How to Tie a Knot in a Tow Strap

Reader
2/28/19 3:42 p.m.

 Worst of all it is still attached to the truck. The knot is so darn tight I can't get anything in there to even try to work it loose. And unfortunately this was the only way we could connect it to the other vehicle and get them tugged out. Now I have this ridiculous tow strap stuck to my truck. I have it zip tied to my grill right now, just so I can at least drive around. I would like to salvage this thing, without cutting it

_ Reader
2/28/19 3:53 p.m.

Canoe?

With fraying like that I would be tempted to cut it and pitch it anyway.

Otherwise you are gonna be in for a fun time with some flat bladed screwdrivers, picks, bars, and pliers.  Really no shortcuts.

Learn to tie a Bowline knot.  Its unique feature is that no matter how much force put on the line, the knot is easy to untie.

I did the same thing before....pliers worked.

_ Reader
2/28/19 4:12 p.m.

Probably just scrap it. This fraying isn't getting better.

Shotgun?

_ Reader
2/28/19 4:47 p.m.

In reply to John Welsh :

I have a buddy that's into sailing. I'll have him teach me.

Ahh, a hatchet knot. I've tied a lot of those over the years. Getting it out of a strap will be a challenge. You might be able to get a fid and drive it into the knot to work it loose. It will not be easy.

Fid. You can make a wood one out of a good broom handle and a belt sander.

Rule of thumb, knots are for rope. Bowlines in particular, are for pulling things out. I've never pulled one so tight I couldn't get it loose.

The best way to hook up a strap is with a shackle. Mostly because getting knots out of straps is a PITA.

NOHOME UltimaDork
2/28/19 4:50 p.m.

_ said:

In reply to John Welsh :

I have a buddy that's into sailing. I'll have him teach me.

He'll know how.  It is often considered to be the most important knot in sailing.

Though it is spelled Bow-line it is pronounced Bow-lynn

For future reference, wrap the rope or strap around what you're towing 2 or 3 times, then tie a knot. That way the wraps take most of the strain, so the know doesn't get pulled so tight that it can't be undone. I'd also agree with chucking it once it's that frayed. It's' best before' date has passed.

Seems pretty frayed and old, I wouldn't hestitate to replace it

docwyte UltraDork
2/28/19 6:03 p.m.

Agreed, that thing is wasted.  Cut it off and throw it away

Cut it, pitch it.  Learn how to do a Bowline. https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=Q9NqGd7464U

"The rabbit goes around the tree and back in the hole."

I can tie a Bimini hitch, along with a multitude of other fishing knots, plus many knots that are used in surgery.

I'm kinda ashamed I've never learned to tie a bowline. And I've owned six boats.

New short term project. It's an easy knot, I just never bothered.

I used to know maybe a half dozen variations on the Bowline. Bowline on a Byte is a good one, there's one for a bosun's chair, and, of course, the Dragon Bowline.  I once sailed with a captain that worked his way up the hawsepipe, and before he got his license, he taught (deck) seamanship at a union school.  He'd come in the radio room while I was on watch and teach me knots.

_ Reader
2/28/19 9:10 p.m.

Well, I used the death wheel. Nice and quick what with how dry and roached it was.

Thanks folks.

In reply to _ :

From the looks of that thing, that was a good choice. You're done with it, and nobody got hurt.

pirate HalfDork
3/1/19 10:16 a.m.

_ said:

Well, I used the death wheel. Nice and quick what with how dry and roached it was.

Thanks folks.

Good choice by the the looks of the photo and fraying. Raced sailboats just about all my life. There are numerous knots to be learned for all different kinds of applications. However there are three knots that will cover the vast majority of anyone needs. They are the Bowline, Half Hitch and Reef Knot. All can be learned with two pieces of line (rope) quite easily from the internet.

I have some kind of outdoorsy book at the cabin with a section on knots and how to tie them.  I did reference it last year while pulling broken branches and trees down, not dealing with stuck knots was nice.

pirate said:

Raced sailboats just about all my life.

What and where?

I too have raced keelboat as crew for 20+ years.  Mostly Schock 35 but also a lot of time on Wavelength 24, J105 and some others larger and smaller.  HQ'ed in Lake Erie but I am proud to say that from '05-'10 that I raced on all 4 coast of the US each year.

Sample of S35's.  This video shot in Long Beach, CA.  Though I am not present in the video, I have raced aboard may of the boats too while in the area for work (in years past.)

NOHOME said:

This is how Alexander the Great solved the problem of untying the Gordian Knot.

https://www.history.com/news/what-was-the-gordian-knot

Cut it. Trash it. Get another.

How to Tie a Knot in a Tow Strap

Source: https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/help-tow-rope-knot-cant-be-undone/151377/page1/

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