Sailing Knots

Maine Sailing Adventures
Knots to Learn The Cleat Hitch
What you will use to tie any line or painter to a cleat on your boat. You can imagine how many times you will do this one!

The Bowline
"The King of Knots!" Used to form a temporary loop in a line. (So you can throw it over a piling, for example.)

A Classic: The Clove Hitch
Very simple "utility" knot. Fast to tie, can be done vertical or flat. Use it to tie up your boat or dinghy to a post, and a must to tie your fenders to your lifelines. If you tie up your boat with this knot, make it temporary, as this knot can become loose.

Figure 8 Knot
Is a stopper knot - keeps the line from slipping out of things, such as a block.

The Reef Knot, or Square Knot
All kinds of purposes: The knot used to reef a sail, tie something down or for tying to lines together. Lines must be roughly the same size (thickness).