TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands just a random mooring ball tip

Too often I see people with difficulties grabbing a mooring pennant. I suggested to at least 10+ boaters the following tip in the last 3 weeks. The second/third day I saw them they ALL said thank you.

I know this is basic 101, but....

When you come up on a ball, don't try to get the hook on the eye. just go for the whole rope. instead of a 4 inch long target, you have an 8 foot target. I don't know why this was so prevalent. But it seems target acquisition syndrome might be the issue.

The added benefit is if the wind is high, or the captain is unaware, hooking through the loop will guarantee the boat hook will be in the water.

If you know this, no flames. If it can help you, cool.

+1 Absolutely correct. Never grab that eye, ever. Wait for the helmsman to place the boat into a position where you can simply lift the line onto the boat with no force on the part of the person with the boat hook.

+1. Try pulling a 40 plus foot cat to the mooring with a boat hook. Seldom works.

+1 The best place for the most helpers is in the back of the boat. If you need another pair of hands, keep it to one person.
"I'll grab the pennant and haul it up, when I do, pass the line through the eye and then let the pennant go"
Seen real rugby scrums on the trampoline of a charter boat, many attempts, few successes. Far too many people, each with an opinion and a helpful suggestion.

Many hands make light work - unless you're trying to pick up a mooring ball.

Add another +1 That group "rugby scrum" can easily block the sight lines of the helmsman and distract the helmsman in many ways. The experienced the helmsman the more important to keep the distractions to a minimum. Even for the best the concern of who has their hands and fingers where is very distracting. Unless someone has an agreed assigned task on the bow they should not be there during anchoring or mooring. That task or "help" should only be requested by the person running the bow.

Nothing broadcasts "credit card(s), inexperience, incompetence like this on your anchorage approach.

How not to approach any anchorage

The helmsman should do a 180 and allow the person assigned to work the bow to come up with a plan to complete that task with 2 or fewer. Then start the approach over.

+1 approach s l o w Too many sailors come in way to hot

Grabbing the eye is the best way to lose the boathook.

IMO, the best place to hook the pennant is on the part between the ball and the float, and next to the float. YMMV.

We keep things simple and use the same method for each and every mooring ball for our catamaran trips. I am the "hooker", I give all the signals by hand, very seldom do I ever give a verbal cue. Once I hook the rope we have two people designated to tie off on the cleats, one port and one starboard. We seem to have it down pat pretty well, no one is yelling, no one is up on the bow looking or helping, everyone has a place and a job, even if your job is getting out of the way. The KISS method works pretty well and i cant remember the last time we had to try a second time.

We make it real easy, wife drives and I hook and tie. Only one to yell at is me and I hate talking to myself!

I have found that it is almost always the helmsman's fault when you miss a mooring ball.

And I am the helmsman.