BendIntermediate
Double sheet bend
Get to know Double sheet bend: what it does, when to use it, what to check and the mistakes to avoid.
Double becket bend
1The knot in plain words
In one sentence…
The double sheet bend is a sheet bend with one extra turn around the bight, for a more secure join.
What does it do?
It joins two ropes like the sheet bend, but the extra turn makes the join more secure.
When do I use it?
When one rope is much thinner than the other, when the line may go slack, or whenever the single feels too light.
Which rope does what?
As in the single: the thicker rope forms the bight and the thinner one makes the turns.
When not?
It's a bend for everyday boat work, not a life-safety knot. Check it again after the line has been slack.
2Knot ID card
- Knot family
- Bend (joins two ropes)
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Holds a steady load
- Yes, more securely than the single
- Unties after load
- Yes, like the single sheet bend
- Weak point
- Loose turns let it work free
- Also called
- Double becket bend
3How to check it
Step-by-step tying is being checked on real rope before we publish it. Until then, use the illustration and the checks below.
Two turns lie side by side around the bight, each tucked under the standing part.
The bight is in the thicker rope.
Both tails come out on the same side, with a good length.
4Key points
- 1.
Double sheet bend = sheet bend + one extra turn.
- 2.
Thicker rope makes the bight; thinner rope makes both turns.
- 3.
Use it for very different sizes or when you want more security.
- 4.
Tails on the same side, turns neat and snug.
5Frequent mistakes
Mistake: Taking the second turn back through the bight.
Correct: The extra turn goes around the outside of the bight, then under the standing part.
Mistake: Making the bight in the thinner rope.
Correct: The thicker rope forms the bight; the thinner one is bent around it.
Mistake: Leaving the turns loose or crossed.
Correct: Work them snug so they lie side by side before you load the line.
6Don't mix it up
7Questions sailors ask
What is a double sheet bend used for?
To join two ropes more securely than a single sheet bend, especially when one is much thinner than the other.
Sheet bend or double sheet bend: which is better?
The double holds better when the ropes differ a lot or may go slack. For similar ropes under a steady pull, the single is enough.
How do I join a thin rope to a thick one?
Make the bight in the thick rope and take the thin rope around it twice, tucking under itself each time: that's a double sheet bend.
8Test yourself
What makes a double sheet bend different from a single?
Screen study teaches what the knot is for and how to check it. It doesn't prove you can tie it: practise with real rope, and never use these knots for climbing, rescue or anything that holds a person.
Sources
- United States Coast Guard Auxiliary — Boat Crew Handbook — Seamanship Fundamentals
- NSW Government — Dogging and Rigging Guide: Knots
- International Guild of Knot Tyers — Sea Cadet Knots
- Maritime Studies SA — Knots, bends and hitches (Nautical Science Grade 10)
Content reviewed on September 21, 2026