How to Coil a Rope for Stowing

When you really need a rope, the last thing that you want to find is a hopeless tangle that you have to take time to get loose and straightened out. Properly coiling your ropes when you are done with them can save you valuable time later. Whether you are boating, rock climbing, backpacking or just using rope around the house, you should always take time to properly coil your ropes.

Instructions

    • 1

      Loop the rope until you only have 3 or 4 feet of rope left. One easy way to do this is to hold an end on one hand, with your elbow bent at 90 degrees and your lower arm pointing to the sky. You then wrap around your elbow, up to your hand and back around your elbow.

    • 2

      Make three turns around the looped rope with the 3 or 4 feet of rope that you did not loop. The turns should be tight, and should be positioned such that there are now two sections of loop in the rope, one large one and one very small one.

    • 3

      Thread the loose end through the smaller of the two loops. Then, double it back through the smaller loop again, creating a loop with the loose end of rope.

    • 4

      Take the free end up over the top of the smaller loop, and through the loop that you created by doubling back the loose end of rope.

    • 5

      Stow the coil of rope as it is. If you have somewhere to hang rope, then you can hang this coil of rope on the smaller loop.