Lover's bowline knot: the king of knots

Knots-the gassa d'amante is the king of knots, which everyone should know how to tie, but doesn't.

Ever heard of the gassa d'amante? Yet it seems to be a basic knot that everyone should know how to tie as it is not at all difficult and could prove very useful in life. It is widely used in boating, but also in mountaineering, for securing objects and tying sail halyards. In addition, it can be used as an excellent rescue knot.

This is a knot that, in extreme cases, can even be executed with one hand instead of two hands, and in mountaineering it can also be used to carry out numerous rope maneuvers, such as constructing an emergency harness or performing loop closure around natural anchors. The use of this knot in mountaineering is always accompanied by the execution of a locking knot. But how can we take advantage of the king of knots?

The methods for making lover's gassa are varied: let's see some of them!

The classic method involves a few steps designed to form the lover's gassa step by step. First, a small loop must be formed. The latter will have to be immediately passed under the sleeper, leaving enough space to complete the knot at the end. Then it will be necessary to form the eyelet, trying to pay attention to the size of the same along with the current. The latter will have to be passed into the first eyelet by moving under the rope.

The next step to be taken is to pass the current behind the sleeper to subsequently re-enter the first loop above. Finally, all one has to do is hold the main loop and the current with one hand, to pull the sleeper with the other hand so as to tighten the knot. The classic method is also associated with a nursery rhyme, which helps to remember the various steps:

"The snake enters the wolf's den from bottom to top. It goesaround the tree and back into the wolf's den from top to bottom."

• Wolf's den: the first eyelet (similar to an inverted "P").
• The snake: the longest part that should be kept horizontal.
• The shaft: the shortest part that should be held vertically (above the horizontal).

There is also a faster way to make up the knot la gassa d'amante: this is the flash method, also called "Jedi." In this case, one must first form the loop to be passed over the sleeper. Even in this case, the performer must remember to leave the necessary space to complete the knot. It is necessary to pass the sleeper superiorly inside the eyelet and then the current in a loop or around an object, and then pass it additionally under the last eyelet of the sleeper.

Finally, you take the current with the loop and the sleeper by pulling them together. This will allow the knot to turn over, forming a lover's bowline. This is the method to use in emergency situations where speed is required. Which is the easiest? Probably best to learn the nursery rhyme, don't you think?