Boat-hook thready mooring-buoy thingies

[Babylon]

The lassoo method works with buoys but doesn't cover the 'D' ends to French fingers or the closed cleats on some pontoons.

I keep hearing about these, does anyone here have a picture they could kindly post ?

One doesn't need any elaborate gear to secure to the D-end of a Froggie pontoon, or even a mooring-buoy. Here's a simpler method:

1/ Make a small bowline in the end of your stern-line.
2/ Drop the bowline through the D-end of the pontoon.
3/ Hook the bowline with an ordinary boat-hook.
4/ Bring the bowline end back to your stern and secure.

The same method - from the bow this time - can be used to secure to the ring atop a mooring-buoy (although in this case one can lassoo the buoy as a temporary first measure to stop it wandering around).

 

[LittleSister]

We have a Bosco boathook. I can't remember whether we've ever used it for a buoy, but we use it every time we go through the lock in and out of our marina.

It's particularly good for reaching out from the bow to the mooring points, or for when I'm single handing. A couple of people have commented on how handy it looks.

As it's a chunky bit of metal, you have to be careful of it swinging back into your topsides when you release it from a horizontal position.

 

[prv]

Given the number of times over the last twenty years the Fowey harbour patrol have watched us and very many others do it, they at least seem to have no objections.

Maybe, but I know a number of forumites who have moorings have had the buoys damaged by lassooing so that they fill up with water and sink.

Pete

 

[Babylon]

Maybe, but I know a number of forumites who have moorings have had the buoys damaged by lassooing so that they fill up with water and sink.

Pete

Sorry Pete, but this doesn't wash with me. If a mooring-buoy is that old, that poorly manufactured, or so infrequently inspected that it can't stand up to some occasional temporary lassoing, then it should be replaced. They're not exactly hi-tech or expensive items.

 

[onesea]

Sorry Pete, but this doesn't wash with me. If a mooring-buoy is that old, that poorly manufactured, or so infrequently inspected that it can't stand up to some occasional temporary lassoing, then it should be replaced. They're not exactly hi-tech or expensive items.

Neither are the hooks designed to catch the rings.

To me lassoing buoys is kind of like the shouting thread earlier. Yeah some times things do not go to plan and we do things we do not want to to achieve the final goal.. But not something I want to or think should be done regularly...

Each to there own.........

 

[DaveS]

We have a Bosco boathook. I can't remember whether we've ever used it for a buoy, but we use it every time we go through the lock in and out of our marina.

It's particularly good for reaching out from the bow to the mooring points, or for when I'm single handing. A couple of people have commented on how handy it looks.

As it's a chunky bit of metal, you have to be careful of it swinging back into your topsides when you release it from a horizontal position.

I have one of these and it now works well (but does have a tendency to clunk the hull when released - I plan to wrap bits of it in self amalgamating tape to make it friendlier). When I first bought it, however, it mysteriously released itself as soon as load came on the attachment line. I eventually discovered that the release cord had been tied off slightly short: moving a knot by an inch fixed it.

 

[snowleopard]

Sorry Pete, but this doesn't wash with me. If a mooring-buoy is that old, that poorly manufactured, or so infrequently inspected that it can't stand up to some occasional temporary lassoing, then it should be replaced. They're not exactly hi-tech or expensive items.

So if I borrow your mooring and damage it because of my technique, it's your fault for not making it stronger? Hmm.

Owners of some groups of moorings in the Solent have a lot of problems as a result of sailing schools constantly using them for lasso practice resulting in a regular bill for replacement buoys..

Mooring buoys are meant to be attached by the built-in rings; putting a rope around them so that the weight comes on the body of the buoy rather than the proper attachment points puts an unfair strain on them. The inevitable result is the plastic separating from the metal fittings and in extreme cases splitting resulting in the mooring sinking. If someone did that to my mooring resulting in having to grapple for the tackle and shell out for a new buoy I would be very annoyed.

 

[BlueSkyNick]

For me, lassoing is a good way of getting hold of the buoy to let things settle down, and buy some time. Once the boat is firmly held, and nothing more can be done by the helm (whether is SWMBO or myself), do something to get a proper line on.

 

[jimi]

I've got a hooker thingie and I find it very useful

 

[KevO]

I've got a hooker thingie and I find it very useful

I had a hooker once and it sucked big time

 

[Elessar]

So if I borrow your mooring and damage it because of my technique, it's your fault for not making it stronger? Hmm.

Owners of some groups of moorings in the Solent have a lot of problems as a result of sailing schools constantly using them for lasso practice resulting in a regular bill for replacement buoys..

