Knots

[Seaworthy Lass]

By the way, this is a shot of the Zep in action underwater when used to extend the snubber easily so more chain could be deployed in a blow last year.

This sustained 25-35 knots for around 48 hours (48' aluminium boat) and when retrieved could still be undone easily with one hand.

I love this knot .

[PangurBan]

The knot that impresses me most is the icicle hitch but I only ever use it to attach a snubber to anchor chain. I suppose I use the bowline for most things especially attaching fore sheets to the genny although some fellows say that it is not a good one for this purpose. I don't like the continuous sheet with a shackle at its midpoint attached to the clew of the foresail. I've heard of too many eye injuries resulting from this.


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[ryon]

A very useful and beautiful knot that isn't well known is the constrictor knot. Both ends lock down and just don't give up without a marlinspike. Make it slippery, and you have the best of both worlds; it's THE knot for attaching heaving lines to larger lines and hawsers..

[snort]

Does anyone use this instead of a figure-eight knot?

[Ex-Calif]

The knot I tie the best and the knot I tie the most.

[MiBoaty]

I use the stop knot on the end of all my sheet lines so that they won't pull through the blocks until I want them to.

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[SkiprJohn]

Originally Posted by snort

Does anyone use this instead of a figure-eight knot?

Yes, some of our club members use that one instead of the figure 8. I still use the figure 8 because I'm old and that's what I learned first. I use knots that I used in the Navy. Reef, slippery reef, bowline, rolling hitch, clove hitch, anchor bend and a round turn and two half hitches. To join two lines I use a sheet bend and I've used the midshipman's hitch lots of times.

[snort]

Thanks for the responses on the figure-eight. Steve Colgate thinks it accidentally unties too easily.
He's sailed quite a bit so I figure he knows what he's talking about. I learned the old-fashioned way. Maybe I'll upgrade for a change though.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by snort

Thanks for the responses on the figure-eight. Steve Colgate thinks it accidentally unties too easily.
He's sailed quite a bit so I figure he knows what he's talking about. I learned the old-fashioned way. Maybe I'll upgrade for a change though.

I agree, the figure 8 does have a tendency to shake itself loose in some situations. I used to use it all the time, but I'm switching to Snort's Stop Knot when I remember (I still automatically tie figure 8 if I'm not thinking about it)

And of course, +1 on the Zeppelin.

Another useful one is the Alpine Butterfly loop:
Alpine Butterfly Loop | How to tie the Alpine Butterfly Loop | Climbing Knots

Although I don't use Grog's hand-wrap method. I use the double twist and fold method:
Butterfly Knot - How to tie a Butterfly Knot

[FamilyVan]

Bowline is very important. Of course- mostly because it doesn't compromise the strength of the rope as much as most other knots and is easy to untie. I find it a little odd that the tall ship guy doesn't have much use for this knot, what the do you use for your mooring lines when you need to tie off to a tree or a fence or a mooring or a million other things you might need to tie off to?

Sheet bend is very nice for bending two lines together.

Reef knot for reefing of course

Clove hitch for temporary lanyards

Rolling hitch is useful more often then you expect

Figure eight for your stoppers

Eye splice is the only splice I use frequently.

Trucker hitch for lashings.

I'm sure I'm missing some, but these come to mind.



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[SkiprJohn]

Originally Posted by snort

Thanks for the responses on the figure-eight. Steve Colgate thinks it accidentally unties too easily.
He's sailed quite a bit so I figure he knows what he's talking about. I learned the old-fashioned way. Maybe I'll upgrade for a change though.

I'm certain Steve Colgate has sailed a lot. I've been at it for nearly 45 years and never had a figure of eight untie itself. I use them for stoppers eight inches from the end of each sheet.

My very favorite knot is the bowline. It will remain my favorite forever. I've never had one untie itself.

I have had clove hitches untie themselves from a slippery stanchion because it alternated between taut to loose while a dinghy was along side. I put a half hitch on the clove hitch to keep it from doing that.

[ryon]

Originally Posted by snort

Thanks for the responses on the figure-eight. Steve Colgate thinks it accidentally unties too easily.
He's sailed quite a bit so I figure he knows what he's talking about. I learned the old-fashioned way. Maybe I'll upgrade for a change though.

The figure-eight can work itself loose because very few books and instructionals show how to properly finish it. Always grab below the knot and push up, making the free end tilt over 90 degrees. A properly finished figure eight will look something like snort's stop knot.

[Ex-Calif]

It hasn't been said yet, so I will. Never stopper knot your spinnaker sheets.

(There I feel better...)

[ggray]

Originally Posted by RainDog

The knot I use most is two half hitches. Super easy to tie one handed and very versatile.

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Agreed! Quick to tie, easy to untie, both under a load. Many times a second time around first.

[ryon]

Originally Posted by FamilyVan

Bowline is very important. Of course- mostly because it doesn't compromise the strength of the rope as much as most other knots and is easy to untie. I find it a little odd that the tall ship guy doesn't have much use for this knot, what the do you use for your mooring lines when you need to tie off to a tree or a fence or a mooring or a million other things you might need to tie off to?

I'll disagree with both of those statements. The bowline has nowhere near the strength of a round turn and two half hitches, nor its cousin the anchor bend. Both of which can be untied under strain, which a bowline cannot.

The go-to knot for whenever we encounter a tree or fence or whatever that is strong enough to take the strain is almost always a round turn and two half-hitches. Sometimes with a seizing on the tail, just to be sure.

We do use bowlines of course, for quick temporary loops to gantlines and lanyards and buckets. But not much at all in the actual rigging.