A simple approach to picking up moorings

[Montanan]

I spotted a suggested method to ease picking up moorings that appears to be very simple, especially when single-handed. Reminds me of lassoing cattle. Reference weblink at eOceanic.

It would seem to be exceptionally easy to deploy from a multihull with the wider distance between the opposite hull side fairleads, but quite practical with a monohull.

https://eoceanic.com/sailing/tips/26...g_up_moorings/

Happy sailing.

[Stu Jackson]

Why not just pick it up from the stern?

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Why not just pick it up from the stern?

That's what I do if it is a tough one to pick up.

[SV_Harbinger]

I just motor up to they bouy nice and easy like, grab the pennant and toss the eye splice on the first available winch all from the cockpit, I can worry about transferring it to the bow later, I often single hand, crouded mooring fields are not an issue. I always run a line fast to the bow and the eye splice of the pennant while transferring to the bow, that way if I drop it ... Well I'm still attached to the mooring just on a longer pennant.

[GrowleyMonster]

Originally Posted by SV_Harbinger

I just motor up to they bouy nice and easy like, grab the pennant and toss the eye splice on the first available winch all from the cockpit, I can worry about transferring it to the bow later, I often single hand, crouded mooring fields are not an issue. I always run a line fast to the bow and the eye splice of the pennant while transferring to the bow, that way if I drop it ... Well I'm still attached to the mooring just on a longer pennant.

THIS. It just WORKS, with no drama, even singlehanded.

[Mike OReilly]

Sometime moorings come with no pennants, just a ball and eye. These are the ones that are a challenge.

I use a detachable hook that snaps onto the eye. It is deployed from my boathook. I can reach out from the bow, or the cockpit, snap it on, then take my time deploying my proper mooring lines. Once my lines are deployed the hook can easily be detached.

[Suijin]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I use a detachable hook that snaps onto the eye. It is deployed from my boathook. I can reach out from the bow, or the cockpit, snap it on, then take my time deploying my proper mooring lines. Once my lines are deployed the hook can easily be detached.

Mike is this a specific product or something you rigged up yourself?

I usually position myself to float down on the mooring and fish the pennant with a boat hook but it’s not always easy.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Suijin

Mike is this a specific product or something you rigged up yourself?

I usually position myself to float down on the mooring and fish the pennant with a boat hook but it’s not always easy.

It is this one:

https://www.amazon.com/C-SHERMAN-JOH...s=mooring+hook

Attaches to your boat hook. Snaps on and off easily, but holds the boat secure while you’re sorting things out.

Moorings with accessible pennants are easy, but the ones with just balls and bare eyes can be very tricky, especially as a solo sailor. This tool makes it easy.

[Paul Elliott]

Originally Posted by Montanan

I spotted a suggested method to ease picking up moorings that appears to be very simple, especially when single-handed. Reminds me of lassoing cattle. Reference weblink at eOceanic.

It would seem to be exceptionally easy to deploy from a multihull with the wider distance between the opposite hull side fairleads, but quite practical with a monohull.

https://eoceanic.com/sailing/tips/26...g_up_moorings/

Happy sailing.

I've had mixed results using this lasso technique on spherical buoys (no pennant, just an eye on top that usually lays down flat). Sometimes it works, but if there is any significant current or if you pull hard on the looped line in order to get close to the buoy, I've had the line slip off the buoy and come free.

I usually grab the buoy eye from the stern and snap on a carabiner that I have spliced to the end of a light temporary line. Once we're secure, if necessary I run my heavier lines through the eye and take them up to the bow.

[CaptTom]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

It is this one:

https://www.amazon.com/C-SHERMAN-JOH...s=mooring+hook

Attaches to your boat hook. Snaps on and off easily, but holds the boat secure while you’re sorting things out.

Nice!

I have this one:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FC96J2Q

Easy to clip an eye and release from the boat hook all in one motion.

The difference is, this one doesn't have a remote release. Not so easy sometimes to reach the mooring ball (or skiff eye on a towed boat) to remove it, but you could use it for the initial grab, then paddle over in the dinghy to thread in a bridle and remove the snap.

And at $15 instead of $95, it's not a bad option.

[mvmojo]

Originally Posted by Montanan

I spotted a suggested method to ease picking up moorings that appears to be very simple, especially when single-handed. Reminds me of lassoing cattle. Reference weblink at eOceanic.

It would seem to be exceptionally easy to deploy from a multihull with the wider distance between the opposite hull side fairleads, but quite practical with a monohull.

https://eoceanic.com/sailing/tips/26...g_up_moorings/

Happy sailing.

Thanks for posting! We have a challenge picking up mooring pennants, attaching a line to an eye, etc. because our bow is 9 feet off the water and the gunwales are 6' above the water with 3-1/2' railings all around, including at the bow. Reaching the mooring or pennant is difficult at best. I'm anxious to try this lasso technique.

[DavidMRea]

Originally Posted by Montanan

I spotted a suggested method to ease picking up moorings that appears to be very simple, especially when single-handed. Reminds me of lassoing cattle. Reference weblink at eOceanic.

It would seem to be exceptionally easy to deploy from a multihull with the wider distance between the opposite hull side fairleads, but quite practical with a monohull.

https://eoceanic.com/sailing/tips/26...g_up_moorings/

Happy sailing.

I just pick up from the stern, using a long line. Once the buoy is lassoed, you can bring it close and attach a long line from the bow (or side if the tide warrants it) to make secure.

[canyonbat]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Why not just pick it up from the stern?

I agree. On our Beneteau 40 we pick it up from the side near the stern. Way easier to reach over and feed through that ring (no pendants in the Pacific Northwest). Last night we watched a single handed guy, here in Nanaimo, pick up the buoy behind us. Since it was dead calm he was able to more or less stop with the buoy under the bow. He then ran up, maneuvered around his dinghy and was able to coral the ring with his boat hook. What followed was a bit of a contortionist exercise maneuvering the line and the boathook before he managed to get everything secured. When he was done we gave him a cheer and told him well done. He thanked us and told us it was his first time catching a ball single handed. We were reluctant to criticize his method but thought he could use a tip. We told him how we do it. He was so excited about it I thought he was going to cast off and try again! It is nice when young sailors take tips from us old farts.

By the way Stu, we will be in Maple Bay Friday and Saturday. Might wander by and say hello if you are about. I have used many of your tips over the years.

[Flemming Torp]

We sail a lot in nordic waters and many organizations and sailing clubs offer many morings for their members, and we have very good help from, and experience with this "Hook&Moor-thing":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EAwDS9i9p0

[Montanan]

This lassoing techniques temporary holding scheme seems most useful for boats with high free boards such that the pennant or eye are inaccessible to those on the boat and / or when conditions are rough so as to make a hook challenging as to having the boat readily come within reach of the hook or to keep the boat and floats stable enough to position the hook. Some of the eyes don't stand up well to attach a hook easily and the balls or pennants are bouncing in the waves. Agreed a round buoy would have a tendency to ride over under tensioning, if the line did not tighten around the chain below the bouy. Floating pennants with tall poles make it much easier to grab and also to see the pennant ahead of the blind spot of a bow. I like many of those hook inventions especially for ease of docking, particularly setting a spring line from a bow cleat to stall and snuggle a boat alongside the dock when entering a slip, albeit tossing a loop is easy enough with a bit of throwing practice.

This technique is another another arrow in the quiver.