A double bowline tied in seconds.

[Norman_E]

A friend here showed me a very easy way to tie a double bowline. Easy to do but difficult to explain.
You hold the "tree" in your left hand, palm down, and the bitter end with a foot or so hanging down, in your right hand also palm down. Allow the loop of rope between your hands to hang down then flick the bitter end so that it swings around both the tree and the loop between your hands. Then, without turning yor right hand over, simply pass the loop in your right hand through the loop in your left and pull tight
It takes a bit of practice to get it right (easiest with a fairly thin rope) but once learned it is very useful.

 

[Blue5]

What we need is a diagram

 

[Norman_E]

I cannot find a diagram, and am off sailing in about an hour, and will not have internet for a few days. When I can I will photograph the finished knot, and post it. The technique came to me via a very experienced sailing friend here. He has only just learned it from a professional skipper of a superyacht.
EDIT I have now [image]

[/image] photographed it

 

[Malcb]

This is a Double Bowline

 

[Roberto]

agree it is a practical knot, and very... theatrical when it is prepared, it really takes two seconds and looks like a magic trick /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

I learnt it from a singlehander I once saw going stern to to the quay, make up two of those knots, then lassoed the mooring cleats on the quay: a show in itself, difficult to believe

I never found the knot described in any book, not even Ashley's one

 

[Aeolus]

What is the 'tree' refered to above?

 

[Brierley]

The 'tree' is the straight part of the rope that has the loop in it, that you would normally pass the end of the rope through.

When we used to teach the scouts to tie a bowline, we would talk about a tree (vertical part of rope) with a rabbit hole in front (loop). The rabbit is the very end of the line.

The rabbit pops up out of his hole, runs round the tree and pops back down the hole. Pull the knot to make it firm and you have a bowline! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Robin2]

So, in Norman-E's absence can you describe how to do it, in easy steps that I can follow?

 

[Sy-Revolution]

Like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESo9FZuIAHo

Wish he'd do it a little slower!

 

[H4B]

Why is it any better that a single bowline?

 

[jmh2929]

According to my book of knots the double loop makes it 70 - 75% stronger. Also if you study malcb's
Double Bowline you will see the original post pic is not one so what is it? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Leighb]

I thought a double bowline produced two loops? Or is that a bowline on a bight?

 

[jmh2929]

It would appear to be an ANGLERS LOOP[/url] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angler's_loop

 

[Adamastor]

It's the "wow" factor that makes it special. Also the degree of "WTF?" that it generates. If someone chucks you a line and asks you to put a bowline in it, the double bowline is just the job. It's seriously quick and easy- I watched Brion Toss "toss" it into a painter and learned it there and then!

 

[ditchcrawler]

I don't think this is a double bowline.As pointed out by others a d.b. has two loops.
I learn't this trick knot but found that it slips more with modern ropes.It's OK with trad 3 ply etc.

 

[jmh2929]

Try this eskimo knot suposedly better than the bowline. The two loops form a clove hitch and it doesn't jam http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_bowline

 

[Robin2]

Thanks. I captured it as an AVI file so I could play it step by step. Its clever, but I'm conservative where knots are concerned. If I could rely on crew doing 3 I would be very happy. Lets not confuse them with a new one.

 

[johnalison]

Very interesting; neither of your knots is what I'd call a double-bowline. Mine ends up with two bights and was supposed to have been used as an emergency Bosun's Chair, with one leg in each bight.

 

[cliffordpope]

I too have the impression a double bowline has two loops, eg for use as a bosun's chair. But if I am remembering my Admiralty Handbook Vol 1 correctly, one bight is for sitting in, the other goes round the back under the arms.

I can't wait to slow the bit of film down and get practising.

 

[Gunfleet]

no the 'bosun's chair' is a bowline on a bight, not a double bowline (i.e. I'm with kermudgeon).