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Old 02-28-2009, 01:44 PM   #1
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What is the:

1) Knot name?

2) What is it most commonly used for on a yacht?


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Old 03-01-2009, 02:51 AM   #2
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[QUOTE=Lighthouse;31026]What is the:

1) Knot name?

2) What is it most commonly used for on a yacht?

Attachment 844

Ummm...that looks like an anchor bend onto itself e.g. the standing part of the rope is the anchor chain

David says he might use it to attach a fishing lure...if the lure wasn't too valuable

I though I knew knots, but not that one....
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Old 03-01-2009, 07:37 AM   #3
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Easy! That's the original version of the Mesopotamian Yak sheep shank with two half turn hitches. Rarely seen outside the modern Iraq delta since the demise of this particular beast of burden in the region during the later half of the 17th century, it is believed to have been an adaptation of an earlier Egyptian running half hitch granny knot used to secure bamboo scaffolding during the building of the Sphinx at Gezza. Some scholars believe Homer also spoke of this particular configuration in his Illiadic homage to the eventful voyages of Ulysses but this has yet to be confirmed.

Reports of Harold looking up after using such a knot to tie his shoelaces at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 are likewise unsubstantiated.

On today's modern yacht you'd call this a seasonal knot - being more commonly used to tie up muslin cloth around the Christmas pud prior to dropping it into the steamer while you get the custard on the go.

No lie porky pie
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Old 03-01-2009, 02:52 PM   #4
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Make one of these knots yourself and you'll be sure to recognise it. This is not a knot to be used on fishing nylon.
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Old 03-01-2009, 11:04 PM   #5
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Hi Skipper,

Can't say I have ever used it - just a guess :- a slip knot to slide up to a sail's clew or tack.

Made the knot as ordered, but couldn't find anything special - maybe easier to loosen?

Anyway here is the picture of my effort :-

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Old 03-02-2009, 06:56 AM   #6
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Well done! I thought that posting this question on the "Sails & Rigging" forum would of made it too easy.


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Halyard knot.

I don't know but, is there another name for this knot?

.
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Old 03-02-2009, 07:17 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by name='Lighthouse' post='31088'
I don't know but, is there another name for this knot?
I was pretty close with the yak sheep shank
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Old 03-02-2009, 08:21 AM   #8
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[QUOTE=mico;31090]
Quote:
Originally Posted by name='Lighthouse' post='31088' date='Mar 2 2009, 05:56

I don't know but, is there another name for this knot?

I was pretty close with the yak sheep shank [img
http://www.cruiserlog.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/blush.gif[/img]
Suppose it must be easy to confuse a yak with highland cattle - Also, Scotland being the home of golf where hitting the ball with the heel of the club causes the ball to veer off in the wrong direction and thus the cry 'Shanked It! could be heard wide and far.

Whereas the term 'Sheep Shanker' has been unfairly applied to fellows from Queensland by those Kiwi fellows.


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In purely nautical terms ; the shank is the stem of an anchor.

But returning to the knotty question - guess always used the boatswains knot because it's easy to tie and untie. On wire halyards - these are usually spliced to a thimble then this is attached to a halyard shackle, see :- WIKIPEDIAS's contribution :-

Snap Shackle spliced to a line.

As the name implies, a snap shackle is a fast action fastener which can be implemented single handed. It uses a spring activated locking mechanism to close a hinged shackle, and can be unfastened under load. This is a potential safety hazard, but can also be extremely useful at times. The snap shackle is not as secure as any other form of shackle, but can come in handy for temporary uses or in situations which must be moved or replaced often, such as a sailor's harness tether or to attach spinnaker sheets. Note: When this type of shackle is used to release a significant load, it will work rather poorly (hard to release) and is likely to have the pin assembly or the split ring fail.

D-shackle

Also known as a chain shackle, D-shackles are narrow shackles shaped like a loop of chain, usually with a pin or threaded pin closure. D-shackles are very common and most other shackle types are a variation of the D-shackle. The small loop can take high loads primarily in line. Side and racking loads may twist or bend a D-shackle.

Headboard shackle

This longer version of a D-shackle is used to attach halyards to sails, especially sails fitted with a headboard such as on Bermuda rigged boats. Headboard shackles are often stamped from flat strap stainless steel, and feature an additional pin between the top of the loop and the bottom so the headboard does not chafe the spliced eye of the halyard.

Twist shackle

A twist shackle is usually somewhat longer than the average, and features a 90° twist so the top of the loop is perpendicular to the pin. One of the uses for this shackle include attaching the jib halyard block to the mast, or the jib halyard to the sail, to reduce twist on the luff and allow the sail to set better.
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Old 03-02-2009, 05:18 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lighthouse View Post
Well done! I thought that posting this question on the "Sails & Rigging" forum would of made it too easy.

