Page 126 - The Ashley Book of Knots

MULTI-STRAND STOPPER OR TERMINAL KNOTS

standing part of the next. Take the third strand under the second

end and up through the bight of the first-moved strand.

672. This is called the WALL AND CROWN KNOT, and was men-

tioned by Moore in 1801. The wall is tied first, and then a crown is

superimposed.

The CROWN, the WALL, the DIAMOND KNOT (~693), and the
67~

FOOTROPE KNOT (~696) are the basis of the knots of this chapter.

The four are tied in combination and with variations, and are doubled

in a number of ways. This type of knot is spoken of as the "built-up"

•
varIety.

There are two ways of "following the lead" when doubling a

knot. To follow below, lead the end below, or "outside" the initial

wall, as indicated by the solid single line.

To follow above, proceed as indicated by- the dotted line, and con-

tinue parallel with the same strand and wIthout crossing it.

If a knot is tied flat on the cork board, with the stem dropped

down through the hole, as in ~674, ~675, and ~676, it may be

pinned out symmetrically. So arranged, a knot is doubled "below

the lead" when the second circuit of the strand is radially on the 673

outer side of the first circuit, and the knot is doubled "above the

lead" when the second circuit is inside the first circuit and radially

nearer the center.

When the lead has been "followCld" around the knot once, it is

said to have been doubled and is a TWO-PLY KNOT; when followed 61'

twice it is tripled and is a THREE-PLY KNOT.

673. The DECK STOPPER provided the name for the whole class of

STOPPER KNOTS. Iti purpose was to secure the cables of a ship, which

were too large to be belayed in the ordinary way, and to "stop"

them from running out. A knot and a lanyard were in one end of

the stopper, and the other end was hooked to the deck. The cable

was secured with a lanyard lashing around the neck of the knot, the

end being dogged and stopped along the cable.

674. The STOPPER KNOT, per se, is a SINGLE W A;'L with each strand

given an additional tuck as shown by the arrow. The name is given 67~

by Steel in 1794. The Manual of Seamanship calls it the WALL and

HALF WALL. In tying, draw up the strands firmly and evenly. When

it is completed lay up the ends into a short section of rope, whip

them, and trim. In speaking of the knot, the Manual of Seamanship

further says: "Made in this way they will never capsize."

Lever, in 1808, stated that the ends of STOPPER KNOTS "if very

short are whipped without being stopped." This statement is mean-

ingless and is probably a printer's error, but it is still being copied.

Brady, in 184 I, straightened out the statement as follows: "The ends,

if short, are whipped without being layed up; but if long, they are

layed up and stopped."

676

675. The DOUBLE WALL (I) is given by Blanckley, 1750. Lever

(1808) says the DOUBLE WALL is "tied in the ends of to gallant

braces, to button into the clews of topgallant-sails." It was a so used

on stop ers instead of the STOPPER KNOT, and may be the earlier

form 0 the two. In doubling this knot, it is preferable to follow

above the first lead.

The Manual of Seamanship says: "a DOUBLE WALL KNOT will cap-

lize when a great strain is brought on it."

676. DOUBLE WALL KNOT (2). This is a more compact and hand-

somer knot than the foregoing one and combilles the best features of

#674 and ~675.

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