Here are 22 knots for practical use in a maritime context. Each knot is a variant of 9 basic knots. So, in terms of learning, you can start by concentrating on these basic knots and then learn the variants.
In terms of assessment, the first five basic knots are part of the Sail Canada “Basic Keelboat” exam and the Transport Canada Small Vessel Operator exam. The Royal Yachting Association Yachtmaster program does not have a specific list of knots, but requires “knowledge of knots and their applications“. Otherwise, all the nodes on this page are expectated to be known for Transport Canada’s senior oral examinations.
Below, the nodes are presented by fundamental node category. The basic node is presented first, followed by its variants. Each knot is accompanied by a video showing how to do it.
Why learn so many knots?
Most seamanship tasks can be performed with five or six basic knots. So why learn more? Simply put, it gives you options in changing circumstances. Depending on your needs, some knots work better than others.
To use an analogy, you can probably build a house with just a philipps screwdriver, a 1/4″ wrench and a round saw, but you can hopefully understand that having a multiplicity of screwdrivers, a bench saw and several sizes of wrench will make the job much easier.
Of course, to have these additional tools, you have to learn them! Think of basic knots as memorization skills (and the best way to do this is to practice). Variations are “twists” on fundamental knots: you have to remember to make a small change to arrive at a different knot. In short, learning variants is easier when you know the basics.
The bowline knot
Fundamental variation
The bowline knot (fr.: noeud de chaise) is probably the most widely used of all. It is used to make a loop at the end of a rope. The knot makes the loop very strong and easy to untie.
The technique shown in the video below is the most frequently taught. There are, however, faster techniques.
Variation 1: the running bowline
The laguis knot (fr.: noeud de laguis) is a bowline knot in which a sliding loop is incorporated to form a lasso. The technique is useful when you need to tie a running knot and you only have access to one of the two ends of the rope you’re working with (e.g. the other end is tied to the dock).
It’s the same technique as for the chair knot, but you must remember to go around the useful part of the rope before completing the knot.
Of course, if you have access to both ends of the rope, you can tie this slip knot by passing the free end through the loop of a bowline knot.
Variation 2: the bowline on a bight
The bowline on a bight (fr.: noeud de chaise double) is useful when you want to tie a bowline knot and both ends of the rope are unavailable. You have to work from the middle of the rope.
The technique for doing this is different from the other variants of the bowline knot. Care must be taken when tightening the knot to ensure that it retains its shape. Otherwise, it may come undone. Once properly positioned, however, it is very strong.
Variant 3: Bowline with quick-release
The bowline with quick release (fr: noeud de chaise avec boucle de relâche) is useful for quickly untying a bowline. Like shoelaces, it features a loop which, when pulled, unties the knot. This makes it very handy for repeated work, but it’s also dangerous, as you have to pull on the loop by mistake for it to untie.
A practical use case is to attach a mooring line guide to a larger diameter mooring line. The mooring line guide can be thrown to a person on land, who can then pull on the larger mooring line. The person on land can then easily untie the knot and remove the guide.
Technique-wise, it’s the same as the basic technique, but you need to add a loop at the last stage.
The figure eight knot
When sailing, the figure eight knot (fr. : noeud en huit) is often used to prevent halyards or sheets from coming off blocks or guides. It is essentially a stopper knot.
However, this usage doesn’t do it justice: the double version of the figure eight is well known to climbing enthusiasts. It’s the knot with which we rope up and secure climbers. In fact, the double version is the only knot on this list that is safer than the chair knot. It’s best used when a person’s safety is at stake (e.g. climbing someone to the top of a mast). However, when it has been subjected to a heavy load (e.g. the person has fallen), it is more difficult to untie than the chair knot.
Basic variant: the simple figure eight knot
This is the version used to prevent sheets from coming off blocks or other rigging components.
In technical terms, the general idea is to tie an eight at the end of a rope.
Variation 1: Double figure eight knot
The double figure eight knot (fr.: noeud en huit double) is used to tie the rope to something (harness, hook, etc.). It’s very secure, but harder to untie if under load.
The idea is to start with a simple figure eight knot at the end of a rope, but leave yourself enough rope to be able to make a loop and then repeat the figure-of-eight loop in reverse. Care should be taken to ensure that the ropes don’t cross each other, so that the knot is as flat as possible. This won’t change the knot’s strength, but it will make it easier to untie.
Variant 3: figure eight sheet bend
Generally speaking, the term “bend” refers to the act of tying two ropes together. A figure eight sheet bend (fr.: noeud d’écoute en huit) is used to tie two ropes together using a figure eight knot.
The technique involves tying a simple figure eight knot on one rope, then reversing the figure eight loop with the other rope. Care must be taken when reversing the loop to ensure that the ropes don’t cross each other, so that the knot is as flat as possible. This won’t change the knot’s strength, but it will make it easier to untie.
This type of clew knot inherits the properties of figure eight knots: very secure, but difficult to untie if under load.
The sheet bend
Basic variant: simple sheet bend
The single sheet bend (fr.: noeud d’écoute), or simply the sheet bend, is the most common way of tying two rope ends together. It works well when both rope ends are of similar diameter. However, it performs less well when the diameters are different. It’s an easy knot to tie and untie.
The construction technique is relatively simple (see video). One indicator that it’s a good knot is that it will look like a bowline knot when finished.
Variation 2: the double sheet bend
The double sheet bend (fr.: noeud d’écoute double) is more effective when two ropes of different diameters need to be tied together. It’s the same technique as the single sheet bend, but with one extra turn. The large-diameter rope is the one with which you form a ring (around which you make the turns).
It is of course possible to tie a triple, quadruple and so on. This will make it safer, but I’m not aware of any case where necessity dictates additional turns.
