Page 357 - The Ashley Book of Knots

THE ASHLEY BOOK OF KNOTS

2156. Knight's Seamanship gives this strap for sending sails aloft.

A selvagee should be employed as it is less liable than rope to pinch

and bruise the canvas. The large DOUBLED EYE does not have to be

unbent in order to remove the strap. It is merely necessary to cut the

•
stoppmg.

2157. A better way perhaps is to hook to the block with a CAT'S-

PAW (* I 89 I) and then to lead the sling down the back of the sail

with the two parts well separated. Pass the sling under the sail and

lead it back through the legs that were formed. From each side twist

'LlS" and seize in a turn around each of the two legs. When the two seiz-

ings are cut the sling spills instantly.

2158. To sling a plank staging overside: Tie a MARLINGSPIKE

HITCH and insert one end of the plank. Do likewise with the other

end.

2159. To sling a plank on edge: This is sometimes required as a

2.l5'$ fender when tying up to a stone pier that has neither stringpiece nor

-.

- piling. Make a CLOVE HITCH much larger than the irth of the plank,
. ....
- -

• • and work the ends around until the knot is in the orm shown.

- 2160. There are several knots that may be employed in slinging
-::- - •

• • a ladder horizontally for use as a staging, the best known of these

being the SPANISH BOWLINE (*1087). Others are given on pagos 198

and 199. A loop is placed over the ends of each side post or rail and

a wide board is laid over the rungs to complete the staging. In Chap-

ter 12 several other DOUBLE Loops are given that will serve the same

purpose and the subject of stagings is also discussed further in Chap-

•
- - - - ter 2, under "Carpenter."
- - - - • • - 2161. For slinging a bundle of shingles, a carpenter generally

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21S" - -- .-.. : employs the TIMBER HITCH .

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• 2162. At sea if a small spar or some other lengthy object is to be

•
- - . "- hoisted on end through the tops, a TIMBER HITCH is made at the

lower end and a series of SINGLE HITCHES added, finished off gener-

ally with a CLOVE HITCH at the upper end.

For towing, a spar is slung in the same way.

2163. The BALE or BARREL SLING is the most generally useful

method of slinging. Sacks of sugar and flour, barrels, and bales are all

slung with it. The sling is passed under the object to be hoisted and

the longer bight is then rove through the upper one. The two turns

which are formed around the bale should be well separated.

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2164. If sufficient length is left, after the BALE SLING is in place, the

longer bight is made fast to the cargo hook with a CAT'S-PAW, which

is the most practical of HOOK HITCHES. It is easily formed by grasp-

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