The Water Bowline is a variation of the Bowline knot.
It has an additional Half Hitch that makes it more secure, especially when you are using it in wet conditions.
The regular Bowline can jam or come undone when wet, but this knot with the extra hitch addresses just that.
Let’s check this knot in detail.
Water Bowline Details
Type: Loop Knot
Other Names: Bowline with Half Hitch, Clove Hitch Bowline
ABoK reference: #1012
How to Tie Water Bowline Knot
- Make a loop on the rope.
- Make another loop above it.
- Overlap two loops to form a clove hitch.
- Pass the working end through the loop.
- Pass it around the standing part.
- Feed it through the Clove hitch.
- Tighten the knot.
To tighten the knot, first tighten up the loop that locks your Bowline in place. Then, go ahead and tighten the other loop.
Water Bowline (Video Guide)
Water Bowline Step by Step
Pros & Cons
- Easy to tie and inspect
- More stable in cyclic loading conditions
- More secure than the Bowline
- Easy to untie after heavy loading
- Takes longer to tie than the Bowline
Application and Uses
The Water Bowline stands out in conditions where a regular Bowline can not be simply trusted.
Here are a few examples:
- In wet conditions: Perfect for towing or rigging when a knot is needed for underwater applications.
- With slippery ropes: Works with slippery ropes like a Dyneema or Kevlar, where a simple bowline might slip.
- Under cyclic load: Useful under cyclic or dynamic loading, where the regular bowline may shake itself undone.
Water Bowline vs Double Bowline Knot
The Water Bowline and the Double Bowline are the secure versions of the Bowline.
Both look similar in appearance, but the difference is fairly subtle.
The Water Bowline gets its name for its ability to work in wet conditions.
It’s tied by forming a Clove Hitch around the standing part of the rope, then thread the working end through the loop, around the standing end, and back down the Clove hitch.
The Double Bowline is also tied using two loops stacked on top of each other (no Clove Hitch here).
The working end goes all the way through the two round turns, around the standing end, and back down through the loops.
The Double Bowline is used in climbing as a tie-in knot (although not as popular as the Rethreaded Figure 8 or Yosemite Bowline) because it’s easier to untie after taking a heavy fall.
If you are working at sea where other knots might jam, the Water Bowline is your go-to.
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