Somerville Bowline [Level 1]
Notes and Resources:
This column tie is a little bit tricky to learn, but once you get it into your fingers it's ultra fast to tie, and it's extremely secure. I use this pretty much any time I'm doing a column tie on a limb at the beginning of a new rope. The hardest part to get the hang of is forming the loop correctly on top of the cuff; you may want to watch a couple different videos to find the method that clicks for you.
When using this tie, be aware that it's near-impossible to undo while the rope is under significant tension; plan accordingly.
Here's my most recent video of the Somerville Bowline; this is the best technique for learning it that I've seen, and what I currently teach in my classes:
That method for forming the loop was shown to me by Cannon; you can see him teaching it here. Cannon also made a cheat sheet for his method. Note that what Cannon shows in those links is slightly different than what I show in the video above; use what makes sense to you.
If neither of those does it for you, Lochai has his own approach, as does WykD Dave.
If you prefer photos, you can refer to my original publication of the Somerville Bowline. Finally, of mostly historical interest, this is the first video ever filmed of me teaching it.
That first video link is broken. Or rather the page it links to has been hacked by some isil hacker. Just FYI.
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Thanks, I'll see if I can get the maintainer to fix it.
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Thanks for showing multiple videos of a tie! Sometimes hearing or seeing something that third or fourth or umpteenth time (lol) from that one person or that one camera angle is the one that makes it comprehensible. Given that I am almost worthless at learning by reading, the videos are indispensable for me.
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WykD Dave's link requires access to Fetlife, I suggest his recent video on Youtube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qliQibxyPqc
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Is this also known as the Carrick bend single column?
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A correctly-tied Carrick Bend (ABOK 1439) bears only superficial structural similarity to the Somerville Bowline, which is based on ABOK 1445. That knot is no more a Carrick Bend than the square knot, granny knot, sheet bend, or various other things all of which are possible misinterpretations of a diagram of a Carrick Bend.
Evidently some people don't like my name for the Somerville Bowline, and/or are desperate to "discover" some earlier provenance for it. Personally I don't think "carrick bend single column" is either an accurate description or a catchier name.
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