hook and moor boat hook

chubby

chubby

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Just came across this in the chandlery: the Rolls Royce of boathooks with an ingenious mechanism for threading your rope that looks robust and uses a normal size rope not a messenger, anyone used it in action?

As I sail single handed it would be worth the money compared to more flimsy things that break or don`t work, what do others use?
 
I normally just motor - or sometimes sail- up to the mooring with a little bit of way on and stroll forward with a normal boathook.

If not confident in the conditions or other reasons like boats too close to risk muffing it, I lead a long line from the stemhead outside the guardrials back to the cockpit, then bring the mooring buoy alongside there, hoik it with normal boathook, feed the line through then let the boat drop back.

NB my boat is quite low freeboard aft which helps, ditto the big rudder which allows steering at very low speeds.

Then I go forward at leisure to pull up to the buoy and moor properly.

I'm wary of patent wonder boat-hooks, but I've heard good things about the one you mention, if you want that sort of thing - must be handy some time.
 
are you talking about using it for marina berthing or for picking up moorings?

for marina berthing the easiest solution (which we use) is a rope with a biggish loop tied in it which (crucially) has plastic hose running around the loop making it stiff and always open - this then runs to the centre cleat and then back to a cockpit winch. Drop over the end cleat on pontoon and motor gently against your spring - adjust with the winch, lock tiller and then walk off and drop over the bow and stern lines.

have a look at Stress free sailing book by Duncan Kent for lots of other great ideas
 
chubby said:
Just came across this in the chandlery: the Rolls Royce of boathooks with an ingenious mechanism for threading your rope that looks robust and uses a normal size rope not a messenger, anyone used it in action?

As I sail single handed it would be worth the money compared to more flimsy things that break or don`t work, what do others use?
Click to expand...

That's a heck of a price for a mooring aid but I can see the attraction.

I used to have a Moorfast which one needed to develop a knack for but it worked in a similar fashion (but probably not so efficient with the pontoon cleat shown in the video) at a third of the price. Especially useful where crew can't reach a buoy/pontoon to let go on departure which is where another device, the economic gadget the 'Handy Duck' falls a little short but simple as can be to quickly snap-hook a ring and then be able to sort oneself out at leisure.

As one who can make mistakes, and who doesn't -especially crew dealing with new kit?, I wouldn't like to lose this costly device over the side- there's no indication it floats but some sort of flotation would be a must for me, to give a sporting chance of recovery.
 
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I have spent many happy hours on a mooring in places like Fowey, watching new arrivals trying to moor with fancy gadgets. They usually work very well at the fourth attempt.
 
Seajet said:
If not confident in the conditions or other reasons like boats too close to risk muffing it, I lead a long line from the stemhead outside the guardrials back to the cockpit, then bring the mooring buoy alongside there, hoik it with normal boathook, feed the line through then let the boat drop back.

NB my boat is quite low freeboard aft which helps, ditto the big rudder which allows steering at very low speeds.

Then I go forward at leisure to pull up to the buoy and moor properly.
Click to expand...
An even more foolproof method, if your bow is being blown off by a crosswind, is to start as Seajet says, with the long line outside everything, but then reverse up to the buoy, get the long line through the loop, the quickly haul in the slack as your boat pirouettes through 180 degrees. If tying up to a quay/pontoon is intended, you can rig a line from an aft cleat , tie in a big bowline loop for dropping over a shoreside cleat (or use the hook and loop device!) and reverse up to the quay. When your line is secure motor against it in reverse to bring yourself alongside. Don't forget to put a big fender on the quarter. It pays to have your other lines ready, as the bow will blow off pretty rapidly. A bit of practice on an unoccupied quayside/marina hammerhead helps with this one.
 
Looks like a clever device. I use a Handy Duck, which is excellent for most mooring buoy pickups, and unlike snap hooks it can be remotely released easily.
 
Seajet said:
(...)

If not confident in the conditions or other reasons like boats too close to risk muffing it, I lead a long line from the stemhead outside the guardrials back to the cockpit, then bring the mooring buoy alongside there, hoik it with normal boathook, feed the line through then let the boat drop back.

NB my boat is quite low freeboard aft which helps, ditto the big rudder which allows steering at very low speeds.

Then I go forward at leisure to pull up to the buoy and moor properly.

(...).
Click to expand...

