God I'm rubbish at knots!

lisilou

lisilou

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Just doing the online DS theory but Oh my word...I can't remember how to tie knots to save my life. I'm sure my neighbours think I'm nuts seeing me sat here, ropes in hand saying aloud to myself 'over, under, under, over, thru' etc etc. Lol
Quite enjoyable tho even tho I've got the attention span of a gnat!
L
:)
 
lisilou said:
Just doing the online DS theory but Oh my word...I can't remember how to tie knots to save my life. I'm sure my neighbours think I'm nuts seeing me sat here, ropes in hand saying aloud to myself 'over, under, under, over, thru' etc etc. Lol
Quite enjoyable tho even tho I've got the attention span of a gnat!
L
:)
Click to expand...

How come you are tying knots on a theory course?:confused:
Good way to learn is to get some 'string' and a stick
Click on nautical knots or summatt on 'You Tube' and go along with the Tutorial
Better than watching Soaps
:D
 
lisilou said:
Just doing the online DS theory but Oh my word...I can't remember how to tie knots to save my life. I'm sure my neighbours think I'm nuts seeing me sat here, ropes in hand saying aloud to myself 'over, under, under, over, thru' etc etc. Lol
Quite enjoyable tho even tho I've got the attention span of a gnat!
L
:)
Click to expand...

bookmark this on your ithingy http://www.animatedknots.com/indexboating.php
 
lisilou said:
Just doing the online DS theory but Oh my word...I can't remember how to tie knots to save my life. I'm sure my neighbours think I'm nuts seeing me sat here, ropes in hand saying aloud to myself 'over, under, under, over, thru' etc etc. Lol
Quite enjoyable tho even tho I've got the attention span of a gnat!
L
:)
Click to expand...

If you can't tie knots then just tie lots or follow kwakers advice
Tim
 
Kwackers...I can recognise them on paper and know what they're good for re the theory tests but it bugs me not being able to do them so just had to get the ropes out and try them. Stamped my feet after a while coz to me it was like doing maths equations lol.
You tube is great for sure.
Mark...thanks for that link.
Tim...that's what I usually end up doing...lots of over and under and thrus then just pull tight!
L
:)
 
lisilou said:
Kwackers...I can recognise them on paper and know what they're good for re the theory tests but it bugs me not being able to do them so just had to get the ropes out and try them. Stamped my feet after a while coz to me it was like doing maths equations lol.
You tube is great for sure.
Mark...thanks for that link.
Tim...that's what I usually end up doing...lots of over and under and thrus then just pull tight!
L
:)
Click to expand...

Ah, if you can't tie knots
.
.
.
..

.
.tie lots!
 
When I was apprentice bosun insisted that knots had to be tied behind your back.

Bosun had been a dekkie during the Battle of the Atlantic, reasoning was that one day being able to tie a specific knot as second nature could save a life.

When my son told the rest of the crew at his lifeboat station what his dad could do they thought he was telling a porky, ended up with silly game in the pub one night with them calling out the knots and me twiddling away with string behind my back.

Walked into the pub some months later and discovered that it had turned into a bit of a competiton..
 
lisilou said:
I'd love to beable to do any knot without thinking...I struggle remembering a bloody clove hitch!
L
:(
Click to expand...

Back in the dark ages read with some pride German account of the Battle of North Cape, apart from the ship handling expertise of our destroyer commanders Germans were amazed at the bravery and skill of British seamen who risked their own lives plucking survivors from freezing Artic waters placing bowlines around barely concious fellow seafarers whilst themselves hanging from climbing nets rigged over the ship sides.
 
Ahh a bowline...yep threw that one on the floor and stamped on it too! grrrr
;)
(and apparently it's pronounced bolin?? WHY???)
 
I just did the (*cough* sailing) course a couple of weeks ago (and for motor a year ago), so I could get all the ICC ticks in the box. This year, I just couldn't do the knots that I was fine with last year. Crazy!

I was practicing each one the night before 20 times each, but the next day I still couldn't do them, until day 4 that is when I finally cracked it...then we suddenly needed a bowline tied upside down and I was stuck again. Everybody has their own way of doing them and once it is in long term memory, that is it...until you forget it again.

I share your frustration.
 
I can agree, I joined the fire service in 1990 and didn't know how to tie a single knot, I was hoping to get through my career without doing so, at fire service collage we had knot day, which was just that and a week later we did the same knots in a dark room and had to pass to complete the course. I spent a whole week learning from a book to do the knots and learnt the bowline so well I could do it blindfolded. The problem was I could do it so quick and easy but wrong.

I learnt what I thought was right from the diagram but got one bit wrong and learnt it so every time I did it I did it wrong. 10 yrs later I ended up as an instructor teaching cadets to do knots.

The best way is with someone who can see the knot is right when you have done it, I'm sure you tube will have them step by step but someone Should be there to check

Good luck
 
I think the easiest way is to look at the small range of knots which are most useful: bowline, clove hitch, round turn and two half hitches, sheet bend, square knot, figure of eight.

Work out why you might use each one on the boat and then go practise on the boat.

For example, bowline: useful for making a loop in the end of a rope. Why is it useful? Tons of reasons. One example: attaching line to cleat.
 
Tender_aft said:
I just did the (*cough* sailing) course a couple of weeks ago (and for motor a year ago), so I could get all the ICC ticks in the box. This year, I just couldn't do the knots that I was fine with last year. Crazy!
Click to expand...

You and me both... done coastal skipper theory too, and I still forget the damn knots with the excpetion of a clove hitch and round turn and two half hitches... :D

benjenbav said:
bowline: useful for making a loop in the end of a rope. Why is it useful? Tons of reasons. One example: attaching line to cleat.
Click to expand...

Always end up doing a loop knot....
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