Tie a One-handed Bowline Knot

A simple method for tying a bowline knot with one hand. Useful for tying a rope around yourself in a pinch. The bowline knot is noted for its strength and ease of untying even after being heavily loaded.

Step 1: Tie the Knot

As they say, a picture (or video) is worth a thousand words. Tie this knot with the long end of the rope extending away from you and the free end held in your dominant hand. Easiest when the rope is around your waist.



The basic procedure is to hold the loose end in your dominant hand, lay your wrist on the long section of rope with the loose end between your wrist and the rope, bend your wrist down and under the long end of the rope towards your body, then bring your wrist up creating a loop in the long end that goes over the back of your hand. Then while maintaining the loop over your hand, pass the loose end under the long end of the rope away from your body, grab the loose end with your fingers and pull your hand and the loose end through the loop you made, pulling the knot tight. That is the best I can do with words, good luck.