Various ways to tie bowline

[Eric H-L]

How many ways do you know to tie the bowline? I learned the rabbit and hole and tree version in Boy Scouts. Then I learned the better way (according to many) used by sailors and arborists. This involves tying an overhand knot and “capsizing” it to create the rabbit already through the hole. Recently I have seen an army method with “starting the car” and the “Arby’s hat” Does anyone use this method? Pros and cons? I have played with it a little and I discovered I can use it to tie a running bowline. I also discovered it is easy to do it wrong. This particular video is better than others because it is not wordy and offers check points to confirm it is correct.

 

[Mellow]

I've always used the rabbit method. The running bowline is my go-to knot for rigging limbs.

 

[lxskllr]

Rabbit here too. I've seen some pretty slick speed tying methods, but I have a hard time wrapping my head around them. I'm not sure doing it fast matters aside from looking impressive. Some day, I'll spend some time working on speed tying, but I like the certainty of doing it the way I've always done it.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Wabbit season.

 

[stig]

Cultural difference, here it is an Eel.

 

[SeanKroll]

I tie it similar to the video, but with an easier method.

 

[Treeaddict]

Cultural difference, here it is an Eel.

You call a bowline an eel?

 

[Burnham]

I use a speed method. Once captured in muscle memory, it's very easy. But watch someone do it full speed...not so much .

 

[lxskllr]

You call a bowline an eel?

I was looking up how to tie a bowline wrong(haven't found it yet), and ran across this...

If you are a fan of the movie JAWS, you might remember Quint's instructions: "Little brown eel comes out of the cave... Swims into the hole... Comes out of the hole... Goes back into the cave again."

Why did I want to know how to tie a bowline wrong? I was looking for a speed tying video, and Hunicke showed one that left the tail on the outside of the loop. I don't like the way that looks, and I feel like I've read where it's inferior to the interior tail bowline, but wanted to confirm that.

 

[SeanKroll]

That's what I do. No problems. I've heard it called a cowboy bowline.

 

[lxskllr]

I found this in the Tree Climbers Companion. Maybe that's what I remember seeing...

 

[Burnham]

I always avoid having the tail outside. Just learned to do it that way, for the reason Jepson notes.

 

[Knotorious]

I was looking up how to tie a bowline wrong(haven't found it yet), and ran across this...

If you are a fan of the movie JAWS, you might remember Quint's instructions: "Little brown eel comes out of the cave... Swims into the hole... Comes out of the hole... Goes back into the cave again."

Why did I want to know how to tie a bowline wrong? I was looking for a speed tying video, and Hunicke showed one that left the tail on the outside of the loop. I don't like the way that looks, and I feel like I've read where it's inferior to the interior tail bowline, but wanted to confirm that.

From what I have always read (regarding the Cowboy bowline that you said is the result of Hunicke's method), it is arguably more secure, but definitely at least just as secure. Howver, if you wish to tie a Yosemite bowline, it is considered to be more secure with the working end coming out to the left of the standing end (which results in a variant) versus the well established right side when finished. Neither form can be tied with a Cowboy bowline as the starting knot, which makes the regular "coming out on the inside" version of the Bowline superior if you need a life supporting lock off. Dressing the Bowline portion of the knot prior to tensioning the Yosemite finish is critical to prevent the knot from capsizing should the Yosemite finish come loose.

Then I learned the better way (according to many) used by sailors and arborists. This involves tying an overhand knot and “capsizing” it to create the rabbit already through the hole.

I believe this is called a Snap Bowline.



Additionally, here is a video I made on my channel about a technique known as the Overhand Loop Twist method, or more simply the Overhand Twist method. It allows you to create the overhand loop AND capture the working end all in one singular motion. I'm not very good at it, but you'll get the gist.

 

[Naturarbo]

I was looking up how to tie a bowline wrong(haven't found it yet), and ran across this...



