Knots in the end of a single line

These knots are used in fastening a line upon itself or around some other object. Some of these are:

1. Overhand knot: Used in making other knots; never used alone.

2. Bowline: A temporary eye in the end of a line. It will not slip or jam.

3. Bowline on a bight: Used to sling a man over the side. It will not slip and constrict him.

4. Figure eight: Used to prevent the end of a line from unreeving through a block or eyebolt.

5. Blackwall hitch: Used to secure a line to a hook quickly.

Knots for bending two lines together

These knots are those that are used for joining two lines.

1. Square or reef: For tying reef points and bending lines together.

2. Granny knot: Usually a mistake for a square knot. It will slip under strain.

3. Sheet or becket bend (single): Used for bending line to becket and for bending lines of different
sizes together.

4. Sheet or becket bend (double): Same uses as the sheet or becket bend (single).

5. Two bowlines: A safe and convenient way of bending two hawsers together.

Knots for securing a line to a ring or spar

These knots are called hitches or bends

1. Fisherman's bend: Used to secure a rope to a buoy or a hawser to the ring of an anchor.

2. Rolling hitch: Used to bend a line to a spar or to the standing part of another line.

3. Round turn and two half bitches: Used to secure the end of a line made around any object.

4. Half hitch or two half hitches: Used to secure a line temporarily around any object.

5. Clove or ratline hitch: Convenient for making a line fast to a spar, the standing part of another line,
or a bollard.
6. Stopper on a line: Used to check a running line.

7. Catspaw: Used to secure a line to a hook.

Knots worked in the end of a line

These knots are fancy knots which are used to give a finish to the end of a line, prevent unreeving, or
for ornamental purposes.

(A) Overhand Knot

(B) Figure eight knot

(showing manner of tying and pulled taught)

· A knot is made, never tied.

· A hitch is taken or made fast.

· A splice is put in.

· Putting two lines together is bending.

· A tangled line is cleared by overhauling it.

· A knot that is fouled or loosens is capsized.

Knots

3. Reef knot

It is used for tying reef points in a sail. It can be used for tying two ends of a rope when tying a bundle
with a single rope.
4. Sheep Shank

It is used for temporary shortening of a rope, or for strengthening the damaged portion of a rope. It is
also used on a keel grab line of a lifeboat to provide hand grips. The bights should be lashed with the
standing parts.

5.Bowline

Pronounced as “Bowlin”. A very useful knot whenever it is desired to make a temporary eye at the end
of any eye.

6. Running bowline

It is used for making a running noose at the end of a rope.

May be used in an emergency, like a bosun’s chair for lowering a man. The man sits on the longer
bight and puts the smaller bight under his arm. Sometimes both bights may be of same size and the
man may sit on both of them.
Bends

3. Single Carrick bend

It is used for joining two hawsers when The joint has to be warped over a drum. The ends must be
lashed to the standing part, otherwise this bend will slip. The ends must come out on opposite sides.
Sometimes a double loop is taken around the cross of the first rope, but still it is an Insecure Bend
unless the ends are seized to the standing part.

4.Double Carrick bend

It is one of the best ways of joining two ropes. Note that ends are diagonally opposite to each other.
Hitches

3. Rolling hitch

A rolling hitch is used for securing a small rope to a larger rope under strain or to a spar, when the pull
is to come from dideways e.g in a rope stopper.

The riding turn is to be taken on a side from which the pull is expected.

Round turn and two half hitches

One of the most widely used hitches, whenever it is desired to secure a rope to a ring or spar. Simple
to make and never jams. Also used in Breech'es Buoy to tie hawsers to mast. But there is always a little
slack back.
Clove hitch

it is a very common hitch in use at sea today, it consists of two half hitches jamming against each other.
It is used to secure ratlines to shrouds. It is a useful knot for turning about a rail and hanging things
from, but unreliable ,especially when direction of weight is liable to change , that could easily cause it
to slip.
6.timber hitch

It is used for securing the ends of a rope to a log or spar when towing or lifting it. It can also be used
for lifting a bag or bale by a rope. The end of the rope should be dogged around itself with the lay.

7.Marline spike hitch

It is a quick way of hitching a rope to a marline spike or similar object so as to get a better grip on the
rope for stronger pull. It is also useful when whipping or binding is required to be drawn exceptional
tight.
8.Half hitch and timber hitch

It is used when lifting or lowering a spar vertically up or down through a narrow opening such as a
man hole. It is also used for towing a log astern. The half hitch should be tied first, near the upper end
of the spar and then the timber hitch made near the middle length.
9. Single and double blackwall hitches

They are used for hitching a rope quickly to a hook, but they are liable to slip and therefore not
reliable. Single blackwall hitch is used when rope and hook are of same size and double blackwall hitch
is used when they are of different sizes.

