Fancy boathooks

[Miker]

I am looking for a method of attaching a line to a marina mooring cleat while I am still on the boat. Has anyone tried the Plastimo pick-up hook or the Bosco boat hook? Both seem expensive but if they do the job, they could well be worth it to a short-handed sailor like me.

 

[Guest]

I have a 'fancy' boat hook. It is, as you imply, great for pick ups (mooring buoys).
In my marina some people have attached a spring-loaded post to the finger pontoons. These are approx. 1m. high and have a made up mooring line attached. It is then possible to come in alongside and reach out from the cockpit to grap the line.
99% of my sailing is single-handed, and perhaps as time stiffens my joints I may consider this system.

 

[vyv_cox]

We have two.

First is called "Handy Hooker"(!!) It feeds the warp around a ring or other device and brings it back to the user. Very clever but unfortunately is made of thin, fragile plastic. We broke one last year and have managed to obtain a replacement. A friend had a very old one in brass but I never saw another like this.

Second is German made, bought at the Amsterdam boat show. Don't remember its name. It is a heavily made, spring loaded hook that clips to the end of a boat hook. In use, hook the ring and leave the hook attached until time to replace with a permanent warp.

Both are particularly useful when entering older marinas for the first time. Many in Holland do not have cleats on finger pontoons, but have a closed loop. Shorthanded crews have little time to secure in these circumstances. Of the two I would prefer the second as it is far more robust.

 

[KrisHansen]

Looking for a hook, love?

Brilliant!! I'm buying one, just to say that upon entering the marina, after three days at sea, my single-handed approach meant I was grateful for the use of a Handy Hooker....

- Kris Hansen

 

[Footpad]

My father in law had one made of stailess that slid off a bracket on a pole and closed on the mooring, leaving the line atached. It was called a "Star Mooring Hook"

 

[Guest]

Try looking at the Cruisermart site. I use a spring loaded hook I purchased from them and it is the best £20?? I have ever spent.

 

[Danny]

All these boat hooks seem great but I think what most sailers would prefer would be a 'Handy Hooker'!!!

 

[charles_reed]

I've got the Bosco hook which works just fine - but I only use it for picking up buoys.

It does have one major snag, which I found to my cost off Alcoutim.
The outer sheath, with which you tie up, is far more elastic than the inner cord which operates the release. If you shorten the warp by wrapping it around a cleat below the release-cord exit (which I did) you find yourself suddenly adrift.

A single-armed single-hander I know just uses a large carbine hook on the end of the warp.
For coming alongside I'd find a boathook a nuisance.

For the record I usually sail single-handed and have not had difficulties just stopping the boat and gently getting off and tieing up, even in the dark with 28 knots of wind against a 2 knot current. Mind you the boat is only a 10m lightweight.

 

[KrisHansen]

I've never experienced serious difficulties coming alongside, stepping off and tying up in any conditions, in a heavy 30ft wooden yacht. It just takes some thinking about which approach to make, and which warps to tie up first. Providing you have a reasonable knowledge of what to expect when you do come alongside, I've never had problems.

- Kris Hansen