Page 12 - The New Encyclopedia of Knots

figure 5.2

Belaying a rope to a belaying pin is carried out in much the same way as when cleating. Make a start
to the right of the pin with a full round turn taken clockwise around the pin; turns should always be
taken in the same direction as that in which the rope is coiled. This prevents the strands from being
forced open, and the rope will kink less. This does not apply to braided rope, which can be coiled or

belayed in either direction without kinking. As in cleating, the cross turns on the belaying pin bear the
load on the rope, and again a half hitch is added to keep the turns in place (figure 6).