Learn to tie a Bowline

[Wayfarer]

Is it plugged into shore power too?

Well of course, how else would you expect it to work??

 

[dhays]

I wrote on post 41,

"For mooring lines I do use bowlines and thumb my nose at splicing. Just not needed. And so many other things to do owning a boat. I use 5/8” Brait line for mooring/dock lines. 5/8ths dock lines for a 30’ boat is over-kill indeed but one of the main reasons I get away w bowlines for dock lines. The oversize is definitely good for abrasion and also it makes up for the otherwise weakness of the bowline knot over a splice. I even wrap the ends w electrician’s tape. Never ever use duct tape .. for anything. It’s for “ducts”.

Yacht club class ...... not.

But re the old saying “works for me” applies."



Here's a picture.

All those bowlines would drive me nuts and my compulsive nature would have me put spliced loops in each of those lines. I’ve never spliced 8 strand line before so that would just provide an additional incentive to try.

 

[OldDan1943]

Electrical tape, duct tape, ..... Just learn the easy way to wipe the end of the lines.
If I can do it, you can do it too. SMILE

 

[rgano]

Heat shrink tubing can work well when you need to whip the end of line.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Dave,
How so would they “drive you nuts”?
Are you a neat-nick?

Dan,
What I usually do w the ends of nylon line is to wrap the end tight and cut it off w a nice sharp knife w a square cut. Then cauterize the cut on the end w propane heat and the electrical tape still attached. Not duck tape.

 

[Comodave]

Heat shrink tubing can work well when you need to whip the end of line.

I use the heavy duty adhesive lined shrink tube for whipping lines all the time. It works great and with the adhesive it doesn’t slip off.

 

[FlyWright]

Brought back memories of my grandfather teaching me to tie a bowline when I was 5. "Now tie again behind your back, boy, with your eyes closed!"
"But Gramp, I can't even tie my shoes!"
"Never mind your shoes, Boy. Your grandmother will tie your shoes! But you never know when you have to tie a bowline!"

Great story! How old were you when you finally learned to tie your shoes?

All those bowlines would drive me nuts and my compulsive nature would have me put spliced loops in each of those lines. I’ve never spliced 8 strand line before so that would just provide an additional incentive to try.

I had to do it to splice my line to my chain. http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s42/respliced-anchor-rode-w-question-20516.html
It took a table on the dock, a laptop, a couple IPAs and about an hour. It turned out better than I had feared.

Heat shrink tubing can work well when you need to whip the end of line.

I used shrink tube on my dink's 1/2 painters and they've held up great. I'm impressed.

I'm seriously thinking about a series of 1/2 wide shrink tube bands spaced about 1/2 inch apart to allow protection with flexibility on my next Brait 8-ply anchor chain splice. I figure the gypsy might tear it apart over time but it's better than nothing. If it jams in the gypsy, it's simple to slice off.
Without it, the fray ends begin to show at the splice over time and use as shown in the photos on the above linked thread. (no pun intended...)

I've tried the painted on rope whipping to protect the splice but it wears off quickly.

 

[Comodave]

The coating on the splice from Defender looks like Liquid Electrical Tape. Several companies make it.

 

[Seevee]

Bunch of good ideas.


About 90% of the time I just throw my center line (attached to the boat) over a cleat or piling, bring it back to the boat an spring forward. The stern line springs forward over the cleat/piling and comes back to the boat to keep the boat from backing up.


I'll add a bow line and stern line and cleat hitch them on the dock and it's well secured.


I NEVER use a line tied to the dock and bring it back to the boat.



I want the last two lines to be totally able to disconnect while on the boat. Occasionally, I'll do a quick disconnect hitch if I might need a speedy departure.


Works!

 

[dhays]

Dave,
How so would they “drive you nuts”?
Are you a neat-nick?

Dan,
What I usually do w the ends of nylon line is to wrap the end tight and cut it off w a nice sharp knife w a square cut. Then cauterize the cut on the end w propane heat and the electrical tape still attached. Not duck tape.

Eric, I’m not a neat-nick. Anyone who has seen my boat in person will tell you that it is far from Bristol. My desk at work consists of several large piles. No, my compulsions seem to limit themselves to lines and knots.

While I still have some dock lines that came with the boat that have heat shrink on the ends, any of the dock lines that I have made are whipped properly. I also have a hot knife that I use to cut the end after they are whipped.

Yeah, I have a problem. ;-)

 

[OldDan1943]

The coating on the splice from Defender looks like Liquid Electrical Tape. Several companies make it.

LOL cant whip your lines? just tie a knot in it. LOL

 

[FlyWright]

The coating on the splice from Defender looks like Liquid Electrical Tape. Several companies make it.

Who? I looked far and wide years ago when I spliced it. Defender acknowledged that they use something but said it's proprietary. Never could find a retail source.

 

[dhays]

Who? I looked far and wide years ago when I spliced it. Defender acknowledged that they use something but said it's proprietary. Never could find a retail source.

