On Sun, 3 Nov 2002 09:56:07 -0500, Lee Bell wrote:

>Robert Delfs wrote:
>
>> 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?
>
>Sure.  I've tied it hundreds of times, both for demonstration purposes and
>in competition.  For competition, by the way, you tie it differently.  Speed
>is of the essence and there's a faster way to tie it.  If your question
>really was, have I ever used one for practical purposes, the answer is quite
>different.  I may have, maybe once or twice, over a very long time period.

Yes, of course, that was my point.

>> 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.  For my money, the only knots that anyone who dives
>> (or spends time on boats) really needs to know are:
>
>Wash your mouth out.  The square know is a wonderful knot for anyone that
>may need to untie it later.  Otherwise, there are better options.

A square/reef that has been under tension can be VERY difficult to
unite.  It's also hard to tighten up even if you can borrow someone
else's finger to hold the first part.  I think there is almost always a
better option.  My own view is that either a bowline or a constrictor
would be better than a square knot 9 times out of 10, even if neither
were the optimal knot for that use.

>> 6) Figure-of-Eight - only really useful on sailboats with lots of lines
>> and blocks)
>
>Not so.  There's a figure 8 knot inside the pull balls on my rear BCD dump.

Fair enough.  I just remembered that there is another one figure 8 on
my gear as well, so I guess I lied.

I guess my point to Strike (if there was one) was that these pieces on
knots in a specialised dive publication might benefit from being
focused on a few key knots that are most likely to be useful in setting
up dive gear and/or on a boat.  And I put forward a proposed list of
five knots that I felt divers might most benefit from knowing.

Robert Delfs

Robert Delfs
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