OK ... question .. How long would you want a pole to be with a Kong auto mooring hook

[Refueler]

I have in hand - a Kong Auto mooring hook. I have 3 different boat hooks - one with Mooring mate that puts rope through a ring .. one with hook that has two sides .. and last with a singe hook one side. All 3 are typical boat hook length.

I was going to fit the Kong to the last one with single hook end .. but then wondered about using a telescopic alloy painters pole. Or similar.

Interested to hear other users of a Kong or similar as to length of pole that have it fitted to ....

I realise that freeboard and what you are hooking onto affects working length .. but lets see what people have ...

 

[rogerthebodger]

I have one of these that will attach to my mooring hook such that once the hook is an th dock cleat the pole can be removed

Aqua Pro Aluminium Extendable Pole 2.4m-4.8m

 

[Bouba]

I have a Hook & Moor with the longest telescopic handle…thinking it would save the wife from lassoing the cleats (I’m thoughtful that way)…but it was too heavy and unwieldy for her…after the first try it has spent the past four years in the lazaret…can’t remember the last time I saw it

 

[Refueler]

I have one of these that will attach to my mooring hook such that once the hook is an th dock cleat the pole can be removed

Aqua Pro Aluminium Extendable Pole 2.4m-4.8m

Basically similar to my painters pole ... but longer ... mine goes from about 1.3m to 2.5m .... lightweight .. in fact about 1/3rd the weight of the Kong hook !! That's one reason why I asked the question ... the Kong is heavy and on the end of a long pole could have quite a lever effect.

I have the one that needs to be released by actually bring to hand ... Was not so sure about the wider one that pole can unhook as well .. the bar diameter looks less.

 

[Refueler]

I have a Hook & Moor with the longest telescopic handle…thinking it would save the wife from lassoing the cleats (I’m thoughtful that way)…but it was too heavy and unwieldy for her…after the first try it has spent the past four years in the lazaret…can’t remember the last time I saw it

My Mooring Mate that threads a rope through a ring is plastic and adds little or no weight to a boat hook ... its not designed to hook on and take weight of boat ...
Its limitation of course is whether the jaw part can pass through the ring / hole of a cleat to bring the rope back.

 

[William_H]

if you have a choice make the pole extra long. You can always cut it shorter if you find it too long in practice. ol'will

 

[Snowgoose-1]

Basically similar to my painters pole ... but longer ... mine goes from about 1.3m to 2.5m .... lightweight .. in fact about 1/3rd the weight of the Kong hook !! That's one reason why I asked the question ... the Kong is heavy and on the end of a long pole could have quite a lever effect.

I have the one that needs to be released by actually bring to hand ... Was not so sure about the wider one that pole can unhook as well .. the bar diameter looks less.

I have the second type in the video. Nice bit of stainless . Unfortunately. It trips too easily and compounded by the heavy weight is quite unwieldy.

To be fair though, I have a marina berth and anchor often so might work if used regularly . To answer your question, normal length of a wooden boat hook maximum and wood rather than Ali to balance the weight more.

 

[onesea]

To answer the OP "

How long would you want a pole to be with a Kong auto mooring hook?​

My answer would be whatever the length it's always going to be an inch to short (and this what she says to).

In all fairness I think 6 or 8 foot will be as far as you could reliably "hook" most cleats or rings.

 

[MontyMariner]

Bow to waterline at 45°+ height of operator.

 

[Refueler]

if you have a choice make the pole extra long. You can always cut it shorter if you find it too long in practice. ol'will

I like a nice bit of wood ... stained / varnished .. looks nice. But then its heavy .. I have the telescopic painters pole .. lighter .. BUT having used one before as a deck brush handle - the SW caused it to bleed black shite after a while from inside ..

Think a nice wood dowel from local builders merchants ...

 

[Ian_Edwards]

I bought 3m glass fibre tubes from East Coast Glass Fibre. Blanked the ends with some epoxy and micro fibres. They just about float, not too heavy, very strong.
Glued the hook onto the end, with epoxy glue. Used them regularly for the last 12 years.
The long reach is especially useful if you are single handed, it gives you a much better chance of picking up a mooring.
The only problem I've had is the poles shedding glass splinters as UV attacks the polymer, but a coat of paint or gloves cures that problem.

 

[Refueler]

The one aspect of the Kong 16 I have .. is unhooking. It needs to be handled directly ...

But at least hooking on will be much easier.

 

[Refueler]

I bought 3m glass fibre tubes from East Coast Glass Fibre. Blanked the ends with some epoxy and micro fibres. They just about float, not too heavy, very strong.
Glued the hook onto the end, with epoxy glue. Used them regularly for the last 12 years.
The long reach is especially useful if you are single handed, it gives you a much better chance of picking up a mooring.
The only problem I've had is the poles shedding glass splinters as UV attacks the polymer, but a coat of paint or gloves cures that problem.

Its why I rejected idea of GRP or CF rods ... those splinters are hard to see and remove.

I use a lot in the models and so many times a stray splinter gets me !!

 

[Bouba]

The Hook & Moor leaves the rope on without any part of the book hook…it is an extremely clever invention…even if it is impractical in our circumstances

 

[Refueler]

The Hook & Moor leaves the rope on without any part of the book hook…it is an extremely clever invention…even if it is impractical in our circumstances

Hook and Moor - sounds like my Mooring Mate ... where the item threads the rop through the ring / cleat and brings rope end back. Its fine for short stops or where ring / cleat is nice and smooth ... but because rope is doubled back - can lead to abrasion and break at that point of contact if left for longer period.

This is similar my mooring mate - (this one doesn't have the clip mount) :

Only failure with it - the clip that secures the unit to the screwed part on boathook broke - so now mine is permanent .. Works fine as long as the latch arm can pass through the ring etc.

 

[Refueler]

OK ... bought a nice 2.2m wood garden tool handle .... will do nicely.

I may even fit both units to the one pole ... threader one side ... hook other.

 

[William_H]

I don't need to be able to attach rope to a mooring eye but I do need a boat hook to pick up my mooring line with dinghy attached. No I don't wander from home mooring. I have an ali telescopic boat hook quite short which fits in the cockpit locker. For emergencies I have 2x very long poles each with boat hook on end and a paddle on the other end. (the ship's engine). ol'will

 

[Refueler]

OK ... bought a nice 2.2m wood garden tool handle .... will do nicely.

I may even fit both units to the one pole ... threader one side ... hook other.

Once I feel better after 'celebrations' - will get on and stain / varnish it ....