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Carrick Bend Knot

When large hawsers have to work through small pipes, good security may be obtained either by passing ten or twelve taut racking turns with a suitable strand and securing each end to a standing part of the hawser, or by taking half as many round turns taut, crossing the ends between the hawsers over the seizing and reef knotting the ends. This should be repeated in three places and the extreme ends well stopped. Connecting hawsers by bowline knots is very objectionable, as the bend is large and the knots jam.

Carrick Bend Knot illustration

How to tie a Carrick Bend Knot

Video: Carrick Bend Knot

Learn how to tie a Carrick Bend Knot.

Carrick Bend Knot tying illustration

  1. Lay the end of one hawser over its own part to form a bight 'a'.
  2. Then pass the end of another hawser up through that bight near 'b'.
  3. Then going out over the first end at 'c'.
  4. Cross under the first long part and over its end at 'd'.
  5. Then under both long parts, forming the loops, and above the first short part at 'b', terminating at the end 'e' in the opposite direction vertically and horizontally to the other end.
  6. The ends of a Carrick Knot should be securely stopped to their respective standing parts, and also a stop put on 'd' the extreme end to prevent it catching a pipe or chock; in that form this is the best quick means of uniting two large hawsers, since they cannot jam.