Which knot for a permanent eyelet?

[Pearlman]

Hello
This is not a Scuba related question but I don’t seem to have access to the non-diving related forums, hence posting here (mods - please move it to a more appropriate forum). But I reckon there’s a lot of seamen here on SB with rope and knot tying skills who can advice me, so I think this is a good place to ask.

I have a flat aluminium roof rack as seen the pic that doesn’t have any holes to properly slip in the hooks attached at the end of a ratchet strap, and I dont want to drill any holes into it either.

And so I want to permanently tie ropes or para cord at four corners of the roof rack that make an eyelet through which I can hook the ratchet straps. The issue is that I may carry about 20-25 kgs of luggage at speeds approaching a 100kmph for 1000s of kms and I don’t want the thing coming undone and my luggage falling off and resulting in a fatal accident on the road.

I’ve seen the slip knot but that looks like one that can easily come undone with a tug and I want to leave it on for years or a decade at a time ( mostly unused, except a few days a year ) …

What kind of knot(s) do you folks suggest I should use? Or (if it’s never going to be safe enough) - should I just go for large enough carabiners at the four legs of the roof rack?

 

[Boarderguy]

Forgot how to tie a bowline? Just remember, “the rabbit comes up out of his hole, goes around the tree, and back down his hole.” They made us learn to tie them underwater and behind our backs as Boy Scouts!

I still use that ditty every time I tie it...

 

[kinoons]

Forgot how to tie a bowline? Just remember, “the rabbit comes up out of his hole, goes around the tree, and back down his hole.” They made us learn to tie them underwater and behind our backs as Boy Scouts!

I’ve always had an easier time tying a follow through figure eight than a bowline, but that’s just me.

The suggestion for a double fisherman to make a loop is solid. I use that frequently when I need a loop of rope.

They can be made short enough not to thump the roof so they can be left in place.

Another option would be a Prusik knot on the rack with a reef (square) knot made with the running ends and offset from the anchor point and the loading point (ratchet hook).

I’ve used Prusik knots to lock a loop on another rope, never on a pole or tube. They work well for that purpose too?

 

[sandiegoaes]

Try using a Truckers Hitch knot.

The guides at Northern Tier and Quetico use them to tie canoes to float planes. If the canoes don't fly off a plane, your luggage probably won't fly off your car.

 

[NothingClever]

I’ve used Prusik knots to lock a loop on another rope, never on a pole or tube. They work well for that purpose too?

Yes, for this application it would work fine provided the knot is dressed tightly. There is a chance the Prusik will come undressed when not loaded.

There are some strange suggestions surfacing in this thread. I still think given @Pearlman 's intentions in his original thread, the double fisherman's knot is the best answer to provide anchor points (loops) for the ratchet straps.

 

[kinoons]

Yes, for this application it would work fine provided the knot is dressed tightly. There is a chance the Prusik will come undressed when not loaded.

There are some strange suggestions surfacing in this thread. I still think given @Pearlman 's intentions in his original thread, the double fisherman's knot is the best answer to provide anchor points (loops) for the ratchet straps.

Or if using tubular webbing a water knot can get the job done to make a small loop.

 

[NothingClever]

Water knot - right on!

I'd make the running ends a wee bit long and secure them with a plastic tri-glide buckle.

I'd probably go with narrow, one-inch, flat webbing to keep things tidy.

 

[Pearlman]

Ok Folks - I totally appreciate the time and generosity in giving me suggestions thus far - but I’m not sure if my requirement was correctly interpreted or understood because I saw some suggestions that are good for a tie down using rope (truckers , fisherman) but not for the exact purpose I intend. Or perhaps maybe I am not getting what you folks are trying to tell me…

All I need is to create 4 hook points at four corners of the roof rack for two ratchet straps because the aluminium roof rack has a profile with all flat plates instead of narrow rods into which I secure the hooks at the ends of a ratchet strap.

In any case we may be overthinking this - I could just tie a regular double overhand knot after wrapping the rope a few times around the frame at four corners - loose enough to insert a hook.

I have ordered motorcycle lashing loops in any case for the long term. They can handle 450daN of load each so should be ok I guess?

Thank you for the brainstorming and ideas shared thus far - on a positive note - this thread has rekindled my interest in rope skills and I have enjoyed watching a few more YouTube videos about knots over the last few days and intend to practice some skills as a plain hobby.

 

[NothingClever]

I could just tie a regular double overhand knot

Mate, that’s a stopper knot that isn't going to meet your requirement.

It seems you’re looking for a knot that replicates an eye bolt. There’s no perfect match for a steel or aluminum eye bolt. The closest to that would be a variation of a Prusik knot but that’s a more advanced knot.

The easiest would be the double fisherman’s bend or a water knot. Either one of these will create the short anchor loop for the ratchet strap’s hook. You would need four lengths of cord (fisherman’s) or webbing (water) to make these four loops.

Might spend some time at the below website to get up to speed on knots.

Home

Animated Knots is the world's leading site for learning how to tie knots of any kind. From Boating Knots, Fishing Knots and Climbing Knots to how to tie a Tie, or even Surgical Knots — we’ve got it covered.

www.animatedknots.com

 

[Still Kicking]

To be honest, I would advise the OP against putting any luggage on the rack if he is not 100 percent sure about how to do this safely after almost 30 recommendations. Carrying improperly secured loads is a serious hazard and if something comes loose it could lead to injury or worse for a fellow motorist. It's not worth the risk.

Any time you tie a knot, it creates a weaker point in a line, and this is especially true if you are not proficient with the knots you are tying.

 

[happy-diver]

Stop messing around go buy straps to suit mate before you **** lives up with your amateurish ideas

But then again why not