I have learned a lot in as few hours.
Chapman book refers to the stunsail as the buntline hitch as you have
already mentioned.
It says that it is an excellent knot for fastening a halyard to a shackle
and it won't jam in a block as an eye splice might. I am already sold on
the stunsail/buntline knot for fastening my shackles. However I am musing
about using waxed tread to secure the bitter end of the knot. This may
re-enforced my warm feeling? At time, when hit by heavy squalls I have to
empty the sails and the quickest way is to let go the sheets. On the other
hand the halyards will still be on the top not flapping a great deal.

"Jeff" wrote in message
...
Believe me, the stunsail tackbend is the "proper" knot for this
application, not the bowline.

Try it out on something less critical. You'll see that once cinched
down there is no way that it can come loose. Untying is a bit of a
pain, but it can be done.

BTW, the other name for the stunsail tackbend is the buntline hitch;
you'll find more references under that name. The sailnet article in
particular debunks the myth of the bowline as the ultimate knot.

http://www.geocities.com/roo_two/buntlinehitch.html
http://www.scoutingresources.org.uk/...sbuntline.html

http://www.sailnet.com/collections/l...leID=rousma017



Denis Marier wrote:
I have to replace my main and jib halyard. My old one have the shackles
threaded to a nice spliced loop. It looks very nice. As for the new
halyards, I am not skillful at splicing and I thinking of using a knot
to
install the shackles. At first I was thinking of using the bowline.
After
reading your reply I am considering the stunsail knot. I am
apprehensive
that if one day the knot gets loose and the halyard gets out of the mast
it
will be a tenuous job to run the halyard inside the mast.

"Jeff" wrote in message
...

Denis Marier wrote:

This site is interesting. I have try the stunsail knot.
I see some use for it on a dinghy sailboat. However I feel more

comfortable

with the bowline knot on larger boats. While not as nice as the

stunsail

the bowline is more secure.
Maybe with time I'll get use to a stunsail knot and appreciate it more.

You should definitely use the knots you're comfortable with. The most
important thing about any knot is its predictability. This is why my
wife's knot tying scares me - her bowlines seems to come out different
every time!

I would, however, disagree about the bowline being more secure. It a
bit vulnerable to coming apart if severely flogged, especially if not
well finished. Also, when used on a halyard, whether to a shackle or
directly to the head, a small loop will be left - this can prevent the
sail from be hoisted all the way. In addition, whenever a bowline is
tied on a small object, like a shackle or headboard, it will suffer
chafe because it is free to move around. A proper end hitch, like the
stunsail tackbend or anchor bend is better for this type of attachment.

I've used the stunsail tackbend as one of my primary knots for 40
years now, along with a bowline, tautline, and figure eight (and lots
more - I was a knot geek before I learned to sail!) and I've never
known one to fail, whether on small line or large.