The only 4 knots you need to know... maybe!

[@jmac2543]

Best technical channel. Well done.

[@davidrichardson5163]

I am lucky enough to have a copy of The Ashley Book of Knots with instructions for tying all of its 3854 knots! My favourite knots (of many) are the Monkey's Fist and the Bottle Knot - for towing a bottle of wine behind a punt to keep it cool!

[@MrFormeypi]

Just found you guys, what an awesome channel, very informative helpful information.

[@duncanrothwell8225]

New to sailing !! We won’t ever get on a boat !! But the knowledge you impart , the interesting places you go to, the pleasure of watching a normal couple who clearly love each other and are such good friends , no shouting no exaggeration no swearing , just pleasant , to watch your adventures is so nice . Good luck and stay safe thank you.

[@svfairisle]

Thanks Duncan, very kind.

[@grahamatsea3575]

You don't want to buy mine then 😂😂😂

[@AtSeawithAri]

By far the two knots I use the most day to day are a bowline and the very humble round turn and two half hitches, mostly because they can be tied one handed, was delighted to see you include the alpine butterfly hitch also a personal favourite of mine. As many commenters have said, you need a bend or two in your toolbox, a double sheet bend or a zeppelin with the former being one you would want to know in the dark when its windy and cold. Thanks so much for the great video!

[@tanguerochas]

Thank you for showing the Lighterman's Hitch. I have used the Round Turn and two half hitches for many years. I have had a bowline, properly tied, come undone. Lazy jib sheet with a lot of wind. Look into Scott's Locked bowline. Your rolling hitch looks closer to a midshipman's hitch, which is a superior form of the taut-line hitch.

[@peterlanc1897]

Really useful, to the point, practical video. Well done, thank you! Perfect selection of knots. One thing I would mention in addition to the become undone and being able to undo is the load on the rope - ie how much you weaken the strength of the rope using different knots.

[@robertw.1499]

You guys are every sailing KZbinr‘s dream.Sailing channel, wonderful boat and the filming and editing skills to make it all look professional and entertaining 👍👍👍

[@svfairisle]

Thanks Robert, very glad you like it.

[@TheBeggFamily]

Very helpful! And knot just for sailing!

[@donlaight5943]

Great video, good refresher for those who sail part time. And now the government has just announced another 15 days of isolation, another alternative activity to contemplate.

[@radiusnorth1675]

For future "knot episodes" a little slower would be helpful, as like me, it is probably beginners trying to learn the skills and we are trying to process the movement of the rope, processing what a bitter end is etc. (yes fortunately we can slow the video down with youtube controls). Thanks for the quality , the effort and the knowledge you put into your presentations

[@lorrainenicoletti6232]

I glad u said it’s intimidating I’m new to sailing terms.

[@jondoh2226]

I have used the bowline for a long time but I have never known for sure if it matters which direction the rabbit runs around the tree...? The variations of the figure 8 make it more interesting, you can join ends (though there are better knots for that job) or make a loop. One reason to use the double 8 to make a loop rather than the bowline is the double 8 is easier to inspect and looks the same from both sides. Also the bowline can fall apart if it gets wobbled around without a load, depending on the rope type. Some more fun with the clove hitch: you can tie it without having an end but you need the end of what you are tying it to. You basically make two loops and stack them back to back with a twist. Then you slide the loops onto what you are tying. If you twist the wrong way you get a different hitch. You can tie clove hitches in series and because they are easy to adjust you can get them to share a load easily.

[@the_ayesha_khan]

Fantastic informative video as always Steve, thanks

[@simonburrow7607]

Excellent presentation as usual, will save to show visiting crew ( if required) as part of a passage briefing. Thank you

[@InArcadiaSum]

The Lighterman's Hitch is an excellent knot because it holds but never locks up under load. My main use of it has been towing broken-down vessels to their landing stages, where the need is to get them alongside and then quickly let go and stand off, while they tie up.

[@robertwilliams8974]

Very practical advice and demo.I just made up a joke that may amuse you and help while away the hours. Two bowlines and a ragged piece of string go into a bar ,and the barman says,"What is this.... a joke based on worn out nautical cliches and out dated seadog tales ?" And the piece of ragged string says,.....(Wait for it!) "I'm a frayed knot!" Oh well ....at least I tried! Cheers, Rob.

[@svfairisle]

very good!

[@johnspromovideo7901]

BREATH OF FRESH AIR ..... NOT A KZbin KNOBHEAD ...... THANKS !

[@SoundzAlive1]

Bowlines do come undone if the line is old, hard and smooth. Thank god you included the rolling hitch. I would have included the sheet bend for joining same sized and different sizes of line. André

[@willahearn]

This was a great video. Thank you.

[@terrulian]

I would say a sheet bend is a pretty important tool and not really duplicated by the other knots you've demonstrated. You can use a "bowline hitch" which is just two bowlines for the same purpose, but it's very bulky and slower to tie.

[@waynestokes9046]

Good knot to know for tying things down is the Truckers Hitch.

[@Gilespargiter]

Yes I was going to say that. Often known as a Dolly knot. From the way I have seen water/fuel cans and dinghys tied down it is well needed in sailing circles!

[@olafschermann1592]

Great tutorial!

[@silene2ontour414]

Funny, in Gernan the frog comes out the pond. Good idea to keep busy these days. 🙂

[@svfairisle]

Didn't know that, what does the frog hop around after he comes out of the pond!?

[@silene2ontour414]

@@svfairisle The frog comes out of the pond, runs around the tree and hops back into the pond. So the explanation how to tie the knot is pretty much the same but with a frog.🙂

[@kevinfisher1345]

Instead of using a clove hitch, I do another one that is very similar. Not sure what its called. Instead of both loops being opposite, the one I use both loops are done the exact same way. Which in your image of clove hitch would be the loop on the right. The one on the left is the exact same as one on the right. Or in other words after doing the first loop on the right, the rope goes behind the pole (just like it does on the right), wraps around and tucked back inside. This knot does contract and constrict, the more either end is pulled, the tighter the know will become. However, just like the clove hitch, its a good idea to tie the end off as it can work itself undone. Just harder to work itself undone, so its a more secure knot. Also no matter how much of a load was put on the knot, its still very easy to undo, just like you do with bowline by pushing down on the outer bit to loosen. This knot is even easier to do first and simply slip over a pole, but it can be tied around anything. To do it just by itself to be slipped onto something, just take a loop, pull down and towards you. So now you should have two loops on either side. Grab the inner two ropes and push the outer two loops away from you so that you now have two tight loops. The only time I really like using a clove hitch is when you have both long ends, in which you need the ends pulled in opposite directions. The clove hitch then tightens and pulls itself tight with both ends pulling the opposite direction into a really nice secure knot, yet is very easy to undo by simply loosening either (or both) end(s). But that scenario is not often.

[@barrymccrae7242]

Good video, liked the alternative stopper knot - hope life is treating you OK in the Mar Menor.

[@svfairisle]

Better today now the wind has died down thanks.

[@wynnroberts5388]

You certainly can tie a bowline knot one handed, ask any climber or abseiler. Great video, thanks.

[@svfairisle]

I'm sure, just beyond my skills!

[@lampshuk]

Nice video. You are brave to tackle knot-tying! I've not seen the capsized slippery-hitch method for a bowline before, but it does seem effective. I've tried to teach another short-cut way of doing them, but usually the basic version is what sticks. It's very interesting to experience how hard it is to teach knot-tying. Sometimes people will get it straight away, others need to visualize things differently, or just don't get it at all. I don't think that you actually showed the round-turn+2HH, which is one of the knots I use most frequently (or RT + a slipped HH for non-critical applications), and that gets my vote for "most boring but useful knot". But the most fun one must be the highwayman/smuggler's hitch. Bonus points if you post a video showing it used in the intended manner!

[@svfairisle]

I'm gonna have to look up the Smugglers hitch, intrigued!

[@lampshuk]

I think it's usually listed as Highwayman's. In smuggling usage, the last man legging it down the jetty with the Revenue in hot pursuit grabs the tail while leaping into the dory, and the momentum transfer as he lands pushes them clear just as the redcoats turn up.

[@piepirate4u]

Another knot I use a lot is the sheet bend to join two lines. Much better than a reef or square knot which tends to slip - especially when the two lines are different sizes. I commonly use to add an anchor line to my dinghy painter.

[@svfairisle]

Yes I agree, it's definitely going in the next knots video.

[@SV-DEDICATED]

right on time for me.

[@svfairisle]

Don't do it Roger... there's no need to tie yourself to the bedposts just yet!!

[@ashleyweston5420]

Great video, might be worth mentioning a bowline cannot be undone under even light load.

[@svfairisle]

good point

[@grahamcifuentes4451]

Good stuff, Steve! I would have added a sheet bend, for when things go astray, and one has to join a small line to a large one, or, indeed, to a corner of a tarp. The only one I didn't know was your rolling hitch. I have always used a timber hitch for that purpose. Yours is better, but, you silly begger, when it came to the critical part where the end goes under and through, your mittengrabbens were between the knot and the camera all three times!

[@svfairisle]

Got to save something for 'Knots 2 the sequel!' I'll try and keep my big mits out of the way for that one!

[@robertwilliams8974]

How are you guys going during this quarantine period?Hope you are ok. Cheers, Rob.

[@nickmalone3599]

Can you cover the tools you should have on board?

[@svfairisle]

Okay I'll have a look at doing that

[@stephenchapman8344]

👍

[@radiusnorth1675]

Sorry after watching a little further I see you did slow the tying action down. Thanks

[@philipdonegan9716]

I found/find the rolling hitch difficult to get right till I worked out to make it at right angles even if pulling in same direction. To try to make it in same direction can be confusing

[@svfairisle]

Yes the rolling hitch is easy to miss-tie I think. Important to get right if you're using it to tie on your anchor snubber as I do though. Great knot to have, it's held our snubber all week through 30-40knot winds.

[@jsvno]

Ok, i learned something, but there mus be a theory about ropes - the method of binding the end or the rest of the rope not to slip.......

[@ralphvandereb66]

perfect

[@goodq]

Thank you for the video. Why not a bowline on a bollard ? Just curious.

[@svfairisle]

Because you risk crushing your hand. Any time tying up to bollard you need a round turn to take the strain in case the boat surges out, if you're busy tying a knot at that point you could get a hand trapped.So with a round turn you're safe & can then tie off, either with a lighter-mans hitch as I do or round-turn-two-hitchs or something similar. Sorry If I didn't get that across in the video, I always miss something!

[@goodq]

Sailing Fair Isle I think I get it. This would be a nice add for the next rope knots video ☺️

[@emreg89]

Thx 🙋‍♂️

[@davidclarke7728]

Good video except couldn’t see what you were doing because you were too quick or your hand covered the camera except the buntline

[@svfairisle]

I can recommend Grog Knots for a really close look at specific knots, I'm trying to do more of a general chat about what knots might be good to learn and what they're good for here... www.animatedknots.com/

[@skating2entropy]

@@svfairisle Found the comment I wanted to jump on! You do a great job of explaining the "when and why" so I learned a lot. The place I think you could make this better is if you gave us the view from your chin, so we can see what you are doing AND seeing. Having that perspective can be really helpful is something I learned teaching my kid to shuffle cards. He just couldn't see it until he sat on my lap. Either way, I really appreciate this video and so many other you have made.

[@svfairisle]

skating2entropy good idea. Go Pro chin cam! If there isn’t such a thing there is now!

[@kobusvanzyl7222]

Reef knot?

[@svfairisle]

You’ve got to assume a tiny level of knowledge or these videos would be very long!

[@kobusvanzyl7222]

@@svfairisle I shared this film with my son given his sudden interest in knots. You will receive many compliments on your content through time from me however, after some thought I felt an urge to mention a criticism, since both my son and I had equal thoughts on the matter, so here it goes. At critical moments in the knot demonstrations your hand concealed what the eyes needed revealed and the skilled instruction landed vague on our eager minds.

[@svfairisle]

Yes a few people have said they found it difficult to see exactly what I was doing at times. Maybe I should have used a head mounted camera or something so you get more of a first person view. In my defence what I'm trying to do with these videos is to use these videos in conjunction with an animated app like 'Grog Knots' As I said in the video I find this is the best way to see exactly what is happening with the lines because there are NO hands in the way with animation. I find following an animation step by step is the way to go and the video is needed sometimes just to make sense of what is happening in the animation. For me this mixture is what works, give it a go.

