Newbie notes - on the bowline

[opie]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG_zJOHcOhU
Several on Youtube. Here is one.

[Chinook]

It took me practically forever just to figure out how to post still pictures, so I don't know about animation on the single handed bowline. I hold the tail of the line in my right hand, with the line end pointing away from me. The rest of the line is in a loop, either around something or just loose, and held in the left hand. The tying action involves making a secondary loop with right hand fingers, which hold the bitter end. That end is then wrapped around the running end and, with a little dexterity, reversed over the running end and slipped back through the loop created at the start of the tie. The tying action is all done with just the right hand. The left hand is just holding the running end of the line.

[tangentair]

It took me practically forever just to figure out how to post still pictures, so I don't know about animation on the single handed bowline. I hold the tail of the line in my right hand, with the line end pointing away from me. The rest of the line is in a loop, either around something or just loose, and held in the left hand. The tying action involves making a secondary loop with right hand fingers, which hold the bitter end. That end is then wrapped around the running end and, with a little dexterity, reversed over the running end and slipped back through the loop created at the start of the tie. The tying action is all done with just the right hand. The left hand is just holding the running end of the line.

Yep, that is how it is done - just like New York directions, if you know where your going they make perfect sense
It really is a better explaination than I could have done, anyway - it is fun to try on a boring cold afternoon. I like to tie the line to a chair and stand across the room and be sure that the kid is watching. After a while he will show me how.

[noahvale]

I learned it back in the Boy Scouts. An easy way to remember how to tie it: The rabbit goes in the hole, comes out, goes around the tree, then back in the hole.

[Love MACs]

I was thinking of that ol' Boy Scout saying myself, when I first read this thread And can still tie it one handed to boot



Allan

[tangentair]

Just read in Cruising World's online version -
"When he first arrived in Dutch Harbor I told him the test of a true sailor is if he can tie a bowline behind his back, drunk, at midnight--because those are the conditions he will likely encounter when he needs that knot most. We had not finished his training or testing." Alvah Simon

There are some nice articles on his sailing in Alaska.

[NiceAft]

Sea Striker,

keep in mind that knot's weaken lines, so make certain your lines are in good shape to begin with. A knot which holds well, is knot (could not resist) much good if if the line snaps.

Ray