[quote=svanlare]Great question. When I was taking sailing lessons, there were 4 knots that were the must haves: bowline, round turn and two half hitches, reef knot, figure eight.
I've never thought about why climbing knots are different, but the comments here make a lot of sense. Sailing knots need to be able to be untied after being under load and wet. A knot failing (especially on smaller boats) is not likely to be fatal. Larger boats have more specialized knots than most of us are taught in basic sailing classes. On larger boats, I have seen the bowline replaced with the water bowline and the double bowline (two loops instead of one and variations on how to thread it) both of which reduce the chance of slipping.
If a climbing knots fails is it likely fatal. Thus instead of a bowline, a double figure 8 with a keeper knot for the working end is worth the extra time to tie and untie.[/quote]
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