Knots
A good seaman's knot must be easy to tie, hold securely, and still come undone after heavy load.
Figure-Eight Knot
The figure-eight knot is a stopper knot tied at the end of sheets and halyards so that they cannot run out of blocks or fairleads. It can be untied easily even after high load.
Reef Knot (Square Knot)
The reef knot (also called square knot) joins the ends of two lines of the same diameter that are not under continuous load (e.g. for tying up the sail when reefing). With lines of very different thickness or under varying load it can slip open and should therefore never be used for joining load-bearing lines.
Sheet Bend
The single and double sheet bend join two lines of different thickness. The thinner line is led around the bight of the thicker one. With the double sheet bend the thinner line is wrapped a second time around the bight, which makes the connection more secure and slip-resistant, especially with smooth or unequal lines.
Bowline
The bowline (also called the "king of knots") creates a fixed, non-slipping loop at the end of a line. It is used for mooring, attaching sheets to a sail, or forming a rescue loop. It can be untied easily even after heavy load.
Clove Hitch
The clove hitch is used for fastening a line to a round object such as a post, a railing, or a spar. It only holds securely under steady pull and should be backed up with a half hitch.
Anchor Bend (Fisherman's Bend)
The anchor bend is used to attach a line to a ring, for example the anchor ring. It consists of two round turns through the ring and a clove hitch around the standing part. The anchor line should always be shackled to the anchor rather than fastened with an anchor bend, so that the breaking strength of the line is not reduced.
Cleating a Line
A cleat is made fast by leading the line once around the base of the cleat and then laying at least two figure-eight turns over the horns. A locking hitch finishes the cleat, but on very smooth lines or under high load it can be omitted to avoid jamming.