Amos: take a rope. Make a loop in it; this is called a "bight." The other part -- the long stringy part -- is call the "line" or the "running line" or something of the sort; you can call it whatever you want except a bight.

Make a bight about two feet from one end of the rope. Hold this in place. Now take the running end up through the bight and around the line behind the bight. Now push it down into the bight again and pull it tight. Mess around with this until you get it right and you will have tied a know called a "bowline." This is useful for a lot of things which you can figure out all by yourself.

Now take the two ends of the rope. Tie them together -- try to do "right over left and left over right." Do this correctly and you have a "square knot" which is useful for all sorts of things. Do it wrong and you have a "granny knot" which will slip when you need it the most.

Now make a bight and lay it along the running line. Make another bight at the end (start a ways from the end!). Now you have two bights. Wrap some of the loose running line by the SECOND bight around all of the rope and when you get the the other bight, push the end through and pull it tight. If you've done this correctly you've tied a very versital thing called a "hangman's knot."

All know derive from these three. Practice until you get them right. About six feet of 1/4 inch silk manila will be best for a beginner like you -- ask for it at you local rope store.

A hint about docking a boat: don't run in 90 degrees to the dock. If you do you can break your boat.