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Diagram

Water Bowline

Wet bowline

A fixed loop in the end of a rope, with a clove hitch in place of the small loop to grip the tail. Animated Knots says it is less likely than a bowline to shake undone when unloaded.

Loop · Intermediate · Polyester / Nylon rope / Polypropylene / Natural fibre · 4 steps

ApplicationsHow to tie it
Water Bowline, finishedWater Bowline, finished

Finished structure

Drawn from a rope model of this knot: which strand passes over which comes from where the rope actually lies.

  1. Make a loop in the standing part, bringing the rope back across in front of itOne loop is made in the standing part, and the rope toward the end comes back across the front of it, crossing over the standing part.
    1First loop
    Move 1 of 2Make a loop in the standing part, bringing the rope back across in front of it
    Make a second loop the same way round and lay it over the first, as a clove hitchA second loop, made the same way round, sits against the first so the pair forms a clove hitch with an X across the front and an open middle.
    1X across the front
    2Second loop
    Move 2 of 2Make a second loop the same way round and lay it over the first, as a clove hitchYou should now see: Two overlapping loops in the standing part with an X across the front, like a clove hitch, and plenty of rope beyond for the eye.

    Step 01

    Make a loop in the standing part, make a second loop the same way round beside it, and lay the second on top of the first so the pair forms a clove hitch.

    You should now see

    Two overlapping loops in the standing part that show an X across the front like a clove hitch, with enough rope beyond them for the eye.

    If it goes wrong

    Making the second loop the opposite way round. There is no X across the front, and the pair will not close on the working end when the knot is loaded.

    Fix: Shake out the second loop, twist it again the same way round as the first, and lay it back on top.

    Why: The clove hitch takes the place of the single small loop in an ordinary bowline. Animated Knots says the extra grip on the tail makes the knot less likely to shake undone when unloaded.

  2. Push the working end up through both loops of the clove hitch from underneathThe working end comes up from below the clove hitch and passes up through the middle of both loops, leaving the eye hanging underneath.
    1Up through both loops
    2Eye
    Move 1 of 1Push the working end up through both loops of the clove hitch from underneathYou should now see: The working end standing up out of the top of the clove hitch after passing through both loops, with the eye hanging below.

    Step 02

    Push the working end up through both loops of the clove hitch from underneath.

    You should now see

    The working end coming out on top of the clove hitch after passing through both loops, with the eye forming below.

    If it goes wrong

    Passing through only one of the two loops. Look along the end: if one loop lies beside it instead of around it, the clove hitch cannot grip.

    Fix: Back the end out and push it through both loops together, holding them overlapped so they do not slide apart.

    Why: Going through both loops means both parts of the clove hitch close on the end when the eye is loaded.

  3. Take the working end around behind the standing part and back to the frontAbove the clove hitch, the working end goes behind the standing part and comes back round to the front, making a collar round it.
    1Behind the standing part
    Move 1 of 2Take the working end around behind the standing part and back to the front
    Bring the end back down through both loops, beside the strand where it came upThe working end goes back down through the middle of both loops of the clove hitch, next to where it came up, and its tail lies inside the eye.
    1Down through both loops
    2Tail inside the eye
    Move 2 of 2Bring the end back down through both loops, beside the strand where it came upYou should now see: The end has gone round the standing part and back down through both loops, and its tail finishes inside the eye.

    Step 03

    Take the working end around behind the standing part, then bring it back down through both loops of the clove hitch, beside the strand where it came up.

    You should now see

    The working end passed around the standing part and back down through both loops, with its tail finishing inside the eye.

    If it goes wrong

    Leaving the end above the clove hitch after going around the standing part, or bringing it down through one loop only. The tail can pull free once the eye is loaded.

    Fix: Feed the end down through both loops, following its own strand, before you tighten anything.

    Why: The turn around the standing part forms the collar, and the return through both loops locks it. Leave a long tail, as for an ordinary bowline.

  4. Pull the eye against the standing part, then work each loop of the clove down tightPulled tight, the clove hitch closes round both strands of the working end, the collar hugs the standing part, and the tail lies inside the eye.
    1Clove hitch
    2Collar
    Move 1 of 1Pull the eye against the standing part, then work each loop of the clove down tightYou should now see: The clove hitch clamped round both strands of the end, the collar snug on the standing part, and the eye holding its size.

    Step 04

    Hold the eye and the standing part and pull, then tighten the clove hitch by working each of its loops down onto the strands of the working end.

    You should now see

    A clove hitch clamped firmly around the working end, the collar snug on the standing part, and an eye that keeps its size under a hard pull.

    If it goes wrong

    Tightening only the collar and eye and leaving the clove hitch loose. The loops sit open around the end, and the knot behaves like a bulky plain bowline.

    Fix: Work each loop of the clove hitch down by hand until it bites on the strands inside it, then pull the eye and standing part apart again.

    Why: Animated Knots finishes the knot by tightening the clove hitch. The extra security comes from the clove hitch closing on the tail, so a loose clove adds bulk without that grip.

Failure modes

When this family fails, it fails as these. The recovered end still outranks the name.

Bowline family

Fixed eye whose lock is a collar seated on the standing part.

  • !Open collar — the eye capsizes under cyclic load
  • !Cowboy / wrong-direction loop
  • !Tail too short to backup, or a Yosemite finish on an unfinished bowline
Fails when
  • !The second loop is the wrong way round, so the loops do not close on the working end under load
  • !The end goes through only one loop, up or down, so the tail can pull free once the eye is loaded
  • !The clove hitch is left loose around the tail, so it adds bulk without the extra grip
Geometry

  • Loops not formed as a clove

    No extra security — wet collar walks like a plain bowline

    The two standing-part loops must sit as a clove hitch · step 01

  • Clove left loose

    Fat undressed collar capsizes under cyclic wet load

    Dress the clove, not just the eye · step 04

  • Tail left up or missing a clove loop

    Unfinished water bowline, no lock

    The working end must go through both clove loops and return down · step 03

If you saw this

  • Collar walks when wet

    Check

    • ?Two nested clove turns around the standing part
    • ?Tail long enough

    Then

    • →Retie the clove first
    • →Backup the tail on a serious job

  • Loops not formed as a clove

    Check

    • ?No extra security — wet collar walks like a plain bowline
    • ?Inspect step 01

    Then

    • →Retie. Do not dress a defective structure and call it seated.

  • Clove left loose

    Check

    • ?Fat undressed collar capsizes under cyclic wet load
    • ?Inspect step 04

    Then

    • →Retie. Do not dress a defective structure and call it seated.

  • Tail left up or missing a clove loop

    Check

    • ?Unfinished water bowline, no lock
    • ?Inspect step 03

    Then

    • →Retie. Do not dress a defective structure and call it seated.
Same family

Same failure class, different geometry. Open the plates — Diagnose still starts from the symptom.

This failed — start Diagnose

Why this knot

What it earns its place with, what it costs, and what to reach for instead.

Best for
Fixed eye
Not ideal for
  • A dry dock eye you will untie in thirty seconds (plain bowline is enough)
  • HMPE
Common mistakes
  • Making the second loop the opposite way round, so the pair is not a clove hitch
  • Passing the end through only one loop of the clove hitch, on the way up or on the way back down
  • Tightening the collar and eye but leaving the clove hitch open around the end
Alternatives
  • BowlineBeginner

    A fixed loop in the end of a rope, such as a mooring line to a ring or post

  • Figure-8 LoopBeginner

    A fixed loop tied in a bight of rope, for a loop that can be dropped over a post and checked by tracing the two strands through the knot

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