How to tie a figure eight knot
The figure eight knot was the first sailing knot that my father taught me when I was learning to sail, and should be the very first sailing knot you learn as well. Other names for the figure eight knot include the Flemish knot, the Savoy knot, or the Figure of Eight knot.
The primary use of a figure eight knot is to stop lines or sheets from running out of sight or back through any restraining devices. For example, after rigging your genoa or jib, you want to tie a figure eight knot at the end of your sheets to keep them from running back through the blocks. Even if the knot jams tightly against the block during a maneuver, it will not bind and will remain easy to undo. This virtue can also be its main vice, as you may find yourself needing to retie this knot more than once.
The finished figure eight knot looks like its name. To begin, start by creating a loop in the bitter end and then pass the bitter end around the standing end before bringing it back through the loop and tightening to make the figure eight.
