Sure, you may already know how to select a set of dock lines for your boat, but what if you find yourself tying up in an extra-long slip and need to join two of those lines together? While you certainly can get the job done by employing basic knots such as two bowlines, there are some other knots better-suited to the job.

In this how-to video, we show you how to tie the ends of two lines together using a couple of essential bend knots: the sheet bend, and the carrick bend. So find two pieces of line, watch the video, and then add these two useful bends to your knot-tying repertoire.


Interested in learning how to tie additional knots? Read Knot Tying for Boaters: 5 Basic Knots.

Written by: Doug Logan
Doug Logan has been a senior editor of YachtWorld.com since 2010. He's a former editor-in-chief of Practical Sailor, managing editor and technical editor of Sailing World, webmaster for Sailing World and Cruising World, contributing editor to Powerboat Reports, and the editor of dozens of books about boats, boat gear, and the sea.