ARKANSAS CANOE CLUB

Knots for Paddlers

Knots often used by Paddlers:
- Bowline to tie a loop, example to loop around bar of carry rack.
- Truckers hitch to secure boat to carry rack.
- Two half hitches to back up the truckers hitch.
- Square knot to tie spare paddle or other gear into boat.
- Figure 8 on a Bight to tie painter to end of boat.
Knot Families emphasied in rescue training:
- Figure 8 Family.
- Overhand Family
- Hitch Family
Desirable Characteristics of a Knot:
- A knot should be as simple to untie as it is to tie.
- It should be simple and allow for easy inspection.
- It should not be able to work itself loose.
- It should consume less of the available working length
- It should not significantly decrease the strength of the rope.
Key Actions in Tying a knot:
- Dressing the knot to align, straighten, and bundle all the parts.
- Setting the knot to tighten all parts so they touch, grab and cause friction on the other parts.
- Provide back up to the primary knot
Knot Families for teaching in progression
- Figure 8 Stopper, 8 on a Bight, Follow Thru/8 bend, Trace/8 loop, Double Eye Figure 8.
- Figure 9 variations of the 8 family
- Overhand Knot, Water Knot, Fisherman Knot, Double Fisherman,
- Girth Hitch, Prussik Hitch, Munter Hitch
- Tensionless Hitch, Clove Hitch, Half Hitch, Slippery Half Hitch, Two Half Hitches.
- Square Knot, Sheet Bend, Bowline, Bowline on a Bight.
- Truckers Hitch, Divers Hitch.
Reference Books:
- Whitewater Rescue Manual. Walbridge & Sundmacher, Ragged Mountain Press, 1995
- Swiftwater Rescue, a Manual for the Rescue Professiona, Slim Ray, CFS Press, 1997
- On Rope. Padgett and Smith, National Speleological Society, 1987
- Knots and How to Tie Them. Boy Scouts of America.
Internet References:

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update and add rescue knots 8/6/07 abowie