Knots

While taking apart the city there were a lot of very bad knots. Generally speaking a good knot not only holds whatever it is designed to, but is also easy to untie. Knots on top of knots on top of knots, shows a lack of confidence that the original knot will hold.

Everyone should know these

• Cleat Hitch - Used for attaching anchors lines or dock lines to a cleat.
• Bowline - Forms a loop which holds perfectly, yet unties almost effortlessly.
• Bowline on a Bight - Another way of tying a bowline when you don't have access to the end of the line.
• Figure 8 - Stopper knot
• Slipped Buntline Hitch - A good temporary knot which will hold, but comes undone with one pull. Useful for temporarily tying up a dinghy or a kayak.
• Butterfly Coil - An improperly coiled rope will knot and tangle, making it difficult or impossible to deploy when needed. The butterfly coil is one method of of coiling rope without twists/knots. If you have a very long rope, or limited arm strength, you can butterfly coil the rope over your neck, instead of your arm.

Other important knots for Ephemerisle

• Icicle Hitch - A gripping hitch, used to tie off a line to a post, or railing. Practical Sailor tests found it to grip better than almost all other gripping hitches.
• Trucker's Hitch - To tightly ratchet down a line around cargo (such as a backpack, kayak, etc.)

Important if you're anchoring

• Double Fisherman's Knot - A good way of attaching to lines together
• Rolling Hitch - To tie one line onto another - can be used to relieve or distribute pressure on an anchor line.

Important if you're sailing

Additional boating knots are listed on Animated Knots. 5 Essential Sailing Knots shows how to use some of them in practice.