Knot Funny

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by LittleWing77

Here's a favoured Canadian indulgence local to Newfoundland. I hear it's sort-of terrible, but Mike O'Reilly will have to speak to that...

All of you in Auz - make sure you get tickets and go see Come From Away https://comefromaway.com.au/ when it comes to your town, if you can. Fantastic Canadian musical and lots of (true) stories about Newfoundland!

Have you ever kissed a cod?

The modern version of Screech is actually a pretty nice darker rum. It's a bit sweet for my tastes, but it's certainly not the rotgut of old. As I recall, it was originally made from the tailings of some other Caribbean or South American rum production, and was imported to Newfoundland as part of the cod trade. We'd ship boat loads of cod down, and carry back boatloads of this under-appreciated liquor.

Rumour has it you'd take your first sip and SCREEEEEECH! Hence the name.

Screech is now pivotal to the welcoming ceremony that visitors are subjected to known as being Screeched-in. It involves reciting some local poetry or singing a Newfoundland song, eating some bologna, and then doing a shot of Screech and kissing a cod (yes, a real cod). It's a way for people to become "honorary Newfoundlanders", but its real purpose is to gently abuse the visitors, and to see how far they'll go. It's indicative of Newfoundland humour which can be subtle, but a bit biting at times.

Needless to say, I've never 'kissed the cod.' I don't have to; me ol' fadder was a Newfoundlander (born before Confederation) so I'm already bona fide .

Come From Away is 100% accurate ... seriously. Kinder people you'll never fine.

[Wotname]

Meanwhile below decks, knots are all the rage.

These are modified constrictor knots, essentially a standard constrictor with a thumb knot added 'on top'.

[DMF Sailing]

Forgot one

[ChrisJHC]

Originally Posted by JPK

Newbie here - just finished my Basic Cruising course and about to do Bareboat Cruising. From the responses so far, it seems that there's a lot of love for the figure 8 as a stopper knot. The instructors in my classes, when teaching the figure 8, basically said "you need to know this knot because it's part of the curriculum, but it's actually not a great stopper knot." They taught us the double overhand stopper knot as the "real" stopper we should use after class. The reasons were that it's cleaning-looking and less likely to come apart on its own. Those that are using the figure 8, what do you like about it?

1. You can teach a newbie how to tie it in 30 seconds.
2. They can tell immediately if it’s tied properly.
3. It unties easily.
4. You can use the same knot to create a secure loop in the end of a line. Yes, I know it’s not as good as a bowline or alpine butterfly, but it does the job.
5. With a small modification to #4, you can create a double loop.

I could go on, but you get the point.

[Tellie]

How to tie a bowline and get your neighbors to call you "Sir"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLgPVm03OGI

[Spot]

Here is the one bowline I know without thinking about rabbits and holes and trees and stuff:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lo4gzw2mXEQ

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Shrew

That only occurs if tied incorrectly (backwards). If you run the bitter end around the cleat, it can't lock that way. What you describe can only occur if you cleat tie the working end of the line.

Or if you tie a "spaghetti hitch"...which is by far the most common hitch seen on cleats in most marinas.

[LittleWing77]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Or if you tie a "spaghetti hitch"...which is by far the most common hitch seen on cleats in most marinas.

Are you being sarcastic, Belize?

(Sorry, this two-dimensional communication sometimes leaves a lot to be desired as far as a person's true meaning.)

At the Yacht Club, we used to use what we called the "Muskoka Hitch" or the "Cottage Hitch", which was very similar to the Douglas Hitch in Deblen's Post #11.

That said, it might be more aptly called a "spaghetti hitch", as when you do it, it creates a long chain... quick release and very decorative, but not to be used as a long-term fastening.

LittleWing77

[rslifkin]

I don't think he's being sarcastic. Looking around the docks at my own marina, I see a few slight variations on the standard cleat hitch, but I also see quite a few cleats that might as well be an unrecognizable blob of line. Too many people seem to think that just quickly throwing a bunch of wraps around a cleat means it's good. Or they do something resembling a cleat hitch, but with a bunch of extra wraps to suck up extra line (leaving no room for a second line on that cleat).

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by LittleWing77

Are you being sarcastic, Belize?



(Sorry, this two-dimensional communication sometimes leaves a lot to be desired as far as a person's true meaning.)



At the Yacht Club, we used to use what we called the "Muskoka Hitch" or the "Cottage Hitch", which was very similar to the Douglas Hitch in Deblen's Post #11.



