The Clinch Knot

And Its Kiting Applications

The Clinch knot, like a few others that kite flyers use, has been borrowed from the fishing scene.

The Clinch is a beauty to use with swivels or eyelets! Just think of those delta-kite keels that provide one or two steel eyelets through which to attach the flying line.

Braided line can work loose near the base of the knot, so I have illustrated tying this knot with a Figure Eight stopper in the end. With the stop knot hard up against the rest of the line, nothing is going to loosen any further!

 

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Clinch Knot

This knot could also come in handy for attaching a line directly to a spar. For example, the vertical spar of a simple diamond where the crossing point of the horizontal spar is not at the 25% point. I guess shiny new fiberglass or carbon spars might require the addition of something slightly spongy, like electrical tape, so the attached line doesn't slip upward.

Also, this knot could be used when passing the line around or through the structure of other kites—like near the keel point of the popular retail Eagle. Of course, unlike the Lark's Head, the Clinch is not designed for easy removal and swapping from kite to kite! But if you have a favorite craft which you always fly on the same line, try the Clinch.

Since the kiting Clinch is not super easy to remove, a better idea is to permanently attach a short line with a Figure Eight knot in the free end. Then you can Lark's Head a flying line to that.

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As mentioned in the intro, this knot originated in the fishing scene. Fishermen wet the knot so that the smooth monofilament can be pulled really tight and doesn't loosen with use. Interestingly, braided fishing line is not recommended by the fishing experts! Bummer, that's exactly the kind of polyester line we kite flyers like to use. Hence my addition of the stop knot to prevent loosening. Even so, it might be worth experimenting with leaving a generous amount of length in the free end that hangs from the Clinch, with no stop knot. Tie it tight and keep a close eye on it over time. Perhaps it might turn out OK for some weights and/or brands of braided lines.

 

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