What is a Secure Knot for Joining Poly Ropes?

Dick Chisholm 57 Mill Road, Rumney NH 03266; tel. 603-786 9759 ; email. dickc@oz.plymouth.edu Ski patrollers disagree about which is the most secure knot for joining two pieces of braided poly rope. This black and yellow rope, commonly used in ski areas for closing unsafe trails, is so kinky and slippery that most knots in it come untied. At my poster station, I will report the results of my ongoing survey (of about fifty patrollers so far) in several ski patrols. The aim of the survey is to find the simplest knot that works in this rope. I will also hand those who visit my booth pieces of poly rope and ask them to show me the knot they would use to join two pieces of this rope. Then I will ask them to tell the criteria they used for selecting their knot and to explain what makes their knot hold in this rope. In my survey so far, patrollers have selected and tied fourteen different knots. There was not a majority in favor of any knot. Patrollers revealed a wide range of skill at knot ...  more