Knots for Sailors. Today on Repairs101.
Whether you’re new to boating or a seasoned mariner these essential knots will prove to be indispensable out on the water.
This episode of Repairs101 is sponsored by PRINCESS AUTO. You can get all the rope and line and paracord and rings and shackles and thimbles you need at PRINCESS AUTO.
Once upon a time I used to spend all my free time sailing with my friends. We’d race ‘em. Go on adventures. Sometimes just be out on the boat for the sake of being out on the boat.
You know. When you shut off the engine you suddenly can hear and see and smell exactly how close to nature you are. How you are a part of nature. It’s almost like meditation. Nothing on shore matters. All you need to think about is the safety of the boat.
Well OK maybe not THAT close to nature.
If you’re looking for more challenging knots than these – check out REPAIRS101 – I’ve got a boatload!
So the difference between an overhand knot and a half hitch is simply that a half hitch is belayed to something.
You can attach a line to a ring or whatever just with two half hitches but it won’t be as reliable as you may need it to be.
The round turn and two half hitches is tied exactly the way it is said so it’s easy to remember how to tie it under duress. Which can happen on a boat.
Practice the fundamentals
Now the fisherman’s bend – not to be confused with the fisherman’s knot – is an even more reliable version with the first half hitch tucked into the round turn and the second one tied on the outside. Add a third half hitch for security.
The clove hitch is another building block in your knot arsenal. The secret is to keep winding in the same direction from outside to inside. It’s perfect for attaching fenders to lifelines or gunwales.
Sailors call the square knot a reef knot because it is used in reefing sails. Reefing is a means of reducing sail area by gathering the lowest edge of the sail, called the foot. Check out this hammock I made out of three hundred and sixty-four square knots.
The sheet bend is used to join two lines of unequal thickness. The double sheet bend is used when those lines will experience heavy loads.
How you gonna STOP?
The first of the two stopper knots I have for you is the figure eight knot – so named for obvious reasons.
The next is the double overhand stop knot. Formed by wrapping the tail around your fingers and then threading through the double loop.
According to a recent survey I conducted about KNOTS for Sailors – the bowline is the most popular knot among knot aficionados. Now not only is it pronounced bowline but it is not pronounced bow line. Same as B_U_O_Y spells buoy and not BOO-EE. It is short for the word buoyant, as in buoyant navigational marker.
A painter is a nautical term for both a line attached to the bow of a small dinghy or tender and it can also refer to that dinghy or tender itself. Probably because such boats were used when painting the ships above the water-line. Have a look at this video for a full lesson on how to tie it.
A horn cleat is common dockside hardware for securing your vessel. The o – eight method is as simple as it is reliable. Once around, Cross over. Cross over back with a half hitch. You’re done.
The carrick is an ancient knot best used to securely join large diameter ropes or cable. Check out this video for both variations.
