Jump to content

What knots?


jupiter1124

Featured Posts

I only know four knots by heart, which is fewer than the number of years I've been boating. I have a book of knots but there are too many to learn by heart, and I don't have experience of the right situations to call for them. So I have these four go-tos:

 

* canalmans hitch for temporary moorings to bollards, especially in locks as it can be loosened under load.

* round turn and two half hitches for mooring up (back to the hard points on my boat) and tying other semi-permanent knots, like affixing my anchor. it's a bit harder for scrotes to undo and you can add as many half hitches as you have rope.

* for temporary mooring with the centre line back to the boat, a quick release hitch that I don't know the name of - tied by passing a loop of rope around a pole 3 times, then making another loop in the dangling end of the rope which you pass through the third loop. Can be untied by just pulling on the dangling rope. You can even pass the loop through a mooring ring, meaning the whole thing can be untied with one pull.

* Reef knot I use as a bend, e.g. if I need to pass up my too-short centrelines to a lockie. I probably should learn a stronger yet easy to untie bend.

 

I'm sure you'll agree, this is a sad state of affairs, and I should be ashamed to call myself a boater.

If I was to learn just one or two more knots, what would you suggest?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not a knot but learn how to splice 3 strand rope as a temporary fix when someone cuts your mooring line. Happened to us on the Calder and Hebble whilst we were on the boat when it was dark.

A sheet bend is better for joining ropes.

Edited by Ray T
Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, Ray T said:

Not a knot but learn how to splice 3 strand rope as a temporary fix when someone cuts your mooring line. Happened to us on the Calder and Hebble whilst we were on the boat when it was dark.

A sheet bend is better for joining ropes.

 

The sheet bend looks just as easy to tie as a reef knot, so I may as well switch it out for that one if it's more secure, thanks. For a temporary fix, why not use a sheet bend rather than a splice?

 

4 minutes ago, tree monkey said:

A bowline, easy to untie even after being loaded and surprisingly useful 

What do you use it for?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's two more than me and I have no idea what the one I use for mooring is called. Someone showed it me thirty years ago and I've used it ever since. The other one's the thing you use to tie fishing line to a hook  or did when I was twelve, which is the last time I fished. 

I can usually get a reef knot right, so I supose that's two and a half.

  • Happy 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, jupiter1124 said:

 

The sheet bend looks just as easy to tie as a reef knot, so I may as well switch it out for that one if it's more secure, thanks. For a temporary fix, why not use a sheet bend rather than a splice?

 

What do you use it for?

Making a temporary loop in a rope or tieing a rope to stuff.

 

It's what I used to use when climbing trees to tie into the harness and when rock climbing, but apparently I am in the minority in the rock climbing world  :)

 

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, jupiter1124 said:

 

The sheet bend looks just as easy to tie as a reef knot, so I may as well switch it out for that one if it's more secure, thanks. For a temporary fix, why not use a sheet bend rather than a splice?

 

What do you use it for?

A splice is less bulky than a sheet bend. Also if you use a back space it is a “pretty” way of finishing your line off.

Use of a splice rather than a sheet bend comes from experience of many years of sailing offshore.

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, tree monkey said:

Making a temporary loop in a rope or tieing a rope to stuff.

 

It's what I used to use when climbing trees to tie into the harness and when rock climbing, but apparently I am in the minority in the rock climbing world  :)

 

When I started you tied the rope round your waist with a bowline, then when harnesses came in we used a bowline, eventually figure of eight became popular but why I have no idea.

3 minutes ago, Mike Tee said:

I learnt to tie a bowline about 65 years ago - but I can only tie it round my waist and using only one hand! Just cannot do it any other way, no matter how long I practice.

Can you tie a sheet bend?   Look carefully at a sheetbend, it is just a bowline tied in a different way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Ray T said:

Figure of eight also known as a stopper knot. Stops a line/rope disappear through a fairlead or a jamming cleat etc.

That is another use for one when tied in a single thickness, when climbing you tie it with the rope end doubled back forming a loop beyond the knot.  I suppose it should possibly be called a doubly figure of eight.

 

EDIT to add IIRC it is a figure 8 on a bight

Edited by Jerra
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Ray T said:

A splice is less bulky than a sheet bend. Also if you use a back space it is a “pretty” way of finishing your line off.

Use of a splice rather than a sheet bend comes from experience of many years of sailing offshore.


I have done a back splice to finish off an old rope, but I just followed the instructions in my book.

I agree much prettier than a bend, but is it really necessary to know it by heart? If I needed to join a rope quickly I think a sheet bend is adequate, I can always do a splice later when I can sit down with my book and a beer. But it sounds like that was only a temporary fix anyway?

 

 

 

15 minutes ago, tree monkey said:

It's what I used to use when climbing trees to tie into the harness and when rock climbing, but apparently I am in the minority in the rock climbing world  :)

Not situations I find myself in, so I think I'll pass on that one :D

 

 

 

4 minutes ago, Ray T said:

Figure of eight also known as a stopper knot. Stops a line/rope from disappearing through a fairlead or a jamming cleat etc.

 

2 minutes ago, Jerra said:

That is another use for one when tied in a single thickness, when climbing you tie it with the rope end doubled back forming a loop beyond the knot.  I suppose it should possibly be called a doubly figure of eight.

An eighty-eight maybe?

