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| Marlinespike hitch | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Names | Marlinespike hitch, marlingspike hitch, boat knot |
| Category | Hitch |
| Related | Overhandslip knot,stein knot |
| Releasing | Non-jamming |
| Typical use | Pulling heavily onrope ortwine, historically used bysailors |
| Caveat | Intended as temporary hitch; not stable unless loaded |
| ABoK | #559, #1186, #1789, #1880, #2030, #7, #43 |
Themarlinespike hitch is a temporaryknot used to attach a rod to arope in order to form ahandle.[1] This allows moretension than could be produced comfortably by gripping the rope with thehands alone. It is useful when tightening knots and for other purposes inropework.
As the name suggests, the type of rod traditionally used with this hitch is amarlinespike. The advantages of this hitch over others which might serve the purpose are its quickness of tying and ease of releasing.Topologically it is a form of thenoose, but in practice this hitch is not allowed to collapse into that shape. When it does capsize into a traditional noose, it can jam against the rod, making it much more difficult to release.[2]
The hitch is frequently used byhammock campers to attach adjustable rope slings ("whoopie slings") to the webbing straps that are used to attach hammocks to trees.
By passing the working end through the marlinespike hitch, this knot can be used as an alternative method of tying theBowline knot. Passing through in the opposite direction will give you theCowboy bowline (also known as theleft-hand bowline,Dutch marine bowline orwinter bowline).
Below is a basic method of tying. The knot can also be made by using the rod itself to form the loop, but the tying method does not affect the performance of the resulting hitch.
Begin with an overhand loop, that is, a loop in which the working part passes over the standing part:
Fold the loop over the working part, towards the standing part such that the standing part is visible through the center of the loop:
In stiffer material the first two steps can be accomplished in a single motion by twisting the working part with the fingers until a loop forms and flops over the standing part.
Use the rod to snag abight of the standing part through the loop, that is, pass the rod over the near side of the loop, under the standing part and then over the far side of the loop:
Before tensioning, excess slack can be removed by pullingsimultaneously on both the working and standing parts:
In actual use the hitch should be loaded only from the standing side.
If the working end is loaded rather than the standing part, the knot willcapsize into an overhand noose:
While this form may still hold when the standing part is subsequently loaded, it can jam badly against the rod. This is especially troublesome if the rod is not tapered.
