Marlinespike Seamanship and List of Knots

Vocabulary flashcards covering various types of knots, hitches, bends, and splices used in marlinespike seamanship as described in the lecture notes.

Overhand knot

Also known as the thumb knot; a fundamental knot that forms the basis of many others.

Figure-eight knot

Also known as the Savoy knot or the Flemish knot; a type of knot created by a loop on the bight.

Anchor bend

Used for attaching a rope to a ring or similar termination; also known as the Fisherman's bend.

Bale sling hitch

A continuous loop of strap to form a cow hitch around an object.

Barrel hitch

Also called a barrel sling; used to suspend an object.

Becket hitch

Any hitch made on an eye loop.

Blackwall hitch

A temporary means of attaching a rope to a hook.

Bowline

Forms a fixed loop at the end of a rope.

Bowline on a bight

Makes a pair of fixed-size loops in the middle of a rope.

Carrick bend

Joins two lines of heavy rope or cable.

Cat's paw

Connects a rope to an object.

Clove hitch

Two successive half-hitches around an object.

Common whipping

A series of knots intended to stop a rope from unraveling.

Cow hitch

A hitch knot used to attach a rope to an object.

Cow hitch and bowline

Also known as a bale sling hitch or strap hitch; uses a continuous loop of strap to form a cow hitch around an object in order to hoist or lower it.

Crown knot

A knot made in the strands of the end of a rope, serving as the start of a back splice.

Dogshank

A variant of the sheepshank where the eyes formed at each end have the ends of the rope passed through.

Double anchorman knot

Two or more pieces of rope joined together.

Double bowline

Also known as a round turn bowline; a loop knot that uses a round turn.

Double carrick bend

Used to join two lines together.

Double overhand knot

An extension of the regular overhand knot, made with one additional pass.

Double sheet bend

Doubles a sheet bend by making an additional round turn below the first and again bringing the working end back under itself.

Eye splice

Creates a permanent loop in the end of multi stranded rope by means of rope splicing.

Granny knot

Secures a rope or line around an object.

Half hitch

A simple overhand knot where the working end of a line is brought over and under the standing part.

Handcuff knot

Tied in the bight, featuring two adjustable loops in opposing directions.

Highwayman's hitch

Also known as a quick-release knot; an insecure, quick-release, draw loop hitch for trivial use.

Jury mast knot

Used for jury rigging a temporary mast on a sailboat or ship.

Marlinespike hitch

A temporary knot used to attach a rod to a rope in order to form a handle.

Monkey's fist

A knot that looks like a small bunched fist; most often used as the weight in a heaving line.

Reef knot

Also called a square knot (American usage); a simple binding knot used to secure a rope or line around an object.

Rolling hitch

Knot used to attach a rope to a rod, pole, or other rope.

Round turn and two half-hitches

A hitch used to secure the end of a rope to a fixed object.

Slip knot

Also known as a running knot; attaches a line to an object and tightens when tension is applied to the free end.

Sheepshank

Used to shorten or store rope.

Sheet bend

Joins two ropes together.

Spanish bowline

A double loop knot.

Splice

The forming of a semi-permanent joint between two ropes.

Timber hitch

Used to attach a single length of rope to a cylindrical object.

Tom fool's knot

A knot used to commence a slightly fancy sheepshank.

Trucker's hitch

Used for securing loads on trucks or trailers.

Two half-hitches

An overhand knot tied around a post, followed by a half-hitch.