# EZ Rig Hook



## Reel Woman (May 21, 2004)

I purchased a EZ Rig Hook ($90) today at Academy to replace my old rig hook. This is the rope type, etc. I noticed when I got home that there is no warranty or manufacturer contact information on the sales card. Before I use this thing and find out if it works or not, I was wondering if anyone else here uses it and what they think of it?

Thanks,
Kim


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## Argo (May 21, 2004)

I have never used one because of safety concerns. I would rather idle up to the rig and toss a rope over it. You can do this from a distance when you get good at it. I have heard of rig hooks breaking and nearly whacking heads.


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## SabineStalker (May 23, 2004)

Kim I have looked and looked at them, but haven't heard anyone talk about using one. It sounds like a good idea, it seems it would keep you out of the rig, but Im not sure. Im interested in how this thread goes. That may help me make my mind up about buying one.


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## Slightly Dangerous (May 21, 2004)

I purchased one a few years ago. The first time I used it the seas were pretty rough and we idled up fairly close to the platform and threw it over the horizontal girt. It proceeded to make two complete wraps around the girt and the hook part just dangled below. When it was time to leave there was no way we could get close enough for someone to unwrap the darned thing so we cut the line and kissed the money goodbye.


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## michaelbaranowski (May 24, 2004)

My dad has made all of our rig hooks. A piece 3/4 bent about a 16" truck rim. Then has a has a 1/4 or 3/8 rod eye welded on the end for the rope. then on the top of the bent there is a small eye to attach a small rope to flip hook loose when ready to go. So the whole thing cost a few bucks to make so it doesn't hurt to cut loose if it gets hung up.

Which happened yesterday cause I for some reason the small rope had been cut off for some reason and when the wind picked up yesterday I wasn't taken the chance to getting close enough to the rig.


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## Mont (Nov 17, 1998)

Most of the time, when you tie up with a rig hook, it is above the boat. I had one break right at the bend in the hook and it came back at the boat so hard it would have killed me if I hadn't got my leg up between me and it. As it was, I was knocked completely off my feet. You are much better off throwing a rope over and bringing it back to the boat or using a milk jug full of water, attached to the end of the rope as a weight.


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## JOKERSWILD (May 21, 2004)

*ez rig hook*

looked at the web site a few months back when we had a thread about sheperd hooks and decided they were to much $$$. So I went to 1.25" alum I got from a T-Top place in Fla and bent it at a buddies shop pressed the end flat and ran a shackle thru it. Tested it on Memorial weekend when it was nasty and it worked like a charm. 
Mont and others are correct about the dangers of rig hooks but I feel more comfortable with the hook just because I don't want to be that close to a rig. I look for a spot about the same hight as the boat and toss it from a safe distance and never had a problem. Untieing is just as easy, just put some slack in the rope and flick it back. The ez rig hook has a rope on it to pull the hook off the rig but i didn't incorperate it into mine 
I have seen more than one boat with a smashed bow from kissing the rig but I guess it is a give and take cuz I seen the hook pop off the rig too. 
just my .02 worth
joker


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## Tall1fin (Jun 3, 2004)

I've bent a few myself and have since made my own and seems to work ok. The problem with throwing a rope is sometimes there are only vertical pipes and cant throw sideways. The hook works good in this situation. This is the first I've heard of one "rocketing" back to the boat. THIS HAS ME CONCERNED! Mine have always bent the hook and just let the boat go.

Sounds like a long "boat pole" and a rope might be the ticket. I was thinking about getting some Poly rope and "lasso" the rig and cut the rope each time. At .25 ft seems like a cheap way to tie up.


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## Buda Blue Water Boy (May 24, 2004)

*Rig Hook*

I almost bought one at Academy also, but have a friend who can get the aluminum pipe and bend it for us for free, (I take him fishing for free). We have straighten a few of them before, but he just makes us another one. We added a 10' piece of polypropylene stretch rope (used for towing cars) that we found at a hardware store and have not had any problems with the hook since adding that. I will not tie up to a rig if the seas are over 3 - 4 feet, it is too dangerous, and you cannot get close enough to get the hook back off. The bottom line is the one's at Academy will work if your boat is not too heavy, and I would buy that stretch towing rope- We got ours in Austin at Ace Hardware!!!


