On a norwegian square rig boat the bowline surely is The Sailor's Friend, as it is a line going from the middle of the leech to a block on the bow to sharpen the sail when going upwind. And yes, it is tied to the eye in the leech with a bowline knot.
I was decking on a tugboat in New York harbor . We had a line cup to a large container ship going around a tightish bend into Newark bay. The 9” line parted. I had to get a replacement up quick ,so bowline it was. After the job was over Iuntied it just as you showed by breaking the back . I had to muse a sledgehammer to do it, but bowlines can always be untied.
Well done, Tom! A sailor can: tie a bowline; sail to windward; and sail downwind without accidental gybes! Oh, and anchor safely and then sleep like a baby.
Tom - Is this how longitude is determined ? You set your on-board clock to Greenwich time. At some location on earth or on the sea, you determine when the sun is directly overhead (noon), and read the time shown by the Greenwich clock. The number of hours shown after 12 noon (i.e. if it reads 2 p.m., that's 2 hours after) corresponds to the distance the earth has rotated in that amount of time. As the earth moves at about 1,000 m.p.h. at the equator, then we are about 2,000 miles west of Greenwich. If the clock showed 4:30, then we are about 4,500 miles west of Greenwich. Is this, in broad strokes, how it works ?
Curse you, Tom Cunliffe! After more than half a century of sailing, I’ve just discovered that I’m not a sailor, because I don’t tie my bowlines like Lord Nelson! But my excuse is that us Canadians have cast aside the last vestiges of empire (by the way, how’s Brexit going for you, these days?) and at least I can tie my bowlines behind my back, in the dark, and underwater. Keep,up the great videos. Writing to you from the sunny and warm (finally) Bahamas, aboard Aida.
I've watched a ton of videos by Tom and this is the first time I've noticed that he sounds like Michael Caine. When I was taught this knot, I was told to practice it until you could tie it blind drunk in the dark in a hurricane. I don't think you can call yourself a sailor by merely tying a bowline; but if you can't tie one, you are certainly not a sailor.
Some fifty and some years ago I was an young dinghy sailor and had seamanship classes with an old and smoky instructor, ex Portuguese navy Sargent instructor that taught generations of cadets on the ancient Sagres tallship. In his opinion, the bottle sling was the most important knot on board! Obviously we had to learn a few lot more. And what about some videos about the lost art of tying a boat on a mooring? I work in yachts every day. And nowadays, is rare the so called captain that knows how to moor.
Great video... never done the wrist twist method... I'm hanging on my jib and solent tomorrow... see if I can do this. Been doing the rabbit through the hole thing but is messes with your brain when you are doing the bowline in unusual positions.
Tom, A bowline is such an important knot that i think sailors should be able to tie it in different ways, for me i have a fast way, which is probable slightly faster then the way you do it and it is also infallible, but sailors should be able to tie it one handed using a method similar to what you are doing there. I learned the one handed bowline after seeing a friend do it at the mast when their other hand was occupied, i was very impressed and set out to learn it immediately.
Tom - I have read a number of old time seafaring books, and occasionally i see a new term. i can sometimes look them up, or get their meaning from their context. But one that i can't quite sort out is "tacks aboard". Here is part of a sentence "the Sophie was standing in with her starboard tacks aboard". I'm sure it refers to rigging. Could you clear this up for me ?
What an interesting question. It’s all about square rig. A lower square sail has two bottom corners, a tack and a clew. Because the sail is symmetrical they are interchangeable. the one to windward is called the tack. When closehauled, the tack is hauled as far forward as practicable, often right down to the rail, and the clew is sheeted right aft. The yard is braced round as much fore and aft as the shrouds allow, to follow suite. With a multi-masted vessel, there are as many tacks as masts. Thus, when a square rigger is hard on the wind, her tacks will be aboard. When she goes about, her tacks are shifted so the clew on the old side becomes the new tack. With the wind from the starboard side, her starboard tacks will be aboard. The term has filtered through to our yachts today. Thanks for such a great question. Tom
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns Thanks Tom. now i wonder about the term "aboard". From what you said, the tack is connected to the, hmmm maybe to the handrail, maybe somewheres else. if it's not to the rail, where else might it be attached to, and no matter where, isn't it still "aboard" ? if it isn't aboard, is it hanging over the side ?
