Know your knots (4) - The Clove Hitch

19 Aug 2016

The Clove Hitch had been known by many names, such as ‘Waterman’s knot’, before being officially coined the ‘Clove Hitch’ in 1769. 

It is a popular hitch, providing a simple way to attach rope to a pole, ring, post, or spar and forms the basis of many other knots. A common example is its use as a temporary mooring knot, but it has also been used on Square Rigged ships to create ladders, aka ratlines, that enable the crew to reach the upper sections of the masts. 

So, find something you can wrap your length of rope around and see if you can tie the Clove Hitch with us in our four step guide!

Step 1: Wrap your rope around the pole, the working end crossing over on top of the standing end.

Step 2: Wrap the working end around, passing underneath the standing end..

Step 3: One full turn until the working end is back on its starting side...

Step 4: Tuck the working end between the two turns you’ve made and... voila!

Join us again next week, when we’ll be learning how to ty a Reef Knot. In the meantime, you can practise some of the knots we’ve been looking at over the last few weeks, like the Figure of Eight and the Bowline!