Ep18: Learn to Sail: Part 8: Basic Knots 

Navy Veteran here. Thank you for sharing this beautiful tutorial. I knew all of these from the Navy-no idea why they teach them, but probably tradition. Your video exceeds the standard because you get down to business. No chit-chat, no, please do this for part two. You said you were teaching knots and you did just that, thank you.

Wow! That was the best way explained I've come across so far. Super helpful! Thank you!

This is an outstanding video showing how to tie these knots. Pacing is excellent, lighting and camera angle is perfect plus you showed the tying several times. I wish you made a video showing how to tie lots of other different knots. Thanks for sharing.

Good tutorial, greetings from Germany. Even non English speakers can understand it. Thank you

I had not heard the story till now. Sweet. I will teach my granddaughter this way! Thank you!

Im watching lot of teachings videos but not one its so much easy to understand like you You deserved ton of congrats

I’ve been searching for a knot tying tutorial, and after viewing about 10 this is the best one yet! Thank you!

Wasn't sailing for 30+ years and bought me an old nicholson 32 last week in good nick. Now watchin all the vids here to refresh the knowledge hidden in the depths of my memory. Very useful all these episodes, thank u so much. Greetings from the Netherlands .

Of all the knot tutorials I’ve watched yours is by far the easiest follow. Thank you!

Great tutorial! Thank you.

Very clear instructions. No waffle! Thank you.

Cool trick I picked up somewhere along the way: You can tie the sheet bend with the same two finger method used for the bowline since the sheet bend is essentially the exact same knot configuration as the bowline. In fact, if you were to tie a standard bowline knot and then cut the loop, you’ll be left with a perfect single sheet bend. Pretty cool

Great explanation. Simple but easily to learn...

Best knot video. Thanks for sharing your gift of teaching knot tying and making it easier!

Not just for sailing, also great when you are doing a Nautical look in your bathroom! 🤪 Thanks so much for the instruction. Fair winds and following seas. 😁

perfect way to teach. thank you.

Thank you so much for this tutorial - I have struggled with knots all my life. In the days before the internet I just couldn't follow the written instructions and later on videos went too quickly. Repeating the knot several times slowly so I can follow along really helps. I could never understand why I had a 50:50 chance of getting a reef knot right - unknowingly leading with my left hand didn't help matters. Your tip to compare the lie of the second crossover with the first really helps me confirm I am going the right way. Your sheet bend tip is absolutely brilliant.

After having learned the sheet bend in the Cub Scouts (U.S.) in my youth, this oddly named knot finally makes sense in the context of sailing. Thank you for the crystal clear, highly informative videos.

The best video I have seen about knots. Thank You. Keep the good work.

This was the best video on knots I have come across. Really clear style - as with all your videos thank you

I remember how hard it was for me to fully understand to tie the bowline knot for the first time! But now I know how to tie it with a twist!!😁😁😁

Thanks for a great video on knots. Someone finally made an easy to follow tying guide, and when and how they can be used. Wonderful job, appreciate it!!

Marco, you are really concise, clear and absolutely well explained. A true pleasure to learn from you friend

Hey Marco, I am learning all I can about sailing as I am about to buy a boat in the next few months. I was interested in how to heave to and you've answered in one of the vids wonderfully. I had to watch it again cause I really enjoyed your method of presentation, so much so that I have binge watched to this point..., thank you thank you thank you.

Very clear,the most understandable I’ve found. Thanks

Thank you Sir ! Your are the best of the best Instructor

Great video, when I was taught the bowline 65 years ago in scouts, there was an extra line to the verse with the bunny. It was: "and pull all three". So the instruction was: "Then bunny came out of the burrow, round the tree, went down the burrow and pull all three".

Best sailing knots video. Thanks Marco you makes it easy and simple

Excellent video (and channel!)... Keep them coming!

Always enjoy these! Keep them coming!!! :)

Index 01:02 Figure eight (stopper knot) 02:32 Reef Knot (Square knot) (tie two same diameter) 04:23 Clove Hitch (tie around a pole) 05:51 Round Turn & 2 Half Hitches (tie life lines) 07:40 Sheet bend (two lines different diameter) 09:47 Bowline (will not slip)

WONDERFUL great simplification and explanation

I'm taking sailing lessons this summer, and this video was extremely helpful! Thank you!!

Thank you so much! Very great to explain! You are a great instructor!

Teaching to my Daughter..these are perfect ❤️

Thank you!

good demonstrations. for the last knot an important variation is the one handed bowline

Good knots ... very show... Thank you here from Brazil, Guarulhos...

Thanks for another great video, Marco.

I know you covered it but the bowline loop must have the standing part of the line beneath the loop (as was mentioned as an OVER-hand loop). The bowline falls apart if you use an UNDER-hand loop. I've gotten good at tie a bowline and square knot. I have reasonable success w/ the figure eight knot. I need to practice the other ones. Very well-done instructional video. Thank you!

