Special to the News-Herald

Knot tying.

When we hear these two words, most readers’ thoughts usually turn to Boy and Girl Scouts working with a tent to earn merit badges.

The bowline, the clove hitch, the &uot;sailors knot&uot; are terms that scouts routinely hear and understand.

The fact is however that anyone who operates a recreational boat or personal watercraft (PWC) needs to have a good understanding of some basic knots and their use.

I am not talking about intricate marlinspike seamanship so that they can splice, but the three knots I mentioned above, along with a couple others are good to know.

For those that own sailboats the need to understand the different knots and ropes onboard become a necessity for safe operations. More detailed knots such as a sheepshank or an anchor hitch may be useful. In addition, understanding knot strengths is valuable.

The need for basic knot seamanship goes back to the age of sail. The Coast Guard’s Electronic Boating Safety newsletter &uot;Way Points&uot; (March 2005 edition) pointed out that the historic phrase &uot;He knows the ropes&uot; meant a great deal to a mariner.

The newsletter pointed out, &uot;Today, in the modern world, this phrase means that a person is experienced in a particular field.

Originally it meant the exact opposite.

In the early days of sail, when you heard the phrase, ‘he knows the ropes,’ it was written on a seaman’s discharge. The phrase meant that he was only a novice, but he knew the names and uses of the principal ropes aboard ships. &uot; Interesting.

But what is an easy way to learn simple knot tying without stepping into a classroom?

Actually, it is easier than you think.

Two Web sites have done a very good job of taking you step-by-step through different knots. The first of these is Shooting Star’s Marlinspike Page at http://131.230.57.1/knots.htm. The Shooting Star page has broken knots down the different categories into: (1) the bowlines, (2) the hitches, (3) the bends, and (4) the stoppers. The site also provides detailed information on the relative strengths of lines and how you splice double braid.

Equally impressive is a British web site under the title &uot;Knots Gallery.&uot; Using information provided by her Majesty’s Stationary Office and UK Hydrographic Office (www.ukho.gov.uk) the tollesburysc site at http://www.to-llesburysc.co.uk/knots/knots_gallery.htm the site not only provides detailed diagrams, but gives some great background information.

For example, I clicked on &uot;Bowline&uot; and this site stated, &uot;the yachtsman favorite. The Bowline is best for forming a loop or eye, it doesn’t jam and it’s easy to undo if under load. Some people find the bowline easier learn by saying, &uot;the rabbit comes out of the hole, round the tree and back down the hole again.&uot; (A phrase made famous during the movie Jaws!)

Knot tying is a good thing to learn if you spend time on the water, regardless the size of your vessel.

Until next week…Boat Safe….and Boat Smart!!