Knotting Boards

1. Knotting Boards These boards have been printed in A3, mounted on card (prit stick) and the boards trimmed to fit into my box. Using a hot glue gun (care – hot!) I have tied and stuck the knots into the gaps on the board. Where necessary I used a small dowl, again attached using a hot glue gun. Examples: CSK016

2. Technical Terms Working End Standing Part Standing End Bight Overhand Loop Underhand Loop

3. Monkey’s Fist The monkey's fist knot is most often used as the weight in a heaving line. The line would have the monkey's fist on one end, an eye splice or bowline on the other, with about 30 feet (~10 metres) of line between. A lightweight feeder line would be tied to the bowline, then the weighted monkey's fist could be hurled between ship and dock. The knot is usually tied around a small weight, such as a stone, marble. Another variation of the monkey's fist knot omits the use of an internal object as a weight and rather uses the spare end which gets tucked back into the knot (tie a thumb / bood knot in the end of the rope to act as the core to the monkeys fist. This results in a nicer looking knot of a lesser weight, minimizing the potential danger of hurting someone with the knot when hauling line.

4. Basic RYA knots Clove Hitch (Boatman’s knot, Peg Knot) (Hitch) Can be tied with one-hand. Not secure if strain is intermittent and inconsistent angle. Should be replaced by a more stable knot when you can. Adding a stopper knot or additional hitches makes it more stable Round turn and two half hitches The design of this hitch it to take more wear and tear (friction) because of the double turn. The knot can take strain and is easily undone. Reef (Bend) Used for joining ropes together and a triangular bandage in first aid. Should be used on ropes of the same diameter. Bowline (Loop Knot) Rescue knot. Used to create a loop at the end of a rope. One of the most useful knots. Figure-of-eight (Stopper Knot) Widely used by sailors on running rigging. used to prevent the end of a rope slipping through small eye (fairlead).

5. Stopper Knots Overhand Knot (Thumb knot) Often difficult to undo when wet or on small rope. These knots are used to prevent the end of a rope slipping through small eye (fairlead). They are also use to stop a rope becoming unravelled. They can also be used to weight a line for throwing. The overhand knot is the most basic – people don’t often know they have tied this knot. A figure-of-eight Is the most used by sailors. Multiple overhand knots are often used for decoration. Figure-of-eight (Stopper Knot) Widely used by sailors on running rigging. used to prevent the end of a rope slipping through small eye (fairlead). Heaving line knot / Multiple Overhand Knot Used when a line is to be thrown ashore – by adding weight to the end. Heaving lines are often 0.5-0.75 inch diameter and 80 feet long. They should float and be flexible. Originally used at the end of a cat-o-nine-tails (abolished in 1948). One of the most often tied loop knots. Difficult to undo when the knot has been under strain. Stevedore Knot This is just like the figure of eight knot but with an extra twist.

6. Hitches Hitches are knots used to secure a rope to a post, hook, ring etc. They do not keep their shape on their own and are designed to withstand lots of parallel pressure. Half Hitch One of the most widely used fastening. On its own has little use. 3 1 2 4 2 1 Round turn and two half hitches The design of this hitch it to take more wear and tear (friction) because of the double turn. The knot can take strain and is easily undone. Clove Hitch (Boatman’s knot, Peg Knot) Can be tied with one-hand. Not secure if strain is intermittent and inconsistent angle. Should be replaced by a more stable knot when you can. Adding a stopper knot or additional hitches makes it more stable 4 Cow Hitch (Larks Head) Made from two single hitches in different directions. Not very secure, a temporary fastening only. 3 Rolling Hitch Similar to the clove hitch except used when there is a strain at an angle on a round object such as a spar or thick rope.

7. Hitches They do not keep their shape on their own and are designed to withstand lots of parallel pressure. Hitches are knots used to secure a rope to a post, hook, ring etc. 1 3 2 1 2 Timber Hitch A temporary noose. The heavier or thicker the items the more twists are required. A half hitch is required to ensure the hitch lies in the correct direction and remains tight.Easy undone. Fisherman’s Bend (Anchor Bend) If cow hitch is not secure, this is the opposite and most secure. Used by some sailors to attach a bot to a quay. For extra security add a half hitch Sometimes used on a anchor (but add a stopper knot) 3 Highwayman’s Hitch The knot was used by robbers to ensure a quick release of their horse and get-away. A single pull on the working end unties the knot, the standing part can withstand tension.

