#Boy scouts knotes and when to use them how to

Use them in your instruction.Ĥ) If you must, don’t be afraid to stand behind your student and place his hands where they should be.

When you go into the store, INSIST on double ended rope! (Huh? Make’m think a little.)ģ) Use the proper terms, and teach these first: Standing part, running end, bight, bend, loops (over and under loop). It will only create trouble and problems. Over, under….Ģ) Note for your students that they should NEVER (!) buy single ended rope. Paint/dye one end a different color so you now have “Imported, fresh picked, bi-colored, double ended rope”. Aw, you know…ġ) Make up 5 foot lengths of rope. Thumbs and finger tapping of computer games has robbed our children of dextrosity. Teaching knots to little folks with unused fingers (manipulation is much lacking in kid’s play these days). The timber hitch is often used to drag a log across the ground or to start a diagonal lashing. Generally, it works best with two ropes of the same diameter, and should not be used to hold a heavy load. The square knot can be used to join two ropes together. The clove hitch is a versatile knot that is often used in Scouting activities, including servings as the start or finish to many lashings. The loop of rope can be used for many purposes, including the prusik hitch, shown above. Use this knot to tie together the ends of one rope, forming a loop. The prusik hitch will slide easily along the rope, but it will jam when a load (horizontal or vertical) is applied. Then, wrap the loop around the main line three times.

Campers use it for rigging rain flies or rescuing rock-pinned canoes in a river.įirst, use a sheet bend or double fisherman’s knot (instructions below) to make a loop from a length of parachute cord or rope. Mountaineers use the prusik for footholds to help them climb a vertical rope. It’s used in a number of self-rescue situations. This is the knot to use for staking out the guy lines of your tent.Ī prusik hitch can slide up or down a stationary rope, but it will hold fast when weight is applied. To create an adjustable loop that stays in place, use the taut-line hitch. If you need more security, take a second turn around the tree, or just add more half-hitches. Use two half hitches to tie a rope to a tree, ring or dock. Secure the pulley to a stationary object (like a pole or branch) with a quick-release half-hitch or, for extra security, two or more standard half-hitches. Run the working end of the rope through the loop and then pull hard to form the pulley. Make the loop exactly as shown it won’t work if you do it backward. Unlike the taut-line hitch, this knot won’t slip when used with slippery line.įorm the overhand loop. Use this when you need a locking pulley with a 2-to-1 mechanical advantage, such as hanging a bear bag, tying a canoe on a car or guying out a tarp. The trucker’s hitch is a powerful pulley with a locking knot. The knot will slip as it tightens, so allow a long working end. The knot won’t slip, regardless of the load applied.īegin by forming a loop or “rabbit hole.” The “rabbit” (working end) of the rope goes up through the hole, around the tree, then back down the hole. Use the bowline when you need a non-slip loop at the end of a line. This knot is popular among mountaineers, climbers, sailors and others. The double sheet bend can be used when you’ve tied two ropes together and the knot absolutely must not fail. If you tie a thick and thin rope together, use the thick rope to form the “stationary loop” and the thin rope as the “working line.”įor greater security, especially with plastic rope, use the “double sheet bend” by taking an extra coil around the standing loop. When tying the knot, be sure that the working ends are on the same side otherwise, the knot might be unreliable. The sheet bend won’t slip when ropes of dissimilar material and size are entwined. Need to tie two ropes together? This is the knot for you.

#Boy scouts knotes and when to use them how to

Here’s how to teach these knots to your Scouts or Venturers. Most people can tie just one knot (the “overhand”) many Scouts know more than a dozen. It promotes discipline and focus, and it teaches useful skills that can be used immediately. KNOT-TYING HAS LONG BEEN a part of the Scouting program - for good reasons.