Required knots?

[scubasully]

Someone told me that there are 4 knots I'll need to know for the DM, but I haven't seen anything about knots in the DM manual yet.

Anyone know what they are if this is true? I'm guessing bowline for sure, maybe bowline on a bight, anchor bend and sheet bend?

I belong to a knot group here in town, so I figure I could practice up on whatever they are before I head out to Utila.

Thanks,
Maureen

 

[Arizona]

PADI? If so this comes from the Course Director's blog that helped me go pro:

"If you have a good instructor, you'll learn more than is just in the books or the manuals. He/she can teach you how to tie certain knots (bowline, sheet bend and two half hitches)..."

Source: PADI, diving and Instructor Development (IDC): June 2007

A knot group sounds like a perfect way to sharpen skills. Doing them underwater and attaching them to objects is very beneficial.

 

[scubasully]

Yes, PADI.

Ok, so there aren't "required knots" for PADI. My friend might have been confused or perhaps he's with NAUI or some other org - not sure.

Yep, the knot group is great, and while we don't meet underwater (we meet in a pub), each meeting has a theme (knots for camping, knots for climbing, nautical knots, naughty knots (I guess there's a book on bedroom knots and everyone thought that would be a fun theme to have at some point...remember, we meet in a pub.

I'm not a brilliant knotter, but I'm getting better, and the group leader is a young DM who grew up with boats, and is quite knowledgable on the purpose for the knots which I think is helpful in keeping them straight. I like to look up unusually titled knots in my knot book, tie them, and then play "Name that Knot" with him. He's quite excellent.

 

[Arizona]

Your knot prep is fantastic. If you can, practice the 3 mentioned underwater or at a safety stop. Have you used a lift bag yet? It is a very practical skill for a DM and understanding use is very important. If you ever go the instructor route this will be hugely beneficial. What a cool club, wish we had something like that here. The 3 knots mentioned can show up on the PADI instructor exam.

 

[scubasully]

You should start your own knot club! I call ours the Knotty Guild, but no one else does as th leader does take it quite seriously. I swear - if you hold events at pubs, people will show up. None of us hang out at bars anymore (getting old), and it's reason to be social and learn something new. Ok, will keep rope with me and practice at future safety stops. I have only used a lift bag once during my rescue diver course, but I don't have any other experience with it than that. I'm going to buy my own next week before starting the DM.

Yep, I'm going the instructor route, so good to know I'm on the right track. Thanks!

 

[knotical]

I'm not aware of knots being tested at the DM level, but more knowledge and skills is almost always good.

The three knots mentioned in the article cited by Arizona are the same as those required in PADI's Search and Recovery Specialty (bowline, sheet bend and two half hitches). With today's synthetic ropes, they are not always the best to use. When I do the S&R, I try to also introduce my students to some others, with the water bowline featured prominently.

 

[TMHeimer]

When I did the AOW course we looked at the knots in the book. The instructor showed them to us. No way I could get it. There needs to be a step-by step sequence in the book to show how to do them for a yutz like me. Of course, I now have all the DM books 6 months before the course start....I should find a way to learn them. Anything that's not GRANNY scares me. For the Wreck course we used the permanent loop to fit the reel through. That was a relief.

 

[Jim Baldwin]

You should have been taught these in your Advanced Open Water class. Since you are going for Divemaster you not only need to be able to tie three knots; the sheetbend, bowline and two half hitches. Besides just being able to tie the knots practice enough that you can teach someone who has no experience with ropes and knots.

 

[AzAtty]

Grog's Scouting Knots Index

There ya go, yutz boy. Every knot you need to know--step by step and nicely animated. If a Boy Scout can learn it, you can, too.

 

[scubasully]

You should have been taught these in your Advanced Open Water class. Since you are going for Divemaster you not only need to be able to tie three knots; the sheetbend, bowline and two half hitches. Besides just being able to tie the knots practice enough that you can teach someone who has no experience with ropes and knots.

I suppose I must have learned them in AOW, but I don't really recall. Anyway, I know them now, and many more that should come in handy. I'll be sure to bring some line and practice on the plane trip down south.