On Monday, November 04, 2002 1:03 AM, Robert Delfs wrote:

(snip)
> But I have to confess disappointment that the ongoing feature on knots
> didn't mention the Zeppellin Bend - the subject of a rant of mine on
> this forum a few months ago. I say this only half tongue-in-cheek.  The
> fact that this knot will not slip when tied in shock cord makes it a
> very useful knot for divers to know.

Mate!  I don't doubt it, but learning rigging does start with basic and time
honoured knots and then proceeds to build on that foundation.  The piece was
titled 'Basics'  :-)

> A standard knot which is particularly useful to divers (and which the
> knot piece also doesn't mention) is the anchor bend, also known as a
> fisherman's bend.  Tied in small stuff and finished with a whipping to
> secure the loose end to the standing part, it is probably the best way
> of securing a small lanyard to a fixed point or ring.  I've got at
> least five on my gear right now:

That's good.  But it's not mentioned because I wasn't concerned with
anything other than the basics.  :-)

> I'm sure I've seen the sheepshank described in every knot article I've
> read since I was a boy scout, but I've never actually seen anyone tie
> one in my life - has anyone?

You obviously haven't been around!  (And no!  It's not the best method of
shortening a rope,  but it's the easiest to master when teaching the
'Basics'!)  :-)

>And though the square (reef knot) has its
> uses, it's so often mis-used that most of us would be better if we'd
> never learned it.

If it's mis-used then it's never been learnt!  :-)

>For my money, the only knots that anyone who dives
> (or spends time on boats) really needs to know are:
>
> 1) Bowline
> 2) Constrictor (possibly the most useful knot in the world after the
> bowline!)
> 3) Clove hitch
> 4) Anchor Bend/Fisherman's Bend
> 5) Zeppelin Bend (mainly for shock cord, but it's very secure and good
> for other uses as well.  If I were attaching two or more lines together
> to make an extended tow line to tow another boat, this is what I'd
> use.)

Have you never had to shorten a line?  Or how about making a weighted
heaving line?  Or making a fender? :-)

> 6) Figure-of-Eight - only really useful on sailboats with lots of lines
> and blocks)

Never under-estimate the uses for which a figure-of-eight - or any
'stopper' - knot can be used! (It's a very handy replacement for dump valve
toggles on a BCD, for example!) :-)

Strike