I don't know but, is there another name for this knot?
OK, I cry "uncle". I've never seen it and this knot isn't in any of my various knot reference books. Though we weren't clever to take a picture like MM, both David and I did tie the knot to see if we could recognize it. Nope. It appears to have use as a bend, I must say and I've never seen the "Yak Bend" aka "halyard knot"

Hubby says he made it to Eagle Scout without knowing about that Yak Bend and spent some time as a Sea Scout in Sweden...didn't see it...guess it's not on the scouting sailing merit badge as a "need to know" for sure Oh, yea, didn't learn it while in the US Navy, either...

Now, I must say, I don't own a copy of Ashley's Book of Knots. If this knot is in there--do you know the number of the knot? I'll go down to Sea Breeze bookstore and look it up

Every knot I've ever needed thus far...seems to be in the references I have:

Roger Taylor's Knowing The Ropes: Selecting, Rigging, & Handling Lines Aboard

If you need a quick reference book--the above fits the bill. Small, paperback, and good illustrations. No Yak Bend

Marino's Sailmaker's Apprentice

Mostly about making and repairing sails, but also has tons of knowledge about which knots and seizings to use where on what part of the sail. For example, if you were to bend sail to spar using a robands, there are drawings and instructions of how to do it using a round throat seizing vs a cow hitch vs a foot stopper knot vs a clove hitch... but, don't see a Yak Bend.

Also, a good knot resource is another "apprentice" that is Brion Toss's "Rigger's Apprentice" which has examples of using various knots for various clever activities. He spends some time showing how to splice wire to rope (for your halyards) among many other activities but doesn't let us in on the secrets of the Yak Bend either
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Old 03-02-2009, 05:42 PM   #10
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It is very often used for halyard to shackle - you can pull it up close to the shackle. Riggers use it a lot.

See: HERE

I'm sure though that there must be a more specific name for the knot.
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Old 03-02-2009, 10:34 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lighthouse View Post
It is very often used for halyard to shackle - you can pull it up close to the shackle. Riggers use it a lot.

See: HERE

I'm sure though that there must be a more specific name for the knot.
I'm calling it the Yak Bend, myself
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Old 03-03-2009, 05:23 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lighthouse View Post
Halyard knot.

I don't know but, is there another name for this knot?
I assume there must be another name for this bend as it is not listed in Ashley's as a halyard knot. I will leaf through the book later and see if I can find it under another name.

Yaks don't even get a mention!

Aye // Stephen
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Old 03-11-2009, 03:37 PM   #13
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Personally I've always just used a noose (hangmans knot) on my halyard/outhaul/uphaul/downhaul shackles... it draws up into itself and just gets tighter the more load you put on it... zero chance of slippage... although it is a pain to get out after it's been loaded...

doesn't show up in any knot books I have but is one of my most trusted knots.
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Old 03-11-2009, 04:59 PM   #14
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Quote:
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Personally I've always just used a noose (hangmans knot) on my halyard/outhaul/uphaul/downhaul shackles... it draws up into itself and just gets tighter the more load you put on it... zero chance of slippage... although it is a pain to get out after it's been loaded...

doesn't show up in any knot books I have but is one of my most trusted knots.
We use a little climbing knot that doesn't show up in the books either. It has 3 wraps and then a bowline. It slips up the line just fine (similar to a noose) but can't slide down the line. Used to use this knot when "climbing on a budget" in vertical caves in Southern Indiana and Kentucky. Rappelling on a Figure-8 and climbing on knots. Three knots--one for the chest harness, one for each foot harness and up you go. If you had money to spare, you'd use an inexpensive Gibbs ascender on the chest harness...and you'd descend on a rack.

The first several trips David made up the mast on our other boat were using this same three knot system on a halyard--and descending on a rack. We now have a set of Jumar ascenders, a rescue pulley, and a climbing rope to use for climbing the rig. The knots don't harm your halyard whereas any of the mechanical ascenders are damaging to the lines you climb on.
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Old 03-11-2009, 05:26 PM   #15
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Quote:
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Rappelling on a Figure-8 and climbing on knots. Three knots--one for the chest harness, one for each foot harness and up you go.
Unfortunately I have no idea what "Rappelling on a figure-8" means... I did some self-belaying rappelling, and fast-roping while in the Marines and a lot of alpine style hiking/climbing but have never done any technical/vertical climbing (other than masts)... Got any web references for these techniques, they sound much handier than my current methods... I usually just climb the rigging and drag a rolling hitch behind me on an anchored halyard and then switch to a prusik loop once where I want to be.
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Old 03-11-2009, 05:54 PM   #16
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Quote:
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Unfortunately I have no idea what "Rappelling on a figure-8" means... I did some self-belaying rappelling, and fast-roping while in the Marines and a lot of alpine style hiking/climbing but have never done any technical/vertical climbing (other than masts)... Got any web references for these techniques, they sound much handier than my current methods... I usually just climb the rigging and drag a rolling hitch behind me on an anchored halyard and then switch to a prusik loop once where I want to be.
Typically use a webbing seat harness (can be made of rope, of course) to attach the Figure 8 to. Here's an example of the device. Link

Here's a page of racks if you haven't seen them. Safer than a Figure 8 if you're rappelling more than 200 feet as you can add bars or not depending on the friction of the length of rope below you.