Tom is leading the running end back inward of the loop. On this point there is an almost religious controversy: some think the running end must definitely lie outward of the loop, some are sure it doesn't matter which way. I'm doing bowlines for 60 years ( in German it's called "Palstek"), but I see I still ought to learn Tom's seamanlike method and the "l'n" pronunciation. Thank you.
Can anyone explain to me why a bolin is appropraite for a bowline...but isn't used for any other mooring knot? The stern line isn't, the stringers aren't. Only the bowline is tied using a bolin. Why? If a bolin is fine for a bowline...why do we tie around cleats using figures of eight and a cleat hitch?? Anyone?? I just don't get this....
I very respectfully differ on how to memorize making a knot. I have poor motion memory about procedures, but great visual memory about how things clasp in principle. Thus I tie a bowline in random ways from any angle, but get the principle of a little loop and a big loop with that mighty locking clasp. Never ever does this result in a falling apart clasp for me.
5:00 teaching it backwards and then asking your student to flip themselves around is the wrong approach. When you are attaching a sheet to a clew you're always aft of it by order of operations alone. The first thing you do with a sail up on deck is attached the tack, then you'll run you hanks or thread your foil. The last thing you need to do is tie your sheets, you're going to do that facing the bow.
I knew this one would flush out plenty of opinion! I'm sorry you think this is the wrong approach. It worked well for me teaching for many years and for my colleagues too. Needless to say, It still works in practice no matte what hell is breaking loosed around me.
Okay this is bragging cause my dad said next to being able to use a hand tool in either hand these are knots you will use all your life. When I was eleven I learned the bowline, clover hitch, sheepshanks, round turn two half hitches, by 13 I added the Spanish windlasses and a timber hitch. Also learn to par buckle a load up a ramp. Not bad for a kid from the Midwest
Am I the only person left on the world who utterly hates the prevalent use of the bowline for attaching sheets to sails? One day, I'm going make a "using the sheet bend to attach a sheet" video, and maybe the planet will finally come to its senses about this issue! What do people think the sheet bend is designed for? Trouble is, I now use the "Erse à Bouton", as popularised by the Glenans sailing school, which is even better. Otherwise, a lovely video Tom.
No doubt that it does work as I have watched this clip of you doing it 50 times but still can't do it your way. Something about the point of view I think. Perhaps if the camera was over your shoulder.
I've been tying a bowline for about 40 years ( 5 of them the wrong way until Tom himself gave me a friendly earful as a young chap in a chance encounter on a pierwall in the south of England!) and I *still* throw my hands up in disbelief when I see Tom do it!! A thing of practiced beauty!
Apart from being taught how to tie my laces, this was the first knot my late father taught me.
My kids had shoes with velcro.
Hard luck for them!
Guess it’s time for me to leave the rabbit and learn to be a sailor. Thanks for the motivation and great lesson, Tom!
There are many awesome ways to tie a bowline. They are well worth learning:)
Nice one tom all your video's are always a pleasure to watch. Which ever way you tie your bowline is the right way for you
Hurray! I'm a sailor!!! Thanks for the video. Love them
On a norwegian square rig boat the bowline surely is The Sailor's Friend, as it is a line going from the middle of the leech to a block on the bow to sharpen the sail when going upwind. And yes, it is tied to the eye in the leech with a bowline knot.
I was decking on a tugboat in New York harbor . We had a line cup to a large container ship going around a tightish bend into Newark bay. The 9” line parted. I had to get a replacement up quick ,so bowline it was. After the job was over Iuntied it just as you showed by breaking the back . I had to muse a sledgehammer to do it, but bowlines can always be untied.
