knots.

[911 Rod]

I pretty much only use the Palomar knot for fishing. Never fold it over. Always go through twice. Why would you put yourself through that frustration?
It blows me away the amount of boaters that don't know how to use a cleat.

[BK911]

I use a square knot for pretty much EVERYTHING!
Hasnt let me down yet.

[KFC911]

I'll use a square knot for tying two ropes/lines together, but how do you use it on a single rope?

Boat cleats.... do you leave the excess rope curled up in a circle.... or just laying in a mess of rope? Sometimes I'm downright yachty

[BK911]

Not sure how to really explain it, but I will try:

When tying two ropes together, you use one end of each rope.
When tying one rope, you use both ends of the same rope.
Even if I need a tightening knot, tie the square knot so it has a little loop on one end, then pull the free end through the loop.
I am sure there are better ways, but its worked for me so far.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by KC911

I'll use a square knot for tying two ropes/lines together, but how do you use it on a single rope?

Boat cleats.... do you leave the excess rope curled up in a circle.... or just laying in a mess of rope? Sometimes I'm downright yachty

Here's a square knot creating a loop in the middle of a length of rope.

[RKDinOKC]

To tie to something use clove hitch.


If a line that needs to be able tighten the line holding something the taut line hitch.


Learned both in Boy Scouts.

[notmytarga]

It took about 40 min to follow a YouTube video and make this fob to ring the old family dinner bell. The bell was pulled from their riverside house before the new owners flattened the house for a McMansion. I spruced it up by cleaning, painting and shining the brass eagle. It now hangs on my parent's porch at the retirement place. The ratty shoelace didn't cut it.

[KFC911]

^^^ You rock ! The square knot "loop" above is cool too....

I'm betting I never use these two either ....

[masraum]

Originally Posted by notmytarga

It took about 40 min to follow a YouTube video and make this fob to ring the old family dinner bell. The bell was pulled from their riverside house before the new owners flattened the house for a McMansion. I spruced it up by cleaning, painting and shining the brass eagle. It now hangs on my parent's porch at the retirement place. The ratty shoelace didn't cut it.

I made something similar that my wife now uses as a keychain fob.

[KFC911]

One of my uncles (passed decades ago) used to call me knothead. I never knew what he meant tho' ... and I've been called worse

[Rinty]

I remember my late wife, many years ago, practising tying surgical knots on the arm of a chesterfield.

She was an ophthalmologist and you could barely see some of the thread she worked with.