Stopper (knot)

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A stopper knot is a type of knot tied at the end of a rope to prevent the end from unraveling, or slipping through another knot.

The two most common types of stopper knot are the overhand knot, where the rope is formed into a loop and the end of the rope threaded through the loop, and the figure-of-eight knot, a more complex knot that produces a larger lump at the end of the rope. An even more intricate form is the Ashley Stopper Knot designed by Clifford Ashley around 1910.

A distinction should be made when referring to either a "Stopper Knot" or a "Stopper", the latter, as a nautical term, being used to describe a length of rope that is belayed on one end with the other end attached to another line (with a rolling hitch or similar knot) to prevent the 2nd line from slipping under load. Example: If a jib sheet gets caught up on the winch while under sail, you can use a "stopper" to temporarily take the strain off the winch while you undo the riding turn.

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