Glossary

aramid: a synthetic rope fiber often sold under the trade name Kevlar®

bend: a knot which ties the ends of two ropes together

bight: 1. a small-radius curve in a rope in which the working and standing parts are brought near to or in contact with one another; 2. on the bight: describing a knot tied in any part of a rope other than the ends

binding knot: a true knot that tightly encloses or binds together another object or objects

bitter end: the last inch or two of a rope’s end

bosun’s chair: a sling, small suspended platform, or seat used to raise a person up a boat’s or ship’s mast

breaking strength: the tensile load at which a rope will break under laboratory conditions

bungee, bungee cord: shock cord; cord or rope with a highly elastic core and braided fabric cover, often sold in short, fixed lengths with hooks at both ends

cable: very heavy cordage made up of three twisted hawsers (definition 2)

capsize, capsized: a knot that has deformed into a different structure when tightened

chafing gear: any material used to reduce abrasion to a rope

cleat: a piece of hardware with two horn-like extensions to which ropes are hitched

clockwise, counterclockwise: describing the direction of a crossing turn from the standing part to the working end

coil: 1. an arrangement that prevents rope from tangling during storage or transportation; 2. a single loop of rope in a coil

coir: a natural rope fiber from coconut shells

core: the central, strength element of a rope with two-layer construction

crossing turn: a curve in which the rope crosses over itself

drawloop: a bight placed in the working end of a rope just before the final stage of tying a knot, to make it easy to untie. See slipped

dynamic use: rope usage in which the load will change

elbow: in a double crossing turn, one of two sections of rope between the crossing turn at the top, and the working end and standing part at the bottom

eye: a small closed loop in a rope’s end (or on a bight) formed by seizing or splicing

fair/fairing: to smooth or refine a misshapen knot

fiber: the smallest component, either natural or synthetic, from which cordage is made

fid: a tapered, pointed tool used to loosen knots

foundation knots: an ad-hoc category in this book that introduces basic knots and concepts

frapping turn: in a lashing or seizing, turns of the line over and at a right angle to previous round turns or wrappings, to tighten them

guillotine: a stationary electric hot-knife for cutting rope

halyard: a line used to raise a sail or a flag

hawser: 1. a heavy line, often a cable, for towing, anchoring, or tying up a ship; 2. occasionally: any rope, especially one of three twisted into a cable

heaving line: a rope meant to be thrown

heaving line knot: a stopper knot tied to add weight to the end of a heaving line. Also: the name of a specific heaving line knot.

hemp: a natural rope fiber from the hemp plant (Cannabis sativa)

henequen: a natural rope fiber from the henequen agave (Agave fourcroydes)

high-modulus polyethylene: a synthetic rope fiber often sold under the trade names Spectra® and Dyneema®

hitch: a knot tied to an object, usually used to connect two objects together with a length of rope between them

jute: a natural rope fiber from plants of the genus Corchorus

kernmantle: two-layer rope construction, with a braided cover and a load-bearing core

laid: twisted, describing a method of rope construction

lash, lashing: ropework that ties two or more poles tightly together, usually incorporating numerous round and frapping turns

line: a general term for a rope when it is in use

loop knot: a true knot that forms a closed loop that can be placed around an object

loop: 1. a curve in a rope of a larger radius than a bight that encloses more area than a bight; 2. The part of a loop knot or hitch that goes around an object

manila: a natural rope fiber from the abaca plant (Musa textillis); rope of that fiber

mantle: the braided cover of a rope with two-layer construction

middle: to find the mid-point of a rope by folding it in half

monofilament: 1. cordage or a cordage component made from a single, relatively thick fiber of synthetic material; 2. monofilament fishing line

noose: a loop knot in which the size of the loop can be adjusted after the knot is tied

nylon: a synthetic rope fiber, an aliphatic polyamide

overhand: a crossing turn in which the working end is over the standing part

palm, sailmaker’s palm: a leather strap with a metal insert, worn on the hand to push needles through rope or canvas

parachute cord (also: paracord, 550 cord): small-diameter two-layer synthetic cordage with a braided cover, originally developed for use for parachute suspension, now a common utility cordage

polyester: a synthetic rope fiber often sold under the trade name Dacron®

polyethylene: a synthetic rope fiber

polypropylene: a synthetic rope fiber

purchase: a fixed loop tied on a bight and used like a pulley, to reverse the direction of the working end’s pull and increase force when tightening a line

rode: an anchor line

rope: cordage of roughly 3/8 in. (9 mm) or greater in diameter

round turn: a revolution of rope of 360 to 540 degrees around an object

running end: see working end

seize, seizing: a tight wrapping of heavy thread or small cord to join two ropes end-to-end or side-by-side, or to form an eye

service, serving: wrapping of small stuff around a section of rope to prevent abrasion

sheath: see mantle

sheet: a line used to control the set of a sail

shock load: a sudden application of force to a rope

shroud: a fixed line that supports a ship’s or boat’s mast transversely

sisal: a natural rope fiber from the sisal plant (Agave sisalana)

S-laid: clockwise twist in the strands of a laid rope, when viewed from an end. See Z-laid

sling: a fixed, closed loop of rope, webbing, or tubular tape

slipped: a knot tied with a drawloop to ease untying. See drawloop

splice: a structure in which the strands of a rope are separated and then woven together to: terminate a rope; form an eye; or join ropes end-to-end

standing end, standing part: the end of the rope that is not fully subject to manipulation in knot tying

static use: rope usage in which the load force and direction will not change

stay: a line that supports a ship’s or boat’s mast longitudinally

stop/stopping: small cords tied around a coil of rope to secure it

stopper: a knot used to prevent a line from passing through a small opening

stopper knot: a true knot that prevents a rope end escaping through a small opening, allows it to be thrown, or serves as a hand-hold. Also: the name of a specific stopper knot

strand: 1. a component in cordage made from twisted yarns. Laid ropes consist of strands twisted together; 2. one side of a crossing turn or other knot component; leg

threaded: describing two knots tied in parallel to make a single knot, with the second rope or part following the path of the first rope or part

toggle: a short cylinder of any material used to hold part of a knot in place

top rope: a rope attached to a fixed point to assist climbers below it

true knot: a class of knots in which a rope is tied to itself. True knots include binding, stopper, and loop knots.

turn: a half-revolution of rope around an object

underhand: a crossing turn in which the working end is under the standing part

whip, whipping: 1. a tight wrapping of heavy thread around a rope’s end, to prevent it from fraying; 2. any material so applied, such as tape

working end, working part: the free end of a rope that is subject to manipulation in tying a knot

working load: the maximum tensile load considered safe by a rope’s manufacturer

wrap: one of several adjacent round turns

yarn: a component in cordage made from twisted fibers; often about the diameter of sewing thread

Z-laid: counterclockwise twist in the strands of a laid rope, when viewed from an end. See S-laid