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Special Knots Page

Special Knots Knotboard

FOR SPECIAL PURPOSES

CHECK OUT THIS WEB SITE - IT REALLY IS UNIQUE -- IT HAS DETAILED SLIDE SHOWS SHOWING YOU HOW TO TIE ALL KINDS OF KNOTS WITH A SECTION ESPECIALLY FOR BOATING

   

The Prusik Hitch (for sailors)

This hitch is usually used by mountain climbers.  I discovered a way for sailors to use this hitch in the Letters Section of the  Latitude 38 magazine and have used it myself for a number of years now.  I always rig a Jack Line on my boat and have a tether within easy reach, next to the wheel.  When I have to go forward, out of the cockpit, and I am single-handing, or have people with me that do not know how to handle a sail boat or the winds are high (over 20 Knots) I attach the tether to the harness on my Self-Inflating Vest and then the tether to the Jack Line.  The tether is a long one and the Prusik Hitch is great for making it easy to shorten it quickly and simply. With this rigged on my tether I can keep it as short as I want and if I fall it will only be for a short distance and definitely not overboard. 

for an animated view of how to tie this knot.

Exploding Knots

The next two knots I found in the Summer 2005 issue of "American Sailing", The Journal Of The American Sailing Association.

The article was titled "Marlinspike Seamanship", "Avoid Aggravation with 'Exploding' Knots" by Peter Suber, Dep't Of Philosophy, Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana.

Exploding knots article

Here is a link to a website by Peter Suber that has these knots on it and four more as well. 

The Buntline Hitch

How to tie the buntline hitchThe Buntline Hitch was traditionally used to tie a line to the foot of a square sail. Today, it is used to tie a line to a post or a halyard shackle. The knot is more secure than two half hitches but can jam. The knot is basically a clove hitch tied around itself.  This is one of my favorite knots -- I use it a lot and many times in place of the Bowline.

To tie the Buntline Hitch:

After coming around the post, make an overhand loop. The loop goes over the standing part (the attached or long end of the line.)

Bring the bitter end (free end) back up over the standing part and loop.

Next make a second overhand loop around the standing part - inside of first loop.

Tighten it up.