Happy Hooker
- Thread starter NautiDuck
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Plastic's fine, Randy, and they
work very well. Just practice with it a little bit before using it. We put ours on its own dedicated pole.
work very well. Just practice with it a little bit before using it. We put ours on its own dedicated pole.
Used one for 25 years
Being nylon it is quite flexible - but unbreakable. If one is too rough in trying to stab the mooring ring it can get disarranged but otherwise it works just fine. A small snag is that it needs to have quite a thin line to pull through the ring to which you attach your mooring line. Just using mooring line alone took too much effort and time to pull all the rope through so I took an old double braid sheet and removed the inner for about 8'. This gave the ideal transition from thin to thick line without a knot to try to drag through the ring. In general this device is quite slow to use so I also carry a large (4"wide)sprung stainless mooring hook which detaches from the end of the boathook. This is much more direct and far quicker. Both devices will also catch a dock cleat by hooking through the hole in the cleat under the top bar. Great for coming alongside with the wind blowing you off. In an ideal world you need both devices.
Being nylon it is quite flexible - but unbreakable. If one is too rough in trying to stab the mooring ring it can get disarranged but otherwise it works just fine. A small snag is that it needs to have quite a thin line to pull through the ring to which you attach your mooring line. Just using mooring line alone took too much effort and time to pull all the rope through so I took an old double braid sheet and removed the inner for about 8'. This gave the ideal transition from thin to thick line without a knot to try to drag through the ring. In general this device is quite slow to use so I also carry a large (4"wide)sprung stainless mooring hook which detaches from the end of the boathook. This is much more direct and far quicker. Both devices will also catch a dock cleat by hooking through the hole in the cleat under the top bar. Great for coming alongside with the wind blowing you off. In an ideal world you need both devices.
Donalex is right, Randy
I forgot to note that it only takes a 3/8 inch line. But for getting it hooked to begin with, it can't be beat. So once you get that line on, just use it as a messenger if you need a longer line. Also, they don't work worth beans on a floppy topped buoy - you need a standing ring or one of those newer triangular setups; something firm that the hooker can work with. Since we use it so rarely, I've cut the instructions out and keep them in my onboard boat book. Do I detect a hint of an Xmas present list starting here?
I forgot to note that it only takes a 3/8 inch line. But for getting it hooked to begin with, it can't be beat. So once you get that line on, just use it as a messenger if you need a longer line. Also, they don't work worth beans on a floppy topped buoy - you need a standing ring or one of those newer triangular setups; something firm that the hooker can work with. Since we use it so rarely, I've cut the instructions out and keep them in my onboard boat book. Do I detect a hint of an Xmas present list starting here?
not unbreakable
we decided not to replace the one we broke because it wouldn't pick up a ring laying down atop the mooring--a flaw that made it useless on more than half the mooring balls we wanted to pick up.
we decided not to replace the one we broke because it wouldn't pick up a ring laying down atop the mooring--a flaw that made it useless on more than half the mooring balls we wanted to pick up.
Why do men seem to always take the
helm and have their wives work the foredeck? Women are just as capable as men at boat handling but generally men are physically stronger and would be better suited to work the foredeck and sail handling.
helm and have their wives work the foredeck? Women are just as capable as men at boat handling but generally men are physically stronger and would be better suited to work the foredeck and sail handling.
Ross...we are the exception to the rule..
When sailing, my wife is at the helm while I do the sail adjustments. It keeps her happy and not get seasick. When anchoring, same thing...I am at the bow while she does all the helm's work. We do mostly anchoring...the few time we go to Catalina Island and we have to grab a mooring is the few times that I am at the helm while she picks up the stick. Then I run forward to help her. This is by her request because she doesn't feel as comfortable handling the boat in close quarters. I have found that if I let her have the first choice of what she wants to do in the boat, it makes for a better sailing experience for both of us. abe
When sailing, my wife is at the helm while I do the sail adjustments. It keeps her happy and not get seasick. When anchoring, same thing...I am at the bow while she does all the helm's work. We do mostly anchoring...the few time we go to Catalina Island and we have to grab a mooring is the few times that I am at the helm while she picks up the stick. Then I run forward to help her. This is by her request because she doesn't feel as comfortable handling the boat in close quarters. I have found that if I let her have the first choice of what she wants to do in the boat, it makes for a better sailing experience for both of us. abe
The reason men...
