Heaving a line

[Don Guillette]

Mates: Our good friend Alan told us how to coil a line. It made me think of all the times I've seen guys and gals try to heave a line from the boat to the dock. I don't know what your experience has been but 8 out of 10 heaves I've seen are a mess!! A big wad of line ends up falling into the water half way to the dock or the intended target.Sometimes we laugh at these subjects but there can be times when you wished you knew how to do it because you may have only one chance at it. A dock neighbor of mine lost power before entering the slipway. If it had been me I never would have entered the slipway because it cuts down on your options but in he comes anyway. He is now dead in the water with the wind blowing him towards boats on the other side of the slipway. I told him to throw me a line. First thing that happens is he can't find one but shortly a crewman digs one up. Unfortunately, it is in a big wad so they have to first untangle it. Would not have happened had they followed Alan advise. All this commotion has now drawn a crowd - that is probably the way it is on your dock also - right!! After 3 throws we finally got the line and got him into an empty slip. Anybody out there got a preferred way to heave the line to the guy on the dock, who is desperately trying to catch it?I'll bet Alan or Stu have this subject covered!!!

 

[Mark]

Thisis the way we do it

We carefuly coil up a rope making sure that there are no kinks in it, say about five coils. Now whilst holding that together we coil up another four to five coils of the same line. Now with one coil in each hand and the remainder of the line laying on deck with the bitter end tied to a cleat, we throw out one coil followed in an instance by the other. You have to get both arms working in sinc. Takes a bit of practice but it means you can throw a line a fair distance. We also have on board a heaving line just in case it is very windy.

 

[Franklin]

Talk to a cowboy

They seem to know how to throw a rope a long ways.

 

[Rich L]

Just like Mark said - two coils

Two coils, one in each hand. If you're right handed, you throw the right coil side arm and the left hand just lays open and holds 'em high for the coils to unravel (but not to drop them). I'm an old white water kayaker who has thrown my share of rescue ropes and can tell you, with about an hour of practice, you'll be throwing it straight at least 60' consistently (if your arm holds out).

 

[Don Guillette]

Yup, 2 coils is the way. There is only one thing to add and that is the position of the person receiving the heave. It is not a good idea to throw the line directly at the person, which is the target 99% of the heavers aim for. If you are on the receiving end of the heave, you should stand with your arm extended even with your shoulder and to your side. That is the target the thrower is aiming for. To signal the receiver as to what you want him to do just show him while telling him what to do.This is an easy drill to practice. Most sailors have some line in their garage. Next chance you get try a couple of heaves and see how good you are. A word of advise here - don't use your wife or girl friend as the target until you get good at it!!!!

 

[Dave]

baseball

Just a thought, Why not make a little mesh bag to hold a baseball and tie it to the end of the line. Now you can just throw the baseball and the line will go with it. Everyone can throw a baseball pretty good. The line should be coiled in overlapping figure eights on the deck so it doesn't get tangled.A scuba weight would be good too but might knock out the person you are throwing it at.dave

 

[Mark]

What's a baseball?

?? Dito

 

[jprieto]

Heaving line baseball

That heaving line weight is called a "Monkey Fist". All ships use Monkey Fists on their heaving lines. It is just a lead weight inside an intricate and decorative covering made of small diameter line. You can throw one a long distance! Having said that, I agree with the rest of the sailors on this matter, You don't need a monkey fist if you learn to throw a line as described below.

 

[Calif. Ted]

I carry a "rescue line" on stern pulpit,

bright yellow & red poly (floating) line in bright yellow vinyl bag with drawstring. Grommet in bottom of bag where line goes thru & has a loop in it, also foam disc so bag floats. Line is stuffed in or coiled down into bag, secure loop coming out the top & throw the whole bag at target, line pays out smooth. Used to use a "linesman" coil but it takes practice & still has higher failure rate than a bag. These lines are common in river & swift water rescue groups. Most agencies that do technical rope recue even use bags for larger ropes, anchor the end and drop the bag over the cliff. I've towed a 27' boat for a short distance in a pinch with this line, their engine died in a every bad place and I was able to move them quickly.

