Monkeys' Fists there rise and their downfall

[Chris Allman]

Monkey Fist Knots

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 lockmasters 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 Lockmaster a compromise was reached.

Chippy would repair the window and if possible give first aid to the table, and the Lockmaster 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, which was more than could be said for the Monkeys Fists. They were never seen again and our rather paltry versions were rescued from the rope locker and put back into use.

It was great fun whilst it lasted, happy days.

Chris.

[John Cassels]

Funnily enough , had a very similar experience.

1970 , 2nd.mate on a bulk carrier . We were berthing in Mossamedes Angola ( think it's called Pointe
Noire now) to load ore for Japan.
We were to berth at the new loading jetty and there were quite a few local dignitaries present to
watch the berthing of the first ship at the new installation.

For some reason or other , I decided to throw the first heaving line , so picked the one with the
heaviest monkeys fist.

As luck would have it , it flew through the windscreen of the local police chief's new jeep . Can''t
remember what the outcome was ( more than 40 years ago now ) , but I do remember I didn't dare
go ashore !.

JC

[Louis the Amigo]

Hi Chris, Hi shipmates this takes me back a few years on the coasters I worked on throwing a heaving line, was some thing I did allmost every day ,but deep sea on some ships this was something {fun} !!! nuts were used big steel one inside the knot and it was painted with red lead a few coats for {safety} The object was to send it ashore first time to cause longshoreman no probelms? what some shipmates would do on the forecastle was to jerk the heaving line held in left hand ,when allmost there very nasty for anyone too slow or in the way ashore.

[Roger Dyer]

Hi Chris, John, Louis and Shipmates,

I read with interest your comments regarding heaving lines with a monkey's fist dipped in red lead or 'loaded' with a ball-bearing, small piece of lead or a large nut as described by Louis. During the 50's and 60's I always thought the use of heaving lines so described were in common use in the MN. They certainly had the potential to injure or kill an unwary longshoreman if striking him on the head. I still carry two lines, with M.F's on the end, on board my little motor cruiser, but you'll be pleased to know they are not of the 'loaded' variety. On one or two occasions they've come in very handy and have become popular with some of my 'boatie' mates.

Not wishing to divert from the topic, but whilst on the subject of heaving-lines may I mention another method of weighting the line instead of the conventional M.F.which, I thought, was equally deadly. This entailed stitching to the end of the line a sand-filled canvas bag about the size of a large Saveloy sausage. If it sounds lethal it's only because it was, but I must admit that they were most effective when trying to get a line ashore into a very strong wind, especially in a critical situation where time is of the essence. I'm sure, Chris, you and your fellow master mariners amongst our members will know what I mean. 'Elf and safety mob would have a fit.

Apologies for straying slightly off topic.

.................cheers, Roger.

[DeepSea]

Working up the Great Lakes, monkeys fists were not allowed to be used on heaving lines.