Skill drills
How to Tie Paddling Knots
Most paddling trips start with a boat on the roof of a car, and the trip home ends the same way. These drills put a rope, a roof-rack crossbar and a tent stake in front of you and walk you through each knot one decision at a time. Pick wrong and you see the line let go before it can happen on the highway.
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- Interactive 3D
- Sourced from Scouting America, the AMC and canoe makers
3 techniques
Pick a technique
Start hereTrucker's hitchA loop in the line that works like a pulley, so you can pull a rope tight over a boat on a roof rack and lock it off with half hitches.5 steps
Technique 2BowlineA fixed loop in the end of a line that will not slip or jam: here, the end of a tie-down tied round the roof-rack crossbar.5 steps
Technique 3Taut-line hitchAn adjustable loop that slides to tighten a tent or tarp guyline and holds where you leave it. A camp knot, not a roof-rack knot.5 steps
Every time
Rules for every tie-down
- Straps over the hull at each crossbar hold the boat. Bow and stern lines are the backup, snug and not tight.[12, 13]
- Snug, never cranked: too much tension can dent or crack a hull.[1, 12]
- Stop a few miles down the road and check every strap and knot. Buckles can let go, knots can loosen and rope can stretch.[11, 12]
- Never use stretchy bungee cord to hold a boat on.[13]
Watch & learn
Paddling knots on video
Picked from our video library. These are other creators' videos, so where one differs from the drill, the drill's sourced steps are the ones to follow.
How to Tie a Trucker's Hitch
REI
0How To: Tying Bow & Stern Lines - Truckers Hitch
Rutabaga Paddlesports
0Kayaking | How to Transport a Kayak || REI
REI
0How to Tie a Canoe to the Top of Your Car
Ely Outfitting Company
0How to Tie a Bowline Knot
Scout Life
0How to Tie a Taut-Line Hitch
Scout Life
0
FAQ
Paddling knot questions
Learn it hands-on
Nothing beats loading a boat with someone who does it every week. Browse paddling lessons and outfitters near you and ask them to show you.
Find paddling lessonsSources
Where the checkable claims above come from. Rules and figures change, so confirm anything you are about to rely on against the source itself.
- Kayaking merit badge pamphletScouting America (filestore.scouting.org)
- Canoeing merit badge pamphletScouting America (filestore.scouting.org)
- Pioneering merit badge pamphletScouting America (filestore.scouting.org)
- How to tie 10 essential Scouting knotsScouting magazine (Scouting America) (scoutingmagazine.org)
- How to Tie the 7 Basic Scout KnotsScout Life (Scouting America) (scoutlife.org)
- How to Tie a Bowline KnotScout Life (Scouting America) (scoutlife.org)
- 6 Knots Everyone Should KnowAppalachian Mountain Club (outdoors.org)
- Knots, Hitches, Bends and Anchors (Swiftwater Rescue, ch. 5)Frostburg State University (frostburg.edu)
- Continental Field Manual: References (Knots)U.S. Antarctic Program, National Science Foundation (usap.gov)
- Boat Crew Handbook: Seamanship Fundamentals (BCH 16114.4)U.S. Coast Guard (hosted by the Coast Guard Auxiliary) (rdept.cgaux.org)
- How To Transport A KayakTexas Parks and Wildlife (tpwd.texas.gov)
- Tie Down Tips for Canoe & Kayak TransportSwift Canoe & Kayak (swiftcanoe.com)
- Transporting Your CanoeClipper Canoes (clippercanoes.com)
