Make Sailing Knots

Make Sailing Knots Safer in Ten Seconds!

How many times have you tied a knot, bend, or hitch and had it untie itself? Did you know that you can beef the security of any marine knot in less than ten seconds?

Keep your running rigging strong, safe, and secure with sailing knots that perform in fair and foul weather. Learn simple techniques to boost the security of weaker knots aboard your boat. See more below.

If you want to learn how to sail like a pro, you'll want to understand what happens when a line bends, wraps around, or ties to a rail, piling, spar, ring, post, or another line. That way, you will know how to get the maximum performance from any line aboard your cruising or racing sailboat.

How Kinks and Knots Knock Down Rope Strength

Kinks (also called "hockles") in a line can break fibers. This weakens the line by up to 30% of its original strength. To prevent kinks, coil line before anchoring, docking, or towing.

Three-Strand Line

Coil three-strand line in a clockwise direction. Twist your wrist 1/4 turn to the right just before you lay down each coil. This prevents kinks and keeps the coil flat. Coil double braid clockwise without the final twist.

Double-Braid (cored) Line

Double-braid line should be coiled without the final twist with your wrist. Note that it will coil in loops that resemble a "figure-8". Allow double-braid to coil like this to avoid kinks.

Select a "Rope Strength Booster"

All marine knots, bends, and hitches weaken line to some degree. If you tie a knot, bend, or hitch around a small diameter object--like a rail or lifeline-- this can reduce line strength even more!

So what can a sailing skipper or crew do to compensate for the weakness caused by marine knots? Use one or more of these three simple rope strength boosters before you tie a knot...

1. Choose the strongest knot for the job.
2. Tie knots onto larger diameter objects--like pilings--if possible.
3. Use larger diameter line for weaker knots or small diameter objects.

Make Friction Your Friend

A turn (left) allows the knot to slide along a rail, lifeline, or piling. Make a full round turn (right)before you tie a slippery knot like the bowline when you need the knot to stay in place.

Tie a bowline knot to a rail, lifeline, or stanchion and you can count on lateral (side) slip. This can cause excessive chafe.

Many super secure knots--like the rolling hitch, anchor bend, or round turn and two half-hitches--lead off with a round turn.

This extra pass grips the rail or piling like a barnacle on a boat bottom. And it keeps the knot in place to reduce line-killing chafe. Always make a full round turn first before you tie the knot.

Develop "Spill" Saviness

Clove hitches and bowlines can untie from being worked back and forth. This constant strain and slack can cause them to "spill", or untie themselves. And that could lead to a dangerous situation.

Did you know that you can spill a square (reef) knot after just 19 tugs? In comparison, the double becket (sheet) bend needs about 36 tugs to spill. By the way, the square knots fake cousin--the "Granny" knot--spills after about 3 tugs!

If possible, choose a knot, bend, or hitch that doesn't spill as fast. Knots with more turns or those that are doubled tend to offer greater security. A clove hitch has one turn over the top. The more secure rolling hitch has two turns over the top. A single becket bend spills faster (22 tugs) than the double becket bend (36 tugs).

Boost the security of any knot with a single half-hitch (left) or two half-hitches (right). Push the half hitches up beneath the base of the primary knot and remove all slack.

Ten Seconds to Boost Knot Security

You won't always want to take the time to retie a knot. But you can make it more secure with one simple step you can perform in less than ten seconds.

To use any of these security boosters, you must always finish the knot with a bitter end 12" to 18" long.

Use more line than you think you need to tie the knot. That way, you'll have enough line left over to add any of these additional hitches:

* Good Security - Add one half-hitch.
* Excellent Security - Add two or more half-hitches.

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Use these marine knots secrets to learn how to sail with more safety and security aboard your sailboat. You will gain better performance from any marine rope, extend its life, and save money throughout the sailing season.