How to Make Boat Knots

Boating and sailing are rope-intensive pursuits. Knots are needed for many marine purposes including sailboat riggings, sails and moorings, and tow ropes. Learning a couple of the "family of eight" knots is a good start . When you first begin the process of boat knot tying, begin with the ubiquitous bowline and progress up to harder and more esoteric knots.

Things You'll Need

  • Practice rope
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Instructions

  1. Basic Bowline

    • 1

      Make a small coil loop approximately 12 to 14 inches from the end of the rope. Take the rope end and pass it through the center of the coil.

    • 2

      Bring the end up the rope and under until it is on the opposite side of the coil.

    • 3

      Loop the end around the rope above the coil and push it through the center of the coil down past the first pass through of the coil.

    • 4

      Pull down tight on the end of the rope to set the knot.

    Cleat Hitch - Tying the Boat to the Dock

    • 5

      Bring the end of the mooring line rope to the dock cleat. Take the end to the far horn of the cleat and not to the first horn. Pass it under the far horn.

    • 6

      Wrap the rope around the base of the cleat. Take the end up and over the horn and then over to the far horn, making crisscrosses on the two horns of the cleat.

    • 7

      Coil up the remaining rope on the dock, in a tight coil flat against the dock surface.