Something like this. https://tinyurl.com/y2eqad6u

 

[Nomad Willy]

HaHa Dave,
Do you coil the ends of your dock lines in a perfect circle rotating it around?
I do it on rare occasions. Don’t remember the last time.

I think I have an independent streak.

 

[dhays]

HaHa Dave,
Do you coil the ends of your dock lines in a perfect circle rotating it around?
I do it on rare occasions. Don’t remember the last time.

I think I have an independent streak.

Hehe, I did at my home slip when I still had extra line to coil. Now, I just use soft shackles to connect the dock lines to the cleats. Of course those lines have a spliced loop on the boat end, a spliced thimble on the dock end, and the loops have stitched in place chafe protection.

 

[emilanderson]

My wife has learned to do the chain link thinghy with the excess line and hang it off the boat.

Drives me crackers!

My wife too!!

 

[emilanderson]

Indeed!

 

[OldDan1943]

That chain link thingie does have an official name but, I cannot remember what it is. LOL

It is good until the line dries out after being wet with salt water.
My recommendation is to make sure the 'link' are big and loose....

 

[FlyWright]

Something like this. https://tinyurl.com/y2eqad6u

That's the stuff I mentioned in the last sentence that wore right off.

 

[markpierce]

Bought my dock lines from West Marine: eye at one end and sealed end at the other. Not worth my time or mental effort to modify plain rope.

 

[firstbase]

That chain link thingie does have an official name but, I cannot remember what it is. LOL

It is good until the line dries out after being wet with salt water.
My recommendation is to make sure the 'link' are big and loose....

I believe it is called a chain sinnet....I think.

 

[eagle419]

We often find ourselves squeezing in alongside a crowd of working boats.

One time as we were clambering back aboard after a quiet drink at the pub, we noticed this knot that was holding two largish rafted trawlers, plus our 40 tonnes hanging three deep on the outside in a building breeze.

We added a couple of lines (with bowlines) before retiring for the night.

 

[dhays]

That's the stuff I mentioned in the last sentence that wore right off.

Oh sorry. I missed that.

 

[dhays]

Bought my dock lines from West Marine: eye at one end and sealed end at the other. Not worth my time or mental effort to modify plain rope.

No argument from me. My time isn’t worth a lot and some things I enjoy doing.

I’ve spent countless hours disassembling and reassembling inexpensive Russian watches just for the heck of it. Rather pointless. The same is true with silly things like splicing or whipping lines. I save money, get exactly what I want (or at least try) as well as spend some relaxing time working with my hands while listening to music. Part of the recreation process for me.

 

[BruceK]

I might draw the line at disassembling and reassembling inexpensive watches, but DIY splicing is a great skill my better half posses, and exercises when so inclined,much envied by the neighbours. The "Boys Own Book of Knots" I presented was ignored in favour of a youtube video.

 

[Simi 60]

I might draw the line at disassembling and reassembling inexpensive watches, but DIY splicing is a great skill my better half posses, and exercises when so inclined,much envied by the neighbours. The "Boys Own Book of Knots" I presented was ignored in favour of a youtube video.

YouTube vids are my go to.
Have several that I have downloaded so I can watch offline wherever as I make a new rope as required.

 

[DCDC]

More than you ever wanted to know about bowlines.

http://www.paci.com.au/downloads_public/knots/Bowlines_Analysis.pdf

The document is too large to attach. You can view and download from the above site with a document specific password (thankyou), which is given on their knots-public access page.

 

[firstbase]

More than you ever wanted to know about bowlines.

http://www.paci.com.au/downloads_public/knots/Bowlines_Analysis.pdf

And this is just about right handed bowlines. What until we start in on the left handed ones.

 

[dhays]

More than you ever wanted to know about bowlines.

http://www.paci.com.au/downloads_public/knots/Bowlines_Analysis.pdf

The document is too large to attach. You can view and download from the above site with a document specific password (thankyou), which is given on their knots-public access page.

Thanks for the link, being the geek that I am, I read it and enjoyed it.

Even more, I once again realized that in certain situations, if I am not careful, I will tie a sideways bowline. A sideways bowline has the same structure as a correctly tied bowline. However, what should be the standing part of the finished knot is actually creating the loop. When under load, a sideways bowline will tend to open up.

I can fall into this error due to the way that I typically tie a bowline, which is very fast. I take the working end in my right hand and grab the standing part with that hand and twist it around the working end. Then the working end goes around the standing part and through the loop created by the twist. This works great when tied away from the tip of the loop. If tied towards the loop it will give a sideways bowline.

Anyway, mea culpa.

 

[BruceK]

And this is just about right handed bowlines. What until we start in on the left handed ones.

And the gendered ones. I was unsure whether it was a rabbit or snake coming round the tree and out of the hole, decided it was a rabbit pursued by snake and didn`t matter.