YOUR SQUARE KNOT ?

[Eamonn]

We are all aware of how at times when things cross, that pond that divides England from the US,the name can change. Does anyone have any idea how our Reef Knot, became the American Square Knot?

[OldGreyEagle]

From what I understand, its called a reef knot because

 

"The knot gets its name from its use on sailing ships, when the sails were "reefed" - rolled up and tied to the cross spar with a reef knot. To release the sail, the sailors would climb the rigging, and work their way along the cross spar, pulling the top end of the reef knot down. They only had to use one hand, holding on with the other. The weight of the sail would cause the reef knot to slip, and the sail would be released."

 

England being a sea faring country, the name stuck. In the US, when your in Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, sails on a ship are hard to imagine. A square knot sounds better as it does resemble one.

 

[Eamonn]

Thanks for the information.

I'm not sure if I agree that it sounds better.But I'm a firm believer that when in Rome.

[Zorn Packte]

Interesting how a thesaurus can give bad information, these are the synonyms that is lists for "reef knot":running knot, slip knot, granny knot. Not one of these is a "reef knot."

 

That maritime tradition must have stuck in Canada. I was recently talking to a mom who moved here from the heartland of Canada and she asked me why I was wearing a little reef knot on my uniform. Luckily I know what a reef knot is so I explained it.

 

 

[OldGreyEagle]

I was telling a friend about this topic and he replied he had always heard that once the ties with the crown had been broken, there was an attempt to rid the language of all terms English. Hence the "reef" knot became the square. It is a thought. As Canado has always had a good relationship with England, the term stuck.

 

Then again, if they really wanted to purge the language of all things English, we should have been speaking French, German, Native American, anything but English. But that would have meant the colonists learning a new language, so I guess Ameericans have been lazy in language for a very long time.

 

What I want to know is why its a bowline?(This message has been edited by OldGreyEagle)

[yaworski]

"What I want to know is why its a bowline?"

 

It's a line with a bow (loop) in it.

[Bob White]

The bowline was used originally as a loop at the end of a mooring line commonly thrown from the bow of a boat. (or so I was taught)

Bob

[Bob White]

The bowline was used originally as a loop at the end of a mooring line commonly thrown from the bow of a boat. (or so I was taught)

Bob

[Mike Long]

OGE your friend is correct. We rewrote the english language to be less "English" and more American. This included the spellings of words. Colour is now color ect. I'm not sure though if that is where we got the reef square disconnect but I would think it certainly contributed.

 

Daniel Webster spearheaded this effort if I remember correctly.

[OldGreyEagle]

Daniel Webster?

 

That lexiconographer devil!!!

[Zorn Packte]

Daniel Webster spearheaded this effort if I remember correctly.

 

Daniel Webster fought the devil. Noah Webster wrote the dictionary.

 

 

[Mike Long]

Ah yes, so it was. Thank you Zorn.

[Eagle74]

When I was still a Scout, and old salt (a real "salt" from a longtime New England sailing ship / fishing family) explained to me that the reef knot and the square knot were not originally the same knot. He showed me the difference and gave me a small knot manual that shows them as different knots; a manual I still have.("Mastering the Art of Knots and Splices", New Bedford Cordage Company, Copyright 1936) At one time, I found a few other old riggers manuals that showed them as two different knots, but can't find them now.

 

According to him and the manual:

 

The square knot, also sometimes known as the sailor's knot, is the knot shown in the scout book.

 

The reef knot is used extensively for "reefing" sails. It's virtue lies in the fact that it can be untied very quickly. It looks like a square knot, but instead of one of the ends going through, a bight goes through (similar to the bight that goes through the loop of a slip knot). The loose end on this bight can be jerked and the knot becomes untied. Kinda hard to explain in text.

 

The bowline's purpose lies in a fixed loop in a hawser that can be dropped from the bow over an object such as a dock bollard to secure the ship. It is a very versatile knot however, that has many other uses.

 

Now I'm certainly not an old sailor type - been a landlubber from Ohio my entire life - so this is just sharing knowledge passed to me by someone else, similar to an old custom passed from family member to family member. One of those experiences gained through scouting that makes it all worthwhile.

[yaworski]

"The reef knot is used extensively for "reefing" sails. It's virtue lies in the fact that it can be untied very quickly. It looks like a square knot, but instead of one of the ends going through, a bight goes through (similar to the bight that goes through the loop of a slip knot). The loose end on this bight can be jerked and the knot becomes untied. Kinda hard to explain in text. "

 

Sounds like half a bow know used for shoes (which is sometimes called a "square bow"). Knots that can be untied like this are often called "slippery."

 

 

 

 

[Eagle74]

Thanks yaworski, your example is right on.