Bowline
Uses
Probably the most useful knot aboard a small sailing vessel, it is a loop knot. It has many uses.
- Used mainly to make a temporary eye in a line.
- Commonly used in sailing small craft, for example to fasten a halyard to the head of a sail.
- The Federal Aviation Administration recommends the bowline knot for tying down light aircraft.
- Commonly referred to as the rescue knot because it can be tied around oneself one-handed, and is used to lift people out of dangerous situations.
Tying the Bowline
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 (a loop), the bunny comes up through the hole, around the tree, and back down through the hole. This is considered a difficult method.
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 (capsizes). The resulting knot is a bowline.
