From Wikipedia ~
A monkey’s fist or monkey paw is a type of knot, so named because it looks somewhat like a small bunched fist/paw. It also looks somewhat like a volleyball or an older style football. It is tied at the end of a rope to serve as a weight, making it easier to throw, and also as an ornamental knot. This type of weighted rope can be used as an improvised weapon, called a slungshot by sailors. It was also used in the past as an anchor in rock climbing, by stuffing it into a crack, but this is obsolete and dangerous.

The monkey’s fist knot is most often used as the weight in a heaving line. The line would have the monkey’s fist on one end, an eye splice or bowline on the other, with about 30 feet (~10 meters) of line between. A lightweight feeder line would be tied to the bowline, then the weighted monkey’s fist could be hurled between ship and dock. The other end of the lightweight line would be attached to a heaver-weight line, allowing it to be drawn to the target easily.

The knot is usually tied around a small weight, such as a stone, marble, tight fold of paper, or a piece of wood. A thicker line will require a larger object in the center to hold the shape of the knot. Another variation of the monkey’s fist knot omits the use of an external object as a weight and rather uses the spare end which gets tucked back into the knot. This results in a nicer looking knot of a lesser weight, minimizing the potential danger of hurting someone with the knot when hauling line.
Monkey’s fists were also commonly used as melee weapons by sailors embroiled in street and tavern fights during the 19th century and the use of the monkey’s fist as a slungshot became common in the street gang subcultures of the 19th century. Similarly, when learning or practicing in the use of a Chinese meteor hammer, each end of the practice weapon is often tied off with a monkey’s fist knot.

Monkey’s fist’s are commonly used as a convenient and unobtrusive method of storing and transporting precious gemstones.[citation needed]

A monkey’s fist can be used on two ends of a tow lines of one side a fish net which is then thrown from one trawler to other, allowing the net to be cast and set between two boats so the trawl can be used between the two, in pair trawling[1] where the tow or catch is negotiated between both parties. This makes it easier to catch fish given the greater surface area between both boats to turn around and catch missed fish from the sea much quickly. Once all fish have been hauled up from the sea, tow lines of the fish net is returned by way of thrown both monkey’s fists back to the host trawler. Alternatively, a monkey fist can be used as a weight of a heaving line thrown to over to an opposing ship to bring two ships together.[2]

Click Here Monkey’s Fist Animation

This is for our Commodore Debbie who has declared this the “Year of the Knot”

As I cast off for that very first time,
The “rope” in my hand has now become “line”.
And hauling the sails to the top of the mast,
That “rope”, now a “halyard” holds strong, taught and fast.
Then sailing in brisk winds full force on a beat.
The sails are trimmed in by that “rope” that’s a “sheet”.
And now at my anchorage with sails safely stowed,
I trust in that “rope” that now serves as a “rode”.
Through all my life I will never lose hope,
Of a reason or time to play with a rope.

This is just a day after Alan’s picture, no mo debris in the cove. Hope it stays this way

Ahoy Mates,

Welcome to the 2011 sailing season. I foresee fair winds, pleasant weather and a calendar of various activities, something for everyone.

This year I proclaim to be the year of the knot. There was a time when all good sailors worth their salt were proficient in knots and rope work and each knot, bend and hitch had a purpose. With the onset of wire rigging, the art of appropriate knotting diminished. Therefore, each month I will select a knot, bend or hitch (they are not the same) and challenge you to learn how tie it, the history of it and the correct purpose for it. Then you will have the opportunity to share what you know at the Friday night club meetings. The sailor demonstrating the most knowledge and proficiency will receive a prize. So here is your first challenge. In order to explain knotting, one must first know the terms.

Define: Working end-standing end-bight-loop-elbow

Knot for the March meeting is the midshipman’s hitch.

We are never too old to stop learning. Have fun with this and I will see you at the March meeting on the 11^th.

Commodore Debbie Champion

We need cooks for the following dates:  4/8, 5/13,  6/10, 7/8, 8/12, and 9/9
Please volunteer, you will be reimbursed for the expense and it will help out the club.

Contact Alan Cannon to volunteer !

T’was the night before Christmas, I swung on the hook
With snowflakes a’landing, asleep with my book
When up on the deck I heard footsteps and stuff
“I’ve been boarded!” I thought, and I tried to be tough

Then down the companionway hatch came a dude
He was dressed like a nut and I thought, “I’m so screwed”
But he laughed and he hummed as he surveyed my junk
So I figured he must be the resident drunk

His eyes were lit up like a junkie on speed
But he gave me a whole bunch of stuff that I need
Like rum and cigars and new charts and a dinghy
And some kind of fancy electrical thingy

I knew it was stolen but I wasn’t telling
I just hoped he was giving and wasn’t just selling
And I poured him a grog which he downed with a wink
Then I poured one for me (I needed a drink!)

