This is NOT a primer on How To Tie Knots. I offer it as an ongoing series on What You Need To Know About Knots, except for how to tie them. As with the exact boundaries of the CSC Junior Area, there’s a lot of confusion about how they work. And which to use when. So this should give sailors and windsurfers a quick background. There will be links and pictures, starting with the super-useful animatedknots.com, right here: https://www.animatedknots.com . Occasionally we’ll also dive into more complex knots including via this guy’s incredible site for solving knot problems (and merch): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuQYLUgUkv_IGLW2OFQVhSA . The page is arranged by function. I’ll update it periodically with new knots. Comments – and suggestions for a nautical title -- welcome.
David Fraser
CSC Cruising Skipper
April 2024
1: HOW TO TIE TWO LINES TOGETHER SECURELY, FOR TOWING ETC.
- SQUARE KNOT
- DOUBLE FISHERMAN’S BEND
- ZEPPELIN BEND
- BOWLINES: JUST NO.
- SHEET BEND. SORT OF.
THE MOSTLY AWFUL SQUARE KNOT
https://www.animatedknots.com/square-knot
1A Few things are more satisfying than watching a landlubber tie two lines [which they call ‘ropes’] together. In the unlikely event that they know a knot or two, they will likely head for the door marked “Square Knot.” As with this guy:
https://youtu.be/OxdUfYKrcfY?feature=shared It’s better if sped up to 2x. Or 100x.
Clifford Ashley, author of Ashley’s Book of Knots, notes (ABOK p. 258):
“There have probably been more lives lost as a result of using a Square Knot as a bend (to tie two ropes together) than from the failure of any other half dozen knots combined.” Never use it for critical loads.
Check out 1:35 to 1:50 for a Scout True Horror Story:
https://youtu.be/PmZKG1bnXtE?feature=shared
The knot tying master Des Pawson [tell me he doesn’t look the part] says: It is still the best knot to tie together the end of a bandage or sling because it lies square or flat.
One of his many excellent books:
httpw.google.com/books/edition/Knots/rXoBEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&printsec=frontcovers://ww
So: it works for a gift box, shoelace, bandage, even a tourniquet. For sailors, it is also known as the Reef Knot. That’s because you use it to tie reefing lines together, after, uh, reefing. Get used to tying it upside down on the boom. The knot, not you.
But never ever use it to tie two lines together. It won’t hold, and your boat, or spaceship, will just float away, leaving you looking for the Dayleader.
THE TOTALLY EXCELLENT DOUBLE FISHERMAN’S BEND
https://www.animatedknots.com/double-fishermans-bend-knot
1B A great knot for tying two lines together (safely!!) is the Double Fisherman’s Bend.
It was invented by two fishermen who thought they could span a stream and snag fish with it. No, wait, that’s wrong. It’s strong and reliable (climbers use it) and slides together with a delightful snap. You can add more wraps for a Triple Fisherman’s, etc. It’s one of the two or three best knots for its purpose. Remember: it may be tough to untie after stressing. You may be too, without a gin and tonic.
THE AMAZINGLY COOL ZEPPELIN BEND
https://www.animatedknots.com/zeppelin-bend-knot
1C Here’s another excellent knot, the Zeppelin Bend. Supposedly it was used to tie hovering zeppelins/airships to a line from the ground. Not sure how they got the ground line to stick up very far. It can be tricky at first but it’s at the top of the list for linking two lines. It won’t jam, and it’s easy to untie: just peel back (“break”) the collars.
Most videos use the 6/9 or sixty-nine method (see link above).
Now I have trouble with large numbers like that. Probably suffer from dyscalculia. Here’s a really simple way for simple minds like mine:
https://youtu.be/FbyRaoI8vIc?feature=shared
TWO LINKED BOWLINES. NO. JUST…. NO
https://www.animatedknots.com/bowline-knot
1D “My instructor said use two bowlines to tie two lines together.” No. Not if they were at CSC (hopefully). Hooking the large loops of two bowlines into each other will cause lots of friction, and after awhile, your boat being towed will become your boat being rowed. The aftermath looks like this:
THE OK SHEET BEND
1E This is a good, not great, knot. It will be included in the section on CSC Required Knots.
Next time: CSC Required Knots
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