10.Midshipmans’ hitch

It is used for same purpose as blackwall hitch but is slightly more secure, specially if rope is greasy.
11. Cats paw

It is used for shortening a rope sling. The two bights should be twisted in opposite direction.,

12. Draw hitch

Miscellaneous knots, bends and hitches

1. Tom fool knot

Is generally used by the stevedores on the Indian coast for shortening a sling.

2. Heaving line knot

It is tied at the end of the throwing end of a heaving line to give it weight so that the heaving line can
be thrown farther. But “Monkey fist” is a better knot to use for this purpose.
3. Monkey fist

It is used for the same purpose as a heaving line knot, i.e to increase the weight at the end of a heaving
line to allow it to be thrown far.

SPLICE

1. An eye splice

Is used for making an eye at the end of a rope.The eye splice is a method of creating a permanent loop
in the end of multi stranded rope by means of rope splicing. The ends of the rope are tucked (plaited)
back into the standing end to form the loop. Three tucks are the minimum for natural fibers, five tucks
are necessary for synthetics.

2. A short splice

Is used for joining two ropes but as a splice is thick it will not pass through a block.

3.a long splice

Is used for joining 2 ropes when the splice has to pass through a block. If properly made, a long splice
should not increase the thickness of the rope, nor should it reduce the strength of the rope.
BlockS and tackes

A block and tackle is a system of two or more pulleys with a rope or cable threaded between them,
usually used to lift or pull heavy loads. The pulleys are assembled together to form blocks and then
blocks are paired so that one is fixed and one moves with the load.
block and tackle[1][2] is a system of two or more pulleys with a rope or cable threaded between them,
usually used to lift or pull heavy loads.

A block and tackle is characterized by the use of a single continuous rope to transmit a tension force
around one or more pulleys to lift or move a load. Its mechanical advantage is the number of parts of
the rope that act on the load. The mechanical advantage of a tackle dictates how much easier it is to
haul or lift the load.

Single Whip

This consists of a fall rove through a single standing block; no mechanical advantage is gained. It is
used for hoisting light loads, and where speed of hoisting is an important factor.
[ FIG. 5. Single Whip ]

Runner

This consists of a rope rove through a single moving block. As there are two parts of the fall in the
moving block, the V.R. is 2 and its M.A. is 1.82.

[ FIG. 6. Runner ]

Double Whip

This is a purchase used for hoisting and consists of two single blocks with the standing part of the fall
made fast near, or to, the upper block, and it cannot be rove to advantage. Its V.R. is 2 and its M.A. is
1.67.

[ FIG. 7. Double Whip ]

Gun Tackle

This is the term usually applied to a purchase consisting of two single blocks, but which is not used for
hoisting; it cannot then be called a double whip (fig. 7), as this term is applied only when it is used for
hoisting. In the gun tackle the standing part of the fall is always made fast to one of the blocks. The
name originates from the small tackle which was used to run out the old muzzle-loading gun carriages
after they had recoiled. The V.R. is 3 if rove to advantage, and 2 if rove to disadvantage, and its M.A. is
2.5 and 1.67 respectively.

[ FIG. 8. Gun Tackle ]

This is a purchase of 3-in. in size or greater. It consists of a double and a single block, with the standing
part of the fall made fast to the single block. Its V.R. is 4 if rove to advantage (see fig. 3), and 3 if rove
to disadvantage (see fig. 3), and its M.A. is 3.08 and 2.3 respectively.

Handy billy

This is a small tackle of less than 2-in. in size; it is usually rove as a jigger but can be rove as a small gun
tackle (see fig. 8).

Two-fold purchase

This consists of two double blocks and is a useful general-purpose tackle. Its V.R. is 5 if rove to
advantage, and 4 if rove to disadvantage, and its M.A. is 3.57 and 2.26 respectively.

Three-fold purchase

This consists of two treble blocks; its V.R. is 7 if rove to advantage (see fig. 3), and 6 if rove to
disadvantage (see fig. 3), and its M.A. is 4.37 and 3.75 respectively. It is used mainly in boats' falls.
REEVING A THREE FOLD PURCHASE

Place two triple-sheave blocks 3 feet apart, with the hooks or straps facing outboard, positioning the
blocks so one is face down and the other is cheek down. Start reeving in the center sheave of one
block and finish in the center sheave on the other. Then splice the standing part to the becket. This
tackle offers a 6 to 1 mechanical advantage.

WHIPPING

Securing the Ends by means of a twine to prevent the rope opening out, is called whippjng. Roping
twine or seaming twine is used for whipping small ropes. Marline is used for whipping larger hawsers.
the length of the rope should be equal to the diameter of the rope or about one third the
circumference of the rope. Its distance from the end of the rope should be also one diameter.