Page 98 - The Ashley Book of Knots

SINGLE-STRAND STOPPER OR TERMINAL KNOTS

to make the knot symmetrical, stick the standing part through the

same three turns in the reverse direction. Haul all taut, side-splice the

end to the stem, and soak the knot in rigging tar.

540. There are numerous variations of this somewhat slovenly but

very bulky HEAVING LINE KNOT which has a sm~ll coil for ~ts base.

Make the coil of three turns, and knot as shown In the first Illustra-

tion. Round down snugly to the end of the coil, and stick the end as

illustrated. Draw taut as possible with a marlingspike, a?d fi~ally

side-splice the end to the stem. Weight with sheet lead If deSIred.

541. An OVER-AND-UNDER HEAVING LINE KNOT. Make an Sturn

in the rope, and tuck the end of the rope through the bight at the bot-

tom of the standing part. Lead the end to the right, alternately over

and under the three parts of the S, until sufficient len th has been

made. When the number of "over" parts is a multiple 0 three, work 541

the knot snug and splice the end to the standing part.

542. The MONKEY'S FIST. This has always been the standard HEAV-

ING LINE KNOT of the square-rigger. Apparently it was first pictured

by E. N. Little in Log Book Notes (1889). It was described by Dr.

Cyrus L. Day in 1935. Take a piece of fifteen-thread stuff for the

heaving line. Hold the working end with the thumb in the palm of

the left hand, and with fingers separated a little, make two round

turns about the hand and lay the working end hack between the tips

of the second and third fingers. Reeve the end to the front again,

between the roots of the second and third fingers, and make two

frapping turns around the original turns (the second one above the

first). Remove the structure from the hand, and put on the final two

turns as shown in the first and third diagrams. Tied in the way de-

scribed, this knot may be worked into a compact ball, but it usually

has a core, being tied around a ball of tea lead, a round beach pebble,

or one of the cook's dumplings. If loaded in this way, three or even

four turns are taken for each cycle, instead of the two turns described.

In completing the knot the end is side-spliced to the standing part

one foot from the knot, after which two seizings are put on, one at

the end of the splice, the other at the neck of the knot. For additional

discussion of the MONKEY'S FIST consult Chapter 29.

543. The DOUGHNUT, and KNOT jIj! 54 I, are my contribution to this

series of knots. The DOUGHNUT was first published in Sea Stories

Magazine in 1925. If desired, a narrow ribbon or tape of sheet lead

may be served around the original coil of three or six turns before

adding the service turns. In small material and without the sheet lead,

the knot will serve a useful purpose about the house on the ends of

543

jury shade cords and preventer electric-light pulls.

To tie, make a small coil of three or six round turns, which may be

covered for convenience with adhesive tape. Then serve snugly as 544

shown. Pack the turns tightly together, and haul them taut. Tuck the

end as shown, and side-splice it to the stem.

544. The MAURETANIA KNOT is a loaded TURK'S-HEAD. A THREE-

BIGHT, FOUR-PART TURK'S-HEAD is tied as in jIj! 1311. The knot should

be doubled or tripled, and a large marble or small stone inserted, be-

fore working taut. Splice the end to the standing one foot from

the knot, and seize twice as already described for 542.