Page 138 - Knots You Need to Know Easy-to-Follow Guide to the 30 Most Useful Knots

2. To belay a line to a standard cleat, wrap it once around the cleat’s
base (1), then lead it over the top of the cleat and around the lower horn

(2) to form a figure eight. Make one more figure eight and finish with an
underhand loop (3), which is passed over the upper horn to form a half
hitch (4). The half hitch may be made with a half bow (above, right) for
quick release. When cleating sheets, some boatmen omit the half hitch
and finish with a turn around the cleat’s base.