Epic Navigatorvideo
4+1 mistakes with the lines. Show this video to your crew before chartering
25 June 2026 · 5 min · 3K views · Syros
Cleat hitch secures dock line to yellow bollard.
What this video covers
Alexandros Retsinas demonstrates four common line-handling mistakes made by charter crews, filmed aboard his boat after departing Syros.▶ 0:00 The first mistake is coiling a line while the cleat is still loaded: the correct method is to let the cleat finish its job, then coil from the opposite side without opening the connection while the line is under tension.▶ 0:00 The second mistake is standing in the wrong position when tailing a line — crew should not contort themselves to reach it.▶ 1:39 The third mistake is failing to flake the line before deployment, which creates kinks and tangles; the fix is to flake it over your hand so no loops remain.▶ 1:39 The fourth — and most common — mistake is throwing a line over a bollard or cleat in a way that traps it, making release impossible under load.▶ 2:25 He explains that a cleat hitch tied with two hands keeps the line releasable; a bowline on a cleat is acceptable only if the skipper can call for momentary slack before releasing.▶ 3:35 A jammed line on a bollard has no other cause than incorrect handling.▶ 2:25
More from Epic Navigator
From Epic Navigator — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analysed video.