I agree with Jon's statement. I began sailing in 1978. Have done 2 Atlantic
crossings with my son in a 37' sloop. The bowline has about 70% of the
strength of the line. It is about the only knot that can take a heavy load
and not jam. It is easy to tie(have tied many times in pitch darknes by feel
only) and release and totally reliable. My life and limb have depended on a
bowline on many occasions. For a knot that will be not need to be released,
I would recommend the Buntline hitch. It has near 100% of the line strength
and takes up little space on the line. It is good for halyards etc, but is
difficult to untie after being placed under a heavy load, usually requiring
a fid to release.
73,
Sam W5LU
>From: Jon Ogden <na9d@speakeasy.net>
>To: "Rudy Marcelletti, K8SWD" <rudym@net-link.net>,
><towertalk@contesting.com>
>Subject: Re: [Towertalk] position lanyard and stuff.
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
>Date: Fri, 20 Dec 2002 06:30:01 -0600
>
>on 12/19/02 3:22 PM, Rudy Marcelletti, K8SWD at rudym@net-link.net wrote:
>
> > Some one wrote they use bowline knots to attach their hooks with. The
>better
> > not is a figure 8 with a safety overhand. Then tape the overhand tail.
>The
> > figure 8 is stronger and easier to untie after it has been loaded.
>
>I am really skeptical of this statement. I have done a great deal amount
>of
>sailboat racing on yachts up to 50 feet over the last 10 years. I've been
>on three Chicago-Mackinac and one Port Huron-Mackinanc. Lines are ALWAYS
>tied with bowlines when attaching a line to a sail. I have never seen a
>figure 8 used in a high stress situation.
>
>The amount of pressure put on a jib sail for a 40 foot racing sloop in a 20
>to 30 mph wind is absolutely incredible. I don't know the exact number,
>but
>it's in the tons.
>
>I have seen a number of failures of halyards (line that holds up the sail)
>and sheets (sail controlling lines), but I have yet to see a properly tied
>bowline fail. I know of boats where winches ripped out of the fiberglass
>decking during storms, but the bowlines that they were using didn't fail.
>
>From my experience, I'll trust a bowline any day. A properly tied bowline
>is an incredibly strong knot. The problem is probably that if not properly
>tied, you can run into problems. This is likely where it has gotten its
>bad
>wrap. A figure 8 is easier to tie, yes. But once you learn how to tie a
>bowline, its very simple. It just takes a while to learn.
>
>73,
>
>Jon
>NA9D
>
>-------------------------------------
>Jon Ogden
>NA9D (ex: KE9NA)
>
>Citizen of the People's Democratic Republik of Illinois
>
>Life Member: ARRL, NRA
>Member: AMSAT, DXCC
>
>http://www.qsl.net/na9d
>
>"A life lived in fear is a life half lived."
>
>
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