| Effective and rapid knot tying as part of your sailboat | | | | a few seconds, particularly if there is no one on the |
| voyage planning is a very important skill set to learn | | | | dock to help you. So you need to be able to throw the |
| and to practice continually until it becomes automatic - | | | | line around smartly and secure your vessel |
| which knot to select for any given task and then be | | | | immediately. |
| able to tie it quickly. It is a fascinating subject and you | | | | Once your yacht is secure fore and aft, then you can |
| will find that you will become obsessed with being able | | | | go about confidently and comfortably adjusting all of |
| to tie all kinds of nautical knots easily and fast. | | | | your lines to make your boat snug and secure. |
| As suggested in a previous blog I recommend that you | | | | With practice, from this manual, you will be able to |
| purchase a suitable length (say 1.5metres) of soft | | | | carry out this procedure in ten seconds flat or even |
| braided rope, 6 to 8mm. diameter and set it up on the | | | | less! don't believe me? then set up your line on the |
| back rail of a chair, towel rail or bed end so it is in | | | | back of a chair and practice till you can. You will find |
| position permanently. Every time you go past, grab the | | | | you can get to twenty seconds quite easily, then |
| rope and tie a knot or two. This way, you will soon find | | | | fifteen seconds. It will take a little longer to pare off |
| you can tie several basic knots very quickly. | | | | that last five seconds to get down to ten, but with a |
| The other day I came across this informative little kit | | | | little time and patience, you will. |
| on knot tying. It consists of a manual and a DVD | | | | The kit goes on showing you how to tie the |
| showing how to tie a wide range of knots. The clarity | | | | Fisherman's Bend, Clove Hitch, Rolling Hitch and Sheet |
| is excellent and the step by step process on the DVD | | | | Bend. Many other knots are included and then it moves |
| makes it very simple to follow. | | | | onto lashings, whippings and splicing |
| The 180 minute DVD takes it all to a higher level again | | | | Once you have caught the bug, you will want to go on |
| with visual step by step demonstrations in slow motion, | | | | and learn all of these knots. The author, Egmont Friedl |
| so you can easily follow and have time to make | | | | has been tying knots since he was lad and runs many |
| adjustments as you go. A simple click on your mouse | | | | seminars on this subject. You can visit him on his |
| stops the frame whilst you check you are tying | | | | website and learn much more on this fascinating and |
| correctly before proceeding to the next step. The | | | | essential subject for cruising sailboat sailors. |
| bowline, which is the knot you are just about most | | | | When you have really caught the bug you can scout |
| likely to use more than any other knot is shown very | | | | around for the all time doyen book of knot tying |
| simply. This knot you need to practice from all angles | | | | 'Ashley's Book of Knots'. This is a six hundred page |
| as you need to be able to tie it quickly, sometimes in | | | | volume first published way back in 1944. I have a |
| pressure situations, for example throwing a line around | | | | wonderful mint 1957 edition at home which sits in pride |
| a pile or cleat on a wharf/jetty/marina berth as you | | | | of place amongst my sailing books. A search over |
| are approaching, especially in a breeze or wind. Your | | | | time in Old and Antique bookstores should eventually |
| window of opportunity in these situations may be only | | | | unearth one. |