Page 217 - Geoffrey Budworth & Jason Dalton "The Little Book of Incredibly Useful Knots 200 Practical Knots for Sailors"
P. 217
Slipped cleat hitch
A cleat is the piece of hardware with two projecting horns or arms fitted at the foot of flagpoles,
sailboat masts, and anywhere else that a halyard or other line is frequently made fast.
Knowledgeable riggers attach cleats at an angle of about 10° from the vertical, since this is said
to reduce the chances of turns jamming; but a simple quick-release hitch works as well
(provided the load keeps a steady pressure on what is a very minimal holdfast).
Make a turn around the bottom of the cleat, then wrap a tight diagonal to the top (1). Bring the
rope around the horn (2) and tuck a bight beneath the diagonal just created (3).
