Lighterman's Hitch

Usage

The Lighterman’s Hitch is a quick, but temporary, way to tie a small watercraft to a bollard. The Lighterman’s is also ideal for heavy towing.

History

A "Lighterman" is an operator of a flat-bottomed barge called a lighter which is used to ferry goods between ships and quays. The term goes back 450 years as Lightermen worked on the River Thames during the heyday of the Port of London. A Lighterman's cargo will typically be freight while a "Waterman" captains passenger vessels. As London’s bridges were built and large containers were introduced for transporting cargo, the demand for watermen and lightermen has declined over the years.

The Lighterman’s Hitch is currently taught by the RYA (Royal Yachting Association: British national body for dinghy, yacht and motor cruising).

Also known as

• Tugboat hitch
• Canalman’s Hitch
• Backhand Mooring Hitch

ABOK

• 2046

Structure

Like the Tensionless Hitch, the Lighterman does not tie a knot directly but drops alternating bights over a bollard, post or stanchion to secure a heavy load. The Lighterman has the advantage over the Tensionless Hitch in that the alternating turns reduce the rotational stress on the object to which it is attached. The Lighterman's starts with a round turn and is finished with Two Half Hitches.

Strength/Reliability

The Lighterman's Hitch is very secure but is easy to undo in stages — which helps control the load as it is being released.