Tie a Bowline Knot in Less Than Five Seconds!
Did you know that there are over 200 ways to tie the humble bowline? Most cruising boat sailors consider this the king of knots. Follow these five easy steps to success.
Rope knot of a thousand uses
Make a large bowline in the end of a docking line to pass over a piling. If you fall overboard and your crew tosses you a line, tie a bowline under your arms. That way, they can pull you over to the boat and get you onboard quick and easy.
If you need to go aloft to the top of your sailboat mast, loop a safety line around your chest and tie a bowline knot--just in case that trusty mast halyard fails! And if you find you need to tow another boat, make a bowline in the towline and pass that end to the disabled boat.
These are just a handful of the numerous ways you will find to use this marine knots king. Learn this simple five step technique, and then train your sailing crew how it's done. It's fun, easy, safe and secure, and could save their life one day.
Know your marine knots lingo
* Standing part: The part of a line attached to something, like a boat cleat or marina dock cleat. Also, the inactive or "idle" part of a line.
* Bight: A loop in a line. A coil is made up of many bights. Or you could put a single bight in a line with one loop.
* Bitter end: Every piece of line has two ends--or bitter ends. But bitter end also means that part near the end of a line.
* Slack: The opposite of taut. To ease, or allow some "give" to a piece of line.
Five step bowline in five seconds
1. Turn and face the standing part of the line.
2. Grab the standing part with your non-dominant hand. Keep some slack in the standing part.
3. Pick up the bitter end and make a loop. Lay the bitter end on top so that it crosses over the standing part. Place your thumb underneath and your index finger on top (illustration 1).
4. Twist the bitter end away and under the bight (illustration 1). After you do this, it should look similar to the second illustration. Leave a few inches of bitter end to finish this king of marine knots.
5. Pass the bitter end around the standing part, and back through the small bight (illustration 2 and illustration 3). Hold the standing part and pull on the bitter end to remove all slack from the knot.
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Practice these five easy steps until you can tie the bowline knot in five seconds or less. One day, your life or the lives of your small cruising boat crew may depend on it!
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