That said, it might be more aptly called a "spaghetti hitch", as when you do it, it creates a long chain... quick release and very decorative, but not to be used as a long-term fastening.



LittleWing77

I should start taking photos of cleats. It could be a companion thread to photos of anchors setting. Some of the cleat macrame is outstanding. Many of them will need to be cut off!

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Meanwhile below decks, knots are all the rage.

These are modified constrictor knots, essentially a standard constrictor with a thumb knot added 'on top'.

Hi Wottie

Cool use for a constrictor knot if the material doesn’t have a low melting point . Much more nautical than cable ties.

The thumb knot over the top is not really doing anything other than providing a false sense of comfort though. A elegant way of making the knot more secure is just to add another turn before tying the underlying overhand knot. These two turns will very snuggly and securely hold down the overhand.

SWL x

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

Hi Wottie

Cool use for a constrictor knot if the material doesn’t have a low melting point . Much more nautical than cable ties.

The thumb knot over the top is not really doing anything other than providing a false sense of comfort though. A elegant way of making the knot more secure is just to add another turn before tying the underlying overhand knot. These two turns will very snuggly and securely hold down the overhand.

SWL x

While I accept your generalised comment about the top thumb knot, there are other considerations for doing it this way.

In a previous professional life, the 'approved' knot for tying looms was a clove hitch with a reef knot on 'top'. After tying thousands of such 'approved' knots, it was clear (to me) that the clove hitch combined with reef knot was inferior to a single constrictor knot. BUT....everyone in the trade was expecting to see an ugly looking reef knot on top of every clove hitch. If the reef knot was missing, they assumed (correctly), the knot was not in accordance with the 'approved' practice.

So hence a single loop constrictor knot topped with an overhand knot has the appearance of the 'approved' knot plus being far more secure. It became my standard loom knot - looks are important!

Almost always the looms are tied with a waxed synthetic twine and additional security is achieved by briefly waving a hot air gun over each knot so the wax melts slightly and then solidifies holding all the fibres together.

FWIW, IMO, cable ties are ugly but they do have a place; you will note there is one in the top right of the image.

And to anyone who notices some of the lower wires do not have a neat 90 degree bend, I have this to say - "access to these terminations was extremely limited and if you don't like it, stick a broom where the sun don't shine and scrub the deck while making any negative comments".

[LittleWing77]

Originally Posted by Wotname

While I accept your generalised comment about the top thumb knot, there are other considerations for doing it this way.

In a previous professional life, the 'approved' knot for tying looms was a clove hitch with a reef knot on 'top'. After tying thousands of such 'approved' knots, it was clear (to me) that the clove hitch combined with reef knot was inferior to a single constrictor knot. BUT....everyone in the trade was expecting to see an ugly looking reef knot on top of every clove hitch. If the reef knot was missing, they assumed (correctly), the knot was not in accordance with the 'approved' practice.

So hence a single loop constrictor knot topped with an overhand knot has the appearance of the 'approved' knot plus being far more secure. It became my standard loom knot - looks are important!

Almost always the looms are tied with a waxed synthetic twine and additional security is achieved by briefly waving a hot air gun over each knot so the wax melts slightly and then solidifies holding all the fibres together.

FWIW, IMO, cable ties are ugly but they do have a place; you will note there is one in the top right of the image.

And to anyone who notices some of the lower wires do not have a neat 90 degree bend, I have this to say - "access to these terminations was extremely limited and if you don't like it, stick a broom where the sun don't shine and scrub the deck while making any negative comments".

+1

Very cool.

Wottie is King!
LittleWing77
President, Wotname Fan Club

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by LittleWing77

+1

Very cool.

Wottie is King!
LittleWing77
President, founding and ONLY member Wotname Fan Club

There, FIFY

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by Wotname

In a previous professional life, the 'approved' knot for tying looms was a clove hitch with a reef knot on 'top'. After tying thousands of such 'approved' knots, it was clear (to me) that the clove hitch combined with reef knot was inferior to a single constrictor knot. BUT....everyone in the trade was expecting to see an ugly looking reef knot on top of every clove hitch. If the reef knot was missing, they assumed (correctly), the knot was not in accordance with the 'approved' practice.

So hence a single loop constrictor knot topped with an overhand knot has the appearance of the 'approved' knot plus being far more secure. It became my standard loom knot - looks are important!

Good one .

I will add “Sneaky disguise” to my list of useful purposes for the overhand knot .