I posted this to the Rope Rescue group and realized it was something I should share with the entire Nation (I seem to keep forgetting more would benefit when I do that).
If you want to check out a great knots page, go to Grog's Search and Rescue Knots. I think you'll like it. I give this page to many of my students to really drive home how a knot should look and all.
Indeed it is a handy site. While instructing a level II in the past few weeks, we had a student boasting his Rope Rescue credentials to the rest of the class. My partner called him out and asked him to secure the ladder to the balcony at the tip.... Guess what...
This is a good thing to do for down time in the station. All it takes is 6' of rope and an internet connection. I know it's hard to un-ass the recliner and do something productive after the minimal chores are done, but are you 150% confident that you can tie that clove hitch at the tip of a ladder when lives are on the line?
Hell, this one doesn't even require un-assing the chair if you have a laptop
FTR, I loathe and despise teaching the probie class this. Let's just face it, most have gotten lazy while rolling through the basic class and do just what they need to get their minimal percent to pass. I have found numerous occasions where when it comes time to hit on ladders, I get the deer in the headlights look when they try to secure the halyard because their Clove in the Open won't work for them. Even though they were shown both ways and told that they needed to know either way due to this reason, they chose to only remember the easier way to do it.
To expand on the clove hitch in the open, the concept goes to two other knots, the Munter Hitch and the Handcuff knot. This was something I learned and found it easily remembered.
The open clove, you make your loops, with a tail on each side of the line and you put one loop behind the other to make the clove hitch....as shown.
For a handcuff knot, same start, but instead of placing one loop behind the other, go part way and then pull the two loops through each other to make the handcuff knot. (easier shown than described)
For the Munter Hitch, like the clove, start the same way, but fold the loops together like a book, clip a carabiner through the loops and you have your Munter.
Here's a great way to teach a munter for those that have issues with it. This way is also great if you cannot see what you are doing.
Lay the rope over your left hand, between your thumb and index finger.
Take the piece that is hanging on the back of your hand and bring it up to the front and then over the thumb from the left side of your thumb
Clip the biner where the ropes cross