> The knot will, of course, only hold while the rope is taut.
> That says it all... a bit dodgy!

No, it doesn't say it all. I was taught this tie-down by a member of the extended Park Family, a multi-generational beekeeping family with many decades of experience. On top of that, the boss was also a cattle rancher and horse owner, so when he handled a rope it was done with expertise. 

Like I said, we used the simplest trucker knot, based on the sheepshank, and without any adornments. And like I said, it was done this way in order to be quick to tie and easy to untie, especially in the dark or in bad weather. I never saw, nor heard of it failing. It's used on loads of hay, which are more prone to shift than loads of bee hives. 

All the same, apparently rope has been largely superseded by ratchet straps, presumably on the assumption that ropes are likely to come untied, especially if tied by a novice. Of course, novices can cock-up a ratchet strap, too. 

PS. Ashley's book rules, although there are many other good ones.

Pete Bee

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