Cleat Hitching -- Forms, style, etiquette?!

[Clyde Jenkins]

I'll take a stab at your etiquette question.

Your pictures show examples of what I call "knitting". If you are forced to undo someone's knitting and then resecure the line, I think the proper action is to tie the knot you know will do the job. Do a proper cleat hitch on a cleat. Tie a proper bowline to replace the original questionable loop. Tie a round turn and two half hitches to rehang a fender.

In my view, your duty is to make sure the line and knot are doing the job. The original knot is the work of someone who doesn't know better and is unlikely to criticize your good work. It would be irresponsible to leave them with a knot that failed later. Leave a long tail neatly coiled or faked.

Recreating their "work of art" or their knitting would bother my conscience. I can sleep at night knowing my cleat hitch is secure and neat.

Clyde