Page 36 - The Knot Bible

HITCHES

Exploding clove hitch
KNOT SCORE
This interesting variation of a clove hitch is a recent innovation, featuring Strength
in an American yachting magazine as recently as 1999. Its main advantage Security
is that, once the drawloop is pulled, the whole knot falls apart (or Diffi culty Tying
Diffi culty Untying
‘explodes’) and there is nothing left to untie. It remains to be seen whether
Usefulness
this knot stands the test of time.

1 Pass the working end around the 2 Put in a couple of overhand 3 Put a bight in the working end
mooring point. loops in the standing part to make a and pull it through, fi rst one loop...
clove hitch.

5 Adjust the
length of the
drawloop to suit
and then tighten
4 ... and then the other. Note the knot. To
how the knot centres on the untie: simply
standing part. tug on the short
end, and the
whole knot will
collapse.

35