KNOTS, BENDS and HITCHES

Bends and Hitches

Strictly speaking,
- A Bend is a method of temporarily joining two ropes,
- A Hitch is a method of temporarily joining a rope to a structure or ring, and
- A Knot is the intertwining of strands or smaller parts of rope(s) to prevent a rope
unreeving, or to provide a handhold, a weight or a stopper on any part of a rope.

Commonly used bends, hitches and knots and their uses are described

a. Strength of Knotted Ropes. All knots, bends and hitches reduce the strength of a rope
in that portion of it where the knot, bend or hitch is made. This reduction varies from
40 to 60 percent, and it should be borne in mind when putting a load on a knotted rope

b. Terms Used. The following terms are used when describing the formation of the
various bends and hitches:

(1) Bight. The middle part of a length of rope. This term also refers to a loop of rope, and
to make a bight is to form a loop.

(2) End. The short length at the end of a rope, which may be formed into an eye, or used
for making a bend or a hitch with which to secure it. The end of a rope is also that
length of rope left over after making such an eye, bend or hitch. The bare end, or fag
end, is the extreme end of a length of rope.

(3) Standing Part. The part of the bight of a rope which is nearest the eye, bend or hitch,
in contrast to the end.

(4) Stopping. A light fastening for temporarily holding in place a rope or any other
object. It is not meant to bear any strain other than that required to keep the rope or
other object in place.

(5) Seizing. A seizing is used to fasten two ropes, or two parts of the same rope, securely
together, to prevent them moving in relation to each other.

(6) Whipping. The binding round the bare end of a rope to prevent the strands from
unlaying.
c. Elements of Bends and Hitches. Most bends and hitches consist of a combination of
two or more of the elements as illustrated below:

- Figure-of-eight Knot: This knot is used to prevent a rope unreeving through a block.

- Clove Hitch: This hitch is used to secure a rope to a spar, rail or similar fitting; also
for many other purposes. It will slip along the spar or rail if subjected to a sideways
pull. It can be made with the end or with the bight of a rope, as illustrated respectively.
- Bowline: This is the most useful knot for making temporary eyes in ropes of all sizes.
It is used for bending a heaving-line to a hawser, as a lifeline round a man’s waist and
for a great variety of similar purposes. Every member of a ship’s company should be
able to tie a bowline round his waist with his eyes closed. The bowline is usually made
in the following manner, which enables it to be formed while there is a strain on the
rope. Take the end in the right hand and the standing part in the left. Place the end
over the standing part and hold the cross thus formed between the index finger and
thumb of the right hand, with the thumb underneath; the loop so formed becomes the
bight of the bowline, and if required it can be formed round the body of the man
making the knot. Then turn the wrist to the right, away from the body, and bring the
end up through the loop so formed; this loop is sometimes called the gooseneck. Now
hold the cross of the gooseneck in the left hand as shown in Fig , leaving the right
hand free to manipulate the end, and complete the bowline by dipping the end under
the standing part, bringing it up again, and passing it down through the gooseneck.

- Running Bowline : Used to make a running eye in the end of a rope; it must never be
placed round a man’s body.
- Bowline on the Bight: As its name implies, this bowline is made on the bight, the first
two operations in its formation being the same as for a simple bowline. It can be used
for lowering a man from aloft or over the ship’s side, the short bight being placed nder
his arms and the long one under his buttocks.

- Reef Knot : The reef knot consists of two overhand knots made consecutively, and is
used as a common tie for bending together two ropes of approximately equal size. It is
not likely to come undone when there is no strain on the knot, but it is not reliable if
the ropes are of unequal size or very slippery unless the ends are seized back to their
standing part. To form a reef knot care must be taken to cross the ends opposite ways
each time they are knotted (ie right over left, then left over right, or vice versa),
otherwise the result will be a granny, which will either slip or jam, depending upon
whether it is made with or against the lay of the rope; a granny is also very likely to
come undone where there is no strain on the knot.
- Marling Hitch: For lashing long bundles such as awnings. It will be seen from the
illustration that in each hitch the end is passed down through the bight, thus jamming
that part against the bundle and enabling the lashing to be hauled taut. The operation
of binding together ropes or yarns by a succession of closely spaced marling hitches is
known as marling down. Marling is usually begun with a timber hitch if no eye is
spliced into the end of the lashing.

- Timber Hitch: This hitch is used to secure a rope’s end to a spar or bale.

- Timber Hitch and Half Hitch : Used to tow, hoist or lower a spar. If the spar is
tapered it should be towed or hoisted thick end first, with the timber hitch at the thin
end and the half hitch at the thick end.
- Rolling Hitch . This hitch is also used for securing a rope to a spar, rail or similar
fitting when the pull is expected to be from one side or the other, and to another rope
under strain. It is made by passing the end twice round the spar or rope, each turn
crossing the standing part. A half-hitch on the opposite side completes the hitch.
Always pass the two turns on the side from which the pull is expected.

- Round Turn and Two Half Hitches . This combination is used to secure a heavy load
to a spar, ring or shackle such as the buoy shackle of a mooring buoy. It will never jam
and can be cast off quickly. The end should be stopped to the standing part.

- Fisherman’s Bend . An alternative to a round turn and two half hitches, and normally
used for bending a rope or hawser to the ring of an anchor. It is more suitable for a
jerking pull, but will tend to jam and is not easily cast off. The end should be stopped
to the standing part.

- Sheet Bend or Swab Hitch . This is used to secure a rope’s end to a small eye, eg, the
lazy painter of a boat at a boom to the Jacob’s ladder. It is also used to bend a small
rope to a large one.

- Double Sheet Bend . A more secure method of accomplishing the same purpose as a
single sheet bend. Used to secure a boat’s painter to the eye of the lizard when at a
boom.
- Sheepshank . This is used to shorten the bight of a rope temporarily without cutting it.
The strain on the rope will usually prevent the sheepshank from slipping, but if
necessary the loops can be stopped to the standing parts or secured with a toggle.

- Single Carrick Bend . Used for joining two hawsers together when the join will have
to pass round a capstan or winch. The ends should be stopped to their standing parts.
Make a cross in one end of rope with the fag end on top, then bring the other rope’s
end up through the bight of the first, over the cross, down between the standing part
and fag end, and back up through the bight on the opposite side to the first fag end.

- Double Carrick Bend. This is used when a more secure bend than the single carrick
bend is required.