New fangled boat hooks.

[nicho]

I'm in the process of buying bits for the new boat. Has anyone purchased, or used one of the new type of boat hooks, the type that latches onto various types of mooring hardware without the need of stepping off the boat?

Do they work as well as claimed? - are they worth spending more on? Anything to stop the wife from having to lean over the rails or step off onto pontoons would be a good thing I would have thought.

As ever, would be grateful of your advice/experience

 

[colin_jones]

I have used the variety called the Handy Duck for the past two seasons.

It was about £45 well spent.

 

[colin_jones]

I have used the variety called the Handy Duck for the past two seasons.

It was about £45 well spent.

 

[Martin_Billings]

These seem like a good idea to me and the comments in reply to your post may well persuade me to buy one, although I am a bit worried that use of this device will blunt my finely honed hat overboard technique with a conventional boathook.

 

[tcm]

We bought one of the ones that does the clever attachy line thing to a ring. But really, a bit rubbish. Cos quite faff shoing how to do it, then setting upto do the next, then swmbo gets used to the special thing but then it gets lost and so on. Much better to keep the 45 quid for gelcoat damage budget or bribes for her to get it right (contribution towards shoes anyway)

Cheapest is to invariably announce novice crew on board on vhf which sometimes gets them round to help, or at least an easy berth anyway...

 

[steve_cronin]

They have been around for some time.

This is a re-launch I suspect because some enterprising dealer has imported a few thousand from the far east under various marketing labels.

I wouldn't give one to anyone without a practical bent. They aren't quite a "consumer proof" item.

As the old saying goes:-

"It's the Knack as you need!"

Very useful if you had a Fisher and wanted to pass a line through a mooring buoy ring when you arrived in Alderney. Needs some crew training though. If mum is an "all thumbs" merchant or you give it to a highly strung teenager in the hormone zone you could end up with a very expensive long handled Dennis the Menace catapult without the rubber when the little notches (hinges) get broken off!

Steve Cronin

 

[vyv_cox]

Horses for courses

We have two patent boathooks, one of the plastic theading type and one metal carabiner-type hook. The plastic one (a Happy Hooker, I think) is far from robust and will take no knocks at all. We broke one a couple of years ago. It has its uses, such as picking up Highlands and Islands buoys, but only in fairly benign conditions. A friend had an old brass one that seemed a far more versatile tool but I never saw another.

The carabiner type is very strong and can be used to hold the boat. Where it has proved very useful is on approaching a berth to find at the last moment that it does not have cleats, only a loop like a mainsheet horse. It saves a lot of struggling to be able to hook the boat and hold it while struggling to pass warps through the rings or hoops. It can also be useful leaving a berth in adverse wind conditions, using its remote disengage line. Its disadvantage is that the throat is only about 30 mm, whereas the Happy Hooker's is about 100 mm. Not a problem generally but some cleats and attachments are too thick for it.

 

[qsiv]

Re: They have been around for some time.

I'd agree with that (although I dont have a Fisher).

I cant reach any bouy from anywhere on the deck easily. I dont now use the 'pass the line through' version as I found that this required rather too much coordination - I now use the 'detachable caribiner' style - this only requires a 'simple grab' which is much easier in less than favourable conditions. I then use the anchor windlass to pull the bouy up to the stemhead, reeve at least three different lines (and if it's rough I have a loose 20' length of chain + 4' of heavily sleeved wire+ rope tail so that I can lay well back and not worry about chafe). I always have at least one line rigged as a slip, with no load on it to facilitate leaving.

I also like to tape a little LED torch to the boat hook at night as it guarentees illuminating the target and doesnt need me to use an extra piar of hands!

 

[Twister_Ken]

Dear Chauvinist

Teach your dearly-beloved to drive, then you can be the one leaping about in a death-defying manner with various bits of string in strategic places.

 

[Miker]

Bought a Bosco last year as it seemed a good idea. So far I have not had to use the "new fangled" bit as my crew has improved on his docking technique. This has made it rather an expensive boathook.

 

[dickh]

Re: Horses for courses

I have the Carabiner type with a rope attached, but once attached to the ring, you can't detach it remotely. I always fit a slip line through the ring as soon as possible and remove the hook. It works ok, but have to keep the rope taut whilst holding the shaft otherwise the slightest knock dislodges the catch and you have to set it up again. The other problem is that the mooring eye has to be aligned right(which it never is) and you only have one chance at grabbing the ring.
If I bought another it would have to be the sort that brings the line back aboard.

dickh
I'd rather be sailing... /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[tcm]

Re: are you mad?

The reason the bloke drives is simple: he's the one who'll be most cheesed of if it gets whacked. Whereas she doesn't much mind about it being a bit crucnched, just as long as we're all safe and sound dear, that's the most important thing isn't it? Well, i think so. So, there's no point in going mad, what's done is done. How about a cup of tea to cheer up? Look, it floats fine, and it's not as though it's brand new is it? Well, now you're being unreasonable...


More generally, note wimmin less keen to understand/dismantle the powertrain/ control as shown by the very small number of physics and engineering applicants from female students at uni, and near-absence of women in tyre fitting and car fixing emporiums. Mostly, they ain't that interested, but we like to think they are, and they like us to think that we think they are too. Stunning exceptions excepted...but they would have the controls out of your hand long before now, i think. One of my lads can't wait to helm, wd drive all day if i lettim, other is ambivalent.

 

[NDG]

Re: Dear Chauvinist

Wot, just because she's a woman, you're assuming she CAN'T drive and needs to be taught, then? Maybe she prefers leaping.

 

[nicho]

Re: Dear Chauvinist

Actually Ken, that's exactly what I intend to do as soon as we have the boat - I'll employ the services of a professional for a few days to teach her (and also increase my experience) about MOB proceedures etc in case I go over. I intend for her to do much of the helming as she did with the motor cruiser, with me doing the chasing around!! (whilst I'm still able!). As for being chauvenistic, I'd love to be, but my dear wife won't allow it!!

 

[jtwebb]

They are not new fangled, I have had my Plastimo one for years. Works OK but needs a delicate touch to make sure the rope does not drop out. Have also used the newer flimsy looking plastic ones which also work providing they do not break first which is what happened to a friends.

J Webb

 

[nicho]

OK and many thanks - looks like a mixed bag of opinions, though the negatives seem to outweigh the positives.

Nearly got a chauvenistic thing going as well!!

Mike N