To form a reef knot care must be taken to cross the ends opposite ways each time they are knotted (i.e, right over left, then left over right, or vice versa), otherwise the result will be a granny, which will either slip or jam, depending upon whether it is made with or against the lay of the rope; a granny is also very liable to come undone where there is no strain on the knot, and for these reasons it is never used by seamen.
Ukwakha iseyile esongiweyo yeqhina kufuneka ikhathalelwe ukunqamleza isiphelo sochasano ngenye yendlela ngokwexesha eziqhiniweyo (i.e. ekunene ngephaya kwasekhohlo, kuphinde ekhohlo ngaphaya ngasekunene) ngapha koke iziphumo ziyalunga kuyakuthi ngepha koko ityibilike okanye iminxeke, kuxhomekeke ukubeni yenziwe ibe ngaphaya kobeko lwantambo, iqhina lentambo elithi lingabopheki kungalula ukuze likhululeke apho akukho ntsika kwelo qhina, ngoko eso sizathi sisetyenziswa nakanye ngabantu baselwandle.