How do you tie a bowline?

Hold the free end in my right hand with a couple of inches sticking out. Turn once round anti-clockwise so the standing part comes round my waist. Lay my right wrist on top of he standing part and move my hand one round in a clockwise circle (like teh queen waving) picking up the standing part and making a loop in it. Snag the free end between index and third fingers, draw into palm of hand, grab, pull firmly and step out of the loop formed.

For bonus marks, eyes shut.

For more bonus marks, behind your back.
 
Top to...

...From my first instructor.

If you are not sure sure which way 'up' the hole goes, the double check (as you make it) is that the top of the loop (hole) goes toward whatever you are tying it to. All my inexp crew(s) have followed this and never had a problem. Easy to remember too.
 
jimi said:
I’d just got the boat copper coated and new sail drive fitted and it was about to go back in water when lockdown happened. So got to put sails on and thoroughly test everything before we do anything. Haven’t been on boat for 5 months now.. longest time away for 20 years.
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Well, we bought our Bav 34 in September, had it delivered from Plymouth to Port Solent in October, and for a variety of reasons (mainly weather), we have seen the boat twice. We were looking forward to a considerable time away on it from April......and then the lockdown arrived. At 76, I hope we still have a few years ahead of us to enjoy sailing again.
 
JumbleDuck said:
Hold the free end in my right hand with a couple of inches sticking out. Turn once round anti-clockwise so the standing part comes round my waist. Lay my right wrist on top of he standing part and move my hand one round in a clockwise circle (like teh queen waving) picking up the standing part and making a loop in it. Snag the free end between index and third fingers, draw into palm of hand, grab, pull firmly and step out of the loop formed.

For bonus marks, eyes shut.

For more bonus marks, behind your back.
Click to expand...
For more bonus points, on the foredeck in a force 8 at night trying to reattach a a headsail sheet.
 
I had a colleague and friend who'd been in the Royal Navy and owned a very nice Sarum 28 (aluminium hull sailing cruiser). The only way he could tie a bowline was to pass the rope around his waist, tie the knot in front of him where a belt buckle might be, and then step out of the loop and adjust its size appropriately. Not recommended on a pitching or rolling foredeck!
 
Airscrew said:
If you are not sure sure which way 'up' the hole goes, the double check (as you make it) is that the top of the loop (hole) goes toward whatever you are tying it to. All my inexp crew(s) have followed this and never had a problem. Easy to remember too.
Click to expand...
Or don't worry about that and put the free end through the loop on the same side as the standing part leaves it.
 
Glad to see some people know how to tie a bowline properly - ie the twist the wrist method not the rabbit and tree that boy scouts do. End result is of course the same, but one is far faster and can (admittedly awkwardly) be done one handed if you have to use the other hand to hang on.
 
johnmcc said:
I had a colleague and friend who'd been in the Royal Navy and owned a very nice Sarum 28 (aluminium hull sailing cruiser). The only way he could tie a bowline was to pass the rope around his waist, tie the knot in front of him where a belt buckle might be, and then step out of the loop and adjust its size appropriately. Not recommended on a pitching or rolling foredeck!
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My mate likes to do it like that when he can stand on a bollard and drop the bight straight down. (OK if you are the first on the bollard, otherwise the bight should really be passed up through the other peoples'.)
 
I used to have to demonstrate it underwater if a student got it wrong teaching SCUBA, that could be interesting if someone just couldn't "get it"...
 
jwilson said:
Glad to see some people know how to tie a bowline properly - ie the twist the wrist method not the rabbit and tree that boy scouts do. End result is of course the same, but one is far faster and can (admittedly awkwardly) be done one handed if you have to use the other hand to hang on.
Click to expand...
Also, if MoB & a line is thrown, particularly if the casualty has a LJ, this is probably the only way the line could be tied around their waist (blind).
 
tudorsailor said:
The alternative and neat way is the slip knot bowline. Have a look here and ignore the stupid hat

TS
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I once had to tie a bowline through a ring on a harbour wall while hanging onto a ladder. Tying the slipknot in advance then passing the end through the ring with one hand made it easy.
 
fredrussell said:
The rabbit comes out of the hole, gets spotted by a bunch of do-good-ers who grass him up to the police for ignoring current advice re staying at home, but he ignores them and goes round the tree and back down the hole again feeling defiant.
Later that day, a YBW lynch mob, having spotted him via his AIS (animal information system) turn up and excavate the hole, catch rabbit and eat him for his sins.
Click to expand...
Point of order!
If you subsequently eat the rabbit it must have been a bowline on the bite.
 
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