Ashley Stopper
Oysterman's stopper · Ashley's stopper
A bulky stopper in the end of a line, for an opening such as a block, fairlead or hole that is too large for a figure-eight. It is less prone to shake loose than a figure-eight.
Stopper · Intermediate · Polyester / Nylon rope / Polypropylene / Natural fibre / Dyneema / HMPE · 4 steps
ApplicationsHow to tie itFinished structure
No drawing of this exact knot yet. The written steps are the reference.
- Diagram in reviewA drawing of the Ashley Stopper itself is being made. Until then, follow the written steps.
Step 01
Leaving a long working end, tie a loose slip knot near the end of the rope, pulling a bight of the standing part through the overhand so the loop shrinks when you pull the standing part.
No drawing of this exact knot yet. The written steps are the reference.
You should now seeA loose overhand on the working-end side with an open loop coming out of it. A gentle tug on the standing part makes the loop smaller.
If it goes wrongPulling the bight through from the working end instead. You notice it because tugging the standing part does not shrink the loop, while pulling the working end spills the knot.
Fix: Pull the working end to spill the knot, then tie it again with the bight taken from the standing part.
Why: This loop is what closes around the working end in step 3. It can only close when the standing part is pulled if the loop is made from the standing part.
- Diagram in reviewA drawing of the Ashley Stopper itself is being made. Until then, follow the written steps.
Step 02
Tuck the working end through the open loop and draw a little of it through, keeping the loop loose around it.
No drawing of this exact knot yet. The written steps are the reference.
You should now seeThe working end passes through the loop and hangs out the far side, with the loop still sitting loosely around it.
If it goes wrongTucking the working end through the overhand instead of the loop. When the standing part is pulled later, the loop closes on nothing and a plain overhand is left.
Fix: Pull the working end back out and feed it through the loop of standing part, which is the loop that shrinks when you tug the standing part.
Why: The working end has to be inside the loop before anything is tightened. The loop closing around it is what makes the extra lobe.
- Diagram in reviewA drawing of the Ashley Stopper itself is being made. Until then, follow the written steps.
Step 03
Pull the overhand part snug first, then pull the working end tight, and last pull the standing part hard so the loop closes down on the working end.
No drawing of this exact knot yet. The written steps are the reference.
You should now seeThe loop has disappeared into the knot. On the underside, where the standing part enters, three separate lobes sit in a neat triangle.
If it goes wrongHauling on the standing part before the overhand is snug. The loop drags out or closes in the wrong place, and the underside shows only two lobes, like a plain overhand.
Fix: If only two lobes show, open the knot back to the slip knot, check the working end is inside the loop, and tighten again in order: overhand, working end, standing part.
Why: Animated Knots gives this order because the overhand has to be snug before the standing part closes the loop. That keeps the loop seated around the working end instead of pulling out of the knot.
- Diagram in reviewA drawing of the Ashley Stopper itself is being made. Until then, follow the written steps.
Step 04
Work any slack out of the lobes with your fingers, pull the standing part once more, then test the knot against the block, fairlead or hole it is meant to stop.
No drawing of this exact knot yet. The written steps are the reference.
You should now seeA firm, round knot with no loose lobe, which stops at the opening without starting to squeeze into it.
If it goes wrongA loose knot, or one too small for the opening, that starts to pull into the block under load. It also gets tried as a way to join two ropes, which a stopper cannot do.
Fix: If it is loose, retie and tighten in order. If it is tight and still pulls in, the opening is too big for this knot. To join two ropes, use a bend such as a sheet bend.
Why: Ashley described this knot for holes too large for a figure-eight, and Animated Knots calls it the bulkiest of the simple stoppers and less likely than a figure-eight to shake loose.
When this family fails, it fails as these. The recovered end still outranks the name.
Bulk at the tail, larger than the opening — not a join.
- !Body smaller than the block or fairlead after dress
- !Asked to join two ropes
- !Figure-8 used in HMPE where Estar extra turns were the stopper, or Ashley left as a two-lobe overhand
- !The working end is not inside the loop when the standing part is pulled, so the loop closes on nothing and a plain overhand is left
- !The standing part was pulled before the overhand was snug, and the underside shows two lobes instead of three
- !The knot is loose, or too small for the opening, and starts to pull into the block or fairlead under load
Left as a two-lobe overhand
Pulls through the block — this is not an Ashley yet
The third lobe is the stopper · step 03
Undersized or loose body
Pulls through the opening
Size after dress is the job · step 04
Asked to join two ropes
A stopper is not a bend
Pick a sheet bend or Zeppelin if you needed a join · step 04
Stopper pulls through or looks like an overhand
Check
- ?Three lobes on the underside
- ?Larger than the opening
Then
- →Finish the third lobe
- →Retie larger
Left as a two-lobe overhand
Check
- ?Pulls through the block — this is not an Ashley yet
- ?Inspect step 03
Then
- →Retie. Do not dress a defective structure and call it seated.
Undersized or loose body
Check
- ?Pulls through the opening
- ?Inspect step 04
Then
- →Retie. Do not dress a defective structure and call it seated.
Asked to join two ropes
Check
- ?A stopper is not a bend
- ?Inspect step 04
Then
- →Retie. Do not dress a defective structure and call it seated.
Same failure class, different geometry. Open the plates — Diagnose still starts from the symptom.
Not ideal for
- ×A tiny stopper (figure-8 is smaller)
- ×Any load-bearing join