Clove Hitch:

Uses: Used to tie two ends of a single line together such that they will secure something that
is unlikely to move much, such as furled sails or a bandage. (The knot lies flat when tied with
cloth and has been used for bandages for millennia.) With both ends tucked (slipped) it becomes
a good way to tie shoelaces. It is also used decoratively.

Instructions:
1) Tie a left-handed overhand knot and then a right-handed overhand knot or vice versa. (The
Boy Scout instructions for this knot are: right-over-left and under; left-over-right and through.)
2) Pull the knot tight.

NOTE: In Scouts this knot has a special meaning - it is also called the JOINING KNOT. This
is because it is the first knot you learn after joining scouts and because it joins items together

Uses: The clove hitch is normally used for securing objects, such as tying a load on a trailer
or truck as a means of reliably securing one end of the rope, especially when used in
combination with a sheepshank to ensure tension is maintained. The clove hitch is the
starting knot in most lashing knots. It is very fast to tie and easy to adjust the knot for
length, making it useful at belay stations in rock climbing, where the belayer can maintain
the necessary tension.

Instructions:
1) Tie a half hitch around a rail or post.
2) Tie a second half hitch around the rail or post.
3) Tighten the hitch.

NOTE: It is formed from two half hitches around a rail or post where one is reversed or
opposed to the other. This opposition causes the knot to grip against itself when tension
is applied. It can be pre-formed in the middle of the rope, then slid over the end of a post.