The Tugboat hitch (a.k.a. Backhanded mooring hitch or Lighterman's Hitch) is a
knot ideal for heavy towing, or making fast to a post,
bollard
A bollard is a sturdy, short, vertical post. The term originally referred to a post on a ship or quay used principally for mooring boats. It now also refers to posts installed to control road traffic and posts designed to prevent automotive v ...
, or
winch. It is easy to release, even under great
load
Load or LOAD may refer to:
Aeronautics and transportation
*Load factor (aeronautics), the ratio of the lift of an aircraft to its weight
*Passenger load factor, the ratio of revenue passenger miles to available seat miles of a particular transpo ...
.
Tying
To tie, take a single turn or a
round turn around the post. Pass a
bight under the standing part, then drop the bight over the top of the post. Then make a bight in the rope on the other side of the standing part and drop it over the post. Note that in each placement of a bight over the post, the end's side of the bight should lead to the side away from the standing part—this will make casting off easier. Continue this repetition as necessary until secure (usually three bights). Finish by
half-hitching a bight around the standing part or a round turn about the post. With heavy loads, it is important to have made enough bights and turns to reduce force on the final turns or a hitch—otherwise, it will be difficult to untie (a hitch) or may slip.
Barb01.Leichterschifferstek.jpg, Take a round turn around the post.
Barb02.Leichterschifferstek.jpg, Make a bight and
Barb03.Leichterschifferstek.jpg, pass it under the standing part.
Barb04a.Leichterschifferstek.jpg, Drop the bight over the post.
Barb05.Leichterschifferstek.jpg, Turn the working end
Barb06.Leichterschifferstek.jpg, at least two times over the post
See also
*
List of knots
External links
Animation of tyingat Animated Knots.
{{Knots