fiador tutorial

the fiador knot, used under the horse's chin on a rope halter, has a magic to it - how do you tie a secure knot from one strand with 2 loops below and 1 loop and 2 strands above?

i always knew that there must be a comprehendable way to tie it, instead of blindly following a flat template and eventually came across a video of mike bromley tie it in a new way. When i sent the link to a friend, he couldn't get it, so i eventually made this tutorial:

if you are not familiar with the common diamond knot (made up from a crown, then a wall, then come up through the centre) or the constrictor knot, there are numerous tutorials online.

Dog lead in 2 mm hemp

 Techniques -  from shackle: ring knot from Enrique Capones braiding book; 8 strand gaucho round braid with matthew walker knots; over 2 round sennit with core; U1 O4 U1 diamond knot; paired O2 round sennit; handle in flat portuguese sennit finished with extended diamond knot from Des Pawson's 'Knot Craft'.

 New thumpmat/ piton that was needed for
 retracting the bowsprit on 'gentle annie' -
otherwise it tends to hit the coach-housing as you slide it back.
After i placed the mat on, brought the working end up through a vertical hole drilled in the end and locked it in place with a manrope knot on top.
Made with old mooring line, retired from service.

View from the smack jetty (no jokes please) at Brightlingsea - 'gentle annie' on the left. just been out for a daysail and melted the fanbelts crawling into harbour on the ebb tide. now bought a 15hp outboard for the dinghy and will push her around with that, hopefully forgetting the motor stories for now.

View of cabin from hatch showing two single berths (can't see the double in the cuddy), nice cosy potbelly too.
Originally (1896) 'nobbies' only had a cockpit and cuddy for boiling the shrimps. Cabins mostly put on after the war.