Page 144 - Des Pawson "Pocket Guide to Knots & Splices"

Trucker’s Hitch

Trucker’s hitch, waggoner’s hitch, 1 Put a little tension on the part of the rope
harvester’s hitch, lorry driver’s hitch, that is to be tightened. Take the slack

a dolly: the variety of names given to part of the rope and make a bight, and
this method of tightening rope over a place on top of the part of the rope that
will be under tension.
load shows that it has been around for
2 Form a crossing turn round the bight in a
a very long time, more often passed
similar manner to the bowline method
on as a trade secret rather than
# 2 (see page 162).
through written sources. Great tension
3 Below the first turn, make a second turn
can be applied by using this
round the bight, thus making a little “ear.”
arrangement of loops and half hitches,
4 Keeping a little tension on all parts of the
yet it can be easily shaken out of the
hitch, pull down the lower loop locking
rope when the tension is released. As
the two turns round the "ear."
with all quick release knots, care must
5 Put a couple of twists in the lower loop.
be taken to ensure that, as the strain is

put on, the loops are big enough not
to slip out. There are a number of

variations or extra features that help
to ensure a greater degree of stability,
and it must be realized that the great

friction that occurs when strain is
applied can wear the rope out if the
Pocket Guide to Knots & Splices
hitch is always made in exactly the
same place.

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