We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Culinary

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is a Bowline Knot?

By C. Ausbrooks
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 12,955
Share

A bowline knot is a simple knot that forms a fixed loop at the end of a cord. There are many variations on the basic bowline knot, such as the French bowline and the running bowline. The bowline knot has been used as early as the Age of Sail in the late 1400’s. Then, it was used on square-rigged ships to hold the corner of a square sail towards the bow of the ship. This prevented it from being taken aback.

Bowline knots are considered to be essential knots that everyone should know. The first mention of the bowline knot in history is in John Smith’s A Seaman’s Grammar, published in 1627. He described the knot as being of great importance to sailors.

The primary use of the bowline knot is to form a loop at the end of a line. This knot can be tied, and then secured over objects, such as posts, or tied around the object from the start. The bowline is at its best when under stress.

The bowline is also a common equestrian knot, and is typically used to hitch horses to posts or inside trailers. The harder the horse pulls against the knot, the tighter it becomes. When a neck rope or harness is used, it is often secured with a bowline knot. In this instance, the knot is known as being impossible to loosen, even when being pulled upon by a panicked or skittish horse.

When sailing small vessels, the bowline knot is often used to secure a halyard to a sail or attach a jib sheet to a clew. The FAA, Federal Aviation Administration, suggests the use of a bowline when securing light aircraft. Ropes tied with bowline knots hold about 65% of their strength at the point of the knot. It can be tied in one of two ways, one used primarily for memorization, and the other a lightning method for rapid tying.

A mnemonic is used to teach how to tie bowline knots. To tie a bowline, imagine one end of the rope is a rabbit, and the other end, the standing end, a tree trunk. Form a loop at the standing end of the rope, and then bring the rabbit up and through the loop, or out of the hole. The rabbit then goes around the tree and back into the hole. Upon tightening, a bowline knot is formed.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
By discographer — On Apr 25, 2011

If I want a knot that is extremely difficult to loosen, I usually do a figure eight or a strangle knot. If I want a sturdy knot that can be undone when I want it to, I do a bowline knot. I think that's what makes the bowline so useful. Not only is it easy to do but it won't jam up either.

By anon62206 — On Jan 25, 2010

The bowline is also a standard knot used by mountaineers when tying a a rope linking them to another climber(s) for security.

Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-a-bowline-knot.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.