Part 3

When the many varieties of knots and ties are analyzed it will be found that ties used in trades are all taken first from the mariner. The sailor learned to fasten ropes so that they were able to take up all strains evenly and to hold without chafing or without any undue strain being put on any one part of the rope. Consequently when builders erect scaffolding they use the ties and knots long known at sea. The Clove Hitch is also known as the Builder’s Knot because it is used to hold the scaffolding. The Clove Hitch is used by surgeons in cases of dislocation. The Reef Knot is also used by surgeons to tie arteries when performing operations. So it is with many other knots and because of their uses for other than nautical work they have often received other names.

=The Simple Knot= is the foundation for many ties. In the illustration this knot is seen made around a mast or other solid substance. This simple knot can at once become a clove hitch or the builder’s knot which is illustrated on page 39.

=The Double Builder’s Knot= is shown in the diagram above, upper left. It is made in the same way as the clove hitch or builder’s knot except that the end goes around again as before and underneath its own part so making it much stronger.

=The Single Bow Knot= is one of the most common of the knots in general use. It is commenced with the simple knot and made by doubling one of the loose ends as shown in the diagram.

=The Double Bow Knot= or rosette knot is begun in the same way. Care must be taken to keep the simple knot taut until the bow knot is completed. The ends must lie straight as in the reef knot or it will become the false knot.

=The Double Twist Knot= is useful when small cords are used and tightness is required. The diagram below, upper left, shows how it is made.

=The Tent Pole Knot=, below, lower left, is one that can be used to advantage by all who have to occupy tents or to travel much. It is a simple loop made by joining the two ends of a rope with a fisherman’s knot. This admits a short cross-bar or wooden pin and it will enable the traveler to suspend clothes or other articles around a tent pole. The cord may also be used for a toggle when two pieces of wood have to be joined together.

=A Running Knot= with two ends is used when it is inconvenient to divide the rope. Unless the ends are at liberty it could not be used round a mast, but it can be easily slipped round a pier.

This knot is frequently checked by a bow as shown in the diagram above, lower right.

It is sometimes checked by a Flemish Knot or by a Check Knot. These two knots cannot be tied unless the ends are loose. They cannot be untied without assistance from a marlinespike or some similar contrivance.

=The Stationer’s Knot= is handy for tying a parcel as it can be made rapidly and undone with ease. Make a running noose at the end of a piece of twine and bring it to the center of the parcel. Take the twine round the parcel at right angles, round the noose and making a bight slip it under as illustrated. A pull at the end releases the knot instantly.

PURCHASES AND SLINGS

=Single Whip=--rope rove through a single block fixed in any position. It is used for light work. No power is gained.

=Double Whip=--rope rove through two single blocks--upper block a tail block, lower one movable hook block. The standing part of the fall is secured close to the tail block. The power gained is double.

=Runner=--a piece of rope rove through a single block with a standing eye in one end and pointed at the other. The power gained is double.

=Gun Tackle=--two single blocks. Power gained--twice or three times according to which is the movable block.

=Jigger=--a small tackle for general use; a double block with a tail called a jigger and a single block with a hook. The standing part of the fall is spliced into the strop of the single block. Power gained--three or four times.

=Handy Billy= is a small tackle for general use.

=Up and Down Tackle=--a double and single block. The double block is fitted with a thimble, the single block is a hook block, fitted with a long strop. The standing part of the fall is spliced in the strop of the single block. Power gained--three times.

=Luff Tackle=--two hook blocks, one double and one single. The standing part of the fall of this tackle is spliced into a strop of the single block. It is sometimes rove through a becket in the single block and secured by being spliced round the strop at the neck of it. Power gained--three or four times.

=Double Luff Tackle=--two double blocks.

=Three-fold Purchase=--two three-fold blocks. Power gained--six or seven times.

=Four-fold Purchase=--two four-fold blocks. Power gained--eight times.

=Single Spanish Burton=--two blocks and a hook. Power gained--three times. It is not in general use.

=Burton=--a double hook block and a single hook block, fitted with a long strop, the standing part being spliced round the strop and hook of the single block. Power gained--three times.

=Runner and Tackle=--consists of three blocks, one double and two single. One of the single blocks is fitted with a thimble, as a lashing or shackling block, through which the runner is rove. The double block of the tackle is turned in one end of the runner. The standing part of the tackle is spliced in the seat of the single block which is fitted with a long strop and hook. Power gained--eight times.

=Double Spanish Burton=--There are two forms of this purchase. One by using three single blocks and the other by using one double and two single blocks. Power gained--five times.

