Page 22 - The Ashley Book of Knots

ON KNOTS

24. The FISHERMAN'S BEND is an ANCHOR HITCH.

25,26. The STUDDING-SAIL HALYARD BEND Uh5) and the TOPSAIL

HALYARD BEND (~26) are YARD HITCHES. 2.1 28

The ROBAND HITCH is a BINDING KNOT (discussed in Chapter 12).

The verb to bend is used with considerable latitude: a sailor always

bends a line to an anchor or to a spar, and he also bends a sail to a spar

or stay. But with the exceptions here noted, all knots called bends

are for lengthening rope, by tying two ends together.

Many bends and hitches are termed knots, but this agrees with

the broadest definition of the term, knot being the generic term cov-

ering the whole subject.

For purposes of knotting, a rope is considered to consist of three

parts:

27. The end of a rope is its extremity.

28. The standing part is the inactive part, as opposed to the bight

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and working end.

29. The bight of a rope is a terlll borrowed perhaps from topog-

raphy, which has two meanings in knotting. First, it may be any

central part of a rope, as distinct from the ends and standing part.

30. Second, it is a curve or arc in a rope no narrower than a semi-

circle. This corresponds to the topographical meaning of the word,

a bight being an indentation in a coast so wide that it may be sailed

out of, on one tack, in any wind.

31. An OPEN Loop is a curve in a rope narrower than a bight but

with separated ends.

.38

32. A CLOSED Loop is one in which the legs are brought together

but not crossed.

When the legs of a loop are brought together and crossed the rope

has "taken a turn."

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33. A Loop KNOT is formed when the end of a rope is made fast

to its own standing part, or when a loop in the bight of a rope is

closed and knotted. Often a Loop K:'\OT is called merely a "Loop."

34. When a vessel, lying to two anchors, turns about, under the

influence of wind and tide, she is said to have a foul hawse. If one

cable merely lies over the other it is called a cross (of the cables).

35. If another cross is added the result is an elbow in the cables.

36. Another cross makes a round turn.

37. \Vhile still another cross constitutes a round turn and an elbow

in the cable. ,.,\1

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38. A hitch is a knot tied directly to or around an object; there are 1., 't('

many hitches that will capsize if removed from the supporting object.

39. A Loop KNOT, commonly called a Loop, serves about the same

purpose as a hitch, but it is tied in hand, which is the chief distinction

between the two. After being tied it is placed around an object, such

as a hook or a post. Its shape is not dependent on the object that it is

fast to, and it may be removed at any time and will still retain its

shape.

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40, 41, 42. Alongside will be found illustrated (~40) a single tum, 41

(~4I) a round turn, and (~42) two round turns.

One of the few properties that would be desirable in every prac-

tical knot is that it should tie in an easily remembered way.

Decorative knots should be handsome and symmetrical.

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