Knots & Ropework for Boaters

KNOTS & ROPEWORK FOR BOATERS

GENERAL

A boat is likely to have a variety of ropes on board and these will be used for a multitude of purposes: tying to mooring rings or bollards, as anchor warps, hanging / securing fenders, towing / rescue, lashing / securing loads, raising signal or other flags etc. Almost without exception, each of these ropes will have to have a knot tied in it so that it may perform its function.
Ropes on boats today are invariably made of lightweight synthetic materials with a strength to diameter ratio that ensures that, put to an appropriate use and properly looked after, they can be relied upon to take any strain placed upon them in even the most extreme of conditions. It is up to the boater to ensure that the knots that he ties in the ropes are equally as reliable!

KNOTS

The most important attributes of any knot are that it shall be easy to tie, be secure in use, and be simple to undo. The end of the rope that is not used / accessable to the knot tyer is called the 'standing part'; the other is called the 'working' or 'free' end.

There are three main categories of knot: knots for joining ropes, knots for making loops, and knots for tying ropes to things. A boater should be proficient in tying at least the following:

a Double Sheetbend a Bowline a Round Turn & Two Half Hitches

ROPE

Ropes are designed to have properties that make them suitable for particular purposes. A rope may be extremely strong, but if it is too hard or too thin to handle comfortably then it may not suit. A rope may need to have a degree of elasticity or, conversely, have no stretch in it at all; it might be required to be coloured, lightweight, or even to float.

Rope should never be allowed to become weakened by heat, chemicals, un-necessary abrasion, or by ingrained grit particles.

No rope should ever be left with a knot in it which is not serving an immediate purpose.

Any part of a rope that has been damaged to the extent that its strength has been compromised or so that it is no longer fit for its purpose should be cut out and disgarded.

When not in use rope should be neatly coiled.

Rope ends should never be allowed to unravel; they should either be whipped with twine or heat sealed so that the ends are smooth and neatly rounded.

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	Rope should never be allowed to become weakened by heat, chemicals, un-necessary abrasion, or by ingrained grit particles.
	No rope should ever be left with a knot in it which is not serving an immediate purpose.
	Any part of a rope that has been damaged to the extent that its strength has been compromised or so that it is no longer fit for its purpose should be cut out and disgarded.
	When not in use rope should be neatly coiled.
	Rope ends should never be allowed to unravel; they should either be whipped with twine or heat sealed so that the ends are smooth and neatly rounded.