How to Tie the Bowline
The Bowline
The Bowline is one of the most widely used loop knots, creating a secure fixed loop at the end of a rope for applications in sailing, climbing, rescue, camping, and general outdoor use. It is valued for forming a reliable loop that does not tighten under load while remaining relatively easy to untie after use. Because of this balance of security and convenience, it is commonly used whenever a dependable end-of-line loop is needed for attaching to anchors, hardware, or other ropes.
Other Names: Boling Knot, Bowling Knot, Bolin Knot
Bowline Instructions
Today, the Bowline remains one of the most recognized and frequently tied loop knots in rope work. Its simple structure consists of a fixed loop secured by a collar around the standing part, providing a stable and efficient design that has been trusted for centuries. The Bowline is featured prominently in The Ashley Book of Knots (ABOK #1010) and serves as the foundation for numerous bowline variations developed to improve security or adapt the knot for specific purposes.
Key Considerations
Dressing the Bowline properly is important to ensure the loop is correctly formed and the knot seats neatly under load. Careful attention to the final structure helps maintain consistency and reduces the likelihood of the knot loosening or becoming improperly formed. The tail end of the bowline finishes inside the loop for the proper form. Otherwise, you may have tied the Cowboy Bowline. As with all knots, the bowline should be inspected after tying to confirm the loop is secure and the tail is adequately set before performing under tension.
Advantages & Disadvantages
One of the key advantages of the Bowline is its simplicity and ease of tying. It can be tied quickly, even with practice under difficult conditions (however, the Siberian Hitch or Kalmyk Loop are more easily tied in snowy weather or when hands are restricted by mitts, gloves, or the cold), and remains practical in situations where speed and reliability are important. However, because the standard Bowline can loosen when repeatedly loaded and unloaded, many modern safety-critical applications use additional backups or alternative loop knots where maximum security is required, such as the Yosemite Bowline or Edwards Bowline. Despite this, the Bowline remains a fundamental knot valued for its versatility, efficiency, and long-standing place in the history of rope work.
ABOK #1010 - The Bowline
ABOK Numbers: Abok #1010, Abok #1011, Abok #1716
The Bowline is one of the most well-known and widely used loop knots in The Ashley Book of Knots (ABOK), where it serves as the foundation for numerous related loop knot variations. The standard Bowline is listed as ABOK #1010 and is valued for creating a secure fixed loop that does not tighten under load while remaining relatively easy to untie after use. Its simplicity, versatility, and long history have made it a cornerstone knot in sailing, climbing, rescue work, and general ropecraft.
In Abok, the Bowline (Abok #1010) is described as:
‘The Bowline, Bowling, or Bolin Knot, sometimes called Bowling’s Knot. The name is derived from bow line, a rope that holds the weather leech of a square sail forward and prevents the sail from being taken aback. As the line or rope that provided the knot is no longer in use, the Bowline Knot is nowadays very apt to be termed merely the “Bowline,” the word knot being dropped.
Captain John Smith says of So the knot: “The Boling Knot is firmely made and fastened by the bridles into the creengles of the sailes, they will breake, or the saile split before it will slip.” But no knot is safe that is not properly drawn up, which will explain probably the following contradictory statement from Alston’s Seamanship of 1871: “With a heavy strain a bowline knot often capsizes.” However, it is a fact that no knot is safe except under reasonable conditions. Properly tied in ordinary rope, there is little or no danger of a Bowline’s Knot capsizing before the breaking point of the rope itself is reached. It is so good a knot that the sailor seldom uses any other Loop Knot aboard ship.
A Bowline is frequently used as a hitch when tying a boat painter a ring. On a whaler it is tied around a man’s waist to make a “monkey rope,” which is required if he is to be lowered overside for any purpose. When mooring, Bowlines are tied in hawsers and tossed over bollards. Two interlocked Bowlines are a common form of Hawser Bend. It is often said at sea that “the divil would make a good sailor, if he could only tie a bowline and look aloft.”
To tie the knot: Grasp the end of a rope in the right hand and the standing part in the left hand. Cross the end of the rope over the standing part, and with a turn of the right wrist put a single hitch around the rope end. Without shifting the grip of the right hand, pass the end of the rope to the left under the standing part, then down through the hitch that was first formed.
In Abok, Abok #1011, a traditional bowline with the tag end lashed to the loop, is described as,
‘The Standing Bowline. This name properly belongs to a Bowline Knot that has been seized, as on a boatswain’s chair.’
Finally, Abok #1716, the Bowline Hitch, is a Bowline around an object, and described as,
‘The Bowline Hitch: A sailor will often, having passed his rope around an object, face about and tie a Bowline in the regular fashion. A landsman who is acquainted with the knot will usually form the round turn (shown in second diagram) with his left hand and reeve the end as shown by the arrow. The preferred sailor way is to make a Half hitch, as in the first diagram, and then capsize it by pulling the end. The knot is then completed as shown by arrow.’
Disclaimer
The information on this website is provided for educational and informational purposes only. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, knot strength, security, and suitability can vary depending on rope type, condition, load, environmental factors, and how the knot is tied. Users are responsible for inspecting their equipment and verifying that a knot is appropriate for their intended use. Do not rely solely on the information provided here for activities involving personal safety, life support, climbing, rescue operations, heavy lifting, or other high-risk applications.
SCB Media Group assumes no responsibility or liability for any injury, loss, damage, or consequences resulting from the use or misuse of the knots and techniques described. Always seek professional instruction and follow applicable safety standards where appropriate.