Fabulous video. Thanks so much. I am hoping to go to basic keelboat sailing school soon and this will make things much less stressful.

Thank you for the video

Yet another brilliant job on informative video

Great for skill refreshing after the winter away from the boat

Thanks for a great lesson on basic knots!

Thanks for the great lesson, and thank you for filming POV since that really helps understand the knots much faster!

Thank you sir

Awesome tutorial! So simple & helpful!

Thank you loads. Need refreshing for clove for climbimg 👍

Thanks for the 2 finger method I always flip it wrong if I haven't tried one in a while

1:01 Figure eight 1:48 2:30 Reef knot 4:23 Clove hitch 5:50 Round turn and two half hitches 7:40 single sheet bend 9:47 bowline

I got interested in why the left-hand sheet-bend is supposedly inferior to the right-hand one. A review of this online (including a reference to a peer-reviewed paper) shows that they are essentially the same in terms of strength and holding power. The same can be said of the left-hand bowline (cowboy) versus the right hand bowline.

First of all, great video, congrats. For all the knots you gave an example on what situation (on the boat) you would use such a knot, but for the sheet bend you haven't. I know that it is used to tie two ropes of different diameter, but in what situation this occurs on a sailing boat? Thanks

The bowline is also used in climbing to secure the harnas of the climber to the climbing rope but it is often considered less safe as the figure 8 where the end of the rope is woven through the original figure 8 knot.

This seems to be the simplest video on how to tie the knots that are most often used on a sailboat. I have a prospective crew coming soon so I sent her a link to this video to get her started.

Thanks YOU Sri MORE

The Square Knot is responsible for more deaths and injuries than all other knots combined -- when used as a bend -- to tie two lines together under load. -- Clifford Ashley, Ashley Book of Knots (ABOK) Excellent on Round Turn and Two Half-Hitches and Sheet Bend.

Great video. One of the best knot videos I've seen. Check out Tips From A Shipwright's bowline video if you get a chance. Louis shows how the "wrong" sheet bend can slip. I've been tying the double sheet bend ever since I saw this. I have trouble remembering if the bitter ends are supposed to be on the same side of opposite sides.

bit of a late comment but when it comes to the reef knot I always heard that a zeppelin knot is a better option. since it's really secure (more secure than a reef knot afaik) and mroe importantly it's non jamming (and real easy to break) just wanted to check if this is true? but other than that small question, awesome knot guide, coherent and easy to follow :)

With the bowline, one thing that may be very helpful is that you present the tying of the knot with the standing end of the line running away from you. Most times when you are tying this knot, or many times, the line will be running the opposite way. So what happens, your standing there with a pile of rope - I mean line - at your feet, and suddenly everything looks upside down and backwards. Might be helpful to show it tied in both orientations.

Ah, and a suggestion, if you can edit this video, I would include the Rolling hitch knot, since it is very useful to transfer the load from one line to another in case, for example, your mainsheet has an override on the winch and you can use a spare line to remove the load while you remove the override. Thanks

Good video, and it is a good for demonstration, but if there is any chance of the load pulling before you are ready, you should not put your fingers through the knots like in the sheet bend demonstration.

‘Carpe Diem’ - fish of the day?

When tying a bowline, can you go the wrong way around the tree?

Knots and Splices by Cyrus L Day

Great demonstration! I know there is a way to tie a bowline with just one hand and it is meant to be done for safety (for example you fall in the water and can grab a line with one hand while you hold to the boat with the other hand). I see the value of it but I never mastered it. Maybe you can demonstrate it. Thank you!

Fun fact: The bowline is called "the dragons noose" in czech and the story goes: The dragon flew out of the lake, around the tower and back into the lake.

Silly question...what thickness of rope is that, and where can I get it? Practice rope online seems to always be really skinny and short, and not real rope (or it comes with a built in loop).

8:01 memory jog: “bite the big one”

Everyone who ties their shoes properly knows the reefknot without knowing it. Just foregoe the slips

2:46 Then Call Direct-Line

👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

Everyone knows the reef knot, tying shoes for example, albeit with some extra bites.

Is that a Rolex? Looks like it

The Rabbit Hole Knot.

Reef knot should not be used as a bend, even if the lines are the same diameter. There's just never a reason to use it as a bend, and excellent reasons not to use it. Only for reefing sails, or, binding shoes or sacks or so.

Most people teach the bowline a bit different. The free part should be outside not inside the hole for several reasons.

Tying knots like these everyday, makes my job as a deckhand intriguing!! and everyday I experiment a new one and gets myself more fascinated to become enthusiastic about my job!!!😁😁😁😁