Courses

Line Handling

  • Instructor:
    Teresa Carey, Ben Carey
  • Level:
    Beginning 101 Intermediate 201
  • Date:
    Wednesday, October 11, 2023
  • Time:
    10:00 - 11:30

The biggest misconception is that all you need to know is a few knots like the bowline and square knot. Too often knots are taught but line handling is neglected, resulting in hockled lines, figure-8 coils, jammed lines on cleats, rope burns, and a spaghetti mess when you need the line to run free. This course will cover the essentials in line handling, which is one of the most important and overlooked seamanship skills. We will also go over our list of essential knots, splices, and bends and when to use them.  

Topics Include: rope care, parts of a knots, bends, line handling, what makes a good knot, heaving a line, surging a line, understanding load, the fairlead, the proper direction to coil, when to trust a slippery hitch, types of rope, line care, “to flemish or not to flemish!” etc. Guaranteed even an experienced sailor will be surprised to learn something in this seminar!
Note: We will try to be as hands-on as possible. We will bring lines with us to share. Feel free to bring one if you can!