Mooring buoys are meant to be attached by the built-in rings; putting a rope around them so that the weight comes on the body of the buoy rather than the proper attachment points puts an unfair strain on them. The inevitable result is the plastic separating from the metal fittings and in extreme cases splitting resulting in the mooring sinking. If someone did that to my mooring resulting in having to grapple for the tackle and shell out for a new buoy I would be very annoyed.

yawn snow leopard. Not that tired old tale again.

If lassooing damages your buoy it's time you had a new one anyway. But I don't believe it does.

The gadgets are not as good and convenient as lassooing.

I always lassoo.
I teach people to lassoo (I am an RYA instructor)

And will continue to do so.

(nb only temporary to hold the boat whilst tieing up properly)

 

[NormanS]

yawn snow leopard. Not that tired old tale again.

If lassooing damages your buoy it's time you had a new one anyway. But I don't believe it does.

The gadgets are not as good and convenient as lassooing.

I always lassoo.
I teach people to lassoo (I am an RYA instructor)

And will continue to do so.

(nb only temporary to hold the boat whilst tieing up properly)

Ye Gods.

 

[Elessar]

Ye Gods.

why have I amused you ?
or terrified you ??

 

[NormanS]

I would have thought it obvious to anyone with average intelligence, that the way a mooring buoy is constructed, means that it is made to support the weight of the mooring, (chain / rope, whatever). The buoy itself is not made to take the weight of a boat.
Do what you like with your own property, but please treat other people's with respect.
If the RYA recommend lassooing peoples mooring buoys, they are wrong IMHO.

Please consider what would happen, if by lassooing someones mooring it sank. I know that in my own case with a mooring in 14 metres of water, it would cost me a great deal of money for a diving team, to retrieve it.

 

[Elessar]

I would have thought it obvious to anyone with average intelligence, that the way a mooring buoy is constructed, means that it is made to support the weight of the mooring, (chain / rope, whatever). The buoy itself is not made to take the weight of a boat.
Do what you like with your own property, but please treat other people's with respect.
If the RYA recommend lassooing peoples mooring buoys, they are wrong IMHO.

Please consider what would happen, if by lassooing someones mooring it sank. I know that in my own case with a mooring in 14 metres of water, it would cost me a great deal of money for a diving team, to retrieve it.

To suggest that I subject the buoy to the weight of the boat is nonsense.

I am unaware that I have ever damaged a buoy and I have lassood them many 100's of times.

And as i said, will continue to do so.

 

[NormanS]

Presumably you won't mind when I come alongside your boat, and make my lines fast to the top of your stanchions. A similar misuse.

 

[Elessar]

Presumably you won't mind when I come alongside your boat, and make my lines fast to the top of your stanchions. A similar misuse.

Yes I would mind, because that is mis use.

Lassooing a buoy is not, it's good seamanship. The safest way to get the boat under control, giving you time to tie up properly.

 

[jimi]

I'm with Elessar on this if the buoy does'nt have a pick up buoy.

If it has a pickup buoy I'll use that, but if its just got a ring on the top I'll use the happy hooker ;-) now I've got one rather than lassoing!

 

[Seajet]

Pardon me for being thick as usual, but surely if one lassoes a buoy the line ( hopefully temporarily ) goes to the chain, so no great trauma for the buoy ?!

 

[Daydream believer]

Sorry Pete, but this doesn't wash with me. If a mooring-buoy is that old, that poorly manufactured, or so infrequently inspected that it can't stand up to some occasional temporary lassoing, then it should be replaced. They're not exactly hi-tech or expensive items.

Well it had better start washing
I administer 84 moorings for the local community
One of the biggest problems is from idiot " Roy Roger act alikes" lassooing inflatable buoys & bursting them just above the base
Owners pay about £300 for the mooring kit & even brand new moorings have been lost & it has been suspected it is down to this practice.
I get regular reports of visitors from the locals & when they leave one often finds a mooring missing
I personally think some of this is down to the RYA instructors who tell people it is OK to lasso anything that floats. The official line is that it should only be done on solid buoys. However, most people cannot tell the difference, or if they can they do not care. I have personally lost 2 sets @ £300 each .
It only becomes noticeable when one returns to ones mooring in the middle pf the night after a long sail so it can be extremely inconvenient

When i first learned to sail I used to race. I could not match the speed of the local top sailors so I concentrated on boat handling. It does not take much to learn how to sail up to a mooring first time & it should be a natural action. I do it in a 31 ft boat single handed with no problem. It can also be satisfying to do it infront of other mooring dwellers. It can be done without loosing some poor sods mooring
I just find it odd how many sailors just cannot manouver their boats properly & resort to this destructive practice