[jyl]

In a lake cabin for the coming week, figure I should cut some cord from the hank I keep with the kayaks and practice knots. And learn knots. But which knots?

So, here is my PRIMARY question for you all:

If you could only know FIVE knots, which knots would they be, and for each knot you’ve chosen, what task(s) is it used for and why did you choose that knot as best for that task?

And if you will, a SECONDARY question:

What are the five knots you would know for
- General daily life
- Outdoors
- Fishing
- Boating

I ask this as someone who can only seem to remember a few knots. When I was a kid I had a knot book and learned many knots, but they’ve all gone like dust in the wind. As I sit here today, I could probably tie a bowline, a figure eight, a clove hitch, a trucker’s hitch, a fisherman’s knot, a dropper loop of some sort. If I had to splice two lines . . ., I’d probably do repeated overhand loops with each line around the other; I don’t know a splicing knot. If I had to make an emergency rescue sling . . . I’d probably make a big bowline on a bight and watch the victim fall to their death; I don’t know a real sling knot. If I had to tie a fly on a leader . . . i’ve got that covered. If I had to tie a package . . . I’d make a big old mess.