=A Spanish Windlass=--To rig a Spanish windlass take a good strand well greased in the center. Place the strand over the two parts of the rope that are to be hove together and bringing the ends of the strand up again, place a bolt close to the strand. Take the ends of the strand and lay them up with their own parts so as to form two eyes. Take a round turn with this round the bolt, put a marlinespike in each eye and heave around.

=A Parbuckle= is used for hauling up or lowering down a cask, or any cylindrical object where there is no crane or tackle. Middle the rope to be used for the parbuckle, place the bight over a post or pin as most convenient; the two ends are then passed under the two quarters of the cask, bring the ends back again over it and they both being hauled taut or slackened together either raise or lower the cask as may be required. Care must be taken to keep an equal strain on both parts to prevent the cask slipping out.

There are several methods of slinging a cask, viz., with butt slings, bale slings and head up, also by means of can hooks.

=A Butt Sling= is a single piece of rope fitted with an eye splice in one end and the other end pointed or whipped. To sling the cask, the cask is placed on its bilge bung up; reeve the end of the sling through the eye splice and place the loop thus formed over one end of the cask between the first and second hoops and haul well taut, the eye splice being in line with the bungs; then take the end of the sling round the other end of the cask between the first and second hoops and clove-hitch it to its own part in line with the bung.

=A Bale Sling= is a single piece of rope short spliced together. To sling a cask, the cask is placed on its bilge bung up, the slings passed underneath both ends of the cask between the first and second hoops; the bights are then taken over the cask, and one bight passed through the other, taking care the cross is in line with the bung.

=Can Hooks= are used for breaking off a cask, that is for lifting out the first cask of a tier where there is not room to put on a butt or bale sling. Casks are never hoisted up with can hooks.

=To pass a life line= dip the end under the slings and over the davit and take two or three turns round all parts and hold on to the end.

To pass a life line for a “full due” proceed as above but substitute half hitches for round turns and tuck the end in.

=To sling a cask= head up the cask is placed on its end, pass a rope under the bottom fairly in the center, then form an overhand knot with both ends of the rope on the top of the cask, open the knot out and place bights over the head between the first and second loops, haul them well taut, then reef-knot both ends together on top.

=A Stropper= is used for securing a rope while it is being belayed. Take the stropper in the left hand, make a half hitch against the lay, dog the end with the lay of the rope and seize it. With left-handed rope the end of the stropper should be passed under the rope from left to right. To put a strop on a hemp rope, center the bight of the strop and place it over the rope, then dog the ends opposite ways under and over, and hook on the tackle to both bights.

=To put a strop on a Spar= use the ordinary bale sling strop.

=A Tail Jigger= is similar to a stropper but with an additional turn. To put on a tail jigger take the first two parts of a rolling hitch, dog the end with the lay and seize it.

FASTENINGS, MOORINGS AND RING KNOTS

A landsman is always fascinated by the ease with which the sailor will handle big ropes and the way in which he will warp a vessel in or out of a dock or moor it to a pier by the simple twisting of the cable round a post or cleat which are on the vessels themselves or on the pier-head.

=The Simple Stoppered Loop= is familiar to all and when the end of the rope can be constantly used no other fastening is required.

=A Lark’s Head= can easily be made over a post when there is a running noose or knot. This is clearly shown in the diagram.

=The Waterman’s Knot= is used when the end of the rope is not stoppered or when the middle of the rope must be used. This is similar to the clove hitch. It can very quickly be made by placing two loops on the rope as shown in the diagram.

The holding power of a twisted rope is illustrated clearly in the diagram to the right of the Waterman’s Knot.

=The Chain Fastening= is of a more permanent character, and is used when a vessel is to be moored for any length of time.

Square moorings or sheaves are occasionally used for the mooring of vessels. In these instances the fastenings vary. The diagram shows a double fastening to sheaves.

=A loop fastening to sheaves= may be tied or untied without untying the loop itself. It is made by passing the loops, =A=, =B=, =C=, =D=, and =E= as shown and then placing the loop =F= over the head of the right-hand post of the sheaves. When slackened the loop of the cable =F= will again slip over the head of the post and the turns and then reversed. There is a more simple fastening by wrapping the cable round the angle of the sheaves.

=The crossed and square fastenings= as shown in the diagrams need no explanation. The ends are secured by being stoppered to the cable.

To secure a rope round a cleat first take a round turn, then a figure of 8 knot is made round the cleat pin and repeated twice. On no account should a half hitch be made over the pin or cleat afterwards. The main object is to insure that the rope will not jamb.

