Page 99 - Adlard Coles "The Knot Bible"

Reeving line bend

Usually, our main concern when tying a knot is to make it as secure as KNOT SCORE
possible. The reeving line bend is a little unusual in that it makes a virtue Strength
of its apparent lack of security to create a long, streamlined knot that will Security
slip through fairleads easily. A couple of seizings around the ends give it Diffi culty Tying
Diffi culty Untying
the necessary security. The result is a very useful knot which is almost
Usefulness
certainly stronger than its more complicated counterparts.

There’s little doubt the best way to Probably the most common This has led to the creation of a
join two lines together is to splice method of joining lines together is whole sub-category of bends called
them (see from page 256). A knot to tie a pair of interlocked bowlines hawser bends. The main feature of
such as a bowline reduces the line’s (page 112). A slightly more these knots is that, instead of being
strength by about 40 per cent – sophisticated method is to tie the tightened into a dense ball, they are
whereas a spliced line retains 95 twin bowlines shown on page 97. left ‘open’ and the ends are seized
per cent of its original strength. There are even special knots for to the standing parts. This not only
That said, the time and level of large lines which are reluctant to makes for a longer, more streamlined
skill required for splicing rope twist into a loop or bight, such as knot, which can slip through fairleads
means that, in practice, most lines the carrick bend (page 88). and around winches more easily,
on most boats tend to be joined The trouble with all these is that, but it also exerts less stress on the
using knots (or, to use the proper unlike a splice, the knots tend to line, making for a stronger join.
terminology, bends). Bending lines bulk up the line, which then snags The carrick bend (page 88) can
together also has the advantage on fairleads and winches. It also be tied in this way, as can the sheet
of allowing you to ‘unbend’ them creates additional drag on a tow line, bend (page 80). But the reeving line
should you no longer need such or any other line being dragged bend is probably the best knot for
a long length of line. through the water. the job.

1 Overlap the ends by about 2 Tuck the ends under themselves 3 Allow at least 75–100mm (3–4in)
0.5–0.6m (18–24in). Place one end to create a pair of hitches. slack in the ends to make the
over, and one end under, each seizings.
other’s standing part.

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