Marine Heads Blog Dept: How to Tie a Knot With Confidence

Learn the Basics of Boat Knot Tying

Raritan Engineering Company your marine heads experts would like to share with you these topics we thought would be of interest to you this month regarding how to tie a knot with confidence.

You’ve heard of the most common nautical knots – the bowline, the round-turn and two half-hitches, the sheet bend – and you may even know how to tie them. But do you remember which knot to use in every situation? 

Browse our selection of marine heads here at Raritan Engineering, and see how we always take care of your marine sanitation supply needs.

MOORING

Poor mooring can cause costly damage to your boat when the waves smash it against the dock. Make sure to have at least four lines: a bow line and a stern line to prevent drift, and forward and aft spring lines to prevent the boat moving – you guessed it – forward and aft. 

TOWING

If the towed boat has a bow eye that can be easily accessed from on deck, use it to attach the tow line. Your electric marine toilets suppliers talk about how you need to make sure to use at least 50 feet of line, if not 100 feet, for the safest tow.

TOW SPORTS

It’s important to get a line that is specifically intended for the water sport of your choice, as each activity will require a line of different length, weave (stretch), material, moisture absorption and breaking strength.

RESCUE

It’s critical to know the right knots and how to tie and untie them quickly during a rescue. Most rescue knots should have an unsecured tail that is three or four inches long to prevent untying.

Surgeon’s Knot

When to Use
Your marine heads specialists talk about how the surgeon’s knot is an excellent choice for joining lines of similar or unequal diameters (such as a heavier leader to a lighter main line). It also works well when joining lines of different materials.

Holding Power
95+%

Palomar

When to Use

A simple and trusted connection to terminal tackle, the palomar can easily and quickly be tied in braids or mono. Your marine toilet systems distributors talk about how it’s exceptionally strong, and the double wrap around the eye provides extra chafe protection during long battles with stubborn fish.

Holding Power
90 to 100 percent

Tips and Tricks
Inspect each palomar to make sure the double loops around the hook eye lie parallel, not crossed, because overlapping line can cut into itself and break. If crossed, cut and retie.

Perfection Loop

When to Use
Easy to tie even in heavy mono or fluorocarbon, this connection creates a loop that can be sized to suit. By allowing hooks or lures to swing freely, it lets live baits swim more naturally and provides extra action to lures.

Holding Power
85 to 90 percent

Tips and Tricks
Great for topwater lures, it can also be used for loop-to-loop connections, such as when attaching leaders to fly lines.

Remember to practice tying these knots until they become part of your muscle memory. We recommend trying them behind your back or underwater so you know you can tie them under any circumstances. Your Raritan marine elegance experts talk about how knots weaken rope by about 33% so it’s important not to use them if it isn’t actually necessary; it’s much better to tie one secure knot you can trust than a series of random knots with the hope they’ll stick.

So don't forget these helpful tips when learning how to tie boat knots. 1) Poor mooring can cause costly damage to your boat when the waves smash it against the dock;  2) if the towed boat has a bow eye that can be easily accessed from on deck, use it to attach the tow line;  and 3) it’s critical to know the right knots and how to tie and untie them quickly during a rescue.

Michigan conservation officer rescues Wisconsin man after boating accident on Lake Gogebic

Michigan Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer Jennifer Hanson received a radio call on Oct. 22 from the Gogebic County Sheriff’s Office – a man was stranded on a sinking boat on Lake Gogebic in the western Upper Peninsula. Hanson arrived at the scene of a partially submerged boat just in time – returning the man and boat safely to shore.

Being the closest law enforcement officer in the area with a patrol boat, Hanson retrieved her department-issued boat and met Michigan State Police Sgt. Brett Marshall at the lake. Marshall was able to locate the disabled vessel about 2 miles offshore while Hanson launched her DNR patrol boat.

Officer Hanson helped Paal onto the DNR boat and was able to secure a line and tow the vessel safely to shore, where Paal’s daughters were waiting and Beacon Ambulance was available to provide any needed medical attention.

Gogebic County Sheriff’s Office and Michigan State Police personnel were able to remove Paal’s disabled boat from the water.

“This is an excellent example of the preparedness of Michigan conservation officers,” said Chief Gary Hagler, DNR Law Enforcement Division. “We are very proud of Hanson and that she was able to assist Paal within a timely manner – utilizing the resources available to COs.”

Michigan conservation officers are fully commissioned state peace officers who provide natural resources protection, ensure recreational safety and protect citizens by providing general law enforcement duties and lifesaving operations in the communities they serve.

Raritan’s Marine Products Legacy

For more than fifty years, Raritan has been meeting our customers’ needs for outstanding service and product reliability establishing ourselves as “the most dependable name on the water.” Our customers continue to be our focus, and the primary source of the ideas for our new marine products and product enhancements. The median length of service for Raritan employees is about twenty years, an unusual number in the fast-changing world we live and work in. It is a measure of the dedication of the men and women who design, manufacture, distribute and support Raritan’s marine products. Visit our website today for the best quality marine heads in the marine sanitation industry.

Visit us here at Raritan Engineering for your new marine head toilet.

via Knot-Tying Basics

via THE NAUTICAL KNOTS YOU SHOULD KNOW

via Michigan conservation officer rescues Wisconsin man after boating accident on Lake Gogebic