Learn knots with our self-designed knot fish
At Ankerfels, you not only save time but also money, because we offer training videos on how to tie knots yourself. We prefer to spend our time with you boating.
To tie knots, you need a 2m long rope (available from Compass24) and a few everyday objects such as chair legs or door handles.
You can purchase our knot fish and the corresponding premium ropes. The fish is our own invention and is laser-cut from recycled Plexiglas. In addition to being the perfect knot-tying tool, it is also an eye-catcher in our videos. There you can also see how the fish is used.
The videos are “hands-on videos,” so grab your rope. Each knot is first shown quickly and then at a pace that allows you to follow along. The videos are in Bernese German and will soon be available in English.
The basics of rope work
In nautical jargon, there are no ropes, only lines or hawsers. As a Boy Scout, I grew up with ropes and can't get the word out of my head.
We'll start with three knots that are tied without objects, just with the rope.
1. The figure-eight knot is used to secure the end of a rope or to attach a loop to an object.
2. The reef knot or Samaritan knot connects two ropes of equal thickness.
3. The bowline knot connects two ropes that may be of different thicknesses.
Achterknoten
Kreuzknoten
Schotstek
Roringstek
Zwei Halbe Schläge
Knots on the ring
In port facilities or at moorings, there are often rings to which you can tie your boat for short or long periods of time.
The two standard knots for this are:
4. The Roringstek, which tightens and holds well on the ring.
5. The Rundtörn with two half hitches, which does not tighten by itself.
The "Sea Dogs" Classics
These three knots set us boaters apart from other people who tie knots. It's best to learn them blind.
On a boat, we don't have much time, especially when maneuvering, because everything moves with the wind and current. Only when the boat is securely moored does a certain calm set in. You can enjoy this calm because you know that the knots are tied correctly and will hold.
The three classics are
6. The bowline, a “loop” that holds extremely well and can be easily loosened even after heavy pulling by “breaking the knot.”
7. The clove hitch, which you use to tie the boat to a post, the fender to the railing, and much more.
8. The cleat with a head hit. Actually with a cross and head hit.
Palstek
Mastwurf
Kopfschlag auf Klampe
The SBF See knot intro video
The 7-minute training video on the 10 knots
The SBF See knots
For the German Coastal Certificate (SBF See), we have an introductory video here and have compiled the 10 knots required for this exam in a 7-minute video.
In comparison to the above, we only show one way of tying each knot. If you are interested in a knot, you can learn other variations and more content here.
In SBF See, the stopper knot is added as a new knot, the clove hitch is called a webbing knot, and the bowline knot is not required. Overall, however, it is also seafaring, and the three most important knots are the bowline knot, the webbing knot/clove hitch, and the cleat with a head knot.
Have fun knotting!