While tying ratlines on Santa Maria I accidentally tied a cow hitch instead of a clove hitch on the end shroud. While this is not very nautical (and a potential 15rh century health and safety issue) it was not without merit - actually knot with merit. It meant that the end to be trimmed off (after a spot of glue added) pointed back along the ratline rather than leaving a stump projecting beyond the outer shroud. This is not entirely inconsistent with the illustration in the Lennarth Petersson book (see photo) which shows a rather complex arrangement on the end shroud that results in the ratline end pointing inwards. I am not prepared to emulate the authentic arrangement at 1:65 scale on the end of every ratline - so a cow hitch it will be. An added advantage is that tying the first knot is a lot easier than tying a clove hitch with an unrestrained end and only two hands - just wrap the doubled thread round the shroud and pull both its ends through the loop. it is such a poor knot that the ratline end can be pulled to leave only a short bit of post trimming waste.
