Page 527 - The Ashley Book of Knots

THE ASHLEY BOOK OF KNOTS

3114. Half hitching. Unless put around a rope, this is really single

hitching but it is commonly called half hitching. It is a method of

lashing in which a series of SINGLE HITCHES is employed to secure

one or several objects, and it is universally used in tying up parcels,

bundles and bales.

3115. MARLINE HITCHING is used to secure parceling on standing

3114 '3IlS rigging. It is preferred to half hitching, as service lies over it more

smoothly. It is also used in lacing the foot and heads of fore-and-aft

sails to booms and gaffs and in lashing hammocks. It is firmer than

half hitching. The difference in construction between the two may

be illustrated by tying a series on a cylinder and then slipping them

off the end. Half hitching spills instantly and completely, whereas

MARLINE HITCHING resolves itself into a series of OVERHAND KNOTS.

3116. The DOUBLE MARLINE HITCH is given in several of the works

31lb 3 J t, of seamanship of about 1860 as the proper method of seizing the parts

of a fish davit tackle.

3117. Kackling or keckling consists of alternate right and left

hitches around two parts of a cable. It is a secure method of seizing.

3118. Nippering. A hemp cable is hove in by attaching it to a

continuous ro e belt termed a messenger which passes around two

capstans, one orward and one aft. The cable is held to the messenger

with a series of short selvagees or sinnets termed nippers. A "nipper
"3 I I f)

man," forward, passes these around the cable and the messenger, as

pictured, and a number of "nipper boys," also termed "nippers,"

hold them in place, while the cable is hove from the forward capstan

to the after one. Each boy holds the after end of one nipper and the

forward end of a second one. When near the after capstan, the nip-

,~ pers are removed and brought back to the nipper man by the nip-

per boys. The nippers are never made fast to the cable.

3119. Gower, in 1808, recommends this method of passing a nip-

per as one that "will not jamb."

3120. Racking turns. These were used in nippering, as well as in

'"3 1 2. 0 seizing the pans of a tackle.

3121. Alternating racking and round turns. When the pull was

very heavy, this was the proper way to pass nippers. If this slipped

when the anchor refused to break out, sand or ashes were thrown

on to make the nippers bite.

3122. Snaking dO'lL"1l the rigging. This was ap lied to backstays

31 21

before going into action, and was sometimes p aced permanently

?»122 '!>12J between the two parts of double topmast stays. For the latter pur-

pose a rope about half the diameter of the stay was staggered down

the stay and carefully seized at regular intervals.

3123. CLOVE HITCHING was resorted to when there was insufficient

time for seizing. Snaking was an emergency expedient and seizing

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