The sailor's hitch is a secure, jam-proof hitch
knot
A knot is an intentional complication in Rope, cordage which may be practical or decorative, or both. Practical knots are classified by function, including List of hitch knots, hitches, List of bend knots, bends, List of loop knots, loop knots, ...
.
A
hitch knot
A hitch knot is a type of knot used to secure a rope to an object or another rope. It is used in a variety of situations, including climbing, sailing, and securing loads. Hitch knots are classified based on their ability to be tightened or releas ...
is a type of knot that has the ability to fit to the size and shape of an object that it is being tied to.
The sailor's hitch is also known as
swing hitch.
The sailor's hitch can be used in such a way that allows a smaller rope to be attached to a large rope. The smaller rope should be pulled to the left while the
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 ...
should go through the final tuck to form the final product of a sailor's hitch.
This knot can also serve the purpose of a
cleat hitch
Cleat may refer to:
* Cleat (nautical), a fitting on ships, boats, and docks to which ropes are tied
* Cleat, Orkney, a place in Scotland
* Cleat (shoe)
Cleats or studs are protrusions on the sole of a shoe or on an external attachment to a ...
.
There is another variation of the knot with several more turns that is called the
gripping sailor's hitch
The gripping sailor's hitch is a secure, jam-proof friction hitch used to tie one rope to another, or a rope to a pole, boom, spar, etc., when the pull is lengthwise along the object. It will even grip a tapered object, such as a marlin spike, i ...
.
The gripping sailor's hitch is commonly confused with the
icicle hitch, but it has distinctions with the last tuck of the knot that allows them to be different.
The sailor's knot is used in the following circumstances:
*search and rescue
*mountaineering
*climbing
*boating
*horse and livestock
*camping
*scouting
See also
*
List of knots
This list of knots includes many alternative names for common knots and lashings. Knot names have evolved over time, and there are many conflicting or confusing naming issues. The overhand knot, for example, is also known as the thumb knot. The ...
*
Sailor's knot
The Carrick bend, also known as the Sailor's breastplate, is a knot used for joining two lines. It is particularly appropriate for very heavy rope or cable that is too large and stiff to be easily formed into other common bends.Geoffrey Budworth, ...
*
Gripping sailor's hitch
The gripping sailor's hitch is a secure, jam-proof friction hitch used to tie one rope to another, or a rope to a pole, boom, spar, etc., when the pull is lengthwise along the object. It will even grip a tapered object, such as a marlin spike, i ...
*
List of friction hitch knots
A friction hitch is a kind of knot used to attach one rope to another in a way that is easily adjusted. These knots are commonly used in climbing as part of single-rope technique, doubled-rope technique and as "ratchets" to capture progress on a ...
References
External links
Video: Tying the Gripping Sailor's Hitch
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