Knots Gallery

Many eons ago, I was a Cub Scout.

While we spent most of our time creating various projects and taking the occasional field trip, I remember one day we studied knots.

Knots are one of those essential ingredients of daily life that we never think about. Yet, most of us know how to tie perhaps two or three.

Perhaps the boaters among us are the most appreciative of the knot in its many forms, having to master effective ways to tie ropes to cleats, poles, and to other ropes. A poorly tied knot at sea can be a BIG problem.

And in the artistic sense, knots can be works of art. Who hasn't gazed admiringly at the utilitarian beauty of a perfectly tied knot? OK, maybe just myself. ;-)

Anyhow, that leads us into today's FamilyFirst selection: Knots Gallery. Here's their mission:

This page is dedicated to the art of tying knots. Most of them are quite commonly used aboard or related to the sea - fishing and that sort of thing. All the knots are animated and hence move by themselves, showing you how they are constructed.

The animations are gif files, so they load superfast and loop endlessly while you follow along with your own piece of rope.

With a little practice, you could pick up three or four handy knots that will make your next lashdown job much easier. And if you ever go sailing, impress your mates with your perfectly tied bowlines. And at the very least, learn the difference between the worthless granny and the strong, easily untied square knot!

Click here

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