 

[Kevin]

Yes, Monkey Fist,

As on this link.

 

[JC on Bainbridge]

Tag line

A baseball or a monkey's fist is great if it is attached to a tag line, which in turn is attached to the big dock line. This works great if the throw is for a long distance.If the ball or the fist is attached directly to the big dock line, it isn't going to go anywhere because the line outwights the ball/fist.When in a hurry, often you don't have the time to attach a tag line to the dock line. throwing a coiled dock line properly is a good skill to have.

 

[Don Guillette]

Base ball (soft ball)

Dave & Ca. Ted: As part of my man overboard stuff, I took an old soft ball and drilled a hole through it. I then tied a length of 50' floating poly line to it. I kept it handy in one of the cockpit lockers. No matter what the wind directions ( guys - think of peeing in the wind. girls - I'll have to think of another example for you!!), I could get that line out to the person in the water and even the uncoordinated can make a pretty accurate throw with the soft ball.It is amazing how on these topic one topic leads to another. I love it!!

 

[Kevin]

Actually

I have never had a problem with heaving a line. Of course, I realize that you have to take several things into consideration, such as the weight of the line, how far you are trying to heave it, and who is trying to catch it. Normally, I have never tried to heave a line very far, just a short toss, which is not much of a problem.I did see a little device one time, which I can't remember where or when I saw it, which I though was great. It was a little canvas bag, probably about 4 inches square filled with sand, and with a loop sewed onto one end. You could tie your line onto it and toss it if you needed to make a longer heave. Best thing was that it is soft, so it is easy to catch by anyone on the dock. Never saw another one.

 

[Garry@S/V TASHTEGO]

Monkey's Fist

I have two monkey's fists for my heaving line. One is filled with lead for heaving onto docks etc. The other is filled with a block of oak. The line itself is polypropylene which floats and with the wooden monkey's fist the whole thing floats for us on the water. Two coils is the way to throw it.

 

[Garry@S/V TASHTEGO]

For Mark in OZ

A baseball is much like a cricket ball but it ia thrown not bowled and usually overhand. A softball is a larger ball and is usuall thrown underhand like aussie cricketers.Kiwi fanatic

 

[Anchor Down]

A Note

Who in the civilized world doesn't know what a baseball is? I thought American culture had made it all the way around the globe. ;^)A note on heaving: dividing a big coil in half for two hands, and heaving with one while allowing extra line to be drawn from the other, open hand, is a great idea, esp. if the pitch is a long one.I'll just add one idea. Most of us are going to heave the line underhand, bowling style. When the coil leaves our hand, it will do so with back-spin (toss a book onto the couch & you can demonstrate this for yourself). If you take a second to check that the coils in your heaving hand are coming over the top of the coil and toward you, the coil will tend to unwind and stretch itself out gracefully in the air, because the coil itself is unwinding by virtue of its own spin.(To check this, look down: the line should come over the coil toward you, then across your body to the other coil in your non-heaving hand. If it isn't, turn it around quickly).The orientation of the coil in your non-heaving hand is not important.If you hold the coil "backwards," the chances of it knotting itself up in mid-air and falling short are increased.And of course, we're all aiming OVER THE HEAD of the recipient. Gravity will bring it to him. Better long than short.

 

[Augie Byllott]

Heaving line

For docking I have two fifty foot half inch nylon lines, each with with a monkey fist weighted with a golf ball. It's an easy matter to twirl the 'fist', release it and watch it pull the coiled line.Great accuracy and distance in most wind conditions.I suggest to the person on the dock that he pick up the line after it lands rather than try to catch the 'fist'. The tail of the knot is spliced into the line to form an eye which can simply be dropped over the dock cleat. Since no skill is needed, anyone who happens to be on the dock can handle the chore.If the second line is needed, I toss that, too.All adjustments are made from on board.