Tie Knots - Hitches for a Quick Getaway

Chris Conrad: Hi, my name is Chris Conrad. I am Assistant Scoutmaster with Troop 165 in Fredericksburg, Virginia and today we are learning about everyday knots. The next two, I am going to teach you are actually hitches and I like to call them hitches for a fast getaway.

The first one is called the marline hitch. Marline hitch is actually constructed with three loops. The first loop is made in the working end and the key to this knot is that the loop, the working end loop has to be behind the standing part. Next, the standing part, a loop is created and comes up through the first loop and finally a third loop is created and passed through the second loop, in this case going to left or right and pull tight.

Now, not only does this create a fantastic looking knot, the marline hitch. The hitch is adjustable, holds fairly well under moderate tension and the beauty of this knot is that it is a quick relief. So, by pulling on the working end, the knot falls apart. The second hitch I want to show you is called the highwayman s hitch. Highwayman as in bank robbery, in this knot we start with a loop that we throw over our hitching post. We take a loop from the standing part of the rope. So, this is where the horse is attached and pull that up through the first loop and then just like with the marline hitch we will make a third loop from the working end which passes up in through the second loop.

Now, you pull that tight. You can see that the part going off to the horse, it is fairly secure. Bank robber comes running out of the bank, people screaming, he pulls the working end and he is ready for a fast getaway. We have been learning everyday knots. The next two knots I am going to show you are two more hitches that allow for a lot of loading.