"Knot" your favorite?

[mike64]

Of course there's a lot of different knots depending on the application, but do you have a favorite, general purpose "go-to" knot when you need to tie and untie a rope a lot? Does everybody just use the old bowline hitch?

When I bought my boat a couple years ago I practiced the bowline hitch, tried to get good at tying it one-handed. But I came up with a knot that works well for me-- a regular slipknot with the end of the rope through the loop and pulled semi-tight, which "locks" the slipknot and makes the rope really secure. Simple to tie, and when it's time to untie, it's easy to take the end out of the loop and pull the slipknot loose.

This knot works really well for anytime I tie and untie a lot--tying the boat to the dock and for tying the cords of the boat cover to the cover eyes. But I've never seen a "locking slipknot" in any knot diagram I've seen. Anybody else use this type of knot?

 

[LadyFish]

Re: "Knot" your favorite?

Check out the "locking bow line knot"

http://www.hudson-family.net/knots/knots.html

There are several examples of bow line knots

 

[kend301]

Re: "Knot" your favorite?

I use the slip knot also all the time .

 

[HappierWet]

Re: "Knot" your favorite?

If you pull the overhand slipknot far enough after passing the running end through it, it'll make a bowline.
I also use a doubled figure eight a bit.
clove hitch
belay ( on a cleat )
carrick bend

I better stop now.

Oh, I tie lots of TurksHeads as decoration too.

 

[angus63]

Re: "Knot" your favorite?

Granny knot or square knot, sometimes I don't know which I tied when binding two lines.
Half hitches when securing a line to an object.

For fishing I have a dozen knots I use regularly

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: "Knot" your favorite?

http://www.animatedknots.com/palomar/index.php

I use the palomar knot for attaching hooks securely. Very easy and hard to screw up

Square knots are my second most commonly used for attaching two ropes together.

 

[j_martin]

Re: "Knot" your favorite?

For a quick knot for a hard pull or potentially a hard pull, like a dock line, or tow line, a bowline is hard to beat. If I have a hard pull on something that needs to be cinched (a tree) I use a bowline over the line to form a slip knot. The biggest advantage is that no matter how hard the pull, the knot is easily removed. Also, if you overstress the line, it will break at the knot, salvaging most of the line.

I teach anybody with me how to quickly make a clove hitch. Then when docking in the wind, a clove hitch can be formed in the line with a flick of the wrist and dropped over a post or cleat. If you hang onto the bitter end, the line will part before the knot lets go.

 

[achris]

Re: "Knot" your favorite?

For securing the anchor line, I take 2 turns around the bollard, then a half hitch over each of the bollard horns. VERY secure and really easy to slip when the time comes. The 2 turns take the load and the half hitches just stop the turns from coming out.

For fishing lines, either a palomar or a uni-knot. The uni-knot is fantastic for joining lines, like a leader to the main line.

Chris.........

 

[rbh]

Re: "Knot" your favorite?

clove hitch with a half hitch to lock, or the one handed bowline (rescue sling style)

 

[kyle f]

Re: "Knot" your favorite?

I use a double half hitch a lot.

 

[BWR1953]

Re: "Knot" your favorite?

For boating, I typically use a a clove hitch, a 1/2 hitch, or a double 1/2 hitch (wouldn't that be a whole hitch? LOL) .

For fishing, I use the Trilene knot the most.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: "Knot" your favorite?

I can tie any knot looking at pictures, but in the real world when its windy dark and desperate I'm nothing but a hack, about 3 granny knots usually does it or a trilene sorta clench knot works for me, It seems like I always screw up any other kind of knot.

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: "Knot" your favorite?

I only use the "might knot"

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: "Knot" your favorite?

I'm lucky that I can tie my shoes. Forget the knots. Oh wait a minute. They stayed tied, I just slip then on and off.

 

[i386]

Re: "Knot" your favorite?

Whenever I see someone cut a rope because it can't be untied I cringe. So I try to use the proper knot for the job.

I use the bowline and sheet bend a lot, sometimes a square knot here and there. For fish hooks, the old clinch knot or palomar. There's another one I use to tie down cargo in my truck. I don't know what it's called but it works almost as well as a ratchet strap but unties easily.

For other knots I don't use frequently, I will seek reference. Attaching an anchor for example.

I like to put whipping on the ends of my lines. Can also eye splice, end splice, and back splice.

Sometimes, I will tie a monkey's fist for kids.


Back to the question, the bowline is my favorite. My grandfather, a shrimp boat captain, taught me how when I was a kid. I first learned the rabbit out of the hole, around the tree, back in the hole. When I got older he taught me a faster way to tie it, which I've used ever since. He also taught me how to splice rope. He could splice steel cable, but I never learned that skill. He could also make/mend nets. I have a few of his netting needles. Other than filling them with twine, I don't know how to use them.

 

[j_martin]

Re: "Knot" your favorite?

There's another one I use to tie down cargo in my truck. I don't know what it's called but it works almost as well as a ratchet strap but unties easily.

The most common one is called a tent hitch.

 

[achris]

Re: "Knot" your favorite?

I'm lucky that I can tie my shoes. Forget the knots. Oh wait a minute. They stayed tied, I just slip then on and off.

Me too!!

 

[Dave Barnett]

Re: "Knot" your favorite?

Slip knot with the end pulled through the loop to "lock" it works for most apps with me.