Page 81 - Buck Tilton "Outward Bound Ropes, Knots, and Hitches"

Ropes, Knots, and Hitches

Highwayman’s Hitch

A HItCH fOR SItuAtIOnS wHeRe A
quICK ReLeASe MIgHt Be needed
When a temporary hitch is needed, such as when
mooring a small craft for a short amount of time, the
highwayman’s hitch (also known as a draw hitch) does an
excellent job. It works well for lowering light loads, like
lowering a gear bag over the side of a tall ship. Whether
or not it was used by highwaymen (robbers) as a quick-
release tether for horses, when a fast getaway was part
of the job, is not known, but it works well for temporarily
tethering animals.

s
Highwayman’ XXHitch: Step 1 Highwayman’s Hitch: Step 2
XX

XXXForm a loop in the working end XXX
Form a second loop in the work-
of the rope and hold it behind ing end and hold it over the
the attachment point. A long front of the attachment point.
working end will be needed to
complete this knot.

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