Which knot is used to secure a rope to a cleat?

Which knot is used to secure a rope to a cleat?

• A. Bowline
• B. Cleat hitch
• C. Clove hitch
• D. Figure-eight stopper knot

Answer: (B)

When you need to tie a rope securely to a cleat, you want a knot that grips the cleat firmly and can be released easily when you’re ready to depart. The cleat hitch is designed exactly for this purpose. It wraps around the cleat’s horns with two turns around the horns and then finishes with a secure tuck under the standing part, so the rope locks in place as load increases and you can quickly release it by pulling the rope in the opposite direction. This combination of dependable hold and straightforward release makes it the best choice for securing to a cleat. Other knots aren’t optimized for cleats. A bowline creates a fixed loop at the rope’s end but doesn’t grip a cleat and can become difficult to release if the line is under heavy load. A clove hitch can slip or loosen if the rope shifts or the load changes, especially on a smooth or single-cleat setup. A figure-eight stopper knot is used to stop a rope from slipping through a hole or to prevent fraying, not to secure a rope to a cleat, so it won’t provide a reliable hold on the cleat under load.

When you need to tie a rope securely to a cleat, you want a knot that grips the cleat firmly and can be released easily when you’re ready to depart. The cleat hitch is designed exactly for this purpose. It wraps around the cleat’s horns with two turns around the horns and then finishes with a secure tuck under the standing part, so the rope locks in place as load increases and you can quickly release it by pulling the rope in the opposite direction. This combination of dependable hold and straightforward release makes it the best choice for securing to a cleat.

Other knots aren’t optimized for cleats. A bowline creates a fixed loop at the rope’s end but doesn’t grip a cleat and can become difficult to release if the line is under heavy load. A clove hitch can slip or loosen if the rope shifts or the load changes, especially on a smooth or single-cleat setup. A figure-eight stopper knot is used to stop a rope from slipping through a hole or to prevent fraying, not to secure a rope to a cleat, so it won’t provide a reliable hold on the cleat under load.