[@kobusvanzyl7222]

It is amaising how quick these knots fade from memory. Just to let you know, I have been binge watching your videos trying to get from season 1 to current day in record time. It is a blast! For various reasons we retired early and are firs setting up house and farm in a strange country hoping we can hit the water in 2 years time. It is going to be a 30-35 footer integrated keel and skeg rudder boat. Wheel steer would be plus but a tiller gives so much more cockpit space. Hope to catch you at anchor some day.

[@michalslavik6124]

Good idea with the knots. I just would appreciate to see it close look.

[@svfairisle]

Hi Michal, yes sorry it's difficult to get the balance between really going over each knot in every detail and making a video about knots in general and their uses. I've gone more for the latter as I think that is what is missing from most of the technical on line knot sites. But if real detail on tying a knot you don't know is what you're after I would thoroughly recommend Grog Knots, you can have it as a free app on your phone/tablet or here online... www.animatedknots.com/

[@terrycastle689]

Doesn't help if you hide the rope and knot when you tie them

[@svfairisle]

Unavoidable I’m afraid when you film something like this. That’s why this video is much more about what knot to tie when, mostly when it comes to tying a knot you don’t know animated views are best, try the app grog knots, or their website... www.animatedknots.com/ no hands in the way so you can see where the rope goes, sometimes this doesn’t make sense without the hands in there I find though so you may need both.

[@svwhimsy2443]

You didn.t show any bends, connecting one line to another. Note a sheet bend is a bowline etc

[@svfairisle]

yes good point, i'll add one to 'knots the sequel!'

[@jsvno]

To fast for learning!

[@SecretSquirrel809]

Ever heard of pause and rewind? Even showed in slow motion can’t get any simpler than that.

[@moreinzenjering6727]

A knot is something that can be easily tied, holds securely and equally if not more important, can be easily and quickly untied under all conditions, otherwise is just a piece of tangled rope. Although very popular and frequently recommended, the bowline is the least useful on the boat, and if not properly used, a very dangerous knot. Except tying a person around waist or chest, throw it around a bollard, short pole or hook (something from which it can be easily removed without untying) there is little or no other proper use for it onboard. The fact that is easily tied, hold securely under load and that it is easily untied when unloaded has no significance on the sea, especially not on a rough sea, where quick tying and untying are equally important. The only way to tie and untie bowline under load is if somebody pulls the rope while you work the knot or if you grow a third hand.

[@svfairisle]

Maybe check how sailors tie their sheets on sometime!

[@moreinzenjering6727]

@@svfairisle Yes if they do not know to tie sheet bend or double sheet bend knot. Point is, do not use wrong knots for the wrong purpose.

[@svfairisle]

But that's exactly the point of the video. To try and show people new to this you don't have to try and memorise 50 different knots, because the truth is you won't and you're liable to get them wrong. So yes an icicle hitch maybe the better than a rolling hitch for instance for tying your snubber to your anchor chain, but not if you can't tie it at 3am in the dark! I will do further videos for more advanced knots for special situations. This video is specifically for people who need enough to get by. A bowline is not the wrong knot to tie the sheet to the clew of the sail you could choose another knot but there is a reason the 99% of sailors don't.

[@moreinzenjering6727]

@@svfairisle I am not disputing the point of your video, in fact, I agree that on today's motor yachts and sailboats you really do not need to know more than a few knots. My point is that you need to know where to use, or more importantly where not to use them. It is not about how you tie your sheet, you can use a stapler, for what I care, it is more about (but much more serious than your remark): do not tie fender with a clove hitch without tying the standing end or you will lose it. The problem is if you tie bowline to some ring, mast or anchor during the calm weather, you will not be able to untie it if needed a few hours later in a sudden storm or that anchor ring will eat through the rope. So when, as you said: "This video is specifically for people who need enough to get by" then give them some head start to know not only what to do but where and when too. They are not immune to bad weather.

[@-freespirit-3314]

I can’t see what you doing :-/ and it’s going too fast

[@svfairisle]

Sorry, there is already an excellent website that takes you through knots step by step with animations so didn't want to replicate that. I can recommend Grog Knots for a really close look at specific knots, I'm trying to do more of a general chat about what knots might be good to learn and what they're good for here, ... www.animatedknots.com/

[@-freespirit-3314]

Sailing Fair Isle - thanks