..are on the helm most often, is probably the same reasom I am. My wife will not take the wheel in close quarters, so she is the one committed to the foredeck events. Except while anchoring, I go on the bow and she has plenty of room in the anchorage. She doesn't want to mess-up her hands(eczema). Sailing gloves are the norm on my boat.
..are on the helm most often, is probably the same reasom I am. My wife will not take the wheel in close quarters, so she is the one committed to the foredeck events. Except while anchoring, I go on the bow and she has plenty of room in the anchorage. She doesn't want to mess-up her hands(eczema). Sailing gloves are the norm on my boat.
At the helm
My wife is at the helm 95% of the time. She isn't strong enough to handle the lines, so she handles the helm. She does get nervous in tight conditions but I just talk her through it. Her biggest problem (other than me) is that she is afraid she is going to make a mistake and look stupid. How do you learn with out making mistakes?
My wife is at the helm 95% of the time. She isn't strong enough to handle the lines, so she handles the helm. She does get nervous in tight conditions but I just talk her through it. Her biggest problem (other than me) is that she is afraid she is going to make a mistake and look stupid. How do you learn with out making mistakes?
because they can get away with it?
when we bought our first big boat, I hired an instructor to take the admiral out for a day of docking practice in a medium breeze. I was a grad student at the time, and spent the day in the university library, attempting desperately not to visualize how many scuff marks would mar the new hull. a week later I cast off the dock lines and she took the boat solo over to the yacht club guest dock while I drove there by car. whew.
when we bought our first big boat, I hired an instructor to take the admiral out for a day of docking practice in a medium breeze. I was a grad student at the time, and spent the day in the university library, attempting desperately not to visualize how many scuff marks would mar the new hull. a week later I cast off the dock lines and she took the boat solo over to the yacht club guest dock while I drove there by car. whew.
The HH will never work on rings that are laying
down. However, there has to be a ring of some sort holding THAT ring down. The old Ayala Cove buoys were horrible in that regard. The new ones are like the way-old really original ones and the HH will work on them.
down. However, there has to be a ring of some sort holding THAT ring down. The old Ayala Cove buoys were horrible in that regard. The new ones are like the way-old really original ones and the HH will work on them.
Hooking the Buoy Ring
Further to my previous posting I sometimes set my hook up on a long warp and lead it from a winch, through the bow fitting and back to the cockpit outside everything. Then I just bring the boat head to wind/tide with the buoy by the cockpit and hook the buoy. Nobody on the foredeck. Immediately after hooking on I quickly pull the warp on the winch and it pulls the buoy forward to the bow. I can even winch the buoy out of the water so no banging in middle of night - if you understand me right! A neat quick manoeuvre and buoy in sight at all times. No hassle from the Admiral either. Its better with the Grabber Hook though - less rope needed.
Further to my previous posting I sometimes set my hook up on a long warp and lead it from a winch, through the bow fitting and back to the cockpit outside everything. Then I just bring the boat head to wind/tide with the buoy by the cockpit and hook the buoy. Nobody on the foredeck. Immediately after hooking on I quickly pull the warp on the winch and it pulls the buoy forward to the bow. I can even winch the buoy out of the water so no banging in middle of night - if you understand me right! A neat quick manoeuvre and buoy in sight at all times. No hassle from the Admiral either. Its better with the Grabber Hook though - less rope needed.
I agree, and can't understand why so many
people have someone stationed at the bow to grab the buoy. That's the hardest place to do it from: highest place on the boat and pointy at the end, to boot. Run the bow line back to the cockpit and slide over to the buoy by wind or current. The cockpit almost always has a lot less freeboard.
people have someone stationed at the bow to grab the buoy. That's the hardest place to do it from: highest place on the boat and pointy at the end, to boot. Run the bow line back to the cockpit and slide over to the buoy by wind or current. The cockpit almost always has a lot less freeboard.
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