Portuguese bowline

{{Knot-details

| name=Portuguese bowline

| image=Calfat node.png

| names=

| type= loop

| strength=

| origin=

| related= Spanish bowline

| releasing=

| uses= Boat tow, Bosun's chair, Double anchor, Litter bridle

| instructions = see external links

| caveat=

| abok_number= #1072, #1848

}}

The Portuguese bowline ({{langx|pt|Nó volta do calafate}}), also known as the Bowline on a coil, Caulker's bowline, or Lisbon surprise, is a variant of the bowline with two loops. The two loops are adjustable in size. Rope can be pulled from one loop into the other, even after tightening. Among other applications, the knot can be used as an equalising anchor, a litter bridle or a makeshift Bosun's chair.{{citation|last=Ashley |first=Clifford W.|title=The Ashley Book of Knots|year= 1944|publisher=Doubleday|location=New York|page=193}} It is often regarded as one of the more important bowline variations.{{cite web |date=2020-08-01 |author=Little Campfires |title=How to Tie a Bowline Knot (Plus Variations): Portuguese Bowline |url=https://youtube/watch?v=lS82ju__nyk?t=853 |website=YouTube}}{{cite web |date=2023-09-11 |author=TheTautLine |title=Complete Guide to the Bowline Knot and its Most Important Variants: Portuguese Bowline |url=https://youtube/watch?v=QgewPTFzJzg?t=928 |website=YouTube}}

Name

It is sometimes known as the French bowline, not to be confused with the separate French bowline, thanks to its description under that name in the 1922 book Standard Seamanship for the Merchant Service by Felix Riesenberg,{{cite book |date=1936-06-06 |first=Felix |last=Reisenberg |chapter=French bouline |pages=86–87 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/standardseamansh0002unse/page/86/mode/2up?q=French |title=Standard Seamanship for the Merchant Service |edition=2nd}} as Riesenberg had been taught the knot by a French sailor in the voyage he described in Under Sail.{{cite book |date=1918 |first=Felix |last=Reisenberg |chapter=Into the Pacific |title=Under Sail |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/52949/52949-h/52949-h.htm |quote=Frenchy taught us a new way to form that "king of knots," the bowline, in which the loop is passed through the gooseneck twice, forming a double loop, a most useful knot employed in the French Navy. When a man is to be lowered over side, he sits in one of the loops and the other is passed under his arm pits, the gooseneck coming against his chest. His weight tautens the part under the arms, and it is impossible for a man to drop out of this bowline, even though he becomes unconscious.}} The traditional name of this knot is Portuguese bowline.{{cite book |date=1970 |first=Cyrus Lawrence |last=Day |chapter=Portuguese Bowline |pages=68–69 |title=The Art of Knotting & Splicing |edition=3rd |isbn=0-87021-083-1 |url=https://archive.org/details/artofknottingspl0000dayc}}

Tying

It is tied in a way that is similar to regular bowlines.

File:Portuguese Bowline step 1.jpg|Make an overhand loop (loop with the working end on top).

File:Portuguese Bowline step 2.jpg|Put the working end through the loop.

File:Portuguese Bowline step 3.jpg|Put it through again. From here, the steps are the same as the regular bowline.

File:Portuguese Bowline step 4.jpg|Put it around the standing end and back through the loop.

