Page 33 - Cliff Jacobson - Knots for the Outdoors

Here’s a slick way to attach a rope to a hook or the towing link of a vehicle. The cat’s paw is
secure under heavy load, yet it comes apart easily—the reason why it remains popular with
longshoremen and movers. Form two loops at the end of your rope, twist them around
several times, and hook them in place. That’s all there is to it.

FIGURE 14. CLOVE HITCH

A popular knot for mooring boats to piers and pilings and securing ratlines to the shrouds
on sailboats, the clove hitch is also a common “starter” knot for lashings and the diamond
hitch. When absolute security is needed, finish the knot with one or two half hitches, as
illustrated in Figure 14c.