Page 67 - Adlard Coles "The Knot Bible"

Cleat hitch

Samson posts and bitts have long been superseded by cleats, but, if the KNOT SCORE
evidence on display in Europe’s marinas is anything to go by, the majority Strength
of sailors still don’t know how to tie a cleat hitch correctly. Getting it right Security
could make the difference between sleeping soundly at night or seeing Diffi culty Tying
Diffi culty Untying
your beloved yacht being pounded on a beach. So why do so many people
Usefulness
still get it wrong?

Walk around any marina and almost undone or cause any damage – emergency. The general consensus
every boat will have at least half a although it could be a different story is that at least two crossing turns are
dozen cleat hitches tied in various in less sheltered waters. required, perhaps one or two more
parts of its anatomy: mooring lines, One of the most debated issues in extremis. Any more than that just
flag halyards, sail halyards, sheets, about the cleat hitch is how many get in the way.

etc. That adds up to hundreds – if turns to make. In former times, Another area of contention is
not thousands – of examples of the when ropes were coarser and whether to put in a half hitch at
knot in every marina. generally thicker for an equivalent the end or not. The general rule is
Yet, amazingly, the majority of these strength, a couple of turns around a that, if the boat might be put in
will be incorrectly tied (or ‘belayed’, cleat were enough. Nowadays, with immediate danger by not being able
to use the traditional terminology). thinner, smoother and more stretchy to untie the knot, then don’t put one
This author’s, admittedly rope, more turns are needed to in. So, don’t put a half hitch in: tow

unscientific, survey suggested only prevent the line slipping. lines, sheets and sail halyards. Do
one in eight cleat hitches in his local On the other hand, a common put a half hitch in just about
marina were correctly tied. mistake is to keep on adding turns everything else.
Luckily, the cleat hitch is a until the rope runs out, creating an In cases where no half hitch is
forgiving knot, so few of these unholy pile that will take a used, a couple of extra turns should
incorrectly tied knots actually come dangerously long time to undo in an be added instead.

1 Take a turn around the cleat, 2 Make sure you take a full turn 3 Keep going in a fi gure-eight, until
starting at the end furthest away before crossing the cleat diagonally you’ve made at least two crossing
from you. and passing the working end under turns. Small, slippery line will
the opposite horn. require more turns than large,
coarse line.

66