Day 09 - Practical Exam on Knots
Test day! I will test volunteers first and then I will randomly select students until everyone has had a chance to test. The testing table and immediate area around it need to be clear of everyone except those testing. Do not remove the ropes I have on the testing table; those ropes are there specifically for the test. While you are waiting, conduct practice tests with one another.
The Knots
- Alpine butterfly loop: great for putting a static bight in a rope when you cannot reach the ends of the rope
- bowline hitch: great for any time when you need a static bight at the end of a rope, like when you are turning a rope into a dog leash or if you are using a rope to help someone up out of a ravine
- midshipman's hitch: ideal for situations where you want to be able to increase or decrease tension in a rope after it has been tied (as when setting up tents and tarps); this knot is sometimes called the taut-line hitch
- power cinch: this is the go-to knot any time you need to hold something down that weighs more than you do, because it will double your strength due to its mechanical advantage; this knot is sometimes called the trucker's hitch
- sheet bend: this is the best knot for joining two ends of a rope; this lets you create one long rope from two shorter ropes or to create a strong loop out of a single length of rope
