10 Boating Knot Terms You Should Know

Unless you plan on never ever using your boat, you need to master the art of tying boat knots. 

Just as you have to learn port from starboard to pilot a boat, you should also know the basic terminology that is used for tying ropes and dock lines into knots. 

Boating Knot Terminology

Working End: The end of a line or rope that is used to make the knot. Also called the running end or tag end.

Standing End: The opposite end of a line or rope to the working end.

Standing Part: The line or rope between the working and standing ends.

If you were to tie a rope to a boat cleat, the working end would be the end used to make the knot that secures the rope around the cleat; the standing end would be the end of the rope resting on the ground; and the standing part would be the length of rope in between both ends.

Bight: A U-shaped bend in a piece of rope made by doubling the line or rope back on itself.

Overhand Loop: A loop made by the working end crossing over the top of the standing part of a line or rope.

Underhand Loop: A loop made by the working end crossing under the standing part of a line or rope. Alternatively, an underhand loop is a circular shape made by the standing end crossing over the standing part of a line or rope.

If you were to lay a piece of rope across the palm of your hand, then brought the rope back across your palm from the direction it came, the resulting bend in the rope would be a bight. If you were to twist the bight 180°, one of the ends of the rope would cross over the other and you would have made a loop. 

Crossing Point: The point at which the standing part of a line or rope crosses over itself, such as when a loop is made.

Elbow: Two crossing points close to one another.

If you were to twist a bight 180°, you would make a single crossing point. If you were to then twist the bight another 180°, a second crossing point would be made. This double crossing point would be an elbow. 

Turn: A single loop made around an object with the working end continuing in the direction it was originally traveling.

Round Turn: A double loop made around an object with the working end returning in the direction it came from.

If you were to take a rope, wrap it 360° around a post so that the working end was on the far side and the standing end on the near side, it would be a turn. If you were to continue wrapping the rope around a post so that the working end returned to the near side, it would be a round turn.

Having a basic understanding of these boating knot terms is a good first step toward learning how to tie effective knots when berthing or docking your boat.