The humble boathook performs a clever rope trick
Issue 110 : Sept/Oct 2016
I have recently come across several gadgets that, when affixed to a boathook, hold a loop of line so it can be dropped over a cleat or piling that’s out of arm’s reach. This is a really handy thing to be able to do. I was using Velcro to create my own device when my son showed me a technique he learned as a seaman apprentice aboard the USCGC Eagle, the Coast Guard’s 295-foot training barque. Standard boathooks are designed for this technique.
First, tie a loop in the line using a bowline. About one third of the loop circumference from the bowline, hitch the loop around the pike of the boathook and back on itself to jam the line against the hook. Keep a grip on the boat end of the line and the boathook, applying light tension on the jamming hitch to keep it secure and the loop open. You can now drape the loop over any cleat or piling within reach. To extract the boathook, simply ease the tension on the line and pull the boathook away. It’s amazing how quick and easy this is to set up and deploy.
Jim Shell is a father, retired dentist, and owner of a Pearson 365 ketch. His son John is a schoolteacher and Baba 30 owner. It is becoming less clear who is “Master” and who is “Grasshopper.”
Thank you to Sailrite Enterprises, Inc., for providing free access to back issues of Good Old Boat through intellectual property rights. Sailrite.com
