Boating Knots By Grog

Boating Knots

Choose a knot below, or scroll down for more information:  

Reliable bend used to join two ropes of roughly similar size.

Secure loop in the middle of a length of rope.

Excellent knot to attach an anchor line to an anchor.

Makes reliable bulky stopper knot in the end of a rope.

Reasonably secure loop in a rope's end - and easy to undo.

Bowline relative, but a double loop in the middle of a rope.

Secure hitch originally used to join buntlines to square sails.

Secure rope join, readily untied even after a heavy load.

Securely attaches three-strand rope to anchor chain

Attaches rope to cleat. Often used for Dock Lines.

Attaches rope to cleat - used for halyards, clotheslines, etc.

Temporary hold, e.g., stage scenery or mooring buoy

Tie the Constrictor knot using the twisting method.

Makes a reliable, moderately large, stopper knot.

Stopper knot suitable for slippery rope like Dyneema

Secure loop in the end of 3 or 4-strand rope.

Non-binding, quick and convenient stopper knot.

Compact knot to join halyard to a shackle at top of a sail.

Weights end of a rope to make it carry further when thrown.

Very secure slide and grip knot that may grip on tapered pole.

Simple strong way to secure a tow line to a bollard

An adjustable loop tied using a Rolling Hitch

Easy attachment to a mooring pole or to make rope fence.

Takes a mooring line's load during transfer to the Bitts

Popular slide and grip knot, may fail with modern ropes.

Excellent way of securing a rope to a post or ring.

Bowline encircles the standing end to create a noose.

Neat method of creating a soft shackle in hollow-braid rope.

Edwards style shackle made out of hollow-braid rope.

Intermediate size stopper using one more turn than the figure 8.

Valuable knot usually used for securing loads or tarpaulins.

Joins two ropes and avoids the risk of jamming.

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Welcome to Boating Knots

These animated knots are primarily for boaters, but many are useful for anyone who uses rope and values safety.

Selection

The selection of knots is based on many years of sailing combined with feedback and advice from several helpful captains. The knots are arranged in alphabetical order.

Boating Knot Characteristics

Rope used in boating is durable and expensive and is often handling heavy loads, e.g., when berthing, mooring, towing another vessel, preparing for a storm, or managing sails. The emphasis, therefore, is on safety, reliability, and convenience. In contrast to the fishing knots, value is also placed on being able to use the rope repeatedly and untie each knot without difficulty.

Boating Knots

Standing End, Tail, and Bitter End

Bitts & Bitter End

In many knots there is Standing End - which takes the strain, and a Tail - the loose end in your hand. On large ships a shore line is initially tightened with a winch. The tail is then properly called a Bitter End as it is transferred to the Bitts. To do this, a second rope is tied to the shore line with a Rat-Tailed Stopper or a Rolling Hitch to take the strain temporarily.

Mooring Lines and Names

Mooring lines on large ships are nearly always made of a high-modulus polyethylene (HMPE) such as Vectran® or Dyneema®. These ropes float and their minimal elasticity reduces risk of injury due to "snap-back" in the event of a breakage. Each line serves a specific purpose. On large vessels two lines often run in parallel ("doubled up") for safety. The following diagram shows a typical arrangement:

Large Vessel Mooring Lines

A. Head Line B. Head Line C. Forward Breast Line D. Forward Spring E. Aft Spring F. Aft Breast Line G. Stern Line H. Stern Line

On yachts mooring lines are more likely to be made of nylon, or polyester (Dacron® or Terylene®). By contrast with mooring a large vessel, distances are usually small and movements due to waves and tide are proportionately greater. Moreover, because far fewer lines are used, it is critical to understand their purpose:

Breast Lines prevent rotation and should run roughly at 90o to the dock. To gain length, they should be led from the farthest part of the boat: the bow itself (or the outer hull of a catamaran) and from the far quarter of the stern.

Spring Lines prevent fore and aft movement and should run nearly parallel to the dock and may cross each other to obtain an optimal lie.

Direction: The Bow Spring may be led forwards and the Stern Spring aft, but MUST lead in opposite directions.

Yacht Mooring Lines

1. Bow Breast Line 2. Bow Spring Line 3. Stern Spring Line 4. Stern Breast Line

Doubling-Up and Sharing a Bollard

When two lines run to the same Bollard, especially when they are from different ships, the second line should be threaded up through the eye-splice of the first. This is called Dipping the Loop and allows either line to be released with out tangling.

Which Knot Should I Use?

Joining Two Ropes Secure safe bend to join two ropes Secure safe bend to join two ropes Attach rope to itself or another taut line Join 2 ropes using a loop in each end Take the strain off a foul-turned winch Take the strain of mooring line Join two very large ropes Secure "spring" lines - readily adjusted

Make a Loop at End of Rope Make a loop in the end of a rope Adjustable Loop using Rolling Hitch Splice a loop in a three-strand rope

Make a Loop in Middle of Rope Single loop in middle of rope Double loop in middle of rope

Loop Round Standing End Bowline slides up rope as a noose

Attach Halyard Cleat Hitch Halyard Hitch

Secure Rope to Flapping Sail Buntline Hitch Soft Shackle

Secure a Load or Tarpaulin Tighten Using a Trucker's Hitch

Secure Mooring Line to Dock Secure mooring line to a cleat Wrap mooring line round post and tie it Make a loop to drop over the dock post Tie a dinghy bow line to a rail or ring Secure mooring line – easily undone. Quickly secure mooring line to post

Attach Rope to your anchor Attach rope to your anchor Secure, permanent rope splice to chain

Stopper Knots Larger three-lobed stopper knot Secure compact stopper Quick convenient stopper Secure even in Dyneema Secure Stopper Knot

Slide and Grip (Friction) Knots Knot that won't slide along a rope Knot that won't slide along a bar Grips strongly on a pole

Weight a Rope's End for Throwing Heaving Line Knot

Stop a Rope's End Fraying Drop a Constrictor Knot on the End

Miscellaneous Attach a fender to the rail Shackle using rope Better soft shackle

Related Knots

Four similar bends: Alpine Butterfly Ashley Hunter's Zeppelin

Three quick-release hitches: Highwayman's Mooring Tumble

Two versions of the cleat hitch: Deck Halyard

Three stopper knots: Ashley Double Overhand Figure 8

Three ways to tie the Clove Hitch: Half Hitches Loops Using the End

Three ways to tie the Constrictor: Twisting the Rope Using the End Folding a Loop

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