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The Voyage of the Alamar

ines - For the most part, you'll be dealing with three classes of lines.

  1. Lines use to haul sails up the mast, called "halyards" (pronounced HAL-yrds). To "haul up" the main sail, you'd use the "main halyard."
  2. Lines use to adjust, or "trim," sails, called "sheets." To trim the main, you'd use the "main sheet."
  3. All other lines, usually referred to by their purpose. Thus, the line used to fasten the anchor to the boat is the "anchor line."

Basic Knots -

  • Bowline (pronounced BO-lin) - An old mariner's saying goes, I could make the devil himself a good sailor if he could learn a bowline (pictured above). It's used for just about any situation where you want a knot to hold with confidence and yet release without trouble. Also, it'll never slip, that is, the loop you create when you tie the knot will stay the same size..
  • Cleat hitch - For making something fast to a cleat.
  • Clove hitch - Used to make the boat fast to a piling. You can also use a bowline.
  • Half hitch - Two half hitches make a good, reliable knot, but unlike a bowline the loop will contract under strain.
  • Figure eight - Tied in the end of a line to stop it from sliding through a pulley. Sorry, I forgot to say that lines on boats don't "slide through pulleys." There are no "pulleys" on boats, only "blocks." And lines "run" through blocks. So a figure eight made in the end of a line will stop it from "running through a block."

Some links tol teach you how to make these knots:
Black Lake NY Boating Knot Guide
Boy Scout Troop 9's animated knot tying guide.