Alligator Catcher??
I understand in Florida they catch alligators in peoples' swimming pools using a noose on a stick. They are just as useful for catching dock cleats.
Take 40" of garden hose and an old warp or jib sheet which will fit inside it.
Make a 3" long slit along the hose ending 5" from one end.
Using a stiff wire or straightened out coat hanger use this to pull the rope all through the hose and out through the slit.
Keep pulling until there is only 6" showing at the open end of the hose, then tie this in a SMALL bowline round the hose, thus making a noose.
Now get a garden cane 5' long and offer it into the opposite end of the hose to the bowline end.
If the cane is a loose fit, bulk up the end of the stick with tape until it is a nice sliding fit.
Now you have a noose on a stick.
See photo of noose on taped end of bamboo garden cane.
Use:-
Set your fenders and warps as normal for coming alongside.
Then, at about midships, feed the free end of the rope over and outside of the lifelines and then through a stanchion base loop or suitably placed block or shackle on the toerail. From there two turns round a winch or cleat and bring the tail to a handy place for the helmsman.
Lay the alligator catcher along the side deck until you come alongside.
Now:- Come alongside, stop the boat momentarily, loop the noose over a dock cleat, pull it tight using the rope and then pull the cane away.
Next:- The helmsman quickly pulls all the slack out on the winch - and you are moored.
He can go ahead or astern to keep the boat in position or winch in using the winch handle.
Then:- Light a cigarette, sip your beer, get your normal dock lines out and step nonchalantly ashore. You have all the time in the world to set up your normal docklines.
The trick is that all this takes so little time the boat hardly has time to drift away from the dock. Also, if you are a little shy of your final position you can go ahead or astern or winch in to get to your desired location.
Very convenient for those approaches where wind, tide or prop walk will carry you away from the dock.
We now use this operation for all our dockings. Nobody risks jumping ashore and into the drink. No risk of a sprained ankle. No chance of the helmsman being stranded alone on the boat with the crew on the dock. No lines in the water waiting to catch the prop. If you get it wrong its easy to try again. etc, etc.
Works just as well single handed.
This is also extremely helpful when mooring in a strong tide as well as a strong wind. Sometimes we deploy it from the stern quarter and again sometimes from the bow - it all depends on the circumstances at the time.
And its free folks!
PS. I originally posted this in 2001, 2005 & 2008 but please disregard my previous posting in July 2001 - a coat-hanger inside the braidline noose works perfectly but is more nuisance to make or use.
