Boating Resources

Essential Boating Knots

Ten knots every boater should be able to tie without thinking, with step-by-step instructions and when to use each one.

10 essential boating knots

Practice at home with a short piece of line until you can tie each one in the dark. Always test a knot before trusting it with a load.

Cleat Hitch

Use: Tying a dock line to a cleat on the dock or boat.

  1. Lead the line to the far horn of the cleat and take a full turn around the base.
  2. Cross over the top of the cleat and loop under the opposite horn to make a figure-eight.
  3. Make a second figure-eight if you like.
  4. Finish with a hitch: twist a loop so the tail lies under itself and drop it over the horn.
  5. Pull the tail snug. The tail should lie parallel to the last diagonal.

Bowline

Use: A fixed loop that won't slip or jam: mooring around a piling, rescue loop, sheets on a sail.

  1. Make a small overhand loop (the rabbit hole) in the standing part, leaving enough tail for the size of loop you want.
  2. Pass the tail up through the small loop from underneath (the rabbit comes out of the hole).
  3. Take the tail around behind the standing part (around the tree).
  4. Bring the tail back down through the small loop (back down the hole).
  5. Hold the tail and loop together and pull the standing part to set the knot.

Clove Hitch

Use: Quick, temporary hitch to a post, rail or piling; holding fenders.

  1. Wrap the line once around the post.
  2. Cross over the first wrap and go around the post a second time.
  3. Tuck the tail under the second wrap so it exits between the two wraps.
  4. Pull both ends tight. Add a half hitch if it will be left under changing loads.

Round Turn & Two Half Hitches

Use: A secure, easy-to-untie hitch for tying to a ring, rail or piling under load.

  1. Take two full wraps (a round turn) around the ring or post.
  2. Bring the tail around the standing part and back through to make a half hitch.
  3. Make a second half hitch in the same direction.
  4. Slide the hitches up snug against the round turn.

Figure-Eight Stopper

Use: Stops a line from running out through a block, fairlead or cleat.

  1. Make a loop near the end of the line by crossing the tail over the standing part.
  2. Take the tail around behind the standing part.
  3. Pass the tail down through the loop from the front.
  4. Pull both ends tight. It should look like the number 8.

Sheet Bend

Use: Joins two lines, even if they are different sizes.

  1. Make a bight (U-shape) in the thicker line.
  2. Pass the end of the thinner line up through the bight.
  3. Wrap it around behind both legs of the bight.
  4. Tuck it under itself (not through the bight).
  5. Pull tight. For extra security, wrap twice to make a double sheet bend.

Square (Reef) Knot

Use: Tying two ends of the same line around a bundle: reefing a sail, securing a sail cover. Not for joining lines under load.

  1. Cross the right end over the left end and tuck it under.
  2. Cross the left end over the right end and tuck it under.
  3. Pull tight. Both tails should exit on the same side (right over left, left over right).

Rolling Hitch

Use: Grips a line or pole when pulled lengthwise; relieves a jammed winch line.

  1. Wrap the line around the pole or other line, crossing over the standing part.
  2. Make a second wrap that rides over the first, toward the direction of pull.
  3. Take a third turn on the other side of the standing part.
  4. Tuck the tail under the last turn and pull tight.

Anchor (Fisherman's) Bend

Use: Tying a line to an anchor ring or shackle.

  1. Take two turns through the anchor ring, leaving the turns slightly loose.
  2. Pass the tail around the standing part and back through both turns.
  3. Make a half hitch around the standing part.
  4. Pull tight. Seize or tape the tail for long-term use.

Trucker's Hitch

Use: Cinching a load tight: tying a boat down on a trailer, securing covers and gear.

  1. Tie a loop partway along the line (a slipped overhand loop or alpine butterfly).
  2. Pass the tail around the tie-down point.
  3. Bring the tail back up through the loop to make a pulley.
  4. Pull the tail down to tension the line.
  5. Hold the tension and finish with two half hitches below the loop.

Tied up and looking sharp?

Put your boat's name on the transom in crisp vinyl or dimensional acrylic letters.

Design Your Boat Name Boat Name Ideas

Knot instructions are original Name Your Boat content.

Also see: Nautical Signal Flags: the A–Z maritime flag alphabet with what each flag means.