Knots

[capnwilliam]

How many on the list tie nautical knots, whether to make things like fishing nets or decorative items, for your vessel (real seas or cyber seas), to keep the old craft alive, or why-ever?

Capt. William

[Black Deacon]

I'm just starting to learn. I have a hard time with most knot books as the illustrations are usually crude and the shading in the graphics are off at times. I'm looking for one that has photographs as well as illustrations. Think it would help. But I'm gettting there. There is an international knot tiers guild I understand.

[Coastie04]

First of all, define a nautical knot. Probably everyone here can tie a reef knot (commonly known on land as a square knot). That aside, I do a bit of fancywork from time to time, as well as functional lashings and such while on the Lady Washington.

Coastie

[Daniel]

All I can tie is a square knot/reef knot, sheet bend, bowline, sheep shank, clove hitch, and cow hitch. And I can only tie the bowline by the lubber's method, not the sailor's method.

I learned a roband knot once, the kind they used to tie sails to the yards, but I forgot how.

I own an Encyclopedia of Knots, which has lots of neat knots in it that I don't know how to tie. One of the neatest I think was called the thief knot, which leaves two ends, one secure and one not secure. So you can tie it at the top of a wall or cliff, throw both ends down, climb down the secure end, and then jerk on the insecure end to undo the knot and bring your rope with you. Unfortunately, I never learned to tie it.

[Dorian Lasseter]

Aye Lad,

I'm a fair hand at Seamans knots... not all of them, and I'm a bit rusty on the more complicated ones... Half of them I can tie in my sleep, but I never remember the names of them!

The books on knot tying, some are good, some are found wanting...

I own one... the rest of my knowledge comes from sailing an' seamanship manuals... and a bit of actual use...

[El Pirata]

Are you talking about a nautical knot or a knot? I mean remember the golden rule for either, "If you can't tie a knot, tie a lot." Save you this can!!!

What knot specifically are you looking for? Bowline, bowline on a bite, French bowline, sheet bend, figure eight, clove hitch, stopper hitch, doubler carrick bend, etc.... I mean the sky is the limit. You want splices? Short splice, back splice, eye splice, long splice, molly hogan splice, liverpool (hopefully not = royal pain in the butt to do) splice, etc...

[Zephyr]

more than a few.......and with the book open........

......from scouts to macrame' to knotted bottles and such...... oriental jewelry, frogs for clothing....... and knot boards...probably not of them would hold up to the job intended at sea.........but they look good ........

[captweaver65]

I love knots!!!

:)

I can tie a good number of both functional and decorative knots by memory and just about any that I have a diagram for.

my favorites are the pretty fancywork;monkey fist,turk's head,diamond,wall,and various sennits and whippings.

also have a fondness for button knots and lanyard "samplers".

I am lousy at full splicing though...

need more practice.

[El Pirata]

whippings

Ye like whippings???

[endkaos]

I can tie the basic knots of square, figure eight, bowline, etc. I'm more into being at sea than tieing fancy knots. It's about what gets me out to sea the fastest and safest.

[captweaver65]

whippings

Ye like whippings???

of course I like whippings in both knots and on the backs of the deserving

:)

[the Royaliste]

DUHH!!...The obvious, I tie 'em all, for every reason; riggers as me day job, 18th century vessel for a home, several sailing rigs, and 'o course plenty 'o marlinspike seamanship to embellish the above...On a 'name game', when ye all tie the 'Mast hitch', used to erect masts and provide three guy points, also providing the first working guy in the process, gimmee a call...you hit the big time!!!! :)

[Rumba Rue]

Well I may not be good a the proper nautical knots, but when I gots me a man in me clutches, he's tied up so good, he'll never get free. LOL!

RumbaRue

**Nine out of ten men who have tried camels, prefer women**

[Charlotte Doyle]

I've always wanted to have a better knowledge of knots, so I may have to find me a book on the topic one of these days and learn. Never know when it could come in handy. :)

[capnwilliam]

Charlotte, there are a lot of good books in print on the subject of knot tying. I have a couple.

Only problem I have, as with most things, is sitting still long enough to work on it (whether "it" be tying knots, making a powder horn, practicing making fire with flint and steel...)

Where/when I'll find the time, I'll never know; but then, I'll never know how that pirate in yer picture manages to keep his hands to himself!

Capt. William

[capnwilliam]

There's also - believe it or not - a group out there called The International Guild of Knot Tyers. Check out their site, and you will get more info than you ever wanted or thought existed on the subject.

Capt. William

[Viperpirate]

Since I be tryin to get a coast guard capt license, I have to know about 20.

[Barbados Jack]

Mates;

While ponderin on this knot issue and sailin the web I came across a site of interest. http://www.northnet.org/ropeworks/text/arch.html It had a lot of interactive displays of several nautical knots.

[CaptRehab]

I am 4 hours into a 6 hour project of wrapping the 26" wheel of my 29' sailboat with 1/8" dacron in a series of half hitches. When complete I will tie a turk's head knot to mark where the rudder is centered. Is that salty enough? I also spliced all new halyards, sheets, and painters for my little 13' peapod.

['Salem Bob']

A person on a sailing vessel who couldn't tie a good dozen knots would be as useful as a pack of clergymen or farmers. Everyone aboard had to learn - nobody was immune from going into the tops in an emergency.

[El Pirata]

I am 4 hours into a 6 hour project of wrapping the 26" wheel of my 29' sailboat with 1/8" dacron in a series of half hitches. When complete I will tie a turk's head knot to mark where the rudder is centered. Is that salty enough? I also spliced all new halyards, sheets, and painters for my little 13' peapod.

All of the Army boat I have been on over the years have the distinct pleasure of having all handrails and wheels wrapped with parachute cord. I must say that it's a very long process and you do end up losing a great deal of skin off your hands however the results look awsome.