Animated Reef Knot

The reef knot is a very easy knot to learn and tie. With ropes of even thickness it will not slip if it is kept under constant tension. It will come undone if the load on the knot is applied and release over and over. It can be extremely unsafe with ropes of differing thicknesses and should be used sparingly and only in non crtitical cases. A typical use is to join two rope ends when reefing a sail.

Reef Knot (S.Kennedy) Tying Instructions
"Right over left and under, left over right and under."
Holding the two rope ends in either hand, place the right end over the left and tuck it under and up again. Taking the new left end, place it over the right and tuck it under and over again. Pull all the rope ends to tighten the knot.

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