Bowline

Table of contents

1 Canonical Name
2 Variant name(s)
3 Category
4 Origin
5 Related knot(s)
6 Releasing
7 Efficiency
8 Caveats
9 Uses
10 Comments
11 Structure
12 Tying

Origin

This is an ancient knot and is considered the 'King of Knots'.

Related knot(s)

double bowline, spanish bowline, triple bowline, portuguese bowline, bowline on a bight, irish bowline.

Uses

Commonly used in sailing small craft to secure the top of the main sheet to the main line.

After learning the overhand knot and the figure-of-eight knot in our youth we should all be instructed on how to tie the Bowline. Many people are taught the slow and all thumbs 'Bunny' method. In fact it can be very fast to tie and under the most difficult of circumstances.

There are many 'loop on the end' knots. Like the others the bowline can be made and then secured over an object like a post. But many other loop knots are unlike the Bowline. The working end can first be passed through a ring object and then tied. This unique feature of the Bowline makes it a convenient loop knot and a knot every one should master. One bowline tied to another is one way of joining two ropes.

Structure

Tying

This knot can be tied in a number of ways, including in the air, around an object, and around oneself.

The 'Bunny' method: form the hole, the bunny comes up through the hole, around the tree, and back down through the hole. This is a difficult and inferior way to tie.

Single hand method: wait for the pictures

Lightning (aka Jedi) method: Tie a slip knot with the main line as the adjustable end, pass the working end through the loop and pull the slip knot tight until it flips over. The resulting knot is a bowline.