The Book of the Sailboat: How to rig, sail and handle small boats

by A. Hyatt Verrill

Before commencing to work with a rope the loose strands at the ends should be whipped to prevent the rope from unraveling. To whip the rope take a piece of soft, strong twine, lay it on the rope an inch or two from the end, pass the twine several times around the rope, keeping the ends of the twine under the first few turns to hold it in position, and then make a large loop with the free end of the twine. Bring this back to the rope, continue winding it for a few turns around the rope and the end of the twine and finally finish by drawing the loop snug by pulling on the free end as shown in Fig. 2. This is the true sailor fashion of whipping a rope’s end, but for mere temporary purposes when practising ropework, twine wrapped a few times around the rope and tied will be sufficient.

Cuckold’s necks are loops or rings of rope such as are illustrated in Fig. 3. They are very easily made by bringing the end of a rope around in a circular bight and then seizing the bight to the standing part by means of twine or yarn. As soon as the two parts are thus bound together or seized the cuckold’s neck becomes a clinch which is often very useful about a boat, while the loop or cuckold’s neck itself is the foundation of many useful knots.

Of all true knots perhaps the simplest is the overhand knot (Fig. 4). To make this knot merely pass the end of the rope over the standing part and through the bight or cuckold’s neck thus formed (Fig. 4 A). When drawn tight the knot appears as in Fig. 4 B and is often used in making splices, grommets and fancy knots.

Another useful and very simple knot is the figure eight which is shown commenced in Fig. 5 A and completed in Fig. 5 B, but the most useful and important of all is the square knot or reef knot shown in Fig. 6. This is the knot used to tie reef points, to furl sails, to fasten two lines together and for many other purposes, and it is doubtless the best all-around knot known. It has the advantages of being easy to tie and untie, of holding fast under tremendous strain and of never becoming jammed.

To tie a reef knot take one end of the rope in each hand, pass the left over and under the right and then pass the right over and under the left. If you will always remember this formula, left over, right over, you will never make a mistake and tie a granny (Fig. 7). To make a granny knot stamps you as a landlubber, for the granny is a useless, troublesome knot which can never be depended upon and which is unfit for any purpose. It will not hold a strain, it is liable to slip and it soon becomes jammed and hard to untie.

If when tying a reef knot, the bight of one end is used instead of the end itself, a slippery reefer is made and this is far better for tying reef points than the true square knot as it may be cast off by merely pulling on the free end of the loop (Fig. 8).

When fastening a boat or any other object where it may be necessary to cast off quickly, a lark’s head is a good fastening to use (Fig. 9). To make this knot pass the bight of a rope through the ring or other object to which you are making fast and then slip a piece of wood, a marlinspike, or some other object through the sides of the bight and under or behind the standing part as shown in Fig. 9 at A. The end of the rope is then laid over and under the standing part and back over itself. This knot may be instantly unfastened by merely pulling out the bit of wood or toggle (A).

Another knot, which is easy to cast off and is very useful in many places, is the slippery-hitch (Fig. 10). To make this knot run the end of the rope through the ring or eye, then back over the standing part and pull the loop or bight back through the cuckold’s neck thus formed. To untie merely pull on the free end.

A better knot for fastening a boat or other object quickly and securely is that shown in Fig. 11. This is made of two half-hitches and is widely used by sailors and is the easiest of all reliable and secure knots to tie. It is made by passing the end of a rope around a post or other object, then carrying the end over and around the standing part between itself and the post and then under and around the standing part between its own loop and the one first made. It is easier to learn this knot by studying the diagram than by a description, and as soon as you get the “hang” of it you can tie it in an instant in the darkest night. It will hold forever without working loose and even on a smooth stick or spar it will stand a great strain without slipping along.

A better knot for fastening to such an object as a smooth stick, where there is a longitudinal strain or to another rope, is the clove hitch (Fig. 12). To make this, pass the end of the rope around the stick or other object, then over itself, then over and around the spar and pass the end under itself and between the rope and spar as shown in the diagram.