A Chinese stopper (two lines) will hold best...

A Chinese stopper (two lines) will hold best...

Question 1 of 3104866636ee728f7522a1c5181ca

A Chinese stopper (two lines) will hold best when you take which action?

Question 1 of 31048

Q

A Chinese stopper (two lines) will hold best when you take which action?

🔍 Key Concepts

• How a Chinese stopper works to take the strain of a mooring line without slipping • The importance of the direction of pull relative to how you hold the stopper lines • The effect of twisting two lines together under load

💭 Think About

• Visualize the mooring line under heavy strain and the two parts of the Chinese stopper attached to it. In what direction should you hold the twisted ends so that they bite into the mooring line instead of being pulled out? • Think about friction and angle: when you hold the twisted ends in different directions (with, against, or at right angles to the pull), which position makes them grip the main line more effectively? • Consider what happens if you hold the stopper in the same direction as the pull versus opposing it. In which case are you more likely to lose control or have it run out?

✅ Before You Answer

• Make sure you understand that a stopper’s job is to hold a line under load so it doesn’t slip while you transfer the strain. • Check which options actually describe the direction of holding relative to the strain (with, opposite, or at right angles) and eliminate anything that doesn’t clearly improve grip. • Before choosing, picture the stopper on a real ship: which holding direction would cause the turns to jam tighter on the mooring line as it takes strain, instead of loosening?