If a synthetic rope has a breaking strength of 6,600 pounds and a bowline knot is tied to make a lifting eye, what is the maximum gross load that can be lifted?

In assessing the maximum gross load that can be lifted with a synthetic rope that has a breaking strength of 6,600 pounds, it is crucial to understand how the bowline knot affects the overall load capacity.

When a bowline knot is tied, it typically reduces the effective strength of the rope. The reduction in strength due to the knot's formation and the potential for rope wear must be factored in. A common rule of thumb is that a secure knot like the bowline can reduce the strength of the rope by about 10%.

Applying this reduction to the breaking strength of the synthetic rope, we take the initial 6,600 pounds and reduce it by approximately 10%. This calculation brings the effective load capacity down to around 5,940 pounds.

However, from the context of the options provided, it is generally advisable to not approach the safe working load near the limit and consider a safety factor of about 1:5 or even more in practice. The maximum gross load that one should use under safe working conditions with a properly tied bowline knot in this scenario would typically be substantially lower than 6,600 pounds, and based on best practices, 660 pounds seems like a preferred conservative estimate for safe lifting,