The Ultimate Guide to Sailing Knots

One of the most important skills to learn as a sailor is the art of knot tying. Knots can be used for so many things across the board. Fishing, crabbing, mooring, docking, sailing, anchoring and even saving lives on the water, just to name a few. A good knot verses a poorly tied knot could mean the difference of your boat floating away in the middle of the night or staying safely secured to the dock or mooring. This visual guide from the team at SeattleYachts.com illustrates 16 of most commonly used boat knots in the nautical world.

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The half hitch is the first knot represented on the guide and it is touted as the quickest and easiest knot in the boating and sailing world. It is commonly the start of many other knots, like the double half hitch which is a more secure version its original. This knot can help keep boats securely tied to their docks without worry of slippage. The anchor hitch is another important knot represented on this graph. All boats need to use an anchor from time to time and this knot is made to hold heavy loads and also stay tight when there is slack in the line. Knowing the basics of knot tying is also a good survival skill to have. Knots can be used in shelter building, fishing and foraging for food, and even lassos like the bowline, which can be thrown into the water to help save someone who can’t swim. Try your hand at some of these sailboat knots on this visualization and see how your skills compare.