Adjustable grip hitch

The taughtline is a classic. Everyone should know this one. it's also halfway to a Prusik, also handy.

Ken,

One of the posters at Kitebuilder said the taughtline knot can come loose if the line is slack.

Have you experienced this? I have no experience with the taughtline.

Daryl

A tautline hitch doesn't work so good on small diameter cord, because there isn't enough area of cord to have friction to keep it from slipping.

If, after you slide the knot to adjust the length, you really pull on the loose end and really tighten all three loops of the tautline hitch, it will hold better.

Or add another loop.

Another knot to know. Thank you.

hi Daryl
Great knot !
I use a Tautline hitch but this seams even easier and does grip well.
I need to try it with different ropes but looks very promising.
Thanks for that.

Another knot you may find useful. It is also secure when slack and it adjustable with one hand and has 2:1 advantage.

http://www.milesgear.com/SecureBowstring/SecureBowstring.html

Great Knot!

Put a loop through as the tail and it will pull right out to untie.

I use the taut line hitch once in a while when tarping and Ive had good luck with it. Slack in the line does make the knot insecure, but in my experience it does not completely fall out unless shaken or something. Usually you can put the loop back over a stake, reapply the load and you're good. However, sounds like this knot might a bit better when slack, a bit better under load, and certainly easier to tie consistently. Sounds like a weiner! Adding it to my arsenal for sure, thanks for sharing!

David,

That Secure Bowstring is one cool knot!

I couldn't quite get it until I actually tied it and fooled around with it. It feels very good and is about as secure as a sliding knot could be, in my opinion.

So you are the "Dave" who created this knot? Wow! I thought all knots came from sailors who lived at least 100 years ago. This knot is definitely a wiener.

Thanks for knot, Daryl. Looks like an improved variation on the tautline, and will try it out.

Miles: Not seeing the 2:1 advantage part.

"Secure bowstring" is an Interesting knot .. first photo looked like an end-line prusik. I'll have to play with it some more.
I would be interested in your testing methodology as well. 8mm line is usually not even rated to 2500-lbf shock loaded, and with the reduction from having a knot in it I'm surprised you got it that high. Can you PM your test setup so I can play around with it? It appears more adjustable than the standard butterfly.

Also, if slippage is seen at 1500lbf, I wonder if you did the following…

Three initial turns (instead of the existing two) for the first prusik-like part. Then instead of slipping the tail through a single loop, you move it through 2, still leaving the 3rd just around the standing end.

Looking forward to testing this!

-mox