The Bowline
The bowline has been around for centuries. This knot is easy and effective and is compulsory for any deckhand to know. The Bowline has many uses, e.g., to fasten a mooring line to a ring or a post. Under load, it does not slip or bind. With no load, it can be untied easily. Two bowlines can be linked together to join two ropes.
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Written description: how to tie a bowline.
1) Lay the rope across your left hand with the free end hanging down. Form a small loop in the line in your hand.
2) Bring the free end up to and pass through the eye from the underside (the rabbit comes out of the hole).
3) Wrap the line around the standing line and back down through the loop (around the tree and back down the hole).
4) Tighten the knot by pulling on free end while holding standing line.
Heaving line knot
A Heaving line knot is to provide weight to a line so it travels further. A heaving line is generally used for mooring purposes.
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Written description: how to tie a heaving line knot.
1) Lay the rope across your left hand with the free end hanging down. Form a small loop in the line in your hand.
2) Bring the free end up to and pass through the eye from the underside (the rabbit comes out of the hole).
3) Wrap the line around the standing line and back down through the loop (around the tree and back down the hole).
4) Tighten the knot by pulling on free end while holding standing line.
Cleat hitch
The Cleat knot is the most common way of tying off a line. It is easy and effective. You would most likely use during mooring procedures.
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Written description: how to tie a cleat knot.
1) Take a turn around the base of the cleat, and then bring the line over the top of the cleat.
2) Wrap the line back under the arm of the cleat opposite the first turn, then back over the top of the cleat.
3) Wrap under the first arm a 2nd time and then back over the top of the cleat. You have now made a figure eight pattern over and around the cleat. Now form an under hand loop and slip that loop over the arm of the cleat, which pins the free end under the last wrap.
4) Pull the free end tight and you have the neat, tidy and secure Cleat Hitch.
Clove Hitch Knot
A clove hitch is an easy to tie knot. This is most commonly used for tying fenders on the capping rail. One thing you need to make sure with this not is that there is contact pressure otherwise the knot will undo itself.
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Written description: how to tie a clove hitch.
1) Wrap the free end of a rope around a post.
2) Crossover itself and around the post again.
3) Slip working end under last wrap.
4) Pull tight.
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