If you get a copy of Brion Toss's Riggers' Apprentice, a lot of good information is in there about climbing your rig safely. I imagine you could find something online about vertical caving or spelunking that might show the techniques I'm talking about. These days, it does seem that folks use ascenders rather than knots. I don't consider using a Prussik knot as safe as the one I described. Since our knot isn't in any books, I'll see if I can't take a couple pics of it being tied and post them for you.

**edited to add: on page 260 of the Riggers' Apprentice there is an illustration Figure 7-12 of someone using something called a "ropewalker" that is essentially the method I describe if one has Jumars. However--this is a BIG however--the figure shows an UNSAFE climbing technique in that the person is only tied in to the rope with the belt harness. A person can slip out of a seat harness and I was taught to always climb with a chest harness in place and at a minimum have a carabiner attached to the chest harness and around the rope OR better yet have a knot or ascender in place at the chest harness.

There is a set of pictures here at this link that can help you understand using the system I'm talking about. This fellow has made what he calls a ropewalker from three Gibbs ascenders. I wouldn't use such ascenders, they are not as easy to use as other higher quality ascenders and further, knots take up much less space! The climbing technique the fellow is using (with chest harness) is proper. I note there's another page where a fellow is shown not using a chest harness--unsafe.
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Old 05-11-2013, 01:50 AM   #17
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Back when I was an Outward Bound instructor in the PNW, we used that knot to attach the halyard to the yard of our lug rigged longboats. It was known as a 'spar hitch' back then; don't know if that's in those weighty knot books.

Another neat knot, speaking of rapelling, is the Munter Hitch - Munter hitch - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. It's great because it's bi-directional - it capsizes to whichever side is the standing part. Tie a line beam to beam and tie a munter in a carabiner clipped to a boom bail. and you have a cheap boom brake to control those surprise gybes...
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Old 05-11-2013, 03:19 AM   #18
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Like the Munter Hitch, thanks! We tend to always use preventers to keep those surprise gibes away.

Fair winds,
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Old 05-11-2013, 02:21 PM   #19
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By 'surprise gybes,' I meant when the main comes across a bit more briskly than expected... This is not for a preventer, it slows the travel of the boom across. And since the knot capsizes to the standing part, it doesn't need to be retied for each tack...
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Old 05-11-2013, 09:22 PM   #20
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Ah the "standing" gibes.

We have multiple blocks (count...6:1 purchase) on the main sheet and that in itself helps slow things down. We have a schooner with approximately 1600sf sail area. When running, we seldom have all sails up, usually it's just forsail and jib or mainsail and jib. If all sails do happen to be up and we're in anything other than very light winds and seas, our gibe technique involves a lot of "controls" as follows:

Fall off to a pure run from whatever broad point of sail we were on. From the cockpit I first center the jib. Then, if the (boomed) staysail is up, haul in the sheet to centerline. Then, slack the peak halyard on the gaff foresail (leave throat alone) , tighten up the gaff vang to help center the top of that sail. Then, hubby (midships) releases the preventor on the foresail while I haul in the foresail sheet to limit the distance of the gibe. We try to do this on a pure run so we can manage to get the foresail over to wing-on-wing and then attach the preventor on the other side. We don't usually let out the sheet until we've gibed, though. Then, hubby quickly releases the preventor on the mainsail, feeding it out, while I haul in the main sheet/boom to centerline and then, finally, I adjust the helm and gibe. The boomed staysail is self tending. The jib, at this point is on te wrong side but not a worry quite yet. More important is letting out the main sheet quickly and hubby getting the preventor set. Then, I move the jib over to the other side, adjust the sheet while hubby moves to the foresail preventor, he's there about the time that I'm done with the staysail and I've tightened up the peak halyard on the foresail but not yet loosened the gaff vang. I let out the sheet as he tightens up the foresail preventer. Then, loosen the gaff vang. Done.

I can't do it by myself, but hubby can. When winds get above 20 knots, gibing gets incrementally more difficult. We are unlikely to have more than jib and foreail up in high winds broad reaching or run, though.
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