I know, you don't want an aftermarket solution, but an Easy-Moor looks reasonably priced.
Google that.
Google that.
Boathook loop or boathook use... at a mooring ball? Not aftermarket thing...
- Thread starter genec
- Start date
I gather from this thread that there is no arrangement that will allow the use of a standard boat hook to thread a mooring line through a ring without using some other mechanical device. A large carabiner on the end of a line offers some potential to grab the ring and hold until a more permanent mooring line can be placed. Must give that a try, but until then I'll continue to grab the ring and lift up in order to thread the mooring line.
In a blow it is near impossible to solo up to the ring, lift it and thread the line through before the wind throws the bow away. When that happens no way I can hold the 35,000 pound boat. What seems to work for me is to approach the ring as if coming into a dock. Long dock line is secured to a bow cleat with the bitter end hanging by the midship cleat. This gives me more time to grab the ring, thread the bow line through and tie off to the midship cleat. Then I can work the ring forward to secure the mooring line to the bow cleat as normal.
In a blow it is near impossible to solo up to the ring, lift it and thread the line through before the wind throws the bow away. When that happens no way I can hold the 35,000 pound boat. What seems to work for me is to approach the ring as if coming into a dock. Long dock line is secured to a bow cleat with the bitter end hanging by the midship cleat. This gives me more time to grab the ring, thread the bow line through and tie off to the midship cleat. Then I can work the ring forward to secure the mooring line to the bow cleat as normal.
If this is your slip why not leave a line tied to the ring so you can just pick up the line?
All U Get
Not my slip, besides when I leave all the docking lines stay with the boat. Several coves and bays around these parts contain mooring balls to help mitigate eel grass damage. It would be handier if there were a way to use the boat hook to thread the mooring line through the ring rather than the traditional way, or some mechanical device prone to fail when needed. Must give this more thought.
We have one of these. Since most of the moorings we've used have had pickup floats, we've only used this once. It was on a pretty large mooring eye, though I don't think it was larger than the 5/8" maximum, but was pretty close. There was some fairly large chop and current, as well. The hook part managed to disengage the second part before the first part fully engaged, so basically, the hook came completely off the tool. I thought I broke it. Luckily, the hook was caught on the mooring ball eye. My wife was able to motor in while I gently pulled us up to the mooring ball, and was able to reach over and finish threading the line through. Pretty difficult with the current, as I didn't want to break the hook.
I think it will work fine the next time I try it, though. The trick is not to pull it too quickly. Let the first part latch in before you pull it all the way and disengage the second part of the hook. As they say in the directions, it's probably a good idea to practice with it once before you have to use it. I guess that was my practice run. It's actually a pretty slick tool.
http://www.easymoor.com/index.htm
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I grew up sailing a 25' wooden hulled gaff rig. We never had a motor on that old boat. This is exactly what we did on every drop sail landing. It works well, if you have enough room around the ball.