Page 42 - Nate Fitch, Ron Funderburke "Climbing Knots"

Finish with an
overhand knot,
directly in front
of the bowline.

The Double Bowline with
Yosemite Finish

Strength: A remarkably strong knot. When tied
and secured correctly, it reduces material strength
by only 10-20 percent.
Visual clarity: The double bowline with a
Yosemite finish is an odd-looking knot. If observ-
ers are unfamiliar with the knot, it will be difficult
for them to tell whether it is tied correctly.
Efficiency: The double bowline with a Yosemite
finish requires five separate steps to create, but
even after heavy cyclical loads, it is still easy to untie.
Security: The double bowline by itself is an
unpredictable knot, but a properly tied backup
knot means that it is both secure and predictable.
Two separate unlikely contortions of the rope are
required to reduce the load-bearing properties of
the knot.
Failure mechanism: The double bowline with a
Yosemite finish typically breaks right in front of its
initial double loop.
Ideal applications: Climbing with experts.
Project climbing with lots of falls (easy to untie).

Tying the Rope to a Climber 29