Scout Skills

Eight Feet=Red

Twelve Feet=Blue

They are many different knots you learn in scouting, many of these can be applied to everyday life and in the outdoors. Knots are learned from a scout's first rank, until the rank of First Class.

The Square Knot

The Square Knot is the most basic knot. It is used to tie two ropes of equal size together.

Two Half-Hitches

Two Half-Hitches (also called a Double Half-Hitch) forms a loop that can be secure the rope to a post or a grommet. This knot is commonly used to to tie guide lines onto a tent or other structure.

Taut-Line Hitch

The Two Half-Hitches knot will tend to slide until the knot is cinched close to the post or grommet. To create an adjustable loop that stays in place, use the Taut-Line. This knot is commonly use for attaching a tent's guide lines to ground stakes.

Timber Hitch

The Timber Hitch is the perfect knot for dragging a log across the ground. It also is the knot that starts a diagonal lashing.

Clove Hitch

The clove hitch is a simple knot used to start and end many lashings.

Bowline Knot

The Bowline Knot forms a loop that will not slip. That's just what you want for tying a rope around someone requiring rescue.

Sheet Bend Knot

The sheet Bend Knot is the knot most commonly used for tying together two ropes of different diameters. It is very similar to the Bowline Knot.

Shear Lashing

You can construct a sturdy triangle of an A-frame with a Shear Lashing at the top and square lashings at the bottom corners.

Diagonal Lashing

A Diagonal Lashing is used when you need to close a gap between two poles that cross but don't touch. The lashing gets it's name from wrappings that cross the poles diagonally.

Tripod Lashing

A close relative of the Shear Lashing, the Tripod Lashing is used to join three poles together, forming a tripod.

Round Lashing

The Round Lashing can be used to join two poles together side by side, to extend their length. You could use them to build a tall flagpole out of hiking sticks.