Cracking yarn!
Well done, Tom! A sailor can: tie a bowline; sail to windward; and sail downwind without accidental gybes! Oh, and anchor safely and then sleep like a baby.
Tom -
Is this how longitude is determined ?
You set your on-board clock to Greenwich time. At some location on earth or on the sea, you determine when the sun is directly overhead (noon), and read the time shown by the Greenwich clock. The number of hours shown after 12 noon (i.e. if it reads 2 p.m., that's 2 hours after) corresponds to the distance the earth has rotated in that amount of time.
As the earth moves at about 1,000 m.p.h. at the equator, then we are about 2,000 miles west of Greenwich. If the clock showed 4:30, then we are about 4,500 miles west of Greenwich.
Is this, in broad strokes, how it works ?
Curse you, Tom Cunliffe! After more than half a century of sailing, I’ve just discovered that I’m not a sailor, because I don’t tie my bowlines like Lord Nelson! But my excuse is that us Canadians have cast aside the last vestiges of empire (by the way, how’s Brexit going for you, these days?) and at least I can tie my bowlines behind my back, in the dark, and underwater.
Keep,up the great videos.
Writing to you from the sunny and warm (finally) Bahamas, aboard Aida.
I've watched a ton of videos by Tom and this is the first time I've noticed that he sounds like Michael Caine. When I was taught this knot, I was told to practice it until you could tie it blind drunk in the dark in a hurricane. I don't think you can call yourself a sailor by merely tying a bowline; but if you can't tie one, you are certainly not a sailor.
LOL! I was thinking James May, but yeah.
Was worried at first you were going to show I've been doing it all wrong for 40 years. Relieved to see my method matches yours exactly.
I loved the video! More knots would be great🙂
Thanks for the clear explanation with example. Finally, I can tie the thing!! How about an eyesplice. I used to be able to do them but no longer...
Some fifty and some years ago I was an young dinghy sailor and had seamanship classes with an old and smoky instructor, ex Portuguese navy Sargent instructor that taught generations of cadets on the ancient Sagres tallship.
In his opinion, the bottle sling was the most important knot on board!
Obviously we had to learn a few lot more.
And what about some videos about the lost art of tying a boat on a mooring?
I work in yachts every day. And nowadays, is rare the so called captain that knows how to moor.
Great video... never done the wrist twist method... I'm hanging on my jib and solent tomorrow... see if I can do this. Been doing the rabbit through the hole thing but is messes with your brain when you are doing the bowline in unusual positions.
Tom, A bowline is such an important knot that i think sailors should be able to tie it in different ways, for me i have a fast way, which is probable slightly faster then the way you do it and it is also infallible, but sailors should be able to tie it one handed using a method similar to what you are doing there. I learned the one handed bowline after seeing a friend do it at the mast when their other hand was occupied, i was very impressed and set out to learn it immediately.
I've no quarrel with doing it one-handed when it's appropriate. You'd better make a video! Thanks for the comment.
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns here is an example of a one handed bowline th-cam.com/video/Lo4gzw2mXEQ/w-d-xo.html
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns this is how i generally tie a bowline th-cam.com/video/1eIUZ_6QulY/w-d-xo.html
Tom -
I have read a number of old time seafaring books, and occasionally i see a new term. i can sometimes look them up, or get their meaning from their context.
But one that i can't quite sort out is "tacks aboard".
Here is part of a sentence "the Sophie was standing in with her starboard tacks aboard". I'm sure it refers to rigging. Could you clear this up for me ?
