For nearly 60 years, George Hart has been tying knots.

“I mainly do it to meet interesting people, like in a bar in London,” Hart said. “I just send them around the country for gifts and maybe I’ll show up one day and get a little special treatment.”

“I’m a retired boat captain,” he said. “I’ve had waterfront jobs for many decades.”  He has been captain of small ships, fishing boats, glass-bottom boats at Catalina Island, cruise boats and an oil boat in Texas.

“My knots are on billionaires’ boats in Monte Carlo,” he said. It’s a one-time thing. I make a knot for somebody - international, interesting people - and then I go travel around and see what happens. It’s a glorified calling card.”

In his home, Hart proudly displays photos of his knots around the world and the many thank-you letters from pub owners and ship captains, including Phillips.  The 66-year-old has his sights set on a monastery’s bell in Moscow.

Although Hart is retired and purchases rope and supplies, there is no charge for his knots.

“Charging would take the fun out of it,” he said. “Besides, I couldn’t make any real money out of it. It cost way more to mail this stuff than it does to make it.”

For Hart, knot tying is more than a hobby. 

“It’s a passion, but it’s sort of an ego thing too,” he said. “It’s an element of therapy, but it’s mainly to meet interesting people.”

“I don’t have a TV and the radio isn’t on,” he said. “Normally when you’re making knots you’re paying attention. I’m looking at my fingers tips.”

“I’ll do this until my arthritis is so bad I can’t do it anymore,” he said.