Knots

Yrvind talk about knots

Sailors can be snobbish, for example showing off to landlubbers about their knowledge of knots, of which there are thousands.

It is possible to sail with knowledge only a few good knots like the bowline, reef knot and double half hitch, but knowing knots for specific uses makes life for the sailor much safer and easier. A knot is like a tool.

A good craftsman has in his chest of tools some that he uses seldom, but when the need arises they make all the difference.

Also it is important to understand ropes and how to handle them and how forces are acting. This is part of seamanship.

There are thousands of books on knots, many of them good such as:

The Complete Rigger’s Apprentice by, Brion Toss.

The Everything Knots Book, by Randy Penn.

It’s also a good, cheap and mostly harmless entertainment, that I enjoy.