The weight capacity of a heaving line?

• A. 1000 lbs
• B. 500 lbs
• C. 250 lbs
• D. 50 lbs

Answer: (B)

Weight capacity here refers to the safe working load the line is rated to carry in normal service. A heaving line is a light-duty line used for throwing and for sending another line to a vessel or structure; it needs to be strong enough to handle the forces encountered during mooring or towing, but not so heavy or bulky that it becomes impractical to handle.

In typical naval practice, a standard heaving line is rated for a working load of about 500 pounds. This gives a practical margin for dynamic loads when paying out and hauling in, while keeping the line manageable for crew to throw and control. The breaking strength of the line is higher, but the working load limit is the safety limit used during operations to prevent sudden failure and injury.

Smaller ratings like 50 or 250 pounds would limit what you can safely haul and could lead to overloading in common tasks. A rating of 1000 pounds would imply a heavier, harder-to-handle line and isn’t necessary for the usual use of a heaving line. So, 500 pounds is the appropriate weight capacity.