Author Topic: Improper Knot Consequences  (Read 3198 times)

sharky

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Improper Knot Consequences
« on: February 15, 2010, 01:22:41 PM »
Anybody have any photos that show the results of improperly tied knots or the use of the wrong knot??? Here is a boat that sank yesterday at the wharf in Itoman as the result of the skipper not using knots properly:

« Last Edit: February 16, 2010, 01:27:35 AM by sharky »
Sharky

DerekSmith

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Re: Improper Knot Consequences
« Reply #1 on: February 15, 2010, 02:51:41 PM »
How on earth could the misuse of knots cause this?

I thought that the worst that could happen would be for a knot to fail, and for the boat to drift away.

Was a mis-tied knot really at fault, or is this another Billie wind up?

Bring on the 'shaggy doggie' story cap'n - we are waiting with baited breath

Derek

sharky

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Re: Improper Knot Consequences
« Reply #2 on: February 15, 2010, 03:42:46 PM »
Skipper shortened his bow line at high tide and went home...at minus tide, with his bow in the air the stern began taking on water. Would've been okay if he shortened the bow line with a rope chain knot so it would come loose when tension was applied, instead of using a clove hitch to shorten the line. Coast Guard was not amused...it caused a big fuel spill in the port, and then the skipper told me today that he did not have insurance... :'(
Sharky

Dan_Lehman

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Re: Improper Knot Consequences
« Reply #3 on: February 15, 2010, 06:23:28 PM »
 ???

I don't see this so much as improperly tied knots as mismanaged cordage
use
.  But please explain, as "when tension is applied" strikes me as
an expected condition to using docklines --albeit one hopes not great
tension--, so having some structure that transforms into another on
that condition begs an obvious question.

Beyond that, I've been on more than a few docks (as one of my
"Knots in the Wild" photo journals revealed), and have never
seen anything other than some embedded shock-absorption that
could ameliorate such a significant change of water level (and so
have wondered how ...).

One might wonder how busy this particular dock was, and if there
were passersby --especially of the skipper sort-- why none
thought to redress the worsening situation by loosening the bow
line and retying (even if that meant finding auxiliary rope).

Thanks,
--dl*
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sharky

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Re: Improper Knot Consequences
« Reply #4 on: February 15, 2010, 11:00:27 PM »
Happened at night...and these commercial fishing wharfs have restricted access, and that particular area has no lights at night. So no one saw this until in the morning. (Not to mention that these guys drink pretty heavily when they are in port):( ...and I can't even begin to tell you how many of these guys hit the reef every year from nodding off while they are running...
« Last Edit: February 16, 2010, 01:30:37 AM by sharky »
Sharky

Dan_Lehman

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Re: Improper Knot Consequences
« Reply #5 on: February 18, 2010, 08:04:09 AM »
Quote
Would've been okay if he shortened the bow line with a rope chain knot so it would come loose when tension was applied

I'm curious about what this solution is, as noted above:
how does this work, and how does having a somehow-loosening
structure upon tension serve the purpose of mooring (which is
to resist tension)?!  I haven't seen anything on docks this intriguing.
(-- thinking of Knots in the Wild)

 ???

« Last Edit: February 18, 2010, 08:05:07 AM by Dan_Lehman »

sharky

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Re: Improper Knot Consequences
« Reply #6 on: February 18, 2010, 01:13:14 PM »
Come on Dan...you can figure it out...just use the rope chain. Keeps enough tension to keep you up close, when you are at the vessel, and will pull free of itself and lengthen if you get busy someplace else when low tide strikes. May you hang around those cute little floating docks instead of concrete wharfs. I learned a long time ago about these massive tide changes on concrete wharfs...I'll send you a pic next time I am down on the wharf...
Sharky

 

anything