Boat Hook
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A boat hook is part of boating equipment. Its most common use is as a docking and undocking aid. It may be similar to a
pike pole A pike pole is a long metal-topped wooden, aluminium or fiberglass pole used for reaching, hooking and/or pulling on another object. They are variously used in boating, construction, logging, rescue and recovery, power line maintenance, and fir ...
, however it commonly has a blunt tip, for pushing during undocking, with a hook for docking. In addition, it may have a line attached to the other end, which may have a ring for this purpose. It may be also used for pulling things out of water, such as debris or people, as well as for other fetching tasks and holding-off from other boats or landings.


History

Evidence of boat hooks has been found from ancient Rome and the painting ''
The Storm on the Sea of Galilee ''Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee'' is a 1633 oil-on-canvas painting by the Dutch Golden Age painter Rembrandt van Rijn. It is classified as a history painting and ranks among the largest and earliest of Rembrandt's works. Purchased b ...
'', by
Rembrandt van Rijn Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (; ; 15 July 1606 – 4 October 1669), mononymously known as Rembrandt was a Dutch Golden Age painter, printmaker, and draughtsman. He is generally considered one of the greatest visual artists in the h ...
was painted in 1633 and clearly shows one in its familiar form.


Traditional

A traditional European boat hook pole is around 1.8- 2.4M and is typically made of ash- one of the best woods for poles, such as spears etc. It would have a brass hook- a non-rusting metal common on traditional boat fittings. The hook end would usually have a hook on one side for pulling and catching things, plus a rounded point for pushing things.


Modern Styles

Although the traditional boat hook is still available, various different materials, such as aluminium and even a rolled up polymer are now available. Although the boat hook is a general purpose reaching and holding-off tool on boats, there are more specialised forms, such as the Recovery Pole designed for length rather than the rigid strength of a boat hook.


Boat hook drill

In the
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
, during ceremonial occasions the Ceremonial Boat Hook Drill must be performed during berthing and unberthing."Admiralty Manual of Seamanship", The Stationery Office, 1995
"Ceremonial Boat Hook Drill"
/ref>


References

{{reflist Water transport Mechanical hand tools