The Bowline.

This is one of the most useful knots to know. The bowline creates a loop which can be through a sail head or clew. The important thing about this knot is that no matter how much load is put on it it is easy to untie when you want to.

Instructions for tying a bowline.

If you are tying a sheet to a sail pass the free end through the eye of the sail.

Now create a loop in the sheet by bringing the rope closest to the sail over the top of the sheet. (Sometimes referred to as the rabbit hole.)

Next bring the free end of the sheet up through the loop (referred to as the rabbit coming out of the rabbit hole.)

Now take the free end around the back of the sheet and then feed back down the loop (The rabbit goes round the tree and back down the hole)

That is the knot complete. The final touch is to tighten it all up. This can be achieved by pulling on the knot loop to make the main (sail) loop smaller and then pulling on the sheet.