The “Palstek” (bowline hitch) ist the most commonly used nautical hitch; it

is used to fasten a rope to a bollard or to another fixing point ashore.

But the bowline hitch also plays an important part in water and mountain

rescue services. Here, the person that has to be rescued is secured by a

chest belt. This belt is pulled tight and fixed with a bowline hitch. In the

case of water rescue the hitch is placed on the back of the person, for air-

borne rescue it is tied on the chest. The bowline hitch is the only hitch

approved hitch for this purpose since it does not open unintentionally and

does not affect the breaking strengh of the rope as much as other hitches.