Trucker's Hitch

The Trucker's Hitch or Trucker's Knot is really useful when you are tying down a load onto a trailer, or tying a canoe on the top of a car. It allows you to get good tension on the rope to keep the load in place.

Tying a Trucker's Hitch

The top knot is attached to whatever you want to tie your load to, such as a trailer or car roof rack. Use a bowline knot for this or a buntline hitch, or whatever solid knot you like.

Tie a loop in the rope. You can do this on the rope without having the loose end.

You can make a bowline on a bight or a Farmer's Loop

Put your loose end around whatever you want to tighten against, maybe a ring on the trailer or car, then thread the loose end through the loop you tied.

You can then pull down and to tighten the rope till you are happy that it is going to be tight enough. The loose end then gets tied, the friction helping to keep it tight until it's tied. The way I do it is to tighten the line against the loop and use my left hand to hold the line. I then use the right hand to tie a knot to keep everything in place.

I'm only showing one half hitch but I would put several to make sure the end does not come apart.

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My Ten Knots

These are 10 knots that I think are essential for all sailors to know.

• Bowline, The Must Know Knot
• Round Turn and two half hitches a useful multipurpose knot
• The Fireman's coil keeps your coiled rope from getting tangled.
• Sheet Bend joins 2 ropes together
• Figure of Eight Knot
• Reef Knot
• Highwayman's Hitch
• Cleat Hitch
• Constrictor Knot
• The Anchor Bend Knot

emails: Christine

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This web site reflects my personal ideas and doesn't represent anyone else's point of view.