What an interesting question. It’s all about square rig. A lower square sail has two bottom corners, a tack and a clew. Because the sail is symmetrical they are interchangeable. the one to windward is called the tack. When closehauled, the tack is hauled as far forward as practicable, often right down to the rail, and the clew is sheeted right aft. The yard is braced round as much fore and aft as the shrouds allow, to follow suite. With a multi-masted vessel, there are as many tacks as masts. Thus, when a square rigger is hard on the wind, her tacks will be aboard. When she goes about, her tacks are shifted so the clew on the old side becomes the new tack. With the wind from the starboard side, her starboard tacks will be aboard. The term has filtered through to our yachts today. Thanks for such a great question. Tom
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns Thanks Tom. now i wonder about the term "aboard". From what you said, the tack is connected to the, hmmm maybe to the handrail, maybe somewheres else. if it's not to the rail, where else might it be attached to, and no matter where, isn't it still "aboard" ? if it isn't aboard, is it hanging over the side ?
I had to learn to tie it one handed in the sea survival class
Are you looking forward to the summer any plans
We'll be out and about
Tom is leading the running end back inward of the loop. On this point there is an almost religious controversy: some think the running end must definitely lie outward of the loop, some are sure it doesn't matter which way.
I'm doing bowlines for 60 years ( in German it's called "Palstek"), but I see I still ought to learn Tom's seamanlike method and the "l'n" pronunciation. Thank you.
Pålstek in Swedish
I'm sorry - I still saw the rabbit! 🐰
Can anyone explain to me why a bolin is appropraite for a bowline...but isn't used for any other mooring knot? The stern line isn't, the stringers aren't. Only the bowline is tied using a bolin. Why? If a bolin is fine for a bowline...why do we tie around cleats using figures of eight and a cleat hitch?? Anyone?? I just don't get this....
Mind, the larks head is a lot less of a faff on a jib.
Handsome devil!! ⛵️
I can tie a bowline with one hand, can I call myself a sailor?
I very respectfully differ on how to memorize making a knot. I have poor motion memory about procedures, but great visual memory about how things clasp in principle. Thus I tie a bowline in random ways from any angle, but get the principle of a little loop and a big loop with that mighty locking clasp. Never ever does this result in a falling apart clasp for me.
5:00 teaching it backwards and then asking your student to flip themselves around is the wrong approach.
When you are attaching a sheet to a clew you're always aft of it by order of operations alone. The first thing you do with a sail up on deck is attached the tack, then you'll run you hanks or thread your foil.
The last thing you need to do is tie your sheets, you're going to do that facing the bow.
I knew this one would flush out plenty of opinion! I'm sorry you think this is the wrong approach. It worked well for me teaching for many years and for my colleagues too. Needless to say, It still works in practice no matte what hell is breaking loosed around me.
Okay this is bragging cause my dad said next to being able to use a hand tool in either hand these are knots you will use all your life. When I was eleven I learned the bowline, clover hitch, sheepshanks, round turn two half hitches, by 13 I added the Spanish windlasses and a timber hitch. Also learn to par buckle a load up a ramp. Not bad for a kid from the Midwest
Knot a lot of people know that.
Why is a painter called a painter?
One of life's great mysteries!
It’s from the Latin “ pint it’s” for pendulum
Pintura
Am I the only person left on the world who utterly hates the prevalent use of the bowline for attaching sheets to sails? One day, I'm going make a "using the sheet bend to attach a sheet" video, and maybe the planet will finally come to its senses about this issue! What do people think the sheet bend is designed for? Trouble is, I now use the "Erse à Bouton", as popularised by the Glenans sailing school, which is even better. Otherwise, a lovely video Tom.
Practice doing it with one hand. You may need the other hand for something else.
No doubt that it does work as I have watched this clip of you doing it 50 times but still can't do it your way. Something about the point of view I think. Perhaps if the camera was over your shoulder.
I've been tying a bowline for about 40 years ( 5 of them the wrong way until Tom himself gave me a friendly earful as a young chap in a chance encounter on a pierwall in the south of England!) and I *still* throw my hands up in disbelief when I see Tom do it!! A thing of practiced beauty!