Page 312 - The Ashley Book of Knots

HITCHES TO STAKE AND POST, PILE AND BOLLARD

"Tricks and Puzzles." The knot is also discussed in Chapter 1 5,

"Crossing Knots," which is its most distinctive use, and also among

the BINDING KNOTS of Chapter 16.

1780. The SEIZED HALF HITCH is mentioned by Falconer in 1769.

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Formerly the knot was used much more than at present; in fact the

use of seizin sand stoppings, except by riggers, has become infre- 1'1 0 \71

quent. But i an eye is needed in very large rope, there is nothing

better than this. A hitch is made around the standing part of the

rope with its own end and then is drawn up snug and either stopped

or seized.

1781. Two HALF HITCHES is mentioned by Steel in 1794. An ex-

peditious way in which to tie the knot to a post is to first form a loose

GRANNY KNOT, leaving a long end. As the ship swings she will take

up the slack and the GRANNY will capsize into Two HALF HITCHES. 1783

Warps on coastwise ships, however, are generally fitted with spliced

eyes to drop over piles and bollards, but deep-sea sailing craft usu-

ally keep the ends of their hawsers clear.

"Two half hitches will never slip"-Admiral Luce.

"Two half hitches saved a Queen's Ship"-Anonymous.

"Three half hitches are more than a King's Yacht wants"-Admiral

Smyth.

1782. If a ship is to remain tied up for several days, Two HALF

HITCHES, seized, is preferable to '# 1780.

,'tl(.'

1783. In making small craft fast to a wharf the BOWLINE is some-

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times tied as a hitch. Two loose HALF HITCHES are made and well \ 1,

separated. The one closest to the post is then capsized by pulling

sufficiently to straighten out the turns, as shown by the arrows in

j§i 1781. The end is then tucked, as shown by the arrows in the center

diagram, to form a LEFT-HAND BOWLINE ('# IOHYz). ..

1784. The ROUND TURN AND Two HALF HITCHES is mentioned by

Steel in 1794. It should be used when the object to be tied to is of 1186

'185
small diameter, since the second turn dissipates the wear. The hitch 17

is seized often but not invariably.

1785. The ROUND TURN AND SLIPPED HALF HITCH is an excellent

temporary STAKE HITCH. I "l

1786. REVERSED HALF HITCHES bears the same relation to a Cow

HITCH that Two HALF HITCHES bears to a CLOVE HITCH. The same

knot formation is either tied around its own standing rart, which

forms REVERSED HALF HITCHES, or around another object, which

makes the Cow HITCH. The knot is often seen on tent stakes and is

more easily untied than Two HALF HITCHES.

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1787. A RIGHT-HAND BOWLINE is formed when REVERSED HALF

HITCHES are put around a stake and then are capsized and further

tucked in a manner similar to '# 1782.

1788. A BOWLINE may be tied quickly in still another way. Form

the standing part into a MARLINGSPIKE HITCH and reeve the end as

indicated by the arrow. Adjust the loop to the desired size, then pull

the hitch taut. The end of the rope is at once swallowed, and a Bow-

LINE KNOT is formed.

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1789. The MARLINGSPIKE HITCH, given by Dana in 1841, has -
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sometimes been called, in magazine articles, "the BOAT KNOT" and is -

said to be used over a stake for tying up. If this spills, it becomes the ""

ordinary NOOSE HITCH shown as '# 1803, a knot which is seldom al-

lowed to approach salt water.

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