Question about scooter knot

[Sludge]

When I started cave scootering I inquired into what knot to tie the tow rope on with. (How's that for ending a sentence with TWO prepositions?) It was unanimous - everybody said to use a Prusik knot. Since I was never a Boy Scout I didn't know how to tie one so I looked at a scooter and copied what was on it. Since then I've showed numerous cave divers how to tie one.

Or not. After reading a recent thread I've found out that's NOT a Prusik knot. It's a taut-line hitch. Look at these Wiki pages:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taut-line_hitch#.231856 (Look at #1856)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prusik

As you look at these pictures it's obvious that the taut-line hitch is nothing at all like a Prusik knot. Does anyone know the history of why virtually everybody calls it by the wrong name?

[Michael Stroeck]

People tend to call anything a prusik that holds onto a running piece of line when loaded... In that respect, it is very much like a prusik, after all . In the same vein, when talking about mechanical SRT ascenders, many climbers and cavers use "Jumar" to mean any make of mechanical rope-gripping device.

When I started cave scootering I inquired into what knot to tie the tow rope on with. (How's that for ending a sentence with TWO prepositions?) It was unanimous - everybody said to use a Prusik knot. Since I was never a Boy Scout I didn't know how to tie one so I looked at a scooter and copied what was on it. Since then I've showed numerous cave divers how to tie one.

Or not. After reading a recent thread I've found out that's NOT a Prusik knot. It's a taut-line hitch. Look at these Wiki pages:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taut-line_hitch#.231856 (Look at #1856)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prusik

As you look at these pictures it's obvious that the taut-line hitch is nothing at all like a Prusik knot. Does anyone know the history of why virtually everybody calls it by the wrong name?

[Benthic]

People tend to call anything a prusik that holds onto a running piece of line when loaded... In that respect, it is very much like a prusik, after all . In the same vein, when talking about mechanical SRT ascenders, many climbers and cavers use "Jumar" to mean any make of mechanical rope-gripping device.

Sort of like how most people refer to all facial tissues as "Kleenex" or all photocopies as "Xerox Copies."

Brian

[MORGAN]

I was never a Boy Scout either, but spent a good part of my life playing with ropes - as a firefighter-paramedic, mountaineer, ski patrolman, caver, etc. I have heard a lot of people use "prusik" as a general term to refer to any kind of a knot that uses the friction of rope wrapped tightly around rope. I learned the taut-line hitch and the Prusik as two separate knots, but used to hear all sorts of things called prusiks.

I learned the real Prusik loop in ski patrol as a substitute for ascenders in climbing up a rope. They were much lighter and (most importantly) cheaper than mechanical ascenders, and we used to carry three of them and some webbing in our patrol packs in case we had to climb up onto a chairlift. When I started caving and got some Gibbs ascenders, I forgot all about Prusiks!

Mike

[MORGAN]

In the same vein, when talking about mechanical SRT ascenders, many climbers and cavers use "Jumar" to mean any make of mechanical rope-gripping device.

You're right! But I would never call my Gibbs ascenders Jumars - they'd never forgive me!

Mike

[Michael Stroeck]

You're right! But I would never call my Gibbs ascenders Jumars - they'd never forgive me!

While we're off-topic, have a look at this ridiculously awesome website, which details probably 90% of all mechanical and non-mechanical ways and means of doing stuff with ropes known to man: http://storrick.cnchost.com/Vertical...icalHome.shtml

[caverkevin]

If you are talking about the knot used on the SS tow cords..... The story I heard from Wayne is that he show Rodney the knot. That it got put on all the SS tow cords. As for a name, I have no clue. As for a step by step on how to tie the knot, I posted this on DIR Explorers a long time ago.

http://www.direxplorers.com/speciali...ighlight=zeuxo

I posted step by step pictures of how to tie the knot.

Cheers!

Kevin

[MORGAN]

While we're off-topic, have a look at this ridiculously awesome website, which details probably 90% of all mechanical and non-mechanical ways and means of doing stuff with ropes known to man: http://storrick.cnchost.com/Vertical...icalHome.shtml

Thank You! That web site is amazing!

Mike

[JahJahwarrior]

I picked up some rope from Wally world that seems to be too slick for any knot...

[cavediver27]

Get some good "4mm accessory cord" from REI or other outdoor / climbing stores. It's kernmantle and thus very durable and it makes great scooter tow rope. It will hold a Prusik knot very well, after all, that's what it's designed for.

It's available in a multitude of color combination's or plain old black if you prefer. Here is a link to some that REI stocks:

http://www.rei.com/product/767608