Page 149 - Adlard Coles "The Knot Bible"

Overhand knot
KNOT SCORE
It’s so simple, the overhand knot barely deserves a place in a knot book. Strength
And it’s probably one of the few knots most of us can tie with our eyes Security
closed. But, while most sailors will tell you it should never be used aboard Diffi culty Tying
Diffi culty Untying
ship, the DNA of the overhand knot runs right through many of the more
Usefulness
complicated knots we tie every time we go to sea.
There is an argument that the around a rail, and it becomes a half why the figure-eight knot was

overhand knot should be the fi rst hitch. Rearrange it twice around a invented. Although the fi gure-eight
item in any book of knots – not just rail with a turn, and it becomes doesn’t provide much extra bulk as
because it’s the easiest to tie, but also a round turn and two half hitches a stopping knot, it does untie more
because it’s the basis of so many (page 28). The overhand knot is easily. Plus it’s much prettier to
other knots. However, due to the also evident in the structure of knots look at.
way knots are arranged in ‘families’ as varied as the strangle knot (page But, as well as providing an
(ie hitches, loops, knots, etc), that 42), the zeppelin bend (page 86), interesting DNA trace, the overhand
would mean starting this book with the fisherman’s knot (page 100), knot does have a few uses at sea.

a chapter that also included atypical the angler’s loop (page 119) and the You can use it to secure reefi ng
knots such as the monkey’s fi st (page sheepshank (page 162). points to the sail, one being tied on
160) and the prusik bottle sling (page Despite being imitated in dozens either side of the sail. As you’re
168). Which is why the overhand of sailing knots, the overhand knot unlikely to want to take these out
knot finds itself where it is now. itself is rarely used aboard ship. The and since the fi gure-eight doesn’t

Yet there’s no denying how reason for this is not that it isn’t provide any more bulk, an overhand

fundamental the overhand knot is secure enough – quite the contrary, knot will do just fine here. And you
to a great many fancier and more it’s too secure. The overhand knot can use it as stops for a rope ladder,
highly ranked knots. Add another has a tendency to jam and can be or even as grips for a footrope.
turn, and it forms the ubiquitous difficult to untie without damaging Whoever said the overhand knot

figure-eight (page 150). Rearrange it the line it’s been tied into. Which is should never be used aboard ship?

1 Form an overhand loop. 2 Tuck the working end in the loop. 3 Tighten the knot. Well done, you
just tied the knot that helped reef a
thousand ships!

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