bowline versus Taunt hitch

[nogods]

I presently have my support lines tied to carabiners with bowline knots. I then clip the carabiners into slap straps.

Instead of a bowline, could I tie the support line to the carabiner with a tauntline hitch? That would allow me to make small adjustments to the sag by simply lessening the pressure on the support line and sliding the tauntline hitch up or down the support line.

I haven't seen anything like this mentioned on the forum so I'm wondering if there is something inherently unstable about my plan.

[Nest]

I've had taughtline hitches slip when under very heavy load before. Just something to keep in mind.

[MacEntyre]

bowlines can become knife knots... if a tautline hitch slips, try a stopper knot.

[warbonnetguy]

what do you mean? a bowline is one of the easiest knots to untie, that's one of it's best characteristics.

bowlines can become knife knots... if a tautline hitch slips, try a stopper knot.

[Take-a-knee]

A bowline can become jammed if it is loaded enough, try a double bowline. If you know you'll need to untie it, place a small branch in the knot that can be pushed out when you need to untie it.

[FanaticFringer]

Always easy to untie my bowlines. I push the part of the rope coming from the hammock thru the knot and it is quick. Very hard to untie if I try to push the end of the rope thru the knot.

[ZDP-189]

bowlines can become knife knots... if a tautline hitch slips, try a stopper knot.

I tie a bight in the last pass through the loop, leaving enough loose to wrap around my hand. When I back off tension on the line and give the loose end a yank, I have never had one stick.

It's worth noting that I tie 2 bowlines and have a pulley tightening system that can be easily slackened.

[GrizzlyAdams]

I presently have my support lines tied to carabiners with bowline knots. I then clip the carabiners into slap straps.

Instead of a bowline, could I tie the support line to the carabiner with a tauntline hitch? That would allow me to make small adjustments to the sag by simply lessening the pressure on the support line and sliding the tauntline hitch up or down the support line.

I haven't seen anything like this mentioned on the forum so I'm wondering if there is something inherently unstable about my plan.

Wondered about that myself, although never at a time and place when I could try it out while remembering the question.

My first reaction on considering it was the threat of the knot slipping. My next concern was the threat of the knot jamming after having been under a heavy load. But before shooting my electronic mouth off about that (which I just did anyway ) I went a googling just now, and everywhere I look says the knot is reliable, and doesn't jam. One site for sailors suggested its use in the one place I know for sure I wouldn't want the possibility of slipping---looped around a human being hoisted up from the water. Admittedly, if I'm the human in the water tying the knot, my chances of getting the knot done properly before drowning is higher with the tautline than with the bowline.

Let us wait together for any voices of experience and/or wisdom on this question.

btw, only Frenchmen use tauntlines, and then only in movies.*

Grizz

*another inside Monty Python joke

[jaiden]

One site for sailors suggested its use in the one place I know for sure I wouldn't want the possibility of slipping---looped around a human being hoisted up from the water. Admittedly, if I'm the human in the water tying the knot, my chances of getting the knot done properly before drowning is higher with the tautline than with the bowline.

Well while we're off topic... you can tie a bowline one handed, which makes it the perfect knot when dangling from a rope. it's about all I remember from BSA. This video shows how it's done:
http://www.instructables.com/id/EDX7AMVSEREWP86NX8/

just imagine video is upside down and your left hand is holding your weight off camera. wrap the end of the line around your back, then tie the knot as shown with your right hand. you can then release the rope with your left hand.

[GrizzlyAdams]

Well while we're off topic... you can tie a bowline one handed, which makes it the perfect knot when dangling from a rope. it's about all I remember from BSA. This video shows how it's done:
http://www.instructables.com/id/EDX7AMVSEREWP86NX8/

just imagine video is upside down and your left hand is holding your weight off camera. wrap the end of the line around your back, then tie the knot as shown with your right hand. you can then release the rope with your left hand.

hey that's neat! I have a full day of stupifying meeting tomorrow, presentations to a bunch of people we're trying to get to fund us. Maybe I'll bring a length of cord, sit at the back, and practice. While the donors-to-be aren't looking.

Grizz