Bowline Knot

The Bowline is one of the fundamental knots that people learn to tie.

It forms a fixed loop at the end of the rope.

It’s pronounced as ‘Bowlin’ or ‘Boh-lin’—not ‘Bowline.’

Many people in the boating world regard this as the “King of knots” because it’s reliable and easy to tie and untie.

Let’s learn this knot in detail.

History of the Bowline Knot

The Bowline knot is an ancient knot whose history dates back to the age of sails (1571-1862).

It comes from the word “bow line.“

The bow line was used to protect square sail from being ‘taken aback’ towards the masts by holding the edge of the square sail towards the bow (front) of the ship and into the wind.

The knot was mentioned in the Book Sea Grammar (1627) by John smith. 

But, John used the term “Boling Knot.”

How to Tie a Bowline Knot

1. Pass the working end through the loop.
2. Pass it behind the standing part and through the loop.
3. Hold the loop and the working end with one hand and the standing end with the other and pull both ends
4.  Tighten the knot.

You have tied this knot correctly if you have a bight in the middle of the loop. There’s another variation with the bight outside the loop known as the Left hand Bowline.

Tail Length: For safety, the length of tag end should be about 12 times the circumference. If you use a ½” diameter rope, it requires a tail more than 18” long.

To untie the knot, locate where the working end loops around the standing part and push the loop up the standing part.

Tying Bowline the Easy Way

If you want Bowline to be a permanent skill, just remember this classic Mnemonics:

“The rabbit comes up out of the hole, goes around the tree and goes back down into the hole.”

Think of the loop as a “rabbit’s hole” and the standing end coming off the loop as a “tree”. Imagine the working end of the rope, which you’re holding in your right hand as the “rabbit”.

Here are a few tips that make this knot easier to tie.

• Don’t make the rabbit hole large
• The tree should lie behind the loop
• When the rabbit goes back down the hole, it goes down the same side
• Pull both the rabbit and the tree to tighten the knot

How to Tie a One-handed Bowline Knot

The Bowline is a popular rescue knot useful for rescuing people who might have fallen down a hole or off a cliff.

Use this method in emergency when both hands are not available or the other hand is injured or occupied.

Here’s how you can tie Bowline with just one hand:

1. Hold the short end and create a loop around your hand.
2. Pass the short end round the standing end.
3. While holding the short end, withdraw your hand from the loop.
4. Tighten the knot by pulling opposite ends.

How to Secure the Bowline Knot Further

There are three inherent deficiencies with the Bowline knot:

• It tends to come loose under load (cyclic loading)
• Slip when pulled sideways
• Bight capsizes in certain situations

To address these issues, here are the popular backup options:

Double Bowline

The Double Bowline (ABoK #1013) is similar to the Standard bowline but you loop the end of a line around the bight twice for extra security.

Another knot called Triple Bowline also exists which forms three loops that can be tied to different anchor points.

Water Bowline

The Water Bowline (ABoK #1012) has a double half hitch after the first hitch to reinforce the knot.

It’s believed to perform well in water.

Yosemite Bowline

The Yosemite Bowline is a standard bowline locked with a Yosemite finish. The tail is passed around outside the loop and back through the knot a second time to form a Yosemite Tie-off. 

The downside to the Yosemite Bowline is that it’s easy to get it wrong and more difficult to visually inspect than the Figure 8 knot.

Bowline with a Stopper

To make the Bowline knot secure, tie the stopper knots like a Double overhand knot around the standing end or around the loop.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Can be tied with a single hand–handy for emergency situations
• Easy to tie and untie
• Does not jam
• Does not slip or bind

Cons

• Can’t be tied and untied when there’s a load on the standing line
• Can get loose when not loaded
• Can capsize when pulled sideways

Applications and Uses

The Bowline knot is traditionally used to tie a mooring line around a tree, post or anchor.

It’s also used in various other applications in sailing for securing a rope around a fixed object.

In search and rescue operations, you throw this knot down the hole or cliff and tie it around the person’s waist to safely lift them up.

It’s also used as a bend knot for connecting two ropes.

Just tie a Bowline on the end of the first rope and then tie into it with the end of the other rope.

But, I recommend other alternative bend knots like the Double Fisherman’s knot, Sheet bend and Square knot.

In camping, Bowline knots can be used to tie a hammock to two trees or stakes.

Equestrians (Horse riders) often tie horses to hitching posts using Bowline knots.

Bowline with Two loops

Bowline on a Bight

The Bowline on a Bight (ABoK #1080) makes two fixed-sized loops at the middle of the rope which can be tied without access to the ends.

It is one of the two tie-in knots taught by the German Alpine Club (DAV), so it’s one of the secure options out there.

It’s also used in rescue situations to make an emergency Bosun’s chair or make a secure foothold in the middle of the rope.

Birmingham Bowline

The Birmingham Bowline has two loops.

The working part is passed around the standing part two times (the “rabbit” makes two loops out of the hole and around the tree).

Spanish Bowline 

The Spanish Bowline (ABoK #1087) is one of the variations of the standard bowline that can be tied in the middle of a rope without access to the ends.

It consists of two fixed loops instead of one.

French Bowline

The French Bowline (also known as Portugese Bowline) forms two loops similar to the Spanish Bowline, but are adjustable in size.

Other Bowline Knots

Eskimo Bowline

The Eskimo Bowline (Cossack knot) is an alternative way to create a loop at the end of the rope. 

Instead of passing the tail around the standing end, the tail is tied around the part of the bigger loop.

The slipped version of the knot (meaning the final tuck is a bight instead of a tag end) is called a Kalmyk Loop.

Left Handed Bowline (Cowboy Bowline or Dutch Bowline)

The normal Bowline has a tail end at the center of the loop. If the tail is passed the opposite way round the standing end, it forms a Left Handed Bowline (ABoK#1034 1/2).

It’s claimed to perform better than the Bowline especially withstanding the ring tension.

Running Bowline

The Running Bowline (ABoK #1117) forms a sliding loop (noose) which tightens up when tension is applied on the standing part of the rope.

Also, the loop size can be adjusted after the knot has been tied.

Related Questions

How secure is the Bowline Knot?

It’s a secure knot, but not recommended for critical applications where you might expect a dynamic and cyclic load. 

The Bowline knot retains the rope strength by about 60% and the knot has efficiency of about 77%.

Is Bowline suitable for climbing?

Yes, but extreme caution is needed.

The Bowline knot used in climbing must be backed up with a stopper knot or tied as a Yosemite bowline. 

All of this adds in extra steps and the potential to tie your bowline incorrectly.

Many climbers see the bowline as being more difficult to recognize being tied incorrectly and difficult to spot while peer checking.

That’s it for this article.

Which variations of the Bowline do you prefer to use? Do tell us in the comments section below.

Happy knotting!