Big Cleats

[Insequent]

Bowlines are great knots, but have 25-30% loss of rope strength. A good eye splice will have only 10-15% loss of rope strength. Best to avoid bowlines except for temporary mooring!

In tying to cleats or bollards be aware that tight bends cause loss of rope strength. There is a magic number of 4" diameter bend for 5/8" rope where no loss of strength occurs. This is why you will see ferries tying to double bitt bollards such as the pic below, using multiple overlapping figure 8 loops, the last one an underhand loop

[psneeld]

When going to a cleat with a loop and don't plan the classic though the middle and over both horns, you can do just one horn or....dont even go through the middle, just go to the far side of the cleat around the far end, then put the loop over the opposite horn (the one back in the direction of the line loading). This is great if you ever need to flip off thd line while still onboard.

When tying to cleats or bollards, the commercial guys snd military guys I have worked with never finish with a half hitch. A sufficient number of turns and the line wont budge if the line is properly sized for the cleat or bollard. Or they use a kighterman's/tugboat hitch if the line is too small for the bollards.