KNOTS & SPLICES

Bowline

The fixed loop that will not jam — the single most useful knot in seamanship.

INSPECT BEFORE LOAD · NEVER EXCEED WLL

Rope, splices and hardware are only as good as their condition. Inspect before every use and retire on evidence.

Specification

Type	Fixed loop
Strength retention	60–70%
Easily untied	Yes, even after heavy load
Suitable diameter	6–24 mm
Jam risk	Very low
Common error	Tail on the wrong side of the standing part

Technical parameters

Retention (typical)	60–70%
Retention (Yosemite finish)	≈ 70%
Tie time	10–20 s with practice
Tails left	≥ 10 × diameter
Best on	Nylon, polyester
Avoid on	HMPE / Dyneema

TieLoad

Overview

The bowline makes a loop that will not tighten under load and will not jam, which is why it is the first knot taught on almost every boat. Its structure is a bight passed through a small loop in the standing part, then around behind the standing part and back down through itself. Under load the loop holds its size; take the load off and it can be broken by a flick of the wrist.

The cost of that convenience is strength. A bowline retains roughly sixty to seventy per cent of the line's strength, because the rope turns sharply around itself and the load concentrates at the turn. That is a meaningful loss, and it is why a spliced eye is preferred where a permanent, strong termination is wanted.

The knot's famous failure mode is not slipping under load but coming undone when unloaded and shaken — the "capsizing" that lets a slack bowline work free. A stopper knot in the tail, or a Yosemite finish, removes that risk at almost no cost.

Safety notes

Leave a tail of at least ten diameters. A short tail in a slack line is how a bowline comes undone.
The bowline is a poor knot in Dyneema and other HMPE lines — too slippery. Splice instead.
Never load a bowline in a direction other than the intended one; a side-loaded bowline can capsize and release.

Using it well

Learn the mnemonic: the rabbit comes out of the hole, round the tree, and back down the hole.
Finish with a stopper knot in the tail so the knot cannot work loose when slack.
Check by loading it once by hand — a correctly dressed bowline sets without distorting.

Suited to

NylonPolyesterRescue workGeneral purpose

Typical applications

SailingRescueGeneral purpose

Figures are typical catalogue values for new equipment, quoted for comparison and planning. They are not a guarantee for any specific product or any specific load. Always work to the manufacturer’s stated working load limit and to the regulations that apply where you sail.

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