How Many Different Knots do you Regularly Use?

[rhr1956]

About the only knot I ever tie is the bowline. Although there are quite a few more I just don't know enough about them to use them. What knots do you tie..and why?

[siamese]

I always feel a little silly when I look in one of those knot books. I hardly know any.

Square, half-hitch, bowline, stop-knot, clove hitch......and I can tie my shoes!!

[LuvToSail]

Round turn and two half hitches is a MUST know.

Rolling hitch is good to know..if you want to release a jammed jib sheet it sure is handy.

Sheet bend gets used quite a bit.

I also use a truckers hitch a lot (not really a sailing knot though)

[rhr1956]

My dad taught me to tie a "chicken knot" when I was a kid. It's the same as a truckers hitch, but he learned it as a teenager while hauling stacks of crated chickens to the proccessing place. I guess someone said "Here kid, let me show you how to tie a chicken knot. I use it all the time, mostly to secure stuff in the back of the pickup.

[rhr1956]

In fact I used the truckers hitch just last week to heel the mast head over so I could change out the wind direction indicator. We have a climbing tower at the marina. I park the boat next to it, take the spinnaker halyard out to a tree, tie the truckers hitch loop and haul it over. Climb the tower and do my thing.

[skipmac]

More or less in order of frequency

Bowline
cleat hitch
reef knot (aka square knot) and slipped reef knot
round turn with two half hitches
clove hitch
Carrick Bend (better version of the sheet bend, very good for lines of unequal size)
rolling hitch
figure eight knot (stopper knot)
Prusik knot

[minaret]

I own a peg board and can tie a Chinese lantern knot. I can tie a wall and crown without reference to a book. Ashley is my bible. I do decorative ropework in my spare time (when I have any).

[Svsilvergirl]

Mine all seem to end up as a Montana pocket knife knot.

[jmcdboater]

Lol..... The Montana pocket knife knot, I like it, I've tied some of those myself. I do use the round turn & half hitches when tying off to a post, or sometimes a clove hitch for the same. I use two half hitches a lot, and also use a bowline a lot. I'm a powerboater, so don't really need any others. I was an avid Boy Scout, and had learned to tie a lot of other knots, I know for a sailor, the sheet bend is one invaluable knot, I'm sure those guys know many, many more!

[SaucySailoress]

Bowline and clove hitch on the yacht. We used to use a figure eight to tie off ends (and that rounded knot for bigger ropes, can't remember the name), but we figured it was cheaper and easier, in the long run, to let lines run free than repair damage to fittings when they don't!

Double sheet bend on the beach cat.

Quick release knot when washing dogs at the shelter.

That's it.

[Tony B]

Knots and Hitches

Bowline
Eye Splice
Back Splice
Reef Knot/Square knot
Noose knot
Figure 8 Knot
Clove Hitch
Rolling Half Hitch
Carrick Bend
Truckers Hitch
Monkeys Fist, but I need to look at book for that one. Very Handy for 'messenger line"

I use a clove hitch for probably 80% of all my knots with a bowline running 2nd most used.

[Scott Berg]

I use most of the above... Carrick Bends are far superior to Sheet Bends in my opinion. I'd add the Buntline Hitch--stronger than a bowline and less likely to unship when tugged; we attach jib sheets with them. Trivia: Rod Stevens required the buntline hitch onboard his racing yachts for many applications and many on the east coast call it a Rod Knot in his honor.

[Dockhead]

The bowline is truly the king of knots. But besides that, you must have:

1. Rolling hitch (how in the world else would you tie on a snubber? Free a sheet with a riding turn? and a million other things.)

2. Clove hitch (how in the world else would you tie on a fender? throw a mooring line on a bollard?)

3. Round turn and two half hitches (how in the world else would you tie up your dinghy painter?)

4. Figure eight (how else would you make a stopper knot in your sheets and halyards?)

It's not really rocket science.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Tony B

Knots and Hitches

Bowline
Eye Splice
Back Splice
Reef Knot/Square knot
Noose knot
Figure 8 Knot
Clove Hitch
Rolling Half Hitch
Carrick Bend
Truckers Hitch
Monkeys Fist, but I need to look at book for that one. Very Handy for 'messenger line"

I use a clove hitch for probably 80% of all my knots with a bowline running 2nd most used.

Morrow book of Knots has a fabulous technique for tying the monkeys fist around your hand, once you've used it a couple of times you will never forget, its that easy. Once tied you insert the heaving line ball of your choice, rubber if youre nice, lead if your not and want max range.

[Tony B]

Originally Posted by minaret

Morrow book of Knots has a fabulous technique for tying the monkeys fist around your hand, ........ insert the heaving line ball of your choice, rubber if youre nice, lead if your not and want max range.

I will have to check that book out. I usually tie it around an old large nut about 1 1/2 to 2" across. Its amazing how far you can heave a messenger line with a monkey's fist and 1/4 line attached. It's difficult on my ketch rigged sailboat - too much rigging in the way to get that thing swinging around real good. I have used it twice to get into a slip with the help of others and a few times with rescues trying to get a line to another boat.