Page 289 - Geoffrey Budworth, Jason Dalton "The Little Book of Incredibly Useful Knots"
P. 289
Self-equalizing anchor
When a reliable single belaying point may not exist (for instance, in alpine snow), then a
climbing rig can be adapted to share the load equally between two (or more) anchoring points.
A bowline on the bight is used for this purpose; so, too, is the Portuguese (sometimes referred
to as the French) bowline.
Tie a bowline on the bight (see pages 68–69) (1, 2), and then back up or stop the short end to a leg
of the most convenient loop (3). As the twin loops of this knot do not readily adjust to any unequal
stress or strain between the two anchorage points, a Portuguese bowline (see pages 76–77) may be
preferable, since its loops are to an extent adjustable (one feeding into the other), although this
could conceivably weaken the rope; once again, back up or stop the loose end to a leg on one of the
loops. Then spread the load between the two anchorage points (4).