That's a good technique, especially if you have the buoy on the side to which your stern kicks when you engage 'astern' gear.
 
I was given the Hook and Moor for my birthday. It was given because I sail single handed with a labrador dog, who wears a life jacket with a handle on the back. If she goes overboard the only way I could get her back on board would be to lift her with a halyard and this 3m boat hook can reave a line to the handle. It is very strong and well constructed, almost over-engineered compared to the cheaper and shorter one on the market. To date I have not used as a long boat hook yet, but it is always close to hand.
 
Spirit of Glenans said:
An even more foolproof method, if your bow is being blown off by a crosswind, is to start as Seajet says, with the long line outside everything, but then reverse up to the buoy, get the long line through the loop, the quickly haul in the slack as your boat pirouettes through 180 degrees. If tying up to a quay/pontoon is intended, you can rig a line from an aft cleat , tie in a big bowline loop for dropping over a shoreside cleat (or use the hook and loop device!) and reverse up to the quay. When your line is secure motor against it in reverse to bring yourself alongside. Don't forget to put a big fender on the quarter. It pays to have your other lines ready, as the bow will blow off pretty rapidly. A bit of practice on an unoccupied quayside/marina hammerhead helps with this one.
Click to expand...
The OP didn't provide a photo or web link. I had one with the swivelling plastic end on my last boat, but due to the high freeboard the angle to most cleats meant the fork was too long to allow the thing to work. Lassoing was always more effective.

I would be cautious at putting a fixed end on a shore cleat without full control of the rest of the boat. If the wind or tide take over with your stern thoroughly bound to an un reachable shore side cleat you could end up dangling like a fish on a line unable to do anything to retrieve the situation easily.
 
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pvb said:
Looks like a clever device. I use a Handy Duck, which is excellent for most mooring buoy pickups, and unlike snap hooks it can be remotely released easily.
Click to expand...

Just to resolve any confusion- thank you for correcting me- the Handy Duck is easily released from the deck.

I can't imagine why I thought otherwise and why oh why did I always get my inflatable out and run a doubled- up line for an overnight stay? I can only suppose I didn't fancy hanging off a buoy secured only by the ABS hook on the device.
 
superheat6k said:
The OP didn't provide a photo or web link. I had one with the swivelling plastic end on my last boat, but due to the high freeboard the angle to most cleats meant the fork was too long to allow the thing to work. Lassoing was always more effective.

I would be cautious at putting a fixed end on a shore cleat without full control of the rest of the boat. If the wind or tide take over with your stern thoroughly bound to an un reachable shore side cleat you could end up dangling like a fish on a line unable to do anything to retrieve the situation easily.
Click to expand...


If you've got a bit - presumably a stern quarter in this case - secured to a pontoon you could either use engine & propwash over the rudder to bring her into line, or possibly easier, just pull the end you have secured up to the pontoon to allow someone - could be a singlehander - ' on shore ' with a long line to the bow.
 
Gin said:
Just to resolve any confusion- thank you for correcting me- the Handy Duck is easily released from the deck.

I can't imagine why I thought otherwise and why oh why did I always get my inflatable out and run a doubled- up line for an overnight stay? I can only suppose I didn't fancy hanging off a buoy secured only by the ABS hook on the device.
Click to expand...

The hook is a glass-filled composite material and will lift 1.5 tons, so is strong enough for most mooring conditions.
 
superheat6k said:
The OP didn't provide a photo or web link. I had one with the swivelling plastic end on my last boat, but due to the high freeboard the angle to most cleats meant the fork was too long to allow the thing to work. Lassoing was always more effective.

I would be cautious at putting a fixed end on a shore cleat without full control of the rest of the boat. If the wind or tide take over with your stern thoroughly bound to an un reachable shore side cleat you could end up dangling like a fish on a line unable to do anything to retrieve the situation easily.
Click to expand...
Good point. Lassooing would be more prudent, but, your engine + the line should get you alongside unless it's blowing around Force 10 across the deck, in which case you probably won't be out anyway.
 
DownWest said:
You don't seem to put a good price on knowledge; Price of a cup of expresso verses a 'mooring incident'?
Click to expand...

I really don't understand your comment. The identical book is £16.99 on one site and £12.31 on the other site; the only difference I suppose being that the more expensive site pays commission to whoever gave the link.
 
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