Why did I want to know how to tie a bowline wrong? I was looking for a speed tying video, and Hunicke showed one that left the tail on the outside of the loop. I don't like the way that looks, and I feel like I've read where it's inferior to the interior tail bowline, but wanted to confirm that.

End tail outside can get trapped and cause surprises watch out

 

[Mick!]

I’m an end tail outside guy. Makes a cleaner visual loop.

 

[Eric H-L]

When I tied the bowline wrong trying to use the army bowline it was “more” wrong than a cowboy bowline. (Aka left handed bowline) Actually the cowboy bowline is also a real possibility with a snap bowline if you are careless. I have a cat sitting on me but I will post a re-enactment picture later. I heard somewhere that the left handed bowline was weaker. Not sure if that was true. I suspect that sailors had very strict rules for what was correct so they could identify who was a member of the real sailors club. Similarly, I saw a YouTube video of one cowboy teaching a greenhorn how to tie a square knot. Then he showed the student a granny knot and the new guy said: “They look the same.” The cowboy said: “If you tie this knot you are not a Cowboy! And everyone will see that!”

 

[Eric H-L]

This is a “Danger Will Robinson!” Bowline

 

[Knotorious]

Here's really cool slipped version of the Bowline called the Spear Knot. Here's the video I made for it... I explain why it's a Bowline in the video.

 

[Knotorious]

@Eric H-L That's basically a sheet bend formed into a loop which is what many Bowlines effectively are. Interesting! It has a fixed loop, nipping loop and crossing turn, so it qualifies as a Bowline.

 

[Knotorious]

There's also the Reverse bowline AKA Inuit/Eskimo Bowline. The slipped version of this knot is called the Kalmyk loop. The Reverse bowline is considered to be more secure than the regular Bowline, but it doesn't feel that way to me. It also takes load in shear (inside of the loop) way better than a regular bowline for reasons that will be obvious if you tie it. This makes it the ideal choice for securing girthy logs. It definitely feels more secure in this manner.

 

[Knotorious]

And let's KNOT (pun intended) forget the WATER BOWLINE, which is basically a bowline tied by forming a clove hitch around the standing end instead of just an overhand loop. It was more popular before the advent of synthetic ropes, back when natural rope would swell under water, making a traditional bowline hard to untie compared to this variant. It is still great as a water knot and I even came up with a method for giving it a "Yosemite finish." Although, more accurately, it would be a variant of this lock off, despite the maneuvers being effectively identical. It requires a new name due to it being tied with something other than an original bowline.



Sorry, this topic is kind of my area of expertise, but I'll shut up now.

 

[Mick!]

What is going on with the gloves in that vid?

 

[Burnham]

I've looked around some at online videos, and so far, I've not seen a depiction of the fast tie method I learned from my first climbing instructor over 40 years ago.

Since I don't have the capability to produce one of my own to post, I guess my method will remain a deep dark secret .

I will say, it's so fast you cannot tell what is happening at normal speed, and it's as easy to tie behind your back in the dark as it is under normal conditions.

 

[stig]

Sounds like the way I learned to tie a horse, back in my Idaho buckarooing days.
I'm still careful about keeping my fingers out of the loops, much to the amusement of my apprentices, who have never had a horse rear and leave them with a missing finger.

 

[Knotorious]

What is going on with the gloves in that vid?

The thinking behind the gloves was that I would create low to zero contrast between my hands and the black backdrop, which would then highlight the high contrast, high color saturated rope, making it easier to follow the steps visually.

The result: Many people applauded this on my channel, but most said they didn't like it, so I scrapped it. This was an earlier video that I did (six months ago or more).

Secondarily, I wore the cloves because my hands have a tendency to swell up (edema of some type) with no rhyme or reason to it. I was self conscious and figured gloves might alleviate my anxiety. It did, however, it resulted in criticsm...exactly how you being politely inquisitive of it right now.

So yeah, ask and you shall receive.