Page 326 - The Ashley Book of Knots

HOOKS, BECKETS, AND TOGGLES

1915. A SLIl'PED AND TOGGLED BECKET HITCH is used in setting up . , .... , .. ~ .............. .. , ................. , ..... "" .. . .. .. "', .......... .

• • \ •

•
topmast rigging. It is slipped by pulling on the end. It is popular • •
•

because it "favors" the stiffened ends of old lanyards.

1916. Bowline bridles are attached to the bowline cringles either

with toggles or (an earlier practice) with BOWLINE KNOTS.

1917. In the mid-nineteenth century bowline bridles were also

inside clinched to the cringles. The BOWLINE holds the luff of a

square sail to windward when a ship is sailing "full and by." Bunt-

lines on large craft were also secured with INSIDE CLINCHES.

1918. The BUNTLINE HITCH, according to Kipping (1840), was III lb ,~ \l \~ 18

tied through eyelet holes in the foot of a sail, not to a cringle, which

was the earlier practice. Buntlines are employed to lift the square
l't 20

sails preparatory to furling. The BUNTLINE HITCH is a very secure

knot and is not easily loosened by the slatting of the sail. Toggles also

have been employed for securing buntlines, Luce showing them in

1862.

1919. The TOGGLED BIGHT is employed in hoisting sail preparatory

to bending. A spill line or trip line is attached to the toggle.

1920. The TOGGLED BIGHT is more secure if extra turns are added.

1921. A BIGHT AND EYE, toggled: This provides a way to secure

slings to an eye strap.

1922. TOGGLE AND EYE: Lever, in 1808, gives this as the Merchant

Marine way of bending the tack to a clew.

1923. EYE TO EYE (about 1800). In this case the clew is rove

through the eye and then the sheet is rove through the clew. The

toggle is to prevent the two eyes from jamming.

1924. EYE TO EYE (1808). The clew is rove through the eye and

the toggle is stuck under a bight of the sheet. When the toggle is

removed the knot spills.

1925. Sheet block and TACK KNOT made fast to a clew. Lower and

to sail sheet blocks were fastened in this manner a hundred and

fi ty years ago with TACK KNOTS, and topgallant and royal sheets 1921

with STOPPER KNOTS or DOUBLE WALL KNOTS.

1926. Nares, in 1860, gives this method of attaching the BOWLINES.

When tacking ship, the lower toggle is slipped and the BOWLINE is

instantly cleared from the sail. The upper toggle is spliced to the

bowline bridle.

1927. An eye toggled to a bight is given in several seamanship

books as a means of securing the standing part of a topgallant hal-

yard purchase. A hitch is first made around the neck of the block
. 192&

strap and then a bight is shoved through the becket. The toggle is

inserted as shown.

1928. When rafting water, the cask hoops are driven up and

beckets inserted. Before driving the hoops home, moist sand is rubbed "2.9

on the staves to prevent riding. The towlines are either toggled to

the beckets or else made fast with BECKET HITCHES.

1929. Signal flags are fitted with toggles at one end of the hoist

and eyes at the other, so that a number can be buttoned together

without loss of time.

1930. A topgallant, studding-sail tack block, toggled to an eye in

the end of a studding-sail boom (1860).

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