How to Make a Spanish Bowline

The Spanish Bowline is often tied in rigging, sheets, or other sailing lines.

The Spanish bowline is a knot commonly used in sailing and other rigging or lashing applications. It has a number of distinct advantages, and can be useful if made and employed properly. The knot is what is known as a double-splayed loop knot, and can be easily adjusted before tension is applied. However, the knot must be tied and set correctly to be useful.

Instructions

1. Set both ends of a line facing you, with a medium-sized loop sitting opposite you. Curl the top of the medium loop downward and backward so it lays behind the standing line (the parts of the line facing you), creating two loops. Twist the outside of each loop inward, creating a half twist in each loop.

2. Thread the left loop through the right loop without untwisting either loop. Make a bight in the line (a small pinched loop of line) at the bottom of each bigger twisted loop, and thread each bight through the top of its loop's twist.

3. Dress the knot by pulling on the parts of the line facing you (called the standing line). Once the knot is properly dressed, pull on all of the parts to set the knot. There should be two loops on either side of the knot, as well as a double standing line facing you.

Tips & Warnings

• If possible, ask a more experienced person teach you how to make this knot.

• Set the knot very tightly so that the line doesn't slip under tension, with potentially dangerous results.

References

• Sailing Knots - Spanish Bowline
• Most Useful Rope Knots - Multi-Loop Knots
• Integrated Publishing - Figure of Spanish Bowline