2011
By - Scott Stillman
Hunter’s Bend 
Cleat hitch 1
2
3
4
Stopper 
Clove Hitch 1
2
Richard Bruce
Bowline Loop 
"Rope" refers to the manufactured material. Once rope is purposely sized, cut, spliced, or simply assigned a function, the result is referred to as a "line", especially in nautical usage. Sail control lines are mainly referred to as sheets(e.g. jibsheet). A halyard, for example, is a line used to raise and lower a sail, and is typically made of a length of rope with a shackle attached at one end. Other examples include clothesline, chalk line, anchor line ("rode"), stern line, fishing line, and so on.
Knot - Any Lump in the Line
Bend – A knot joining two Lines
Hitch – A knot joining a rope to something else
Loop – A knot joining a rope to itself
Square(reef) Knot - Never use it for critical loads or supporting people.
Nevertheless, the Square (Reef) knot has a (small) place on your yacht: you can tie the sail cover on to the mainsail or mizzen; you can tie the string on the present that you send home to make someone jealous; and you can tie the laces on your deck shoes (if they still come with laces). More importantly, the experience of tying a Square knot teaches the fundamental process of tying a half knot or half hitch. It is also one of the many knots used in macrame.
Hunters Bend - should only be used with two ends of rope which are roughly the same thickness.
Truckers Hitch - has the distinctive feature of providing a three to one purchase when being tightened.
Cleat Hitch - First Horn: Initially the rope must be led round the most distant horn of the cleat followed by a turn in the same direction round the other horn. Starting round the wrong horn increases the risk of a jam.
Heavy conditions: Experts confirm that the main animation at the top does represent a classical description. However, using modern ropes in adverse conditions they will usually include several additional figure eight turns to ensure that no load reaches the final turn.
Stopper (Figure 8) Knot - provides a quick and convenient stopper knot to prevent a line sliding out of sight, e.g., up inside the mast. Its virtue is that, even after it has been jammed tightly against a block, it doesn't bind; it can be undone easily. This virtue is also, occasionally, a vice. The figure of eight can fall undone and then has to be retied.
Figure 8 Coil – Reduces tangle, easy to throw, easy to store.
Clove Hitch - was, originally, included here with the intention of condemning it. It does have two giant faults: it slips and, paradoxically, can also bind. However, it does have at least one excellent application (though NOT in boating!):
Theatre Scenery: Thanks to Curtis Mortimore of Ball State University, I am delighted to describe its use hanging, for example, stage curtains from a horizontal 1-1/2" schedule 40 pipe. A clove hitch round the pipe allows the height of the pipe to be adjusted up or down very accurately by rolling the knot slightly. When "set" at the right height, a couple of half hitches are added for security. Paradoxically, this application illustrates the introduction - it can bind and it can slip! Note: For this application the clove hitch is usually tied using the end.
Slipping: I watched a friend trying to dock his 53' Hatteras. Each time the bow mooring line was handed to the marina assistant, he used a clove hitch to attach the line to the dock's post. The offshore wind was blowing the stern away so my friend used his engines to swing the stern in. Each time he did so the strain was too much for the Clove Hitch, which slipped undone. This process was repeated seven times despite increasingly forceful requests that some other knot be employed to secure the line. Reviewing the events later it became apparent that the assistant was using the only knot he knew.
The Sheet Bend - is recommended for joining two ropes of unequal size. The larger rope must be used for the simple bight as shown. It works equally well if the ropes are of the same size.
The Rolling Hitch - is uniquely valuable to take the strain off a rope with a foul turn on a winch. It can also make an adjustable loop in the end of a rope to act as a spring line to a dock.
The Bowline - makes a reasonably secure loop in the end of a piece of rope. It has many uses, e.g., to fasten a mooring line to a ring or a post. Under load, it does not slip or bind. With no load it can be untied easily. Two bowlines can be linked together to join two ropes. Its principal shortcoming is that it cannot be tied, or untied, when there is a load on the standing end.
The One Handed Bowline - is a useful and quick way to tie a bowline when the other hand is occupied or injured.
With the rope round your back, hold about half a meter of the short end of the rope in your hand. Hook the standing end with your thumb & tie a half hitch using your forearm. Pass the short end round the standing end and pull your hand out of the loop.
The Bowline on a Bight - makes a secure loop in the middle of a piece of rope. It does not slip or bind. It is satisfying to start with a plain length of rope and finish with a secure safe loop in its middle
Info stolen from:
