Knots

Knowing these basic knots will make you more useful as a sailing companion. Next time you go out sailing with a friend, take a charter, or join a flotilla, you’ll feel more comfortable helping out around the boat when it’s time to put fenders out, tie up to the dock, or make a line fast.

1. Bowline (Καντιλίτσα)

The bowline is the king of sailing knots. Briefly, the bowline is way of turning the end of your line into a loop. Why is this useful? You can tie it around a post or other fixed object to make the line fast, or on smaller boats it is used fasten the halyard to the sail. It can also be used to tie two lines together. It has a number of practical uses. Under pressure the bowline tightens, so it won’t give way. However, note that it’s impossible to untie while bearing a load!

2. Clove Hitch (Ψαλιδιά)

A clove hitch is an extremely useful and quick knot. It has the advantage of being very quick to tie and untie, but it doesn’t hold nearly as well as the bowline. On sailboats, one of its most common uses is hanging the fenders over the side as you come in to dock.

3. Cleat Hitch (Δέσιμο στο κοτσανέλο)

This type of knot is designed especially for one purpose, and I bet you can guess what that is. If you said, “Making the line fast to a cleat,” you were correct. As you might imagine, this is used all the time on a sailboat, whether you’re docking, towing a dinghy, or rigging a preventer. Knowing how to do it will make you a much handier sailing companion!

4. Square knot (Σταυρόκομπος)

A simple knot used for coupling ropes (same size ropes). There are many variations, for example, for binding ropes of different thicknesses. This knot you can use when towing a vessel to link the ends of your and the towed yacht.

5. Sheet Bend (Ποδόδεσμος)

Many sailors use a sheet knot when tying two lines together, but these often come loose when not under load. The sheet bend is more secure, is easy to untie and works much better when two lines of unequal diameter need to be tied together.

6. Figure 8 knot (Οκτάρι)

The figure eight is used as a stopper knot that can easily be undone. It’s most often used to keep a line from sliding away and should never be used for bearing a load.

7. Rolling Hitch (winch override)

The winch override, or riding turn, often occurs when the lead angle to the winch is not correct (the line being trimmed should be lead to the winch on a slightly upward angle). It can also happen if the line is eased too quickly, or without care. Once the override occurs, and the jammed line is under load, it can be difficult to clear. The method shown in this video is the safest way to free the line, and with a bit of practice, it can be rigged and implemented quickly and easily.

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