Marlin Spike Sailor - Turks Head

Pete and I honeymooned (July 2008) on the Schooner American Eagle. While on our awesome trip I picked up a few new crafty techniques known as marlin spike.  I would sit for hours tying and un-tying knots, studying books etc.  My favorite book was "The Marlin Spike Sailor" By Hervey Garrett Smith. Many of these things are useful, and others are just decorative.

Here are some photos of examples from around the boat.

This is my photography, not my rope work.

1 top: Puddin - This helps as a fender, so if someone were to row this and bump into the side of the  schooner, she'd be protected. I actually helped make this one.

2:  Monkeys Fist on the anchor

3:   Thump Mat - this helps protect the boat from wear and tear so the when the block thumps, it lands on the mat and not the wood of the boat. 

4: Simple Rope Mat

5 bottom: Decorative Turk's Head.

Here two of the Turk's Heads I made

They look like braids, but they are a continuous circle with out ends that need to be knotted. Many people wear these as bracelets.

Not only did I learn this cool stuff, but it was an awesome honeymoon too!