sheepshank
Slack-reducing knot
A sheepshank is a knot used to temporarily shorten a rope without cutting it.
The knot creates a series of loops that take up slack while maintaining the rope's integrity, though it can slip loose if tension is released.
Sailors and riggers traditionally used sheepshanks to adjust line length on the fly.
He tied a sheepshank to take up the extra slack in the halyard.
Non-slip loop knot
- clove hitchKnot around cylindrical objects
- reef knotFlat joining hitch
- figure-eightTwo conjoined loops
- bightCurved coastal indentation
loop · half hitch · overhand · square knot · monkey's fist · constrictor · fisherman's knot
Ropes and twines collectively
- hawserThick nautical tethering rope
- lineContinuous mark or queue
- cableHeavy-duty woven line
- strandThin fiber piece
coil · fiber · twine · braid · manila · hemp · nylon · sisal
Reducing length or duration
- temporaryLimited in duration
- adjustableAble to be changed
- bypassRoute that skirts obstacles
- tensionStretched or strained state
slack · weak point · isolate · load-bearing · quick-release · field repair · redundancy
bowline
Non-slip loop knot
- clove hitchKnot around cylindrical objects
- reef knotFlat joining hitch
- figure-eightTwo conjoined loops
bight · loop · half hitch · overhand · square knot · monkey's fist · constrictor · fisherman's knot
cordage
Ropes and twines collectively
strand · coil · fiber · twine · braid · manila · hemp · nylon · sisal · polypropylene
shortening
Reducing length or duration
- temporaryLimited in duration
- adjustableAble to be changed
- bypassRoute that skirts obstacles
tension · slack · weak point · isolate · load-bearing · quick-release · field repair · redundancy
- knotsreef knot, bowline, figure-eight knot, clove hitch, figure eight knot
- rope activitiesknot tying, lasso, lassoing, rappelling, abseiling
- ropeworkknot tying, knot, knots, ropework, hitch