This blog post was commissioned by Quba Sails.
Rope and knots have been onboard essentials ever since mankind first took to the sea. As seagoing vessels became more sophisticated, mariners used rope for increasingly complicated tasks, from hauling anchors and sails to holding down rigging; ‘knowing the ropes’ was a vital part of life at sea. By natural extension - given the need for ropes to hold fast, whatever the weather - this expertise also extended to skilled knot tying, with each knot fulfilling a particular function.
In evidence worldwide, and differing in name only, some knots are known to have been in use for thousands of years (ancient Greek physicians used ‘reef’ and ‘clove hitch’ knots to tie surgical nooses, while early Egyptians belted loose clothing with reef-knotted cords). There are hundreds of knots, each having its own practical or decorative function; even today, a proper knowledge of knots is regarded as essential for any sailor. A carefully tied knot can mean the difference between life and death.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, the seas were particularly busy with traders’ sailing ships. Voyages could last for months or even years, and sailors used their knot-tying skills to fashion ‘ropework’ items in their free time. Producing items with a practical function, such as mats, or ‘stopper’ knots for handrails, the sailors enlarged on their basic skills to create work that never lost its functionality despite its increasingly intricate appearance.
Knots can be categorised, for example lanyard knots, binding knots, hitches, whippings, running knots, stopper knots and decorative knots. Taking into account other forms of skilled ropework, such as ties, bends, hitches, splices, and shortenings, an exhaustive inventory would take too long to list here. Some knots are most intriguing, their names indicating the history behind a particular knot – for example, the sinister ‘Jack Ketch’s knot’ is used to tie a noose, and is named after a notorious 17th century executioner. Other names, such as the ‘running knot’, are fairly self-explanatory (running knots attach a line to an object and tighten when tension is applied to the free end of the line), while yet others are more descriptive; the ‘monkey’s paw’ knot does resemble a small, bunched fist.
From a sailing perspective, knowledge of knots remains important today despite advances in technology; it has also always been applicable across other sports, such as climbing. That said, knot-tying as a wider skill