The reefing knot
The reefing knot or square knot (fr.: noeud plat) is used to tie two rope ends together. It is not a safe knot, as it unties in the absence of tension.
As the name suggests, it is used in sailing to tie the reefed part of a sail after reefing.
The clove hitch
Basic variant
The clove hitch (fr.: noeud de cabestan) is the first hitch of the lot, namely a know used to tie a rope to an object (post, die, candlestick, shackle, etc.). It’s a quick knot, but not a very secure one. As soon as the tension is released, it tends to unravel.
Typical use is for quickly tying fenders during docking procedures. Once tied (or docked, depending on priorities), you may want to reinforce the knot’s security with a simple knot.
The video below shows the technique from the perspective of the person tying the knot. You can imagine that the blue tie-rod in the video corresponds to a sailboat line.
Variation 2: the rolling hitch
The rolling hitch (fr.: noeud de bosse) is a clove hitch with an additional turn. It is typically used to attach an object to a rope under tension (e.g. guy ropes). It will resist tension in the direction of the two turns. It is also possible to make more than one turn to make it more resistant.
Variation 3: the casted clove hitch
The casted clove hitch is a different technique for tying a clove hitch. The technique is very quick, but only works when you can pass a ring around the object to be tied. For example, if a wharf post has a free end. Otherwise, the knot inherits the same disadvantages as the basic capstan knot variant.
You know you’ve tied the knot correctly when you can see the typical shape of a capstan knot: two parallel strands trapped by the object and an additional strand of rope.
Variation 4: the prussik knot
The prussik knot (fr.: noeud de prussic) is a knot tied around a rope under tension. It serves the same purpose as the rolling hitch, except that it resists well to tension in both directions. When not under tension, it can be moved at will along the rope.
The prussik knot is well known to mountaineers, as it is used to make stirrups for ascending a rope. When the climber’s weight is on the stirrup, the knot locks and holds the person. When the climber’s weight isn’t on the stirrup, the knot can be pulled up the rope, allowing the climber to put his or her weight higher up the stirrup.
Its construction technique is simple, but different from other knots in that it requires both ends of the rope to be available.
The “round turn, two half hitches” knot
Basic variant
The round turn, two half-hitches knot (fr.: noeud tour mort, deux demi-clés) is used to tie a rope to an object (e.g. a post or a ring). Typically used to tie a dinghy to the dock. Making a “round turn” means that the rope must make one turn around the object. Tying a “half-hitch” means tying a simple knot (like tying your shoes). The name literally refers to the technique.
It’s safe if done properly. Care should be taken to ensure that the two half-hitches are tied in the same direction. An indicator of success is when the two half-keys look like a capstan knot around the rope.
The video below shows the technique from the perspective of the person tying the knot.
Variation 1: the anchor knot
The anchor knot (fr.: noeud de grappin) is similar in construction to the round turn, two half-hitches. However, the first half-hitch is tied through the round turn. Care should be taken to ensure that both half-hitches are made in the same direction.
The English name suggests its use: the knot is used to tie anchors.
The constrictor knot
Note: this knot and subsequent knots are not part of Sail Canada’s Basic Keelboat Standard or Transport Canada’s Small Craft Operator Standard.
The constrictor knot is used to attach a rope to an object. Construction-wise, it’s almost a clove hitch. But make no mistake, it’s a very strong knot… and very difficult to untie. It’s the kind of knot you might have to untie… with a blade.
It’s often used to tie objects together permanently. If you’re lost on a desert island and need to build yourself a tree house (!), the constrictor knot will come in handy for tying your foundation to the tree.
The alpine butterfly hitch
The alpine butterfly hitch (fr.: noeud papillon) is used to form a loop in the middle of a rope. It has several advantages. Firstly, you don’t need to have access to the ends of the rope to do it. Secondly, it allows you to make an attachment point in the middle of a rope. Finally, the tension on the rope is not transmitted to the loop. This last advantage is well known to mountaineers, as it removes tension from a damaged segment of rope during an ascent. The most common marine use is to use the loop to make a rope hoist.
The zeppelin knot
The zeppelin knot (fr.: noeud de zeppelin) is used to tie two sections of rope together. It’s a general-purpose knot, but is often used with large-diameter ropes (>2 cm). In terms of construction technique, the two most important points are:
- the initial loops must be on the inside of the ropes;
- the ends of the loops should exit differently: one should exit above and the other below.
Care should also be taken to pull sequentially on the ends and running ends of the rope to form the knot.
The sheep shank
The sheep shank (fr.: noeud de jambe de chien) is a knot used to (temporarily) shorten a rope that is too long. Both ends of the rope must be accessible.
The technique is relatively simple. Care must be taken to ensure that the segments used to shorten the rope are of equal size, so as to distribute the rope’s tension evenly. It’s not necessary, but it’s more efficient!
The Heaving line knot
The heaving line knot (fr.: Ligne d’attrape) is used to create weight at the end of a rope to make it easier to throw (e.g. casting a mooring line ashore). It can also be used for decorative purposes, at the end of shoelaces. It’s not a solid knot: its purpose is temporary and it’s easy to untie.
The heaving line bend
The heaving line bend (fr.: noeud de touline) is used to temporarily attach a rope to another rope (or object). For example, if you need to attach a guide to a mooring line, or tie a rope to a die.
References
Royal Yachting Association (2023). RYA Yachtmaster Scheme Syllabus and Logbook, retrieved online in February 2025 at this address.
Sail Canada (2024). Elementary Keelboat Standard, retrieved online in February 2025 from this address.
Transport Canada (2018). Examination service, retrieved online in February 2025 from this address.
Transport Canada (2016). Small Vessel Operator Competency Training Course – TP 14692 E, retrieved online in February 2025 from this address.
