Excerpted from Knots for Backpackers - A Nut's 'n Bolts Guide by Frank Logue

This important rescue knot forms a loop that will not close up on itself. The traditional saying about tying the bowline,"The rabbit comes out of his hole, goes around the tree and crawls back into his hole," may help you remember how to tie this knot. The overhand loop is the rabbits hole, and the standing part of the rope is the tree the rabbit goes around.

Make an overhand loop on the standing part of the rope. Note: Some sailing guides show this loop reversed so that the standing part is over the free end (counter-clockwise instead of the clockwise loop illustrated above). The knot holds when tied either way.

In a counter-clockwise direction, pass the free end of the rope through the overhand loop, wrap it around the standing part and pull it back through the overhand loop. Cinch the knot tight.

Move on to Bowline on a Bight

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