the bight of line on top of the spike and to pass it   turns. That’s “service,” a means of protecting sails
                   over the end of the spike.                  and rigging from chafe. Service is frequently seen
                                                               over splices; on shrouds, especially where headsails

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