Variants

The knot is often tied in the bight by sailors,{{cite web |date=2008-11-07 |author=Self-Made Sailor |title=Portuguese Bowline on the Bight |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA9zHhEaoqk |website=YouTube}} rescuers,{{cite web |date=2021-10-01 |author=Redneck Rescue |title=Portuguese bowline with forward facing bight |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3Cwf3YBQik |website=YouTube}}{{cite web |date=2021-10-01 |author=Redneck Rescue |title=Portuguese bowline on the bight with multiple forward facing bights |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGn3mnS6aGI |website=YouTube}} and others.{{cite web |date=2023-03-01 |author=CashCaveman |title=Portuguese Bowline with a Yosemite Finish on a Bight |url=https://www.youtube.com/shorts/scMBNzWCJ00 |website=YouTube}}{{cite book |date=1986 |first=Cyrus Lawrence |last=Day |chapter=Portuguese Bowline on the Bight |pages=70–71 |title=The Art of Knotting & Splicing}} ABoK #1083, earlier depicted by Hjalmar Öhrvall,{{cite book |date=1908 |first=Hjalmar |last=Öhrvall |title=Om Knutar |url=https://runeberg.org/knutar}} is an example of a Portuguese bowline on a bight.{{cite journal |date=August 2008 |first=Pieter |last=Van de Griend |title=Hjalmar Öhrvall On Knots |url=http://paci.com.au/downloads_public/knots/Pieter-van-de-griend_Hjalmar-Ohrvall_Paper_2008.pdf |journal=Het Knoopeknauwertje |issn=1385-4267 |issue=26}}

Other times it is tied with a follow through,{{cite web |date=2018-09-02 |first=Marc |last=Bernz Millan |title=Portuguese Follow Through Bowline |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Shkn9zhBKb8 |website=YouTube}} that is, the knot is retraced.{{cite web |date=2023-04-19 |author=TheRopeGuide |title=How to tie a Retraced Portuguese Bowline |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOCl6ktc__o |website=YouTube}}

A No-twist variant is sometimes tied for specific applications.{{cite web |date=2016-06-27 |author=RopeGeeks |title=No Twist Portuguese Bowline |url=https://www.youtube.com/shorts/lmGP4-rB9A0 |website=YouTube}}{{cite web |date=2023-05-12 |first=Meen |last=Bahadur Thapa |title=No Twist Portuguese Bowline |url=https://www.youtube.com/shorts/vHhgkTPZpHI |website=YouTube}} Other variants involve method of tying.{{cite web |date=2023-10-08 |author=Sajjad |title=Portuguese Bowline Variant |url=https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_vQFMOUW6Hk |website=YouTube}}

Uses

Among arborists,{{cite web |date=2022-11-25 |author=Knotorious |title=Portuguese Bowline and the Re-Threaded Bowline Loop Knots for Arborists, Rock, Alpine, Rescue, etc. |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-qpWkE0NgA |website=YouTube}} in rescue,{{cite web |date=2021-01-05 |author=California Mountain Company |title=How to Tie a Portuguese Bowline (aka: Bowline on a Coil) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd38JhHI4CI |website=YouTube}}{{cite web |date=2023-01-17 |author=Rigging for Rescue |title=Portuguese bowline |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81FpZWMqwC0 |website=YouTube}} and other vertical professions, it is frequently used alongside knots like the equalising eight in two-point anchors.{{cite web |date=2023-07-13 |first=Robert |last=Irizarry |title=Two-Point Anchors: Portuguese Bowline |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUKUbvjzrmk |website=YouTube}}

It originated as a sailing knot and is still frequently used in sailing.{{cite web |date=2008-10-17 |author=Self-Made Sailor |title=Portuguese Bowline |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utAUtVmkdOo |website=YouTube}} Its most common application in sailing was to substitute for a Bosun's chair, but at the risk of suspension trauma. It is still used to tow boats.{{cite web |date=2024-11-27 |author=MCFR SWRT |title=Portuguese Bowline For Boat Tow |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGBfKAxYlRY |website=YouTube}} Similar horizontal load applications exist beyond sailing.{{cite web |date=2023-03-31 |author=AB's Knot Skills |title=How To Tie Portuguese Bowline Knot To An Object |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCJNQSMs30A |website=YouTube}}

It is used in search and rescue both to form a litter tag.{{cite web |date=2024-04-11 |author=California Mountain Company |title=Learn Your Knots: How to Tie a Portuguese Bowline |url=https://www.cmcpro.com/portuguese-bowline |website=CMCPro}} and in some cases the litter bridle itself.{{cite web |date=2012-06-03 |author=TallTaleCabs |title=Bridle bowline knot, rapid extrication rescue technique |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDotGkgfhsE |website=YouTube}}{{cite web |date=2014-02-20 |first=Ali |last=Shahriary |title=Stokes Bowline |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJ8_3ze525w |website=YouTube}}{{cite web |date=2023-02-02 |author=JaredAndFun |title=One way to tie a Portuguese Bolin knot onto a Stokes basket |url=https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ZBJVYb1JAhI |website=YouTube}}

