On Mon, 14 Dec 2015 21:16:37 +0000, Phil W Lee
wrote:

John B. considered Sat, 12 Dec 2015 08:25:57
+0700 the perfect time to write:

On Fri, 11 Dec 2015 15:53:09 -0800 (PST),
wrote:

Hi, this isn't about bicycles,...

I was reviewing knots from my old boy scout and sailing
daze, and could remember just four. Getting old sux -

There are plenty of well illustrated books. I figure
I can learn 10 - 12. So, I'm looking for suggestions, a list.

Why am I posting this question here? There must be a
few bike mechanics on this board, and mechanics
know lots of technical tricks - including maybe, rope -

Anyway, I'm looking for a 'most useful' list - so tell
not only which ones to focus on, but why, what's the app?

What knots one uses is very dependent on what one does :-) but on the
other hand one uses perhaps one or two in daily life so the rest are
immaterial.

Partly true - you use what you know (even if it's less than ideal for
the intended purpose), and most people only know one or two. But
different knots have different uses, and "knots" covers a wide range
of different types - bends, stoppers, hitches, lashings, whippings,
splices, etc.

A modern sailor, for example uses one or two (disregarding one's dress
shoes) the square knot and a bowline.

That depends on how much of his own maintenance he does.
What you describe may well be true of what we used to call "yachties"
when I lived in Burnham-on-Crouch (weekenders, who came down to sail
their boats, but used a yard to look after them, and tended to be the
worst for needing dragging off mudbanks and other types of rescue),
but is far from true for those who take a pride in maintaining their
own boat in good condition, live on it on a low budget, or use it for
long distance cruising or ocean racing.

No, I was describing people that largely live on boats (yachts) and
journey to far off places. The bulk of the folks in the marina I used
to keep my boat (when I had one) in had come from Europe, The U.S.,
Australia, Half the world away.

But what sort of exotic reefs and bends do you think people use in
these days of aluminum spars and synthetic ropes?

My wife and I lived on a 40 ft. fiberglass boat for 15 years and the
only knot I remember using regularly was when I tied the dinghy
painter to the rail.
--
cheers,

John B.