If you are out on the water and need to secure your boat, the Anchor Hitch is the best choice.
It is a secure hitch that is used to fasten an anchor line to an anchor.
While it’s sometimes called the Anchor Bend, it’s actually a hitch, not a bend.
Let’s check this hitch in detail.
ANCHOR HITCH DETAILS
Type: Hitch
Other Names: Fisherman’s Hitch, Fisherman’s Bend, Anchor Bend
ABoK Reference: #1723, #1841
How to Tie the Anchor Hitch
- Make a round turn with your rope around the shackle
- Feed the working end through and under the loops you just made
- Pull the end tight
- Wrap it around the standing part
- Tighten the knot
To untie, loosen the Half Hitch at the end of the knot. Then, pull the working end back through the turns and release the rope free from the ring or object.
Quick TIP
The knot tends to jam after being heavily loaded.
To avoid that, you can add an extra loop around the object you’re tying your rope to.
Plus, if you want to secure the knot, you can join the working end and the standing end with some seizing.
Tie the Double Constrictor knot or Double Fisermand’s knots to hold the end of the line.
Anchor Hitch Vs Round Turn and Two Half Hitches
At first glance, the anchor hitch looks very similar to the Round Turn and Two Half Hitches.
The difference?
If you look at the half hitch, the working end is wrapped around the standing part.
In the Anchor Hitch, the first Half Hitch passes through and under the first two turns in the knot.
It is more secure but a bit difficult to untie.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Secure and reliable
- Easy to tie
Cons
- Can jam
- Difficult to undo after heavy loading
Applications and Uses
The Anchor Hitch is the recommended hitch for attaching a line to an anchor to secure large and small boats on the water.
The hitch is popular and widely adopted because it remains strong under dynamic loads.
However, the hitch can jam in modern slippery ropes.
But, it will just do fine under moderate loads.
Beyond boating, it is also used in rock climbing and arborist work.
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