Knotting Relay Race
Teams of five drawn up in line. Nos. 1, 2, and 3 of
each team have each a piece of rope. On the word "Go" No. 1 ties a
bowline on his rope and passes it to No. 2; who joins it to his own rope with a
reef and passes it to No. 3; who joins the ropes with a sheetbend and passes it
to No. 4; who ties a sheepshank and passes it to No. 5; who ties a clove-hitch
round a pillar.
When No. 5 has tied his clove-hitch he shouts "Right." The Umpire
notes the order in which the teams finish. After a player shouts
"Right" nothing further may be done to the rope. The team which finishes first with all the knots
correctly tied wins.
Blindfold Knotting Relay Race
After the players have become proficient in
the preceding game they should compete blindfolded.
"Man Overboard"
This and the knotting games following it are
examples of how interesting a simple Scouting practice, such as the tying of a
knot, can be made by the aid of a game or contest.
A chalk line is drawn on the floor near one end of the clubroom. This
represents the edge of the deck of a ship. It is imagined that there is a wreck
at the other end of the clubroom, and a "brave sailor" jumps overboard
with the end of a coil of rope and attempts to swim to the wreck.
The "Captain" (Scouter) notices, however, that the coil of rope is
not going to be long enough, so he calls to a "deck hand" (the
competing Scout) for more rope.
The "deck hand" has to pick up another coil and join it to the end
of the rope which is attached to "the brave sailor" before it is
pulled overboard. He may not, of course, step over the edge of the deck to do
so, and the "brave sailor" must move forward steadily all the time.
A sheetbend is the best knot, and the Scouts who succeed score one point for
their Patrols.
NOTE. - It is a good plan for the "Captain" to tie a piece of white
tape on the first coil of rope at a certain distance from the end, and when the
tape crosses the edge of the deck he then calls for more rope. This ensures that
every competitor will have an equal chance.
"Man Overboard" (second version)
This is the same as the
preceding game excepting that on the words "More rope" the "deck
hand" fixes the rope attached to the "brave sailor" to an article
or pillar on the deck by means of a clove-hitch preparatory to his tying the
sheetbend.
Roping the Donkey. - Seven players from each competing Patrol are drawn tip
in Indian file each player holding a short piece of rope. In front of each team
is a player from another Patrol who is the "donkey" for that team.
On the word "Go" No. 1 hands his rope to No. 2 who ties the two ropes together with a reef
knot. The rope is handed back to each player in turn who attaches his rope with a reef knot.
When this has been done No. 7, carrying the rope, gives chase to the "donkey," who hops on one leg in his
efforts to delay capture, which is indicated by "tagging." No. 7 then
ties the rope by a sheetbend to the "donkey's" neckerchief and leads
him to No. 1, who ties him to a form or table leg with a clove-hitch.
Once the "donkey" has been captured by No. 7 he does not struggle.
The Patrol to finish first, with all knots correctly tied, wins.
Shank Tug
Two Scouts compete against each other. A sound piece of rope is
required. The players have a tug-of-war and at the same time each endeavors to
tie a sheepshank at his own end of the rope. The first to succeed wins.
NOTE. - It will only be possible to tie the knot in somewhat after the
following manner. Pull with the left hand. With the right hand pick up a bight of
the rope in the slack behind the left hand. This is brought forward and held
just in front of the left hand on the rope which is under strain. The left hand
then quickly turns a second bight over the first, and one end of the knot is made. The player then slips his left hand over the
three strands of the knot and turns his back to his opponent. It will not now be
found difficult to finish off the other end of the knot. This is not easy to
describe, but an experienced "knotter" should have no difficulty in
following the movements.
Knot Pairs
Two players from each Patrol compete, each player holding a
length of rope in the right (or left) hand. The other hand is placed behind the
back and may not be used.
On the word "Go" each pair of players tie the required knot using
one hand only each.
The first pair to finish, with the knot correctly tied, score a point to
their Patrol and another lot of pairs come forward to tie another (or the same)
knot on the word "Go."
