Page 165 - The Ashley Book of Knots

THE ASHLEY BOOK OF KNOTS

There are, moreover, two different ways of tying most knots that

are a combination of two. The commoner way is to have both the

CROWN and the second component knot (WALL, DIAMOND, FOOT-

ROPE, etc.) lead or rotate in the same direction, which is generally

counterclockwise. But another way, which makes a different knot,

is to have the two lead or rotate in opposite directions.

845. A WHALE or WALE KNOT, according to the Naval Expositor

of 1750, "is a round Knot or Knob made with three Strands of Rope

at one End of the TACKS, Topsail Sheats and Stoppers, so they can-

not slip."

Manwayring, Captain John Smith, Boteler, and the Anderson-

edited manuscript of 1625 (circa) speak of the W HALE, WALE, and

WALNUT KNOT, names which at that date appear to have been ap-

plied indiscriminateiy to any of the WALL AND CROWN derivatives,

or to the WALL alone.

The SINGLE W ALL AND CROWN was the first knot of this sort to be

described.

46 846. The tack is a large, tapered three-strand rope which hauls

forward and trims the weather clew of a course or lower square sail.

This is to prevent the sail from being taken aback. The knot is but-

toned to the clew ()lii2837 and )lii3397) and seized in.

The TACK KNOT, as given by Steel in 1794, was a DOUBLED WALL

AND CROWN. To tie the knot: Take a three-strand rope, seize, and

open the end. Make a W ALL AND CROWN as shown in the first two

diagrams, allowing the stem to drop down between the two middle

fingers and holding the knot in the palm of the left hand.

To double the knot, follow with each strand in turn below the

841 first wall and tuck as illustrated in the right upper diagram. Then

follow outside the crown with each strand in turn, and finally stick

all the ends down to the stem. I have found no evidence that the

knot was ever tripled, but there is no reason why this should not

have been done.

The strands of the TACK KNOT were not covered with canvas as

most MULTI-STRAND BUITONS are nowadays, and the ends of the

strands were left long and scraped. A part of each strand was

wormed, and the remaining yarns were fayed (combed out), marled,

and served over.

The practice of putting buttons in the ends of tacks ceased when

the tack itself was doubled and rove through a block at the clew. The

846 TACK KNOT was later modified, and, having been differently applied,

its name was changed to MANROPE KNOT.

847. MANROPE KNOTS were first mentioned by Brady in 1841.

They were tied in manropes, which are ropes leading to either side

of the gangway. The knots provide a h<fndhold for anyone climbing

the side ladder. At an early date manropes were called entering

ropes, a name mentioned by Captain John Smith in 1627; for a while

in the nineteenth century they were called sideropes. The MANROPE

KNOT proper is four-strand, the strands being invariably canvas-

covered and trimmed flush at the. stem. When doubled, the lead is

commonly followed on the lower or outer side. Generally the knot

is tripled, and often it is four- ly, but I have seen the knot tied with

as many as six ply on a pair 0 naval chest beckets. The earliest name

for the knot was "DOUBLE WALL AND DOUBLE CROWN." Occasionally

it has been called "TOPSAIL SHEET KNOT," and Norie, in 1804, called

it "Kop KNOT." Wetjen, in Fiddlers' Green, says: "A man who can

make a MANROPE KNOT, STAR KNOT, or ROSE KNOT is an object of

respect"-and at sea this statement still holds true.