RogueIT wrote:

So I can tie a bowline and a figure 8 but I am not sure what their
primary
uses are on a boat.

1. can anyone tell me what they are used for?

A bowline is a loop. A gazillion and one uses! The reason to
use a bowline instead of any other knot is that the bowline
is very secure and yet can always be easily UN-tied no
matter great a strain is placed on it.

The figure-8 also has the feature of being easily untied,
although it will occasionally jam if placed under heavy
strain. It is mainly used to prevent the ends of lines from
being lost (running all the way out) thru some piece of
hardware such as a pulley, fairlead, stopper, etc etc. It
will also prevent fraying of lines.

2. what other knots should I know and why are these knots used?


I like the clove hitch, used for securing dock lines to
pilings, tying or lashing down almost anything, sistering
two spars or beams, etc etc. With the addition of a third
hitch it becomes very secure.

Another useful set of knots is the bowline or hitch tied in
the bight of the line. SOmetimes it is very awkward passing
the end of a line around & arund, sometimes the end is not
available.

This is a pretty good web site somebody passed on to me not
long ago.
http://www.animatedknots.com/

Here's another with a lot of variations on teh same knot...
their constrictor hitch for example is also called a
truckers hitch and was taught to me as a tent line hitch...
sometimes useful on a boat. The Lightermans Hitch is another
very good one of docklines, and also can be done with the
bight of the line.
http://www.scoutxing.com/knots/knots_index.htm

Skill with ropes is the mark of a good sailor. Tying a
bowline with one hand is a cool parlor trick, but it's
better if you can tie one with one hand in the dark while
the line is under strain and you are being pitched under
water every few seonds.

And you'd be amazed at how many people think they are tying
a bowline when they're really not.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King