Heaving Lines etc

[Ivan Cloherty]

The United Kingdom Maritime and Coastgaurd Agency : Code of safe working practices for Merchant Seamen Section 25.3.2 states that "Vessel's heaving lines should be constructed with a monkey fist at one end. To prevent personal injury the fist should be made with rope only and should not contain added weighting material"

If a weighted heaving line is used, the monkey's fist risks being cut off by the linesmen or tug crew before the heaving line is returned to the vessel. Moreover some ports prohibit the use of additional heavy material and vessels may be fined for breaching local regulations if a weight one is used.

Elf n safti rearing its head again, we used to put a nut in them and paint them to make them fly better and we had no hard hats in those days, unweighted monkey's fist not much use against a strong head wind.

Anybody with other things that have changed

[Louis the Amigo]

Hi shipmates, you forgot the redlead paint how can you see it at dusk or dawn? thats a safety issue? dont use white gloss could be foggy? only use a few small nuts to make a noise? very heatlh and safety. The hard hat it what you aim at !!!

[Chris Allman]

Ah Monkey Fists.

I remember well making these knots for the ends of our heaving lines. They were great fun to make and we cadets used to see who could make the best.

On one ship I was on, the crew entered the competition too and a number of new Fists appeared. There was however a subtle difference between our Monkey Fists and the crews.

Firstly, there was the large lump of lead hidden inside their fists, this obviously made them fly higher and further than ours.

Secondly they were dipped in gloss paint of various colours that were available so that each crew member knew exactly which was his Fist.

Thirdly they were bigger than ours too, and in some instances considerably bigger.

Our Monkeys' Fists were soon relegated to the rope locker, as being too puny and sad and the crews Monkey Fists reigned supreme.

The Chief Officer and Second Mate tolerated the situation for a good while and could often be seen grinning broadly as a hail of lead weighted multi – coloured fists bombarded the poor Brazilian line men as they stood on the quay to moor the ship. How nobody was ever killed or seriously injured I will never know as a few poor fellows got hit in various parts of their anatomy but never complained.

The game however finished in the port of Swansea. Whilst locking in a rather large red lead coloured and lead weighted fist shattered the window of the Lock Masters hut, spraying him with glass and putting a rather large dent in his office table. This was followed by a large shiny black one, which landed on his corrugated iron roof and even to us some distance away sounded like J. Arthur Ranks Gong.

The very irate chap descended on the ship breathing fire and brimstone and carrying both the offending fists which he had cut from the heaving lines.

Many threats were made including the proposed summoning of the Police and the charging of people with the offence of having possession of dangerous weapons, namely one rather large red lead painted and lead weighted monkeys’ fist and one even bigger black gloss painted and lead weighted fist.

The Captain was dragged into the affair and following a meeting in his cabin with the Chief Officer, the Bosun and the Lock Master a compromise was reached.

Chippy would repair the window and if possible give first aid to the table, and the Lock Master would be compensated for his trauma with various bottles of spirits and a carton of fags. Hands were shaken on the deal, peace was declared and international relations restored.

The Bosun then went below and confiscated all the monkeys’ fists he could find. Our Monkeys Fists were retrieved from the rope locker and declared by the Captain as the only ones to be used.

Fortunately, we only had to go to Cardiff and thence to Liverpool to end the trip, as the crew flatly refused to use the heaving lines when docking and we cadets had to do the necessary. I am proud to say we managed to do the job at both ports without missing any throw and received a pat on the back by the Captain.

Happy days, happy, happy days.

Chris.

[Les Woodard]

Came across heaving lines in SA that had sand bags attached to them that where thrown up at us. Must have been a SA thing to do that. We all liked the way that when they landed they would stay put and not roll around like a monkey fist. Think there are many funny stories concerning MF's but the last post explained it very well.

[j.sabourn]

Louis Red Lead not used at sea is now illegal as are all lead based paints. This would be a good chance for Red Lead Ted to sue for unfair dismissal. Cheers John Sabourn

[happy daze john in oz]

Louis Red Lead not used at sea is now illegal as are all lead based paints. This would be a good chance for Red Lead Ted to sue for unfair dismissal. Cheers John Sabourn

In an effort to make paint more child proof the lead was taken out here in Oz over 15 years ago. Maybe he should now be Red Acryllic Ted!!!!!!!!!!!

[j.sabourn]

Or maybe just Red Ted. John Sabourn

[Les Woodard]

I thought that colour was discriminatory so maybe to go with the guide lines of the PC mob he should be called Rainbow Edward. Or Bowed for short. Do not want to put him in the position of discriminating against native yanks.

[Louis the Amigo]

Hi shipmates when I go back to sea I will refuse to go to the paint locker, NO red lead on ships???? thats my favorite paint nothing beats a drop of red lead after a few hours with the chipping hammer expect some overtime with the white gloss.

[Captain Kong]

I have a Department of Trade, Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seamen, DATE 1978.
.
I cannot find any mention of Heaving Lines in it.
.
Just checked again, The words Heaving Line is definately not in or mentioned.
.

SO since the UK and Maritime Coast Guard Agency took over they must have dicovered that after a million years of Seafaring there is a problem with throwing them.
Well I never. all the years I spent at sea I was in danger, I would never have joined if I had known.
Cheers
Brian.