Page 88 - Knots You Need to Know Easy-to-Follow Guide to the 30 Most Useful Knots
P. 88
A rolling hitch is often used to secure the safety line of a bosun’s chair to
a mast, for the knot holds firm when the strain on the standing part is
parallel to the object to which it is tied. Moreover, it is most effective on a
smooth surface. To tie the basic rolling hitch, take two turns around the
object (1). Bring the end up and over the turns; make another turn at the
top and pass the end back under itself in a single hitch (2). Push the
turns together and draw the knot tight (3). Strain on the standing part (4)
will now force the diagonal to roll over and the knot’s grip will be
tightened.
An alternate version of the rolling hitch—called a stopper by some sailors
—is used for tying a weight to another line such as a wire shroud, which