Then he staggered above to the dark snowy night
As I peeked I beheld an incredible sight
Eight tiny dolphins and a beautiful sleigh
And the dude hopped aboard and prepared to make way

The dolphins were ready to power the sled
But the guy raised a ginny and mains’l instead
With a burp and a chuckle he gathered the breeze
And called to the dolphins, now swimming with ease

“Hey Stalker and FEMA and Cancer and Nixon!
Or Stinky and Pepper Spray, Mason, and Dixon!
Or whatever your names are, you cute little fishes,
Here’s to every last sailor, my best Christmas wishes!”

As he sailed away leaving a wobbly wake
I hoped he had not many stops left to make
He got close to shore and he soon was aground
But the dolphins proceeded to pull him around

And I heard him exclaim as he sailed out of sight
“Killer whales! ….. just kidding, don’t be so uptight!”

— Jerry Ewing TKG, Cruising World Bulletin Board/Cruising Sailor
Bulletin Board, vintage 1999

A sailing friend sent these to me.

# 1. ( Sing to the tune , “Jingle Bells” )
Hard a- lee hard a-lee ,
Tacking all the way .
Oh what fun it is to ride –
a High Performance sleigh – eeee
Spectra here , Carbon there,
what fun to spend the buck.
Dollars make us win today.
Hey ! nothings left to luck
OOOOOOOh !
Hard a-lee, hard a-lee
winning is the way,
Dig really deep my sailor friend,
If you want to play-eeee
Melges here , J boat there
See how fast they go,
If you want to get a first
spend money , don’t cha know.

# 2. ( Sing to the tune of ” O christmas tree ” also know as ” O Tannenbaum”
O, wooden boat! my wooden boat!
It is my hope you stay afloat ,
O, worms and rot, I want you not,
There’s bottom paint on , coat by coat.
I varnished here
I varnished there
I used brushes of – the finest hair.
O, Wooden boat! my wooden boat!
All this up-keep gets my goat.

# 3. ( Sing to the tune ” O little town of Bethlehem ” )
Oh little boat of fiber-glass,
How still I see thee lie.
With blisters on your bottomside,
the size of an apple pie.
But in the dark wet brewing,
delamination grows .
Neglected years, the owner’s tears,
West System Epox-y-ose !

# 4. (Sing to the tune of “The 12 Days of Christmas” ) (for you non racers, a
big fast DNS is a racing term for “did not start”)
On the first day of racing , my new crew brought to me
A big fat D-eeee N S.
On the second day of racing , my new crew brought to me
Two tangled sheets and a big fat D-eee N S
On the third day of racing , my new crew brought to me
Three bad tacks , two tangled sheets and a big fat D-eee N S.
On the fourth day of racing my , new crew brought to me …
four spinnaker wraps , three bad tacks , two tangled sheets and a big fat D-eee
N S
On the fifth day of racing , my new crew brought to me ,…
Five accidental jibes …. four spinnaker wraps , three bad tacks, two tangled
sheets and a big Fat D-eee N S..
On the sixth day of racing , my new crew brought to me.
Six winches back wound, Five accidental jibes ,four spinnaker wraps , three bad
tacks, two tangled sheets and a big Fat D-eee N S..
On the seventh day of racing, my new crew brought to me..
Seven sea-sick throw ups, Six winches back wound, Five accidental jibes ,four
spinnaker wraps , three bad tacks, two tangled sheets and a big Fat D-eee N S..
On the eighth day of racing, my new crew brought to me..
Eight beers a -drinking, Seven sea-sick throw ups, Six winches back wound Five
accidental jibes ,four spinnaker wraps , three bad tacks, two tangled sheets and
a big Fat D-eee N S..
On the Ninth day of racing , my new crew brought to me ..
Nine winch handles swimming, Eight beers a -drinking, Seven sea-sick throw ups,
Six winches back wound, Five accidental jibes ,four spinnaker wraps , three bad
tacks, two tangled sheets and a big Fat D-eee N S.
on the tenth day of racing , my new crew brought to me ….
Ten halyards let loose, Nine winch handles swimming, Eight beers a -drinking,
Seven sea-sick throw ups, Six winches back wound, Five accidental jibes ,four
spinnaker wraps , three bad tacks, two tangled sheets and a big Fat D-eee N S.
On the Eleventh day of racing , my new crew brought to me ..
Eleven Chute poles broken, Ten halyards let loose, Nine winch handles swimming,
Eight beers a -drinking, Seven sea-sick throw ups, Six winches back wound, Five
accidental jibes ,four spinnaker wraps , three bad tacks, two tangled sheets and
a big Fat D-eee N S.
On the Twelth day of racing , my new crew brought to me ….
Twelve headsails overboard, Eleven Chute poles broken, Ten halyards let loose,
Nine winch handles swimming, Eight beers a -drinking, Seven sea-sick throw ups,
Six winches back wound, Five accidental jibes, four spinnaker wraps , three bad
tacks, two tangled sheets and a big Fat D-eee N S.

Please bring a side dish or desert to share if you are coming to the dinner..

Bon Appetite’