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KA

Diagram

Pile Hitch

Post hitch · Bollard hitch

Putting a mooring line on a dock post quickly for a short stay, where you can reach the top of the post. It casts off fast but is not for a permanent or unattended mooring.

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

ApplicationsHow to tie it
Pile Hitch, finishedPile Hitch, finished

Finished structure

Drawn from a rope model of this knot: which strand passes over which comes from where the rope actually lies.

  1. Fold a long bight and pass it round the post, both strands togetherA bight folded in the line goes once round the post, both strands together, and its end comes round to the front.
    1End of the bight
    Move 1 of 1Fold a long bight and pass it round the post, both strands togetherYou should now see: Both strands of the bight side by side round the post, and the end of the bight at the front with plenty to spare.

    Step 01

    Fold a long bight in the line and wrap it around the back of the post near its top, keeping both strands of the bight together.

    You should now see

    Both strands of the bight lie side by side around the back of the post, and the end of the bight comes round to the front with plenty to spare.

    If it goes wrong

    Making the bight too short. It gets around the post but cannot be lifted back over the top later, which you only find out at step 3.

    Fix: Unwrap it and pull more line into the bight, enough to go around the post and back up over its top.

    Why: The bight has to go around the post and then over its top, so the length it needs depends on how thick and how tall the post is.

  2. Tuck the end of the bight under the line where it leads away from the postThe end of the bight is tucked up under the line leading away from the post, which now lies over both of its strands.
    1Under the line leading away
    Move 1 of 1Tuck the end of the bight under the line where it leads away from the postYou should now see: The end of the bight coming out from under the line leading away and pointing toward the top of the post, held in place by that line.

    Step 02

    Bring the end of the bight around to the front of the post and tuck it under the line where it leads away from the post.

    You should now see

    The end of the bight comes out from under the line leading away and points toward the top of the post, held in place by that line.

    If it goes wrong

    Taking the bight over the line instead of under it. Nothing traps the line against the post, and the hitch pulls apart as soon as the line is loaded.

    Fix: Pull the bight back out and tuck it under the line leading away, so that line is trapped between the bight and the post.

    Why: The line leading away ends up pinned under the bight. Loading it squeezes the wrap against the post, which is where the hitch gets its grip.

  3. Lift the end of the bight over the top of the post and drop it down onto the wrapOpened out, the end of the bight goes over the top of the post and drops down round it, a collar sitting above the wrap.
    1Over the top
    Move 1 of 1Lift the end of the bight over the top of the post and drop it down onto the wrapYou should now see: The bight ringing the post just above the wrap, with the line leading away trapped beneath it.

    Step 03

    Lift the end of the bight up and drop it over the top of the post, then slide it down until it sits on top of the wrap.

    You should now see

    The bight rings the post just above the wrap, the line leading away is trapped beneath it, and it stays on when you pull the line.

    If it goes wrong

    Leaving the bight hanging in front of the post instead of taking it over the top. It looks finished from the boat, but one pull on the line unwraps it.

    Fix: Lift the bight over the top of the post. If it will not reach, go back to step 1 and make the bight longer.

    Why: This step needs the top of the post to be reachable. On a post you cannot get over, use a hitch tied with the end, such as a round turn and two half hitches.

  4. Pull the line leading away so both strands of the wrap bed down, then load itThe finished pile hitch: a doubled turn round the post, tucked under the loaded line, with the collar closed down on top of it.
    Move 1 of 1Pull the line leading away so both strands of the wrap bed down, then load itYou should now see: Both strands of the wrap bedded down side by side on the post, the collar on top of them, and the hitch not creeping under load.

    Step 04

    Pull the standing part firmly so both strands of the wrap tighten evenly against the post, then let the load come onto the standing part.

    You should now see

    Both strands of the wrap bed down side by side against the post with no slack loop, and the hitch does not creep when the standing part takes load.

    If it goes wrong

    One strand of the wrap left slack, so the load comes on one strand only. Another is leaving the boat on it overnight; Animated Knots does not recommend it as a permanent mooring hitch.

    Fix: Work the slack strand tight and load the standing part again. For an overnight or unattended stay, retie with a round turn and two half hitches or a bowline.

    Why: Ashley calls it remarkably secure and easy to cast off, which suits a short stop alongside a post. Because it needs no rope end, it can also be tied in the middle of a line.

Failure modes

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

Dropped-bight family

A finished eye dropped over a post — both legs share. Temporary, not overnight.

  • !Only one leg loaded — the hitch walks as a girth
  • !Bight never taken over the top of the pile
  • !Left as overnight mooring on a tide
Fails when
  • !The bight went over the standing part instead of under it, so nothing traps the line and the hitch pulls apart under load
  • !The bight was left hanging in front of the post instead of over the top, and one pull on the line unwraps it
  • !It is left as a permanent mooring, which Animated Knots does not recommend for this hitch
Geometry

  • Bight never taken over the top

    Hitch walks up and off the pile

    The bight must go over the top of the post to form the collar · step 03

  • One strand of the turn left slack

    Walks off under the first surge

    Both strands of the turn must bed down together, or one strand takes the load alone · step 04

  • Left through a tide cycle

    Temporary hitch asked to be a mooring plan

    Overnight cyclic tide is round turn and two half hitches · step 04

If you saw this

  • Hitch walks up and off the pile

    Check

    • ?Bight over the top
    • ?Bight tucked under the standing part
    • ?Pile taller than the hitch

    Then

    • →Retie with a longer bight
    • →Switch to round turn and two half hitches for a soak

  • Bight never taken over the top

    Check

    • ?Hitch walks up and off the pile
    • ?Inspect step 03

    Then

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

  • One strand of the turn left slack

    Check

    • ?Walks off under the first surge
    • ?Inspect step 04

    Then

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

  • Left through a tide cycle

    Check

    • ?Temporary hitch asked to be a mooring plan
    • ?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

  • ×Overnight cyclic tide (use round turn and two half hitches)
  • ×A finished eye you already have (cow hitch)
  • ×HMPE

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