Sailing knots · Hitch

How to Tie a Cleat Hitch

To tie a line off on a cleat, take a full turn round the base, cross over the top in a figure of eight, then finish with a locking hitch so the tail lies alongside the last crossing.

Yellow rope made fast on a deck cleat
Markus Bärlocher, Public domain
Type
Hitch
Used for
Securing a line to a deck cleat. Used constantly for docking, mooring, and sheet management.
Strength retained
Near full rope strength

How to tie a cleat hitch, step by step

  1. 1

    Lead in and take a turn

    Bring the line to the far horn of the cleat and take a full turn round the base.

    Diagram of the line led to a cleat and taken round its base
    Andree Stephan, CC BY 3.0
  2. 2

    Cross over the top

    Take the line diagonally over the top of the cleat and round the other horn, making a figure-eight. One or two crossings is enough.

  3. 3

    Twist a loop

    Twist a loop into the line so the tail lies underneath the standing part.

    Diagram of a twisted loop being formed in the line beside the cleat
    Andree Stephan, CC BY 3.0
  4. 4

    Drop it over the horn

    Drop the loop over the horn, so the tail runs back under the last crossing.

    Diagram of the loop being placed over the cleat horn
    Andree Stephan, CC BY 3.0
  5. 5

    Pull tight

    Pull the tail to lock the hitch. It should run parallel with the last crossing, never pointing toward the load.

    Diagram of the finished cleat hitch
    Andree Stephan, CC BY 3.0

Tip

Never wrap too many turns — three crossings plus the locking hitch is standard. Must be easy to release quickly in an emergency. The tail should NEVER point toward the load.

Common mistakes

  • Piling on extra turns and locking hitches. It is hard to release quickly and can jam.
  • Leading the line onto the near horn so it jams under load. Lead it to the far horn first.
  • Finishing with the tail pointing towards the load, which means the locking hitch went on the wrong way.

Related knots

See all 8 knots in the knot guide or practise them in the knot game.

Frequently asked questions

How many turns should you put on a cleat?

One full turn round the base, one or two figure-of-eight crossings and a single locking hitch. More than that only makes it slower to let go.

Should you lock a sheet on a cleat?

Not usually. Sheets and halyards you may need to release in a hurry are often made fast without a locking hitch. Mooring lines, which stay put, get the full cleat hitch.