Hog Line?

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Akimbo

Just a diver
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I was having lunch with some neighbors when the inevitable sea stories began. I used the term “Hog Line” in a story without thinking, and was asked what it was. For the non-commercial/military divers who may read this, I said something like: A more or less horizontal rope, usually in the ½-1” range, that the diver uses to navigate to or around the work site and/or as support when working off the bottom.

The next question was: Why do they call it a Hog Line? Damned if I know, do any of you?
 
I think it has something to do with a sexual reference. Use your imagination.
 
Old sea farers use to run a line under the ship from gunwhale to gunwhale and drag it aft to check for damage and try to clean the hull.

I believe it was called hogging the ship (or hull).

If you did some thing especially bad, they tied you to the center of that line and drug you across the bottom of the ship. This was referred to as Keel Hauling.

Just found on wikipedia:

Hog –
1. A fore-and-aft structural member of the hull fitted over the keel to provide a fixing for the garboard planks.
2. A rough flat scrubbing brush for cleaning a ship’s bottom under water.
 
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