Also not situations I find myself in, and my boat doesn't have fairleads or cleats - so probably not one i need to learn.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Ray T said:

Figure of eight also known as a stopper knot. Stops a line/rope from disappearing through a fairlead or a jamming cleat etc.

 

But a bugger to untie if it's put under any serious load :)

5 minutes ago, Jerra said:

When I started you tied the rope round your waist with a bowline, then when harnesses came in we used a bowline.

Now that's a fair few years ago, I can't imagine taking a fall on a rope tied around my waist, I was waxing lyrical to the other half about the early days of climbing recently when we passed Joe Brown's place, which the led onto my first tree harness called a Willans 

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, tree monkey said:

But a bugger to untie if it's put under any serious load :)

Now that's a fair few years ago, I can't imagine taking a fall on a rope tied around my waist, I was waxing lyrical to the other half about the early days of climbing recently when we passed Joe Brown's place, which the led onto my first tree harness called a Willans 

In the region of 60+ years.  It was a great encouragement not to fall.  😁  Named after Don another of the climbing greats.

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, jupiter1124 said:


I have done a back splice to finish off an old rope, but I just followed the instructions in my book.

I agree much prettier than a bend, but is it really necessary to know it by heart? If I needed to join a rope quickly I think a sheet bend is adequate, I can always do a splice later when I can sit down with my book and a beer. But it sounds like that was only a temporary fix anyway?

 

 

 

Not situations I find myself in, so I think I'll pass on that one :D

 

 

 

 

An eighty-eight maybe?

Also not situations I find myself in, and my boat doesn't have fairleads or cleats - so probably not one i need to learn.

Joking aside, a bowline is a very useful knot to know, it has many uses, its my goto a lot of the time

Just now, Jerra said:

In the region of 60+ years.  It was a great encouragement not to fall.  😁  Named after Don another of the climbing greats.

Yup, I was ever so grateful for Don and his harness, very, very old school nowadays but my goto harness for many years

  • Greenie 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, tree monkey said:

Now that's a fair few years ago, I can't imagine taking a fall on a rope tied around my waist, I was waxing lyrical to the other half about the early days of climbing recently when we passed Joe Brown's place, which the led onto my first tree harness called a Willans 

 

Isn't that the one where you passed the rope through two loops at waist level, tied a knot, then clipped it through a crab in the crotch strap?  It seemed obvious to use a bowline with those, as you could easily tie it after threading through the loops, which was fiddly with a figure of eight. 

 

Surprised no one has mentioned clove hitches which can be useful in some circumstances.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, alias said:

 

Isn't that the one where you passed the rope through two loops at waist level, tied a knot, then clipped it through a crab in the crotch strap?  It seemed obvious to use a bowline with those, as you could easily tie it after threading through the loops, which was fiddly with a figure of eight. 

 

Surprised no one has mentioned clove hitches which can be useful in some circumstances.

Im not quite that old, I've seen pictures but never actually tried it, you need @Jerra ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, jupiter1124 said:

 

The sheet bend looks just as easy to tie as a reef knot, so I may as well switch it out for that one if it's more secure, thanks. For a temporary fix, why not use a sheet bend rather than a splice?

 

What do you use it for?

A sheet bend can be used to tie two ropes (best fit if different diameters) together if your rope is not long enough, I have a sheet bend on my bow mooring rope and the tail is very long, so I can grasp the rope at various places on the boat, because I'm singlehanded, and sometimes things don't go to plan.

For a quick fix use two bowlines.a decent tail and a good tug to tighten them. My

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the correct knot, it's a Carrick Bend, do not use a reef knot, it's for reefing and things that need to be untied easily.

Be careful tying ropes of different diameters/types together if they are going to be put under strain. If used regularly I would use twine to keep them set together.

If you need a long rope more than a few times, buy one. A long splice to join a rope is far from ideal, as it takes a while to make a good one, and uses a fair bit of rope. I've never used a rope with a long splice for offshore sailing, there are usually plenty of things needing the two lengths.

I use a clove hitch for attaching a stern mooring rope to a dollie for use in difficult conditions. The other dollie has a spliced loop of dubious origins, it was on the boat, a set of Chinese mooring ropes.

Edited by LadyG
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, alias said:

 

Isn't that the one where you passed the rope through two loops at waist level, tied a knot, then clipped it through a crab in the crotch strap?  It seemed obvious to use a bowline with those, as you could easily tie it after threading through the loops, which was fiddly with a figure of eight. 

 

Surprised no one has mentioned clove hitches which can be useful in some circumstances.

The harnesses I have used we clipped into the figure 8 with a Krab on one attachment to the harness.    Not fiddly at all.   Double the rope then tie figure of 8  (with practice you can do it one handed) then clip the loop formed into the Krab.

 

EDIT to add you could always clip two Krabs into the loop.

Edited by Jerra
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another vote for the bowline. I tend to use it to create a small loop on the end of a centre line. I can then pass the ropes up to crew at deep locks usint the boat hook. I've also tied one around the chest (under arms) of someone who had fallen in first give him confidence that he wasn't going to drown and then to help pull him out (large guy, tall bank).

 

To moor up I generally only use:

i) OXO or 080 on the T-stud

ii) Bargeman's/Canalman's hitch on bollards/dollies

Both are dead easy to apply and release but hold secure. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.