Does anyone really use a sheepshank?
I just got a small knot book - The Sailor's Pocket Book of Knots (R.S.Lee) - to add to my collection. In it is the ubiquitous Sheepshank, a knot I learned as a Boy Scout and have never seen a use for. As a rope shortener, it seems tidier just to tie off and coil the rest neatly.As a temporary bypass of a weak/frayed spot in a rope, surely a good bend wouldn't weaken the rope any more than the half hitches do, would it?
In short, does anyone ever use it in real life sailing?
Best wishes for the coming new year.
Mike
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