Hervey Garrett Smith was the foremost marine illustrator of the 1950s & 1960s & his wonderful drawings of traditional ropework quickly propelled The Marlinspike Sailor" to cult classic status when it was published in 1956. With the addition of a section on modern synthetic rope in the 1970s its popularity has continued undiminished to this day. It teaches a few basic knots
- the bowline sheet bend & rolling hitch among others
- & splices in three-strand & braided rope. But its real business is decorative rope & canvaswork
- the traditional arts of the sailor
- & here it has no equal. For a rope mat a rope ladder a sea chest a ditty bag a canvas bucket a mast boot & the best-looking rope fenders or heaving line in the marina this is the book of choice."