The buntline hitch is a

knot A knot is an intentional complication in cordage which may be practical or decorative, or both. Practical knots are classified by function, including hitches, bends, loop knots, and splices: a ''hitch'' fastens a rope to another object; a ' ...

used for attaching a

rope A rope is a group of yarns, plies, fibres, or strands that are twisted or braided together into a larger and stronger form. Ropes have tensile strength and so can be used for dragging and lifting. Rope is thicker and stronger than similarly ...

to an object. It is formed by passing the

working end A knot is an intentional complication in cordage which may be practical or decorative, or both. Practical knots are classified by function, including hitches, bends, loop knots, and splices: a ''hitch'' fastens a rope to another object; a ' ...

around an object, then making a

clove hitch The clove hitch is a type of knot. Along with the bowline and the sheet bend, it is often considered one of the most important knots. A clove hitch is two successive half-hitches around an object. It is most effectively used as a crossing knot ...

around the rope's

standing part A knot is an intentional complication in cordage which may be practical or decorative, or both. Practical knots are classified by function, including hitches, bends, loop knots, and splices: a ''hitch'' fastens a rope to another object; a ' ...

and taking care that the turns of the clove hitch progress ''towards'' the object rather than away from it. Secure and easily tied, the buntline hitch will jam when subjected to extreme loads. Given the knot's propensity to jam, it is often made in slipped form.

History

Simple and effective, the buntline hitch dates to the

age of sail The Age of Sail is a period that lasted at the latest from the mid-16th (or mid- 15th) to the mid- 19th centuries, in which the dominance of sailing ships in global trade and warfare culminated, particularly marked by the introduction of naval ...

, when it was used to secure buntlines to the

foot The foot ( : feet) is an anatomical structure found in many vertebrates. It is the terminal portion of a limb which bears weight and allows locomotion. In many animals with feet, the foot is a separate organ at the terminal part of the leg made ...

of the

sails A sail is a tensile structure—which is made from fabric or other membrane materials—that uses wind power to propel sailing craft, including sailing ships, sailboats, windsurfers, ice boats, and even sail-powered land vehicles. Sails may ...

Brion Toss, ''Chapman's Nautical Guides: Knots'' (New York: Hearst Marine Books, 1990), 39.Clifford W. Ashley, ''

The Ashley Book of Knots ''The Ashley Book of Knots'' is an encyclopedia of knots written and illustrated by the American sailor and artist Clifford W. Ashley. First published in 1944, it was the culmination of over 11 years of work. The book contains 3,857 numbered en ...

'' (New York: Doubleday, 1944), 310. on

square-rigged Square rig is a generic type of sail and rigging arrangement in which the primary driving sails are carried on horizontal spars which are perpendicular, or square, to the keel of the vessel and to the masts. These spars are called ''yards'' and ...

ships. That the buntline hitch was the preferred knot speaks to its security and reliability.Geoffrey Budworth, ''The Complete Book of Knots'' (London: Octopus, 1997), 51. Once set, repeated jerking and slatting tend to tighten it further rather than loosen it.Des Pawson, ''Pocket Guide to Knots & Splices'' (Edison, NJ: Chartwell Books, Inc., 2002), 133. Its compact size allowed the foot of the sail to be drawn up as closely as possible to the buntline

deadeye A deadeye is an item used in the standing and running rigging of traditional sailing ships. It is a smallish round thick wooden (usually lignum vitae) disc with one or more holes through it, perpendicular to the plane of the disc. Single and t ...

s on top of the

yard The yard (symbol: yd) is an English unit of length in both the British imperial and US customary systems of measurement equalling 3 feet or 36 inches. Since 1959 it has been by international agreement standardized as exactly 0.914 ...

. It has gained in popularity in recent years due to its performance in slippery modern synthetic lines.

Usage

The buntline hitch is useful for attaching lines to rings, eyes, posts, rods, and railings where a compact and secure knot is required. The non-slipped form is appropriate for moderate loads or where the knot will not need to be untied often.Brion Toss, ''The Complete Rigger's Apprentice'' (Camden: International Marine, 1998), 54. If heavily loaded it can be difficult or impossible to untie without the aid of a

marlinspike A marlinspike (, sometimes spelled marlin spike, marlinespike, or rchaicmarlingspike) is a tool used in marine ropework. Shaped in the form of a polished metal cone tapered to a rounded or flattened point, it is used in such tasks as unlaying ...

. The slipped form is more versatile and convenient when a secure temporary hitch is needed. For example, the slipped buntline hitch is an excellent choice to fasten a line to one side of a vehicle's luggage rack, with a

trucker's hitch The trucker's hitch is a compound knot commonly used for securing loads on trucks or trailers. This general arrangement, using loops and turns in the rope itself to form a crude block and tackle, has long been used to tension lines and is kn ...

being used on the other side to tension the line over a load placed between them. The buntline hitch is the same knot as the

four-in-hand knot The four-in-hand knot is a method of tying a necktie. It is also known as a simple knot or schoolboy knot, due to its simplicity and style. Some reports state that carriage drivers tied their reins with a four-in-hand knot, while others claim th ...

used for

necktie A necktie, or simply a tie, is a piece of cloth worn for decorative purposes around the neck, resting under the shirt collar and knotted at the throat, and often draped down the chest. Variants include the ascot, bow, bolo, zipper tie, cra ...

s. When it is made in flat material in the manner used to fasten a necktie, the working end is brought more parallel to the standing part during tightening than generally seen when made in cylindrical cordage for load-bearing purposes.

Tying

The buntline hitch is simply a clove hitch tied around the standing part, with the turns of the clove hitch progressing towards the object.

Slipped variation

The slipped variation is made by passing a

bight The word is derived from Old English ''byht'' (“bend, angle, corner; bay, bight”). In modern English, bight may refer to: * Bight (geography), recess of a coast, bay, or other curved feature * Bight (knot), a curved section, slack part, or loo ...

through on the final step instead of the end. The knot may be released by pulling at the free end of the rope.

Security

While the buntline hitch is considered a secure knot, the turns of the clove hitch must progress ''towards'' the object, otherwise the much less secure

two half-hitches Two half-hitches is a type of knot, specifically a binding knot or hitch knot. One variety consists of an overhand knot tied around a post, followed by a half-hitch. This knot is less often referred to as a clove hitch over itself, double half-hi ...

will result. Although not generally required, a

round turn A turn is one round of rope on a pin or cleat, or one round of a coil. Turns can be made around various objects, through rings, or around the standing part of the rope itself or another rope. A turn also denotes a component of a knot. When the ...

can first be made around the object causing the buntline hitch to be even less prone to slipping.Ashley, 309. A buntline hitch may also be tied with an extra half turn for security: see highpoint hitch.

References

External links

Buntline Hitch

Stunsail Tack Bend
{{Knots