I joined the Merchant Navy in 1979 & learned many knots & splicing but they don’t use a dolly for some reason.
Started driving in ‘83’ , roping & sheeting loads of cabbage, brocolli, potatoes out of west Cornwall for the wholesale markets, then fertiliser back home again.
BTW, a sheepshank shortens one piece of rope.
A sheetbend joins two together.
What’s a dolly knot… twin split what? Log books… jeesh you guys are showing your age 
Suedehead:
Now who is going to admit to ending up on their arse,after pulling down on the rope and the knot slipped.?
It never happened to me . . . because i always got up quick and nobody was looking
Yep ! Had a load of light steel on an 8 wheeler, about 3 or 4 drops. Finished one and rope ended halfway across. Smart arse jumps up and joined ropes, gave tug while I was still up there and it happened. Smart arse ended up on me arse in the road. 
Yep
neilg14:
I joined the Merchant Navy in 1979 & learned many knots & splicing but they don’t use a dolly for some reason
Why not or were you on tankers ? I used them quite often when securing loads on the hatches, either loose or pre-packed timber, sacks or bales of waster paper etc. (and hoped they didn’t work loose if any water was sloshing around on deck 
)
peterm:
Suedehead:
Now who is going to admit to ending up on their arse,after pulling down on the rope and the knot slipped.?
It never happened to me . . . because i always got up quick and nobody was lookingYep ! Had a load of light steel on an 8 wheeler, about 3 or 4 drops. Finished one and rope ended halfway across. Smart arse jumps up and joined ropes, gave tug while I was still up there and it happened. Smart arse ended up on me arse in the road.
+1 more than once
oatcake1967:
Did anyone ever do paper reels on the roll,dropping the
doubled up ones was always fun.
Yeah, used to do them into a place in West Auckland. First time you knock that backscotch out is a brown trouser moment! 
the maoster:
oatcake1967:
Did anyone ever do paper reels on the roll,dropping the
doubled up ones was always fun.Yeah, used to do them into a place in West Auckland. First time you knock that backscotch out is a brown trouser moment!
Yep, them big reels of Kraft paper must have been well over a ton each… there was a knack in getting them to land straight and gentle so as not to break any floorboards.
what about those lovely splits in your middle fingers that would not heal and undoing the knots even when wet was easy , just pull the loop downwards.
william sparrow:
what about those lovely splits in your middle fingers that would not heal and undoing the knots even when wet was easy , just pull the loop downwards.
unless someone put a lock twist in it 
Yes I can…
Trukkertone:
the maoster:
oatcake1967:
Did anyone ever do paper reels on the roll,dropping the
doubled up ones was always fun.Yeah, used to do them into a place in West Auckland. First time you knock that backscotch out is a brown trouser moment!
Yep, them big reels of Kraft paper must have been well over a ton each… there was a knack in getting them to land straight and gentle so as not to break any floorboards.
I used to load reels out of Felixstowe and Deptford for the North West,
can you imagine what a H&S bod would make of it these days?
yes I can but I did have a job trying to teach someone else until I realised he was left handed, and I was impressed a few weeks ago when attending the doctor for a stitches running repair on my hand at how adept the new to us young lady doctor was at stitching me up without touching the needle by hand but with a pair of pliers including the knot tying impressive.
After a bit of thought, I can. Took a bit of thinking about though, ratchet straps are too common.
neilg14:
A sheetbend joins two together.
…when the ropes are of different diameter, otherwise use a reef knot.
Sorry, I’m just being a smartarse now.
Yes, I still have scars from old splits on my fingers to prove it (gloves wus for whimps) 
Nothing a tub of Snowfire wouldn’t fix.
Yes,my father taught me many moons ago when he was on for the BRS out of Newport Dock hauling timber.
Yes,
Martinviking spent an afternoon teaching me on a sunday hungover, especially with me wanting to do it left handed 
Laugh at my cackhandedness was the order of the day…even on video.
Still practice two to three times a week, did it as I was going for a flat bed assessment. Didn’t get that job though, not down to my tying skills though.
Still practice once or twice a week at lunch, still struggle with my hitches though bloody things confuse me to this day, but I get it right everytime I think it through logically.
I have rope hooks which are helpful…but I mainly use chains and ratchet tensioners in my line of work now… 
C
Tie a dolly knot .yes and do a double dolly or triple if needed.
any sea cadet/navy/forces can or should be able.
Any oldish driver should be able to.
younger drivers (20 years younger) prob but may need a short lesson.
brand spankin new (not having a go cos you don’t need to know to drive a modern truck) nope
I learnt 45 years ago but the real question is…
can you rope and sheet.
not having a go at younger drivers cos they dont need to do it…but
I can and am one of the few idiots who actually enjoyed it,took pride in the finished result and that it looked the same 250 miles down the road,
I think the newer drivers would enjoy the challenge (even if only for fun ) of being able to rope and sheet a proper load,after all thats what drivers had to do even on horse and cart. ( i used to love that horse ).
then again i use sat nav cos its so convenient and dont need loads of a to z in cab,so new and old do mix.
Good post ^^^^^^^. Can you imagine todays “planners” factoring in the time required to fully sheet a load? I think not. A lot of the camaraderie in them days came from pulling up to tip and the guy in front (who you didn’t know from Adam) was unsheeting, you’d always without fail jump out and help him and then the two of you would fold his sheets. He’d then do the same for you. Jit has a lot to answer for imo.