In finishing a line secured to a cleat, you secure the last wraps with which knot over each horn?

In finishing a line secured to a cleat, you secure the last wraps with which knot over each horn?

• A. Half hitch
• B. Clove hitch
• C. Bowline
• D. Figure eight

Answer: (A)

Finishing a line on a cleat is all about locking the wrapped portion in place so the rope won’t slip off under load, while still being easy to release. After you’ve wrapped the line around the cleat in the standard two-turn, figure-eight style, the secure finish is to tie a half hitch over each horn. These two quick half hitches grip the rope on both sides of the cleat, effectively locking the wrap so the line stays put. A half hitch is simple, fast to tie, and easily undone when you need to unship or adjust the line. The other knots don’t provide the same reliable finish for a cleat. A clove hitch can slip on a smooth cleat, especially under load. A bowline creates a fixed loop and isn’t used to secure a line to a cleat. A figure eight is a stopper or stopper-like knot used at the end of a rope, not the finishing method for cleat work.

Finishing a line on a cleat is all about locking the wrapped portion in place so the rope won’t slip off under load, while still being easy to release. After you’ve wrapped the line around the cleat in the standard two-turn, figure-eight style, the secure finish is to tie a half hitch over each horn. These two quick half hitches grip the rope on both sides of the cleat, effectively locking the wrap so the line stays put. A half hitch is simple, fast to tie, and easily undone when you need to unship or adjust the line.

The other knots don’t provide the same reliable finish for a cleat. A clove hitch can slip on a smooth cleat, especially under load. A bowline creates a fixed loop and isn’t used to secure a line to a cleat. A figure eight is a stopper or stopper-like knot used at the end of a rope, not the finishing method for cleat work.