Page 11 - Mark Gommers "Bowlines Analysis

Terminology

Traditionally, knots such as the Bowline (#1010) and F8 eye-knot (#1047) have been
referred to as ‘loop’ knots. This paper refers to these types of structures as ‘eye-knots’.
Rationale for this can be found with well-known items such as ‘eye-bolts’ and ‘eye-
splices’. Most people can readily identify with these items.

A case in point is #1047 (F8 eye-knot). There are 2 classical ways of tying this knot:
1. Tie it in a 2 stage process – by first forming #524 then reweaving the tail back
through this knot to form the final #1047 structure.
2. Tie it in the bight – that is, form a ‘bight’ and then proceed to tie the knot as a
doubled strand without access to either end.

Note that both methods arrive at the same knot – which is in fact #1047. The names ‘F8 on-
the-bight’ and ‘Re-threaded F8’ merely refer to the tying method, rather than the particular
functional purpose of the knot. The purpose of the knot is to create a connective ‘eye’.

bight #524

#1047 #1047

Regardless of whether the knot is tied in the bight, or in a two stage process (rethreaded), the
outcome is the same – “ABoK #1047”.

Connective Connective
eye eye
Connective
eye

This structure is an …and so is this
‘eye-knot’
Connective
eye

Page 10 of 59 Bowline Analysis Version 2.7a 16 July 2016 © Copyright Mark Gommers