I’m going to start a “Knot of the Month” feature again this year, to kick it off here’s a knot that should be better known, but isn’t. This is much more secure than a bowline for this application, and holds extremely well with synthetic lines also.

This is a great knot for a halyard or a vang, it’s very compact and gets tighter when it is used. Simple and easy to tie. One caveat is once its tightened under a load, you will need to cut it off to remove it.

Here is the information on how to tie it…
http://www.jeanneau-owners2.com/hintsandtips/id137.htm

http://www.animatedknots.com/halyard/index.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com