Knots to Know

Even after years on the water, we all occasionally need a quick refresher on how to tie those knots, slips, and hitches we don’t frequently make. And although most of us have at least one knot-tying book laying around the house or onboard the vessel, these books all have one flaw: you have to try and trace the bitter end from picture to picture to see what’s happening to the line.

Animatedknots.com has taken the difficulty out of studying each picture for changes by simply animating the shots. You can loop the animation or stop on each panel to go step-by-step.

Another benefit of the site is that the knots are divided into categories, so you can research ties for your boat, the knots for your fishing trip, or the securing hitches for your mountain climbing expedition. Tying along with the site is good practice while you’re ashore, and you may even learn a few new useful ties while you wait for the spring waters to warm.