It can be used to make a hanging bike rack.{{cite web |date=2020-03-25 |author=Knot for Lack of Tying |title=Portuguese Bowline Bike Rack |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEY1rdSPGMQ |website=YouTube}}

Strength

In a 2019 slop pull test, the Portuguese bowline on a bight with Yosemite finish{{cite web |date=2020-01-11 |author=SoFLO TRT |title=Adjustable Load Sharing Bowline with a Yosemite on a Bight |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tav19w_qAKQ |website=YouTube}} failed on an 11 mm high tenacity polyester rope at a minimum of 36.9 kN when it was pulled from its anchors into a forward facing bight, and on an 8 mm nylon cord at a minimum of 9.6 kN (only 9.1 kN without the Yosemite finish).{{cite web |date=2019 |first=Kelly M. |last=Byrne |title=Boutique Bowlines: International Technical Rescue Symposium, Albuquerque, NM 2019 |url=http://www.paci.com.au/downloads_public/knots/Bowlines_ITRS.pdf |website=Professional Association of Climbing Instructors}}

References

External links

{{cite web |date=2017-07-29 |author=Fire or Knot |title=Knot Instruction - Portuguese Bowline |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRlTdgVsOfc |website=YouTube}}
{{cite web |date=2018-05-18 |author=Knotting Knots |title=Portuguese Bowline - How to Tie the Portuguese Bowline - Bowline with 2 Loops |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQCOc5xKigo |website=YouTube}}
{{cite web |date=2020-05-23 |author=Knot for Lack of Tying |title=Portuguese Bowline Tutorial |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MmrU95RiaU |website=YouTube}}
{{cite web |date=2021-01-20 |author=Rescue 4 TRT Knots |title=Portuguese Bowline |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsj2GfYh2b0 |website=YouTube}}
{{cite web |date=2021-09-15 |author=TX Tool Crib |title=Portuguese Bowline |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smd23RFNIhs |website=YouTube}}
{{cite web |date=2021-10-01 |author=Redneck Rescue |title=Portuguese bowline |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZWemwtYshA |website=YouTube}}
{{cite web |date=2022-08-06 |author=Knot Knut |title=Portuguese Bowline Knot |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OI_qFoXlVU |website=YouTube}}
{{cite web |date=2023-03-21 |first=Andre |last=Zinhof |title=How to tie the Portuguese Bowline |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlpfpvD1t7E |website=YouTube}}
{{cite web |date=2023-03-22 |author=Knottips101 |title=Portuguese Bowline Knot |url=https://www.youtube.com/shorts/QrXWkQpkPXs |website=YouTube}}
{{cite web |date=2023-04-17 |author=TheRopeGuide |title=How to tie a Portuguese Bowline |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2zQ43ktoOc |website=YouTube}}
{{cite web |date=2023-08-01 |author=SupeRhey |title=Portuguese Bowline Knot: Strong and Reliable |url=https://www.youtube.com/shorts/w4_BIXdM13U |website=YouTube}}
{{cite web |date=2024-06-25 |author=KnotNote |title=How to tie The Portuguese Bowline - The Super Easy Double Loop Knot |url=https://www.youtube.com/shorts/eebxn9Qvtlw |website=YouTube}}
{{cite web |date=2024-09-06 |author=KnotSimpulTali |title=Portuguese bowline |url=https://www.youtube.com/shorts/encDP0RRnFY |website=YouTube}}
{{cite web |date=2024-12-17 |author=Ropeguide |title=Portuguese bowline knot tutorial |url=https://www.youtube.com/shorts/FrlyNwM4NvM |website=YouTube}}

Category:Double knots