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This is not a discussion of what is truth about a Bowline, but I see it as a tentative to do some classification of a group of knots that are supposed to belong to a family, which should be further defined. In such classification it may have some merit to be very strict, but there might also be reasons for a more lax attitude. After all, whether science or not, the issue is not falsifying any knot that is named Bowline, but rather trying to find common treats if we find it fruitful to classify a certain order of knots as belonging to the bowline family.
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In any case, I don't find the consideration of loading to
sacrifice objectivity.
(But there are certainly fuzzy boundaries, as have been noted,
in shifting geometries coming with vagaries of dressing.)
--dl*
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"What defines a Bowline?"At one extreme we have a single knot - #1010 (in the left hand and right hand variants)
www.motorboatsmonthly.co.uk"
ABoK 1010. The BOWLINE, BOWLING, or BOLIN KNOT, sometimes called
BOWLING's KNOT. The name is derived from bow line, a rope that
holds the weather leech of a square sail forward and prevents the
sail from being taken aback. As the line or rope that provided the
knot is no longer in use, the BOWLINE KNOT is nowadays very apt to
be termed merely the "BOWLINE," the word knot being dropped."
An alternative definition of this one knot, based upon its active components is - A loop knot made with two active components - A bight component (sometimes referred to as a collar) - and a nipping loop which ranges with loading from a simple hitch component to a half hitch component. As the normal loop mode is for legs to be loaded roughly 50/50, I believe my original definition of simple hitch component should be amended to Half Hitch Component (HhC).
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The other end of the spectrum of definitions is -
The Bowline is a Loop Knot...And yes, we have all seen a host of loop knots - rightly or wrongly - called a Bowline or an XYZ Bowline. I have even seen the Overhand TIB loop called a 'Bowline' (meaning - loop knot, or simply - LOOP).
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Then, in between these extremes, there are knots which hold a strong similarity to #1010 in terms of components, functionality, etc. and others which simply seem to have a 'lookalikeness', tying method, or historical naming reference etc.
How can we pull any sense or consensus out of a muddle that has been hundreds of years in the making? Because the situation is such a mess, only taking an extreme stance is likely to make any sense. We could make the rather inane modern response of "Whatever" and leave it all as it is and let it continue to fester. Or we could make the drastic stand that ONLY #1010 is a Bowline and some 're-tucked' variations are 'Security extensions', but not really genuine Bowlines. The problem of moving to any other cut off point is - where to draw the line - and that really is so subjective as to warrant the apt situation of 'how long is a piece of string?'
NB. I have looked at the Eskimo, and indeed, (by my offered definition) it is NOT a Bowline because it contains a Bight Component and a Carrick Component, instead of the necessary Bight Component and Half Hitch Component.
@ Dan, I addressed your Myrtle question back at the end of post #70. By my proposed definition, it is NOT a Bowline because it contains a Simple Hitch Component and a Turn Component - i.e. it is also lacking the Bight Component.
Derek