The photograph shows a finished hitch. Use it to recognize the fitting and visible wraps; it cannot show the order in which hidden rope sections were placed.

Build the hitch

  1. Find the far horn. Look at the direction the loaded part of the line approaches from. Lead it around the horn farthest from that direction.
  2. Make the initial base wrap. Continue around the other horn in the same direction, then cross diagonally over the middle of the cleat. Do not pass beneath the first horn again before crossing: completing that extra full round turn can jam the line.
  3. Add figure-eight crossings. Lead around one horn, cross over the top of the cleat, then lead around the other horn. Keep the crossings above the initial base wrap.
  4. Use enough crossings for the job. Rope, load and the job affect what holds securely. There is no universal crossing count; unnecessary turns can make release slower.

The initial wrap supplies friction while you hold or ease the line. The crossing turns build on that wrap.

Decide whether to lock it

Leave a locking finish off a sheet controlling a sail, a towline, or any line that must release quickly. A lock may suit some unattended dock lines or small-boat halyards. Follow the boat's practice for that line.

When a lock belongs, form an underhand loop so the free end sits beneath the final wrap. Place the loop over a horn and snug it. Check the two strands beneath the top crossing: they should lie alongside one another, rather than cross into a tangle.

Release it under control

Undo the locking finish first, if present. Remove the figure-eight crossings while preserving enough friction around the cleat to control the line. Ease the remaining base wrap away gradually, instead of pulling every turn off at once.

After making a line fast, coil its remaining tail so it stays clear underfoot.

For the next step, the docking guide explains how dock lines control the boat's movement. SailStarter's companion lesson is Locking a line: the cleat hitch in Module 6.