8. Joining Sheet Bend Used for joining ropes that are different sizes (thickness). A popular knot as it is simple to tie and stronger than a reef knot. Joining are used to join two ropes together. Some of these ar3 used to join ropes that are equal in diameter and others where they are different. The most popular is the Sheet Bend. Reef (Bend) Used for joining ropes together and a triangular bandage in first aid. Should be used on ropes of the same diameter. Fisherman Knot Though the fisherman's knot is associated with fishing, it can slip when tied in nylon monofilament and other slippery lines; however, if more holding strength is required, the overhand knots can be made with more turns, as in the double fisherman's knot, and so on. It is compact and jams when tightened. It can also be easily tied with cold, wet hands. Though these properties are well suited to fishing, there are other knots which may provide superior performance, such as the blood knot. Fisherman Knot Double Fisherman Knot Blood Knot Working end should be on opposite sides

9. Paracord Bracelet (basic) Set length Fold cord in half and tie cow knot through one side of the buckle. Pull taught, pass end through other half of buckle and set length. The amount of Paracord needed with depend on the length of the bracelet you require – the basic rule is 1 foot for every 1 inch on bracelet or for every 2.5 cm you will 30 cm of cord or 12 times the bracelet length. 2. Lock end Tie a simple knot underneath the buckle and ropes. 3. Weave #1 Cross the right working end over the ropes, the left over what was the right and through the loop 4. Weave #2 Cross the left working end over the ropes, the right over what was the left and through the loop You should notice that the same working end always crosses over the top of the ropes and the other always cross and goes through the loop. Pull taught after each weave 5. Finishing off Remove the inside from the working ends and melt. Warning: melted rope is hot

10. Weather Station Weather Station • If the Rope is: • Wet Raining • Dry Fine • Hot Sunny • Cool Cloudy • Stiff Cold • White Snowy • If the rope is moving: • Little Not windy • Lots Very windy • Gone Take shelter

11. Shortening Sheepshank The sheepshank is a type of knot that is used to shorten a rope, or take up slack, or to take the strain off a worn piece of rope. This knot is not stable. It will fall apart under too much load or too little load. Shortening are used to shorten ropes without cutting a rope or to bridge a weakened or damaged part of a rope. Truckers Hitch Whilst this hitch is used to gain leverage (help tighten and provides 3:1 advantage) it also helps shorten and is a very easy knot to undue, even under load. Sheepshank The knot can be strengthened by adding clove hitch or a peg Chain Sinnet (monkey Braid) A chain sinnet is a method of shortening a rope while in use or for storage. It can also reduce tangling while a rope is being washed in a washing machine. It is also used to make a think rope thicker for easier pulling or to make a loop handle.

12. Rope Care A good sailor should know what good care is: A wet rope should never be left in the open where it may freeze (or certain ropes are even subject to rot). When it gets dirty, especially when it is dragged on ground with mud for example, the fibres of the rope get filled with abrasive particles. They weaken it. Another important issue when you deal with ropes is not to bend the rope around too small a object - because the tension accumulates and there is abrasion on the fibres/filaments. The storage of the rope is absolutely significant and vital for the length of its life and the security you may expect from it. "DRY" is the mantra. Always dry before storing. Rope is better off when it has no contacts with the floor of the room it is in.

13. Loops Loops are made to drop over an item. They are designed to follow and objects shape (unlike a hitch). Sailor find a loop(often Bowline) indispensable. Bowline (Loop Knot) Rescue knot. Used to create a loop at the end of a rope. One of the most useful knots. Alpine Butterfly Knot Used to form a loop in a rope without needing access to the ends. It is good to use in a tow rope when herringbone towing. Easy to undo even if it has been under load. Bowline On A Bight This knot forms a bowline (secure loop) in the middle of a line. Useful when you want a non-slip loop but a free end is not handy or to provide two loops in the end of a line. This knot can be used as a sling or as a seat or bosun’s chair in an emergency rescue situation. The two loops can be worked to different sizes if needed. Alpine Butterfly Knot – alternate method

14. Getting it wrong! Reef (Square) knot Reef (Bend) Used for joining ropes together and a triangular bandage in first aid. Should be used on ropes of the same diameter. Reef (Square) knot Working and standing ends opposite each other, with both entering/exit from same loop Thief Knot Has a tendency to come undone Granny Knot Can release easily and unpredictably Grief Knot Gets it name from granny and thief knot.It unravels easily

15. Running Knots Slip Knot A slip knot is a type of knot that can "slip" along the rope and can easily be untied by pulling one of the ends. This knot is easy to tie and commonly used in rock climbing, knitting, and securing loads on trailers. Running Knots or slip knots or nooses tighten when strain is applied and slacken when released. Overhand knot with draw-loop An overhand knot with draw-loop, is a knot in which the weight of the load the rope carries depresses the loop sufficiently to keep it in place until the load item is placed in its location. When no longer required the free end may be pulled and draw the loop through and so release the load. Running bowline he running bowline is strong and secure. It slides easily and can be undone just as simply. Tying: Tie a simple bowline with a small loop and pass the standing part in the loop Tarbuck The Tarbuck knot was developed for use by climbers, and was primarily used with stranded nylon ropes . It is used when the rope is subject to heavy or sudden loads, as it will slide to a limited extent thus reducing shock. The knot is non-jamming.

16. Prusik A Prusik is a friction hitch or knot used to attach a loop of cord around a rope, applied in climbing, canyoneering, mountaineering, caving, rope rescue, and by arborists. A prusik made from cord does little or no damage to the rope it is attached to, although some mechanical prusiks can cause damage, especially if the device slips during prusiking.