Best hitch for anchor bridle?
 

When preparing to teach the Icicle Hitch to fellow yacht club members, I could heartily recommend it for temporarily taking the strain on a jammed jib sheet or shroud with a damaged swage, both of which I have used it for successfully. But I hesitated at talking about using it for bridling the rode for the drogue or sea anchor, because I haven't actually tested it myself.

The question is: What is the best knot for tying a bridle line onto an anchor rode?

On our Outbound 44, Sequoia, we carry both a Galerider drogue and Fiorintino sea anchor and while having practiced deployment, we haven't actually used either in heavy weather. Available rodes include 5/8" and 3/4" three-strand and 1" Megabraid nylon. The heavier line is in 3 x 200' sections with heavy SS eyes on the ends and I have always assumed that I would use 2 or 3 lengths as the conditions dictate for the sea anchor. The likely rode for the drogue would be the 3-strand.

For a fixed installation, I would just splice onto the 3-strand. But in practice I want to tie the knot as we deploy the line. I think the icicle hitch is certainly more secure than a rolling hitch, but will it stay secure with a fluctuating load?

Has anybody got real-world experience with this?

Thank you, Mr. Smith
 

Hello,
The Icicle Hitch, invented by John Smith, is perfect for this application. Many people have used the Rolling Hitch or one of its relatives for the purpose, but none of them are as secure or as slip-resistant as the Icicle. It's one of those cases where the second-best hardly ever fails -- but why take chances?
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

And what is it you're tying to these lines -- the bridle, i.e.?

The Icicle hitch was presented for tying relatively thin line onto a rigid object;
it has been adopted in a variation --loading both ends-- by some arborists (or
has been so advocated by some). Its finish looks less than reassuringly
secure, to me; one could tie a stopper knot in the end.

Another friction hitch to consider is Blake's Hitch, used by arborists to tie
like diameter rope to another.

--dl*
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Icicle Hitch
 

Where would I find instructions for the "Icicle hitch"?

Thanks ... Steve

Wiki
 

Hi,
Pretty good instructions for one method at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icicle_hitch.
For tying with one end or two, I can happily recommend our knots video, or the Apprentice, or just be in touch and we'll fax you some drawings.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

Ever tried the KC Hitch
 

Most linear tension hitches have the weakness of transmitting some of the linear load right back to the anchor root of the hitch.

The KC Hitch was designed to leave the anchor turns free from linear load and so stabilise the knot under the very worst of conditions.