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KA

Diagram

Anchor Bend

Fisherman's bend

Rope to a ring or shackle when the hitch must stay after a soak.

Hitch · Intermediate · Polyester / Nylon rope / Polypropylene / Natural fibre · 4 steps

ApplicationsHow to tie it

Finished structure

No drawing of this exact knot yet. The written steps are the reference.

  1. Step 01

    Pass the working end through the anchor ring twice, going the same way both times, and leave the two turns loose enough to slide a finger under.

    No drawing of this exact knot yet. The written steps are the reference.

    You should now see

    Two turns of rope lying side by side through the ring, slack enough that a finger fits between them and the metal.

    If it goes wrong

    Making only one pass through the ring. With a single strand there is nothing for the end to tuck under in the next step, and the knot ends up as plain half hitches.

    Fix: Pull the end back out and make both passes before tucking. If the turns have been pulled tight against the ring, loosen them so the tuck will fit.

    Why: Two turns spread the load around the ring. Keeping them slack now leaves room to tuck the end under both of them at the next step.

  2. Step 02

    Bring the working end across the standing part and tuck it under both turns together, between the turns and the ring, entering from the same side it came out of.

    No drawing of this exact knot yet. The written steps are the reference.

    You should now see

    The working end trapped under both turns, forming the first half hitch, with two strands of the turn lying over it against the ring.

    If it goes wrong

    Tucking under only the nearer turn. It looks finished, but the end is held by one strand and eases open under a pulsing load. Count two strands over the tucked end.

    Fix: Pull the end back out and tuck it again under both turns at once. Then work the turns down so they lie flat and side by side on the ring.

    Why: This tuck is what separates the anchor bend from a round turn and two half hitches. When the rode loads, the turns clamp the end against the ring.

  3. Step 03

    Take the working end around the standing part and back out through its own loop to tie a half hitch, then slide it down snug against the turns.

    No drawing of this exact knot yet. The written steps are the reference.

    You should now see

    A half hitch on the standing part sitting right against the tucked turns, with a tail of rope left beyond it.

    If it goes wrong

    Leaving the half hitch off, or leaving it loose up the standing part. The tucked end can then work back out of the turns as the rode swings.

    Fix: Tie the half hitch if it is missing, and push it down until it touches the turns before pulling it tight.

    Why: The half hitch stops the tucked end from backing out. Animated Knots notes that extra half hitches are commonly added for anchor work.

  4. Step 04

    Pull the standing part hard to set the knot. If the rode will stay on the anchor, seize the tail to the standing part with waxed twine, or tape it down.

    No drawing of this exact knot yet. The written steps are the reference.

    You should now see

    Turns flat against the ring, the hitch tight, and the tail bound to the standing part so it cannot flap or work loose.

    If it goes wrong

    Sending the anchor down with the tail loose. Over weeks of soaking and swinging the hitch can loosen, and underwater there is no way to see it happen.

    Fix: Bring the anchor up and seize or tape the tail before it goes back down. Look the knot over on deck each time the anchor comes aboard.

    Why: Seizing holds the tail in place so the half hitch cannot back off while the knot spends long periods moving with little load on it. Once the anchor is down, the knot cannot be inspected.

Failure modes

When this family fails, it fails as these. The recovered end still outranks the name.

Jam-to-hardware family

A hitch that cinches to the ring or shackle and is not meant to break by hand.

  • !Second turn tied outside — two half hitches, not a jam
  • !Expected to untie after a snatch
  • !HMPE without a splice — the hitch strips the cover
Fails when
  • !The end is tucked under only one turn, and the knot eases open under a pulsing load
  • !Only one pass went through the ring, so the knot is plain half hitches with no turns clamping the end
  • !The half hitch is missing or loose, and the tucked end works back out of the turns as the rode swings
  • !The tail was left unseized on a rode that stays down, and over weeks of soaking and swinging the hitch loosens unseen
Geometry

  • Single pass, no round turn

    Hitch slips on the ring in a swell

    The round turn is the hitch · step 01

  • Working end missed a turn

    Tuck does not lock and the rode walks

    The working end must pass through both turns · step 02

  • Unseized standing job

    Soak and swell work the tail loose

    A rode that lives underwater gets seized or taped · step 04

If you saw this

  • Hitch works loose after a soak

    Check

    • ?Working end through both turns
    • ?Half hitch dressed

    Then

    • →Seize the tail
    • →Retie wet

  • Single pass, no round turn

    Check

    • ?Hitch slips on the ring in a swell
    • ?Inspect step 01

    Then

    • →Retie. Do not dress a defective structure and call it seated.

  • Working end missed a turn

    Check

    • ?Tuck does not lock and the rode walks
    • ?Inspect step 02

    Then

    • →Retie. Do not dress a defective structure and call it seated.

  • Unseized standing job

    Check

    • ?Soak and swell work the tail loose
    • ?Inspect step 04

    Then

    • →Retie. Do not dress a defective structure and call it seated.
Same family

Same failure class, different geometry. Open the plates — Diagnose still starts from the symptom.

This failed — start Diagnose

Not ideal for

  • ×A job you must undo every five minutes
  • ×Slick HMPE without a seizing

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