Six Knots Every Boater Should Know

Knot-tying and knot know-hows are essential for every boater to understand. Although tying knots may sound easy enough, some methods work better than others when it comes to keeping your boat secure. Below are six basic methods about what to do and what ‘knot’ to do when tying lines.

Cleat Hitch

Although the spelling and the 'look' are almost the same, this knot is not for tying a pair of cleat-style running shoes. This sturdy method of securing a boat consists of numerous loops and swoops above, below, and around a metal cleat base to make certain your vessel stays where it should.

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Clove Hitch

If there’s a railing, bar, pole, or rod nearby, your boat can be attached to that as well with this handy method of tying. With two loops and a few more swoops, you’ve got yourself a sturdy clove hitch that will last as long as the rope does.

Clove Hitch Alternative

A close cousin to the clove hitch, this knot utilizes two rolling loops that are brought together, instead of swooping the line through the loops. This is also a good method to use around an object that is tubular in shape or to secure on a piling.

Double Half Hitch

“Double” definitely describes this knot quite well. Fashioned with two loops that cross each other through a long swoop, this knot comes in handy with securing a line to a handle or fixed rail.

Sheet Bend

This knot is squared². Instead of using one rope to make a traditional square knot, this method is used to fuse two separate lines together to form a type of square knot that’s even easier to tie than the conventional one.

Bowline

If you look at it before it’s complete, this knot does resemble a bow to some extent. A bit more tricky to tie, this knot that is typically used to retrieve objects has an open loop that will not close when pressure or weight is applied.