Page 72 - The Complete Rigger’s Apprentice

Figure 3-1. Belaying with a Clove Hitch backed up by
a Rolling Hitch.
Figure 3-2. A belay to a horn cleat starts with a full
turn around the base (A) and ends with a Half Hitch
keep in mind are: Control, Security, Ease of Casting
Off, and Ability to Surge. (B). Avoid turning the finished loop in the wrong
To illustrate, let’s look again at those tent guys. direction (C). Note that the cleat is angled to the
The Clove Hitch creates friction, so that only a frac- lead of the standing part. Note that, with a slicker
tion of the strain comes on the rope end, and it’s line and/or cleat, more figure-eight turns might be
easier to control the load while making the Rolling needed, to prevent the line from slipping, and to pre-
Hitch, which provides security and a means to take vent the locking hitch from jamming.
up slack when the line is tightened. This hitch never
jams, so the tent will be easy to strike. And the fric-
tion of the Clove Hitch makes surging (gradually
paying out slack to a line under strain) an easy and
safe operation.
All of this is even easier on a cleat, that most
highly evolved belaying tool. In Figure 3-2, the line
takes a turn for control around the base of the cleat
before beginning the two or three figure-eight turns
that provide security. Note that the cleat is angled
away from the lead of the line. This makes it easier
to get a turn started, prevents the line from jamming
against its own standing part, and more evenly dis-
tributes the strain on the bolts that hold the cleat
to the deck. When making fast to a bollard (Figure
3-3), take a turn first around the nearer post before
commencing figure-eight turns around both. This
minimizes the tendency of the farther post to “lever
up” under extreme loads. Figure 3-3. The first turn on a bollard in line with the
To keep the turns of a belay from coming loose, lead should be around the near post (A). When the
make a Half Hitch to finish. Just pretend you’re lead is perpendicular to the bollard (B) either post
going to make another figure-eight, then slip a will do.
loop under the line and over the horn of the cleat

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