Heaving a line

Heaving a line is a method of throwing a line from one location to another. The most common use of a heaving line is at sea, to pull a cable to shore from a ship. It may also be used to rescue a person from the water.

You need to be able to heave a line a reasonable distance accurately, it is also important to do this from a boat as well as from land.

To make it easier to throw you may need to add / put a weight on the end of the line; this weight is usually a “Monkey’s Fist”.

The line should be of such length and size to reach your target but not be too heavy to lift when fully coiled. The main points to heaving a line are:• Coil the line clockwise from the fixed end • When coiling avoid overlap • Secure the fixed end • Split the coil into half • Hold the coils as shown • Point in the direction of throwing • Throw the line underhand

Things not to do: Do not force the rope into a coil let it flow with the natural twist in the rope.

Secure the end

Holding the coils

(graphic of open hand to release)

TIP

Take time to coil the line properly and always leave a line coiled ready for use.

Heaving the line