Captains Handbook | Page 32

BOAT HANDLING The anchor Your boat is equipped with an anchor attached to the boat by a rope and ten metres of chain. On a canal it is forbidden to use it but on a river, for example, in the event of a motor breakdown, it can be very useful. Leave a good length of chain on the bottom; it is the weight of the chain that will stop your boat moving. To recover your anchor easily, all you need to do is go ahead slowly towards it while a crew member at the bow hauls in the chain. W W S im a a a o B O t b A a O p a t Some useful knots All marine knots have their uses, but at least three are indispensable on the inland waterways. A. The cleat knot: All you need to do is pass the cord in a figure of eight around the cleat. The last loop can be reversed to block the rope. B. Round turn and two half hitches: the best knot for mooring a boat and the easiest to untie. A. B. C. The clove hitch: this knot is particularly useful if you want to moor to a tree or a post. It is two reversed halfhitches. Its hold is extremely strong. D. The bow line: this knot is used to make a loop in the end of a rope without splicing. It is a useful knot but needs some practise. C. 32 D. W w L D o t