Page 109 - The Complete Rigger’s Apprentice

but this doesn’t bother sailmakers, because they the very center, down inside where the three strands
stitch their splices to their sails. Riggers don’t fan out from the Constrictor. There are three spaces
have this luxury, so they tuck against the lay. there, and you are going to drop each strand into
But once you have enough tucks for security, the second space to its right. Got it? Good, that’s all
you can back one more set for a quick taper. there is to it.
Note that backed tucks angle right down the Draw up with a blunted spike or awl, making
standing part, instead of across it. several passes along each strand, until the knot is
hard. Carefully trim the ends off flush with the bot-
Stoppers and Buttons tom of the knot. This button, the Matthew Walker,
If it’s multistrand bulk you’re after, the traditional and related knots are most often used as stoppers
knot is the Matthew Walker, structurally a series of on deadeye and other lanyards (see Chapter 10), as
interlocked Overhand Knots (Figure 4-6). The real well as hand- and footrope ends, gaskets, beckets,
challenge comes not in tying it but in drawing it up, and for decoration. Tied in small enough material,
a procedure that is for some reason always left out the Ashley #880 makes a lovely, fully functional but-
of knot books. The trick is to take out a little bit of ton for clothing. A two-strand version of this knot is
slack at a time, first by hand, then with a spike, first an essential part of my improved Soft Shackle (see
pulling down on the bight, then up on the end. For pages 388)
a neat finish, lay the strands up again for a short
distance (1 to 1 ⁄2 inches), whip them, then cut the Chain Splices
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end flush at the top of the whipping. Like a wire-and-rope halyard, a chain-and-rope
Buttons can serve the same function as stopper anchor rode combines two materials in order to gain
knots like the Matthew Walker, but differ from them the virtues of both.
in that the ends are buried in the knot, obviating An all-rope rode of appropriate size is plenty
the laying-up-and-whipping step. But don’t think strong to make a boat stay put. Made of nylon, it
that buttons save labor; they are more intricate and will be elastic, so that staying put will not involve
harder to draw up. Their big selling point is that hull- and teeth-jarring shock loads as the hull
they are not only functional but also stylish and fetches up in a swell. But an all-rope rode will be
rare. The one shown here (#880 in Ashley) is my subject to chafe; it will chafe away on rocky bot-
favorite for three- and four-strand rope. Like most toms, and it will chafe away at the boat’s roller or
buttons, it is built up from two basic knots, the Wall hawse, particularly from storm-induced side loads.
and Crown. We’ve already used the Crown Knot in An all-chain rode is ultimately chafe-resistant, but it
the Backsplice (Figure 4-1), and the Wall Knot is is also ultimately inelastic. It compensates somewhat
just an upside-down Crown. for this inelasticity because in use its very weight
To make this button, tie a Constrictor Knot causes it to describe that elegant, shock-absorbing
about a foot from the end, unlay the strands to it, sag we call a catenary. But in heavy wind and swell,
and make a Wall Knot as shown in Figure 4-7. Fair the chain goes not quite straight and BAM!, instead
this knot to make it even but not tight, then make a of riding over waves, you’re colliding with them (as
Crown on top of it. Now fair the Crown so that the a friend of mine puts it, “There’s no catenary at 50
combined knots look exactly like the drawing. Take knots”). This is why, with an all-chain rode, a rope
a deep breath. Do you see the three bights (scallops snubber is a good idea (see sidebar, “End-of-Bow-
or arcs) around the outside of the knot, with an end sprit Anchoring”). You’ll find two other snubbers in
across the middle of each bight? Take each end and Chapter 12 (see page 92).
pass it up through the bight to its right, ahead of With a snubber in place, you gain the virtues of
that bight’s end. Looks like a real mess, huh? Fair chain and rope, so who needs a rope rode at all? But
it into some semblance of order and take a look at there are two other factors to consider. They don’t

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