A study of the many knots used for fastenings or moorings show that they are only practical applications of many of the knots, bends or hitches that have already been illustrated in preceding chapters of this book.

=The Sailor’s Knot= is a very simple mooring knot for the painter of a small boat. It is shown on Figs. 1 and 2. This knot shows one line straight while the end is twisted round in two hitches.

=The Slippery Ring Knot= is shown in Fig. 3. It can be cast off at any moment. Fig. 4 shows the same knot but it is made permanent by being stoppered as seen in Fig. 4. The slippery ring knot has one turn in the ring.

=The Simple Boat Knot=, Fig. 5, has an advantage for rapidity of unmooring. It is made with only one turn in the ring. The loose end is left longer than in the diagram but as it sometimes catches in the ring it is not very popular with sailors.

=The Lark Boat Knot=, Fig. 6, is really a double boat knot. It differs from the boat knot in that a bight instead of a single end of rope is put through the ring and a thole used to fasten it.

=The Boat Knot=, Fig. 7, is made in the same way as the marlinespike hitch, the only difference being that a thole pin or other small piece of wood is put through the center of the knot instead of a marlinespike. By withdrawing the pin the knot comes adrift of its own accord.

=Simple and Crossed Running Knots= are shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The simple fastening, Fig. 8, is not so secure, but chafes less than the crossed running knot, Fig. 9.

=The Capstan Knot=, Fig. 10, is an application of the figure of 8 knot. To make this cross the end of the rope after it is through the ring, bring it round the standing part, through the first bight and through its own bight.

=The Lark’s Head Knot=, Fig. 11, is somewhat like the lark boat knot but instead of the ends being brought down outside the bight after being passed through the ring, they are put through it. This is seen in the ring part of Fig. 11. The whole illustration shows a Lark’s Head stoppered.

=The Lark’s Head Stoppered= may be made by passing a bight through the ring and drawing the two parts of the rope through the bight. Where this is not practical by reason of one end of the rope being fast, the end may be passed up through the ring behind the standing part and drawn down through the right and bight again. Sometimes instead of being stoppered with an overhand knot as seen in Fig. 11 the end is seized to the standing part with twine, as shown in Fig. 12.

=The Lark’s Head with Crossed Ends= in Fig. 13 is made in the same way as the Lark’s head except that the end comes over instead of through the bight. If the standing part is taken in one hand and the end in the other and drawn apart this knot is the clove hitch or builder’s knot.

=The Double Lark’s Head=, Fig. 14, is easily followed in the diagram. A bight is first made and the ends passed through it, the ends are then put through the ring and through the loop already made and hauled taut.

=The Treble Lark’s Head=, Fig. 15, is not as difficult as it appears in the diagram. First bring the bight of the rope up through the ring, then take one of the ends and pass it through the bight and up through the ring. Then put it down through its own bight. Do the same with the other part and the knot is formed.

=Back-Handed Sailors’ Knots= are shown in Figs. 16 and 17. This knot is made by passing an end through the ring round at the back of the standing part and through the ring again, finishing with two half hitches round the standing part.

=Slip Knots= stoppered as shown in Fig. 18 and above are easily made and the diagrams show their formation clearly.

=Slip Knot secured by a slip clinch= is another simple knot and easily followed in the diagram.

=The Gunner’s Knot= is simply a carrick bend made with the two ends of a rope after it has been passed through two rings. This is sometimes called a delay knot.

=Securing Lead Line to Lead.=--The lead is fitted with a good wire grommet parcelled over. The lead line should have a long eye spliced in it and is secured by passing the eye through the grommet and over the lead.

=Hawsers= are bent together by two half hitches and seizing the ends in addition to methods already explained.

=Mousing a hook= is to prevent a chain or rope from slipping off or to prevent it becoming unhooked. A few turns of a rope yarn are passed round the ends of the hook and the standing part, the ends are brought round the middle a few times and fastened with a reef knot.

LASHINGS, SEIZINGS, ETC.

A practical knowledge of the proper way to lash a rope is necessary to anyone who has anything to do with a vessel no matter what its character. Occasions constantly occur on sea and on land, in fair weather and foul, to unite ropes on the bight or that are fitted with eyes or with other loops.

=A Running knot fastened in the eye of a rope= is the simplest of these knots. The diagram shows how this is made.

