Marlinespike seamanship — knots, splices, line care

USCG Boatswain Manual Ch. 1 §1.1

USCG Boatswain Manual Ch. 1 §1.1 — Marlinespike Seamanship Marlinespike seamanship encompasses the use, care, and maintenance of all rope, fibre line, wire rope, and synthetic line aboard ship. Modern small-vessel operations use predominantly nylon and polypropylene synthetic lines, with wire rope reserved for standing rigging and heavy-load shipboard applications.

USCG Boatswain Manual Ch. 1 §1.3

USCG Boatswain Manual Ch. 1 §1.3 — Marlinespike Seamanship The eight basic knots every mariner should know are: bowline, clove hitch, cleat hitch, sheet bend, square knot, figure-eight, rolling hitch, and anchor bend. Knots are tied for ease of inspection and untying after load; splices are stronger and permanent.

46 CFR §12.405

§ 12.405 Examination and demonstration of ability for able seaman (A/B) endorsements. (a) Before an applicant is issued an endorsement as an A/B, he or she must prove, to the satisfaction of the Coast Guard, by oral or other means of examination, or by actual demonstration in a Coast Guard-approved course, his or her knowledge of seamanship and the ability to carry out effectively all the duties that may be required of an A/B, including those of a lifeboatman or lifeboatman-limited. (b) The examination, whether administered orally or by other means, must be conducted only in the English language and must consist of questions regarding— (1) The applicant's knowledge of nautical terms, use of the compass for navigation, running lights, passing signals, and fog signals for vessels on the h…

NAVEDTRA 14067 §3-1

NAVEDTRA 14067 §3-1 — Cordage — fiber and synthetic rope, characteristics and care Line (rope that has a use aboard ship is called line) is made from natural fibers or, far more commonly today, synthetics. Natural-fiber lines include manila (from abaca), the traditional standard, and sisal and hemp; they have moderate strength, hold knots well, and give clear warning before failure, but rot when stowed wet and are weaker than synthetics. Synthetic lines include nylon (very strong and elastic, excellent for mooring and towing because its stretch absorbs shock, but it recoils dangerously if it parts and loses some strength when wet), polyester/Dacron (strong with much less stretch than nylon, good where low stretch is wanted), and polypropylene (light, floats, cheaper, but weaker and degrad…

NAVEDTRA 14067 §3-2

NAVEDTRA 14067 §3-2 — Knots, bends, and hitches A knot is used to form an eye or to secure a line to itself; a bend joins two lines together; a hitch secures a line to a spar, ring, or another line. The essential AB repertoire and its uses: the square (reef) knot ties two lines of equal size together for light duty or secures a furled/lashed object, but it is not trusted for joining two lines under strain and jams under heavy load; the bowline forms a fixed, non-slipping eye in a line's end and is the workhorse knot for putting a loop over a bollard or around an object — it does not slip yet unties easily even after loading; the clove hitch secures a line to a spar or rail and is quick to make but can work loose under a varying pull, so it is often backed with a half hitch; two half hitch…

NAVEDTRA 14067 §3-3

NAVEDTRA 14067 §3-3 — Splices and whippings A splice joins lines or forms a permanent eye by interweaving (tucking) the strands, and a properly made splice retains most of the line's strength — far more than a knot, which weakens a line at the bend. The three basic splices in laid (three-strand) rope: the eye splice forms a permanent loop at the end of a line, often around a thimble to protect the eye from chafe, by unlaying the strands and tucking each over one strand and under the next, against the lay, for at least three full tucks (more for synthetics, which are slippery); the short splice joins two lines permanently by marrying and tucking their strands, giving a strong join but a thickened section that will not pass through a block; the long splice joins two lines while keeping near…