Page 135 - The Ashley Book of Knots

THE ASHLEY BOOK OF KNOTS

713. A number of old seamanship and rigging books, among them

Bushell's (1854), recommend "crowning and double walling" the

STOPPER KNOT when using it on a DECK STOPPER. The crown is de-

signed to overcome a tendency to "roll" and capsize. I have found

no description of the manner of disposing of the ends, but thf

ends could either be tucked to the stem, which would automatically

make a BUTTON KNOT, eligible for the chapter to follow, or else

they could be tucked up to the top center as shown here, making a

true STOPPER KNOT.

714. A MATTHEW WALKER CROWNED, and tucked up in a manner

similar to the last, makes a handsome knot resembling '#701 and

'# 7 10.

715. A DIAMOND KNOT CROWNED may be treated in the same way.

After doubling the diamond by following above the original knot,

tuck the ends where they lie up through the center of the crown to

the top, without doubling the crown.

'714

716. DIAMOND KNOT AND BLOCK STRAP. Seize a strap stoutly around

the block, open the two ends, whip the six strands, and lay up the

ends into three pairs-that is, into three two-strand ropes. Then

close the three pairs into cable for the length required for the neck.

Seize and tie a regular DIAMOND KNOT using the three two-strand

ropes as strands. Lay up the ends for a further distance beyond the

knot and whip. Directions for laying up ends will be found near the

end of Chapter 1.

If difficulty is met in tying the knot with double strands, first

tie it with single strands (employing every alternate one), and then

double the knot with the three strands that were left out the first

time. Lay up the ends as already directed.

717. Walter Thompson tied a CABLE STOPPER KNOT in the follow·

ing way: Seize the cable stoutly, and open into nine strands. Take

one inside strand from each rope, and lay the three up into a single

rope for a core. Arrange the remaining six strands in pairs, and wall

them around the structure, keeping the two strands of each pair

parallel. Add a crown above the wall, and then tuck each pair of

ends up to the top center as indicated by the arrow. Finally, lay the

strands up right-handed into six-strand rope, around the singlf

center core of three strands that was first made. Whip all ends,

•
- and trim them.

It is interesting to note that Walter Thompson, Captain Smith, anc.

Captain Whitney all tied a number of knots, the knowledge of which

"6 they had acquired at sea many years after the practical needs for

which the knots had originally been evolved no Ion er existed.

718. A CABLE STOPPER KNOT may be tied emp oying onl six

strands, using the remaining three strands as a core, in the fo low·

71'

[ 126 ]