The Bowline

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Second, trap the standing part of the rope (the long end on your left) by passing the working end behind the standing part, then back down through the hitch.

That's it. You will notice the short working end lies inside the working loop (Figure 1d). If the working end lies outside the loop, you've tied a less secure knot called the left-handed bowline. You still have an interlocking loop and hitch, but in trapping the standing part of the rope, you crossed over in front of it before passing behind it and down through the hitch. Just pull it out, pass it correctly behind the standing part, and reinsert it through the hitch.

The bowline must be "worked up" carefully: Pinch the working end against the parallel edge of the working loop, then pull on the standing part, making adjustments as necessary. You'll see the hitch tighten around the loop.

The instructional bowline is a perfectly serviceable method used in the field by many people, especially in big stiff rope. But it can be confusing to tie around an object instead of in hand. To solve this problem, use the bowline hitch method.

Bowline Hitch

First, pass the rope around an object and then hitch it around its own standing part as shown in Figure 2a. Keep both sides of the rope neat and parallel so you can see what you are doing. Now for the magic part — transferring the hitch you have just formed around the standing part of the rope to the working end. The quick way to do this is to pull on the working end while slacking off on the standing part. (If that doesn't work, try completely letting go of the rope and regrasping the working end with one hand above and one below the hitch. With a slight jerk, pull your hands apart.) You will see the hitch transfer from the standing part to the working end. Practice transferring this hitch back and forth a few times. Finish by interlocking your loop into the hitch and trapping the standing part as in the instructional bowline.

You can pass the rope either way around the object and you can make your hitch left or the right, up or down — as long as you take the trouble to visualize the interlocking loop and hitch you are making when you trap the standing end. This will enable you to decide whether to pass behind — or in front of — the standing part.

Classic Bowline

This method not only looks and feels like magic, but just happens to be the easiest in hand technique. Moreover, another important knot, the sheet bend — used to attach two ropes together — is tied with the same technique. This time start by draping the rope across your hands with both palms up, the working end to the right, as shown in Figure 3a. While rotating both palms back down, bring your hands together, slapping the working end across the standing part as in Figure 3b.

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