Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

I did a search and didn't find any threads that covered this topic.

I went to the mountains yesterday and took my friend's knot book with me. Read through it and memorized a few knots (mainly hitches like the half hitch, timber hitch and clove hitch). I thought they'd be helpful on the boat, but realized as I played with them that they weren't really what I needed. So, what I'm asking is that you guys tell me what some of the most important knots, hitches and bends are to know on a pontoon boat. Knots for tying up to a dock, for throwing over a poll at the dock to pull in, bends for tying rope together... etc. Post up anything and everything you use regularly and what you use it for, and I'll memorize the knots.

One of the main things I want to be able to do is know how to have a knot ready to moor quickly when I'm by myself or with my wife.

As always, the help is much appreciated.

I mainly use the two half hitches, square knot an bowline. Here are a few just click on the photo an it will walk you through it. Lots of different knot for different applications. Learned a bunch in the Boy Scouts.
http://www.animatedknots.com/indexboating.php

Perhaps Grog's Boating Knots http://www.animatedknots.com/indexboating.php may be the best known source out there. Also I find a knot known as the "Truckers Hitch" as an awful handy knot to know, and I often use it with our boat when tying off to shore, camping, etc. This knot can actually do most anything a ratchet binder can do, with a length of rode (marine for rope).

Does your boat have cleats? If it does pre-attach a dock line to it when still adrift away from the dock. Then when you come in all you haft to do is grab the line and fasten it to something secure on the dock.

Have you purchased or have a boat hook yet? A boat hook is another useful tool to have available when your bring the boat in, and sometimes to push yourself out if the dock spaces are tight.

Boat hooks rule!!!

I used the trucker's knot but we called the expediter knot, good for fastening stuff down tight so it doesn't move in shipment, the only differance is we just tie and overhand loop on one end.

You use the loop to pull the line tight and then 2 half hitches will hold it

I do have cleats. 4 in total, one on each corner. Good ideas.

I guess the half hitch works, I just need to do it twice. I'll memorize the bowline, square knot, truckers hitch, and work on getting a boat hook. Links are great, I'll definitely spend some time on those later when I have time.

Thanks!

I know a good cleat tie but i'll have to post pics of it as i cant explain it well ( just learned it at my new job )

best part about it is it doesnt over tighten it self from tension and you can tie it one handed