Weights end of a rope to make it carry further when thrown.
VIDEO
Heaving Line Knot Details
Uses: The Heaving Line Knot (ABOK # 538, p 88) is one of several such knots described by Ashley. It creates a simple knot that feels heavy and has a noticeable weight.
The Heaving Line Knot adds weight to a rope’s end, helping it travel farther when thrown.
Tying it: The video shows the structure of the Heaving Line Knot. But, in practice, it is preferable to leave a loop at each end during wrapping. Pulling the end loop tightens the other loop around the short tail end. Then, pulling the standing end shrinks the end loop.
Length Required: The number of turns used is optional and affects the length of rope required. The ten wraps here used about 3 ft of 1/4″ diameter rope (0.9 m of 6 mm diameter). To save guessing or waste, test an initial wrap around three strands.
Using a Heaving Line: Do not tie a Heaving Line directly to the main hawser. If someone loads the hawser, they can find it hard to detach. Ashley recommends the use of an intermediate short length of rope. This allows us to detach the Heaving Line from the intermediate rope and reuse it.
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