The Mooring Hitch

Video from the Animated Knots YouTube channel: https://www.animatedknots.com/mooring-hitch-knot

1. Pass the rope behind and over whatever you are connecting to.
2. With the tail form a loop so that the tail touches the standing end.
3. Pass a bight of the tail across the loop and under the standing end and tighten to take the load.
4. Pull the tail to release!

Tying it

The Mooring Hitch Knot animation shows the locking bight passing sideways under the standing end. To make it easier to tie, many descriptions show a bight of the standing end being lifted up first to make this easier.

Alternative Knots

Many Quick-Release Hitches have been described. We include the Tumble the Siberian (Evenk) and the Highwayman’s. Of the four, the Tumble Hitch may be the most secure.

Danger!

Quick release hitches are clearly dangerous for rapelling and there are safe alternatives.

Not actually for mooring!

The morring hitch has been described as being tied loosley around a pole so that the loop can rise and fall with the tide. Of course the loop could catch on pretty much anything and this use must be strongly discouraged as it implies an extended use of the knot that cannot be trsuted and is prone to jam.

Uses

It could be reasonable to us a Mooring Hitch Knot to briefly tie up something light such as a kayak or dinghy while getting into it. However, it makes far more sense to learn the far superior Tumble hitch which is more trustworthy.