VIEW VIDEO: How to Tie a Water Knot
The following text is by Adolph E. Peschke as presented in the 1998 printing of the 1993 edition of the Pioneering Merit Badge Pamphlet:
Water Knot
What could be simpler than tying two Overhand knots to form a water knot? Its use goes back to commercial fisherman who needed to tie the ends of two wet fishing lines together.
In recent years, mountain climbers have found this knot very useful. They use a man-made fiber rope that is somewhat slick and is difficult to be spliced in the field. To tie two ropes together, climbers use the water knot because it’s a simple knot with little bulk and above all, it’s a knot that will not fail.
Mountain climbers also use the water knot to tie a rope seat and to tie the ends of short lengths of rope together to form a grommet (loop) that’s used in many climbing applications. This knot also works well with nylon webbing used in mountain climbing. Basically, the water knot is handy for tying together any types of ropes of the same diameter. In pioneering, whenever you’re using ropes made of man-made fibers that are braided and slick and don’t hold knots well, think of the water knot.
Pioneering Uses
- To tie together the ends of two wet or slippery ropes.
- To make a grommet (loop) using all types of rope (braided or twisted). Keep in mind that once strain is put on the knot, it will be hard to untie.
- To tie together the ends of halyards.
- To tie the ends of flat nylon webbing to make a grommet (loop) or sling.
(Another name for the Water Knot is the Ring Knot.)
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