Page 54 - Des Pawson "Des Pawson's Knot Craft" 2 edit.

KNOTCRAFT 2009:Layout 1 23/10/09 12:17 Page 53

A B OSUN’S CHAIR/S WING

MATERIALS A full size Bosun’s Chair seat is usually about
450–500m x 200mm and 25–35mm thick with
the 4 holes at the corners 20mm in diameter
18mm 3 strand rope as long as the situation
demands

KNOTS USED For a Bosun’s Chair:
Short splice (page 74)
A seizing (page 27)

(For a garden swing):
Eye splice [page 47] and/or
Diamond eye splice [page 47]

METHOD
For both the swing and the
Bosun’s Chair, first make sure
that the corners of the actual
plank are well rounded to avoid
damage to ship or people, and
that the edges of the holes are
smooth and rounded to reduce
wear on the rope.
I once saw an illustration of
an old Dutch Bosun’s chair with
a simple but effective carved
pattern that made the seat itself
less slippery and it was a joy to
the eye. You may like to try
something like it.
For the Bosun’s Chair, one
piece of rope is reeved round in The rope should always cross under
a continuous manner with the the seat.
two ends being joined under the
seat with a short splice. making a flat seizing round the 4
A loop is made from the 2 ‘legs’. It is a good idea to have a
bights of rope at the top by thimble in this eye.

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