Six Good Knots

[Frank Hagan]

Here's a link to 6 great knots to learn:

http://www.inamarmarine.com/pdf/six_knots.pdf

[Dave R1]

Thanks for posting that, Frank. Those are indeed good knots to know.

I can think of another but haven't ever seen an online example showing how it is tied. The knot is called the Alpine Butterfly. A very useful knot that creates a loop that won't come undone by itself but won't jam either. It can be tied near the end of a line of in the middle without passing the end through.

[Tim Diebert]

Great link Frank. I am printing off those two pages to give to my son. Some lessons pre summer cruise.

I have used all those knots at one time or another, used the Two Half Hitches all the time when tying up boats during my shipyard days, but don't get to use it much these days.

For me, I find I use the bowline almost daily for tons of things and often use the figure eight. Otherwise I use a truckers hitch for tying down loads now again.

But if a person had to learn but one 'hard' knot...I would always recommend the bowline. As the sheet says, the king of knots.

When working for a 70 year old 3rd generation shipwright in Sidney years ago, I came to the shop as a joiner. Although I had built a few boats and finished out or repaired many others at that point, I had done very little work afloat. The boss, Ron, gave me a four foot piece of line the first day I was there. Told me where to keep it on a nail in a beam. Every coffee break and lunch break he made me re-tie knots over and over again. For months...maybe a year. Even after it was easy.

His thing was is if I was to be moving very expensive boats around the marina, tying and re-tying boats at the work float...I better bloody well know what I was doing. His other thing was knowing that even if a person did learn how to spin a useful knot...if they did not do it over and over again, it would not be embedded into your bean.

In my case he was right. I can tie a bowline several different ways, in my sleep or in the dark....thanks to him. At the time I was not too pleased at having to spend my chill time getting frustrated and yelled at over a stupid piece of line.

My Dad was a knot 'artist'. Boy he could impress the hell out of me with his rope work. A person that remembers all the knots is like a person who remembers all the good jokes and can tell a hundred at will. Clever. I envy those folks. I can hardly remember my own birthday half the time.....

[Frank Hagan]

But if a person had to learn but one 'hard' knot...I would always recommend the bowline. As the sheet says' date=' the king of knots.[/quote']

I still haven't learned to tie it quickly ... I still have to think about it. My brother in law flips his hands around and the thing is done. Its like magic when you see someone tie a knot that fast.

It will slip with the new synthetic line, so if you really want it to hold, tie a figure eight in the end of the line. A figure eight is also the knot to tie in the end of a sheet to prevent it from running through a block.

[Turtle447]

Thanks Frank. I also wish I knew when to use each one. I know one thing though, if you don't know when to use the correct one for the correct job, you will not only teased but you will soon be sorry for not using the right one. I still get them all mixed up. I keep forgeting one or another from time to time and have to hit the books now and then to refresh. Most books show you how to make the knots, but not how and when to use them for what task. Thanks.

[HonestKen]

Thanks for that!

Now I won't have to use my famous "flip over toe hold knot"  That's what I used to tell the kids the mass of rope holding the boat to the dock was called.  Just like any small brown bird I didn't know the name of was a "garbled nit wit" when they asked.  They're on to me now though.

Ken

[capt jake]

Excellent stuff!  Ken had me cracking up!  All too true at times.  To become proficient with knots, you need to tie them at least monthly, preferably weekly.  We use almost all of those and a few more here at work.  It really shows when we haven't trained on them for a while.

I know a really fast way to tie the bowlin, one hand, but I wold never be able to put it in writing......I could show ya. LOL

Now go practice! :D

[Vince Brennan]

http://www.frayedknotarts.com/files/BasicKnotBook02-01-10/Download

Enjoy.

Criticism and comments welcome for refinement.

[Wayne Jeffers]

Thanks for that, Vince.  But the link you posted has an error.  I think this is what you want:

http://www.frayedknotarts.com/files/BasicKnotBook02-01-10/00fullset.pdf

Wayne

[Andrew_Butchart]

My wife tells guests when they use the upstairs bath to be cautious of my collection of "knotty books"  8-).  My well thumbed copy of Ashley's Book of Knots has been my friend for many years.

Vince - a nice little pamphlet.  I find Turks Heads to be a bit challenging for myself but I still think of myself as very much a novice in this.  Wall and Crown knots are nice decorative ends that are easy to tie and you might want to consider including them.

I have a few personal favourites that aren't in yours such as the bloodknot - mostly because of the "magic trick" way it seems to come together and it makes a dandy cat toy.  I also have my own variations of some of these.  For my Monkeys Fist I first tie Ashley's "Oysterman's Knot" in the end of the line and use that as the core.  That way I only have a single line leading out from the finished knot.  I actually almost always use the Oysterman's Knot instead of a figure 8 these days because it's a much bulkier stopper knot.  It's a shame it's not more well-known.