This one really won’t jam in a block
Issue 60 : May/Jun 2008
Having been a racing sailor for many years, i know firsthand the extra pounding a boat takes while you’re out there rounding the buoys. Over the years I’ve beefed up my lines, blocks, and other components to compensate for the additional stress and strain. Because a mechanical failure on the racecourse can quickly eliminate any hope of victory (which is why you race in the first place) I decided early on that I would let neither my gear nor a lack of preparation lose races for me. For one thing, I’ve always used a super stopper knot on all of my sheets: jib, main, and traveler.
I’ve seen this knot referred to as a double figure-eight or blood knot, although I’m not sure whether either of these names is correct. What I am sure of is this knot won’t pass through a fairlead or become jammed in a block or traveler car. It has too much bulk. It’s easy to tie, fairly easy to untie, and its sheer size makes it impressive. Best of all though, because so few sailors I’ve met utilize it, if you do, you get to show off a bit. Despite what our parents said, in moderation showing off a little is fun.
Lay the free end of your sheet in your palm. Pass three turns of line around your fingers (1). Take the end of the line and pass between your palm and the turns (2). Then slip your fingers out and work out the slack. When finished (3), you’ve got a big strong super stopper knot that won’t jam. When it’s no longer needed, just wiggle the line a bit to loosen the loops and pull the end back out. It’s that simple.
Rich Finzer earned his powerboat operator’s license at age 11 and began sailing six years later. He cruises Lake Ontario aboard his Hunter 34, Pleiades. He supports his sailing addiction as a technical writer and is a frequent contributor to boating magazines.
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