What Knots , Why , and Where Abouts

[Bill Burgette]

I've heard that as we age, our memory capacity,......uh, what's the word,........decreases. That's it. Any how I was wondering if you had to learn how to tie only 5 knots, which ones would they be, where would you use them and why?

Surely all the old salts on here will have some wisdom. I'm not trying to tell you what to do but...........Have a great day. I know it's your day and you'll have it anyway you like. The great day is only a suggestion.

[smithy]

Reef knot (square knot)
Bowline
Sheet Bend
Tautline hitch
Clove hitch

A reef knot is obvious I hope, the bowline may be used to hoist just about anything, from sail to sailor.

The sheet bend for joining lines of differing sizes, and in a pinch, may be used to attach a line to a sail corner.

The tautline for securing things down, and the clove hitch for securing a line to a static point.


I can think of another 5 that would see occasional use, but these would cover most circumstances a modern sailor would encounter. For my personal list I would add the Bimini Twist, Trucker's Hitch, Double Bowline, Monkey's Fist, and Surgeons's knot.

[cabo_sailor]

I would substitute rolling hitch for sheet bend. I've seldom used the sheet bend since it comes apart so easily but the rolling hitch allows you relieve stress on sheet with a winch over ride, attach a snubber to the anchor rode or even a separate line to the anchor rode so as to use a winch in lieu of a windlass.

You might also be interested to know that rigging guru Brian Toss has a DVD on tying the 25 Basic Knots. It's pretty good, several friends have borrowed it.

Rich

[Cheechako]

Figure 8 (ok ...thats too easy)
Truckers Hitch
Bowline
Sheet Bend
Rolling hitch
Clove hitch
(if you can tie your shoes yet you can do a square knot!)

[Sunspot Baby]

The clove hitch is handy but if used under a load can be almost impossitble to spill. To Cheech's list I would substiture a couple of round turns and two half hitches.

Sailors don't tie knots, they make them. They don't untie them, they spill them.

George

[Cheechako]

Easy to overlook the basic half hitch isnt it!

[RainDog]

If I could only know five:

Bowline - attach halyards to sails, hanging hammocks
Square (Reef) Knot - putting on sail covers, reefing lines, may other situations
Cleat Hitch - docking lines and many more
Two Half Hitches - docking lines, putting up awnings, attaching reef lines to the boom, hanging fenders, many other situations
Rolling Hitch - Fixing winch overrides and other times to take the load off a line


A few additional Knots I would not sail without:

Figure Eight Knot and/or Surgeons Knot - Stopper knot on sheet ends. Surgeons knot is a better stopper, but harder to untie.
Half Hitch - sail ties
Proper Line Coiling - any time a free line is coiled http://www.animatedknots.com/coilattached/index.php
Coiling attached line - for halyard and other control line ends - http://www.animatedknots.com/coiling/index.php
Monkey's Fist - heaving lines and it is fun.

The clove hitch is one knot mentioned often that I find almost no use for.

[Unicorn Dreams]

Don't forget the cleat hitch. Amazing what you see on cleats...

[cabo_sailor]

Originally Posted by Unicorn Dreams

Don't forget the cleat hitch. Amazing what you see on cleats...

I agree and it's my pet peeve. Some folks look like they macrame their boat to the dock.

Rich

Edit: Another knot not mentioned is the double constrictor knot for those of us that do our own splicing. The theme I'm seeing here is that although there are a few common knots there are at least a handful of others that see enough use to warrant knowing them. Perhaps, the OP should expand his horizons from 5 to 10 knots??

[Bill Burgette]

Good idea, let's make it "The Top Ten" and why.

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by Bill Burgette

Good idea, let's make it "The Top Ten" and why.

1. Figure 8 - an OK stopper knot
2. Double overhand - better stopper knot
3. Clove hitch - attached a line to a spar
4. Cow hitch - running line through a toe rail to lash down a sail
5. Reef knot - joining the opposite ends of the same line
6. Bowline - temporary loop ( I teach two methods; neither involves a rabbit or tree.)
7. Double sheet bend - joining two lines
8. Round turn and 2 half hitches - attaching fenders, docklines
9. Cleat hitch - belaying line to cleat
10. Trucker's hitch - lashing down a dinghy on the foredeck
11. Rolling hitch - attaching a snubbing line or clearing an overrride on a winch

OK - that is 11.

Also I teach student to flake rather than coil lines. It avoids putting twists into the line.

[SaltyMonkey]

The only knots you need to know are the alpine butterfly - for loops (as many as needed), for bends, oh...for just about anything really very quick and easy - and the Adjustable Grip Hitch. For added bending pleasure I admit a fondness for the remaining family of overhands - the Zeppelin, the Ashley, and the Hunter. As well as the sheep-shank. The bowline's benefit alas is also it's weakness - easy to untie.

[Blue Stocking]

Bowline on a bight. Allows you to tie a chair knot midway in a halyard. Give you a lifting end and a guide end.
Required knowledge for firefighters ( at least it was when I was in the service)
Had to tie it with one hand, while leglocked into a ladder at some height.

[Bill Burgette]

Dang folks, how many knots are there? I'll need to dig up a knot tying handbook and keep it on deck.

[RainDog]

Originally Posted by Bill Burgette

how many knots are there?

3855!