A slippery hitch is a knot used to attach a line to a rod or bar.[1] It does not provide great strength compared to some other knots, but it can be tied relatively quickly and released very easily.[2] These characteristics mean that it is used on square-rigged ships for securing the gaskets that bind stowed sails to the yards.
The slippery hitch is effectively a clove hitch finished with a slipped loop. To tie one, begin as for a clove hitch, but instead of passing the end of the line through the loop in the final step, pass a bight instead, leaving the end on the original side. Pulling on this end will release the hitch. If tied in a gasket, this will quickly release the sail.
A slippery hitch – a clove hitch with a loop in the end.