=The Dead-Eye Lashing= is one of frequent use on board full-rigged ships. It admits of easy adjustment to the strain of the ropes. The ram blocks are fastened in the eyes, which are made by simple lashings and tightened by the lanyards, =A=, =A=, which pass through holes on the dead-eye, so as to tighten or slacken the rope at will. The ends of the lanyard are fastened to the main rope.

=The Belaying-Pin Splice= as shown in the diagram really illustrates three methods of joining cordage. The belaying pin is marked =A=. It is stoppered on the end of the rope and served with yarn, passed through the eye of the rope and at the other end a loop is formed. Through this loop or bend a button secured to the rope, =B=, by a single knot is passed, and the double junction is complete.

=The Wedding Knot= or =Rose Lashing= is one to join two rope ends both having eyes. The lashing is passed successively through both eyes and then tied in the center.

=The Shell Lashing= is made by looping two ends of rope around a spherical shell and seizing the end to the standing parts.

=A Cross Lashing= is used when a lever is used to a rope. After several turns round the rope, the lashing is crossed round the lever and fastened with a reef knot.

=The Portuguese Knot= or =Necklace Tie= is made by taking several turns round the spars to be joined, then two turns round the lashings and secured with a reef knot.

=Nippering= or =Packing= is a method for securing two ropes together with cross turns. These are hauled taut and further secured by round turns over all after the ropes have been jammed together. The ends are fastened with a reef knot.

=A West Country Whipping= is formed by middling the twine around the part of the rope to be marked and half-knotting it at every half turn so that each knot will be on opposite sides. When a sufficient number of turns are passed finish it off with a reef knot.

To finish off a whipping without showing a knot lay one end forward as at =A= in the diagram, then pass the other end round and round a sufficient number of times, hauling taut each time. Three or four loose turns are then made and the end passed under these backwards. These ends are worked down into their places and when they are hauled taut are cut off.

Another method is, instead of having a single end, a bight of the seizing is laid along the part to be whipped and the turns passed over it. When these are completed the end is passed through the bight at =A=. The end =B= is then hauled upon to bring the bight and the end of the rope snug under the coils. There are now two loops interlacing at the center of the work and these cannot come undone. When the ends are cut off close to the turns the whole is fair and smooth.

A useful band is shown in the diagram above. The second end =B= is drawn through by a turn--a very useful method of securing a ligature or a fractured fishing rod.

=The Packing Knot= is used for binding timbers together. The first diagram shows it started at =A= and =B= shows it completed. It is tightened by means of a packing-stick, =C=, which is twisted under the knot and then twisted round and secured as shown. A quicker plan is two toggles shown in the second diagram. After twisting the sticks round tie the two ends of the sticks together.

=A Toggle= is a piece of wood turned to shape and having a groove in the center round which the end of a rope is spliced. An eye is made in another rope by any method and the toggle is slipped into it. To unfasten it the ropes are slackened. Another form of toggle is a round piece of wood shaped like a button. It has a hole in the center through which a rope is passed and the end knotted.

=The Jury=, or =Double Pitcher Knot= as it is sometimes called, is useful when a jury mast has to be rigged, as the loops form a means of attaching the necessary supports to the mast. The center =K= in the second diagram is slipped over the masthead and the weight brought on the stays tightens it and holds it in its position on the mast.

It is formed by three ordinary half hitches each placed behind the other with the loop of the last laid over the first. Keep the hitches together with the right hand and with the left take =A= and dip it under =B= and pull =C= through =A= and =B=.

Then, holding the knot with the left hand, place =F= over =E= and pull =D= between =E= and =F=. Take =G= in the teeth and pull on the parts =G=, =F= and =A=. The ends =H= and =Z= may be either knotted or spliced.

=Racking Seizing= is used where the strain is on only one part of the rope. An eye splice is formed in one end of racking and the first turn is passed round both parts of the rope like a round seizing; it is then dipped between both parts and the remaining turns are passed as racking turns, over and under, leaving sufficient space between each racking turn for a roundabout turn to lie, the usual number taken being thirteen. After these are passed the end is dipped down inside the last turn and the roundabout turns are passed from the end towards the eye between the racking turns. When the last roundabout turn is passed, the end is passed up between both parts of the shroud, ready for passing the cross turns, which are passed by taking the end along the seizing and passing it down between the seventh and sixth turns along the seizing, again towards the eye, up between the two parts of the shroud, as before, and again drawn between the seventh and sixth turns so as to form a clove hitch. Then finish off with a crown and wall as in other seizings.

To make the racking neater after passing the last roundabout turn, the end is taken outside all parts of the racking instead of between the six and seven turns, and clove formed at the same time.