trucker's hitch won't release
Need advice on tying a modified trucker's hitch that will solve a problem I had last night. I was hanging from two very large trees, and had to use some braided cord as an extension to my tree straps (hooked the whoopie to the extension). The cord was some sort of braided cheapo cord from the hardware store, about an eighth of an inch in diameter. I tied a bowline at one and and larksheaded that to the sewn loop at one end of my tree strap, passed the loose end through the loop in my whoopie sling, then used a trucker's hitch to tie the loose end of the extension through the other loop in my tree strap. I tied a standard trucker's hitch and finished it with a slippery half hitch backed up with another slippery half hitch for safekeeping. By morning, the loop in the trucker's hitch that serves as the pulling loop as the knot tightens had closed down and clamped down on the line passing through it. I easily untied my slippery half hitches, but could not pull the loose line through the now-super-tight loop in the remainder of the trucker's hitch. HOw can I prevent this from happening again? I've never had this happen when using a trucker's hitch on tarps over trailers or on the bow and stern lines when I tie my kayak down to my car. Tips? Tricks?
dummy me never thought of marlin spike
I'm such a dummy. I use a marlin spike hitch with a trail stick on my normal setup. Why didn't I think of using that system for my suspension extender? I could have used a marlin spike hitch instead of the truckers hitch, and I could have also used it on the other end instead of the larksheaded bowline. Dummy me. Why didn't I think of that? Thanks for the idea. That'll be my future solution. I think the marlin spike over a big trail stick will also result in less reduction of the rope's breaking strength, too, since it doesn't create any tight pinch areas.
I don't trust slipery hitches
To answer why I didn't just use a slippery hitch in place of the truckers hitch, it's because I've just never trusted slippery hitches. They just seem too low-tech and weak to me.