The trawler yacht stems from its working cousins, the trawler fishing boat and the tugboat. Whether it is tradition or preference, often these yachts are equipped with Bitts and / or Bollards just like their relatives. Of course they have cleats as well, but the Bitts and Bollards are there to do the big jobs.
Now if your yacht is equipped with one of these babies, you might want to know the correct way to belay a line to one. Let’s look at them first as there are many different styles. Even ff your boat doesn’t have one of them then you should pay attention anyway. Sooner or later the docks that you pull up to will present one of these varying styles, especially if you travel around the world as trawler folks like to do.
Bitts and Bollards are heavily built devices for belaying lines. Bitts may be classified as single, double, H-Bitt, Cruciform Bitt and others. Bollards may have a single post, double posts (either vertical or angled outward from center), Cruciform, staghorn, and many other styles. Sometimes Bitts are called Bollards and vice versa.
Lines rely on friction to keep them attached to Bitts, Bollards, Cleats, Lines, or other things. Friction increases with what is called normal force. Normal force is the perpendicular force between two objects. So, for example, when the load on a line increases (the boat drifts away from the dock and the line tension increases) the normal force between the line and the Bollard increases and the friction increases. If the total friction of the connection to the Bollard is greater than the force on the line to the boat, the connection holds.
One can make a line connection to a Bitt or Bollard for quick release or of a more permanent nature. A boat tugging on a line can cause it to become undone with the quick release method. On the other hand, when a line is positively tied off it may be hard to undo when required or when in a hurry. If a pre-tied loop is to be used determining its size ahead of time is difficult when the intended bollard is on a dock yet to be reached. Dropping a loop is not a positively secure way of attaching a line to a Bollard. A loop may be used, however, as a Lark’s Head on a double cruciform Bollard. In my opinion this would be a very secure attachment, and if it does not have a load on it, can be released quickly. However, If loaded, it cannot be easily released. A way to more securely attach a loop to a single post Bollard is to first place the loop over the Bollard and then do a half twist in the loop behind the Bollard to form another loop and then bring the resulting second loop back over the Bollard toward the front. This method requires a larger loop, which is a simple thing if the result is a more secure way than just dropping a loop over the Bollard.
A knot called the bowline is known as the king of knots because nothing can jam it and it will never slip if properly tied. It can be tied in one hand to form a loop.
A Clove or ratline hitch is a convenient knot for making a line fast to a spar, the standing part of another line, a piling, or a Bollard. It is used to temporarily fasten a line, but it must be watched as it might undo if slack. When under a strain, however, it will not slip, but when under a hard strain, it will set up tight and may be difficult to break loose.
The correct method of securing a line to a double Bitt is to make one turn on the first post of the Bitt and then make several wraps of the line in a figure eight pattern over both posts of the Bitt. This method may be undone quickly if necessary. Further security may be had by belaying the bitter end coming off the Bitt on a nearby cleat. On a single post Bollard the usual way is to use an appropriate sized loop of line over the Bollard or as described earlier or tie several hitches to the Bollard. A Bollard with cross pieces will help keep a loop from slipping off; even so secure ways of belaying are preferred to ensure that the line will not accidentally come off.
Next is the Lighterman’s Back Mooring Hitch which may be used on a single post Bollard, on a piling, or for heavy towing. Also known as the Tugboat hitch and the Backhanded Mooring Hitch, it is a well known and much trusted little number that, like the figure eight described earlier, can be undone even if there is a massive pull on it. It works well when you wish to moor to a Bollard - maybe whilst waiting for a lock or taking on water etc. and can be tied or untied in moments.