Time to own up (another ridiculously convoluted post) + update

I lived in Falmouth for some years, connected to the Falmouth Lifeboat in one way or another. I remember they were a bit fed up with a local family of tripper boats complaining that when the lifeboat was going off on a shout, her wake made their cruises slightly lumpy for a moment or two. FFS, this was a boat–  or life–saving business and even then they didn’t exceed the harbour limit.

But I digress.

It’s time to begin your education in ropework.

Allow me to introduce you to the Turk’s Head knot.

It starts like this

And before you know it you’ve got this

For a grip on a spar, handle etc,

Or a bangle maybe

Here's one I made earlier, on the handle of my handmade toolbox

It can be turned into a lumpy table mat – but I don’t fancy a delicate wineglass on that –

Or for tightening into a ball to form the end of a heaving (throwing) line.  It is now illegal to hide a heavy brass nut or pebble inside it. Throws better, kills better.

Or just for showing off. Are most sailors show–offs? Discuss.  

Actually it’s not that difficult.

And because this is me, we could go right over the top and get into more far–reaching territory, with the allure of art and mathematics entwined:

TURK'S-HEAD KNOTS  (BRAIDED BAND KNOTS) 

A Mathematical Modelling by Skip Pennock

 

“Given a common Turk’s-Head knot, there is only one number of Leads, a positive integer, which happens to be equal to Two or greater, because after all a knot of only one Lead would be the Unknot.”   

Where q = 12 Bights, and p = 7 Leads….

Anyway, before I get completely out of my depth…..

One fine day in Falmouth I find myself at the far end of town.

There I am on the other pier, the enemy’s territory, where their cruise boats hang out waiting for customers. Tourists are ambling up and down the pier, staring out at the harbour and all the pretty boats. All the English people have their mouths open, a self–conscious half–smile fixed to the face. 

I am leaning on a railing. I am at a loose end for half an hour, and so is one of the enemy’s lightweight  ½“ mooring ropes, draped around the railings. You’ve got there before me.

Nonchalantly departing twenty minutes later, there was a sight for sore eyes on the railing. About 12 loops with 3 parallel leads, beautifully executed, tightened up nicely, and either going to mean their leaving very late, or cutting their losses, about 6 to 8 feet of them.

Bad girl.

update

It was two leads, I've remembered, so it would have taken about 5 minutes to undo. Not so bad, really.