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## Outcast (May 20, 2004)

*Use a bouy*

Tie your rope onto a bumper style bouy and toss it over or around the structure and let it float back to the boat. Grab it with a gaff and tie it to the cleat. When you're done fishing untie and pull it back over. Safe and smooth. Just my 2 cents. Btw, I think I still have my ez rig hook, never been used by me. (don't tie off too often) If anybody wants it I'll take 50% of the going rate.
Thanks,
Brice


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## Boomer (May 24, 2004)

I have a 30ft Grady White CC and was given one of the large EZ Rig Hooks several years ago. It was customized with a 75ft piece of rope rather than the 30ft that is shown on their website. I installed a heavy duty shock abosrber purchased from Boat US to ward off the concerns of the others on this thread. I have used it hundreds of times now and absolutely love the thing. You can toss the thing from as far as 30ft away from the rig so you don't have to worry about getting too close to the rig. My particular rig hook is so heavy that it has never come loose and never wraps around pipes. We have used it several times in seas to 3ft and have never had a problem. The particular model that I have is the large one so it is significantly heavier than the one you probably see in Academy. Because of the weight and the shock absorber, we have never had any of the problems mentioned on this thread. I do agree that if you have a smaller boat and purchase the lighter rig hook then all of their concerns are accurate. I don't know what size boat you have but you might want to check out their website and look into their largest model.


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## KevinA (May 22, 2004)

Outcast said:


> Tie your rope onto a bumper style bouy and toss it over or around the structure and let it float back to the boat. Grab it with a gaff and tie it to the cleat. When you're done fishing untie and pull it back over. Safe and smooth. Just my 2 cents. Btw, I think I still have my ez rig hook, never been used by me. (don't tie off too often) If anybody wants it I'll take 50% of the going rate.
> Thanks,
> Brice


It works best when you got someone that can throw straight, (First Time)


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## EndTuition (May 24, 2004)

I have one but have only used it a few times. I don't try to tie up in conditions that make it difficult so I have had only good experiances with mine. Do not use a snubber or any kind of strechable material on your lead as this is what usually adds the velocity to a broken hook comming back at you. 

If you can get one for half price, I'd take it. The main reason I boought mine was because they store easy and I can leave it on board (below) without having to fuss with it all the time.


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## newman (May 21, 2004)

We (Dad & I) have straightened a few rig hooks over the years. Now we put 2 snubbers and 100' of rope out and have not straightened one since in up to 3' seas.


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## bogatri (May 21, 2004)

I can back what Boomer is saying and it probably looks easy to him because it is usually me that is throwing the **** thing. The large hook works better on the bigger boats and the longer rope definitely helps. However, the others are right, you can make a bad throw and if it goes in the wrong place, you may lose it.

By and large, we have had great luck on Boomers and I already had one of the smaller ones that we use on my 24 ft center console. It worked equally well on that size boat. For my 2 cents, I would say that the snubbers and longer lines are worth while. We have never had one bend or break loose and have used them a bunch. It is expensive, but I agree that the stainless spring snubbers from Boat US are far better and easier than the rubber ones. I think that the rubber snubbers work better with two rather than as a single when the seas are pushing 3ft.

Also, make sure that you let a buddy throw the rig hook so that if it hangs up you can shame them into buying you a new one! LOL


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## Omanj (May 21, 2004)

*Rig Hook Alternative*

My Dad owned a 24 ft. Falcon Malibu and when we wanted to tie to the Rigs, we used of all things an outrigger with the rope in the clip. I would hold up the extendable outrigger and tug on the rope to release it over the rig. We tied a big loop in the rope so we could flip it off after we got slack in the line. We never got closer than 20 feet from the rig.


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## Reel Woman (May 21, 2004)

*Thanks Guys!*

I've also bent a few rig hooks over the years but never had one whip back from any rigs. I really don't like just using a rope to tie off from the rigs but your responses have certainly given me a reason to give the EZ Hook a second thought. I actually have an old rig hook in my garage that I might be able to modify to save a few bucks.

Again, Thanks!


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## mcgolfer (May 21, 2004)

kim
if you need any of those rig hooks that look like a shepards hook i have 4 of them in my storage unit that you can use for parts or what ever. i hate them and have managed to straighten them out when i had the little glacier bay...rick


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## She Dog Knight (Jun 4, 2004)

I haven't used a rig hook in years, but what I did was made my own shock cord at West Marine. I used three lengths (probably 7') of heavy bungee cord "braided" down to a length of probably 6' and crimped on each end to a SS ring. One end clip-ringed to the rig hook, the other to a rope. It really took all the jerking out of the swells and worked like a champ.... even if I do say so myself.


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## Bucktail (Jun 18, 2004)

Based on some advice on this board, I have been tying a bleach bottle filled with salt water to the end of a poly rope and tossing it over some rig structure to tie off. The weight of the water in the bottle works as a counter balance and holds my 26 foot boat just fine in seas up to about 3 feet. I dont like the idea of a big aluminum pole shooting back at me, and feel much safer with just a plastic bottle on the end of the line.

It will not work in all sea conditions, but it is the easiest method I have found yet to tie up to a rig.


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## agl01 (Aug 16, 2016)

*Rig Hooks for Boat Mooring*

We been selling rig hooks for over 2 decades and are the only ones selling the EZ rig hooks on the web. We have both the conventional and the EZ rig hooks with rope kits and shock snubbers assembled: 
http://jerrylabella.com/rig_hook


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## fishinguy (Aug 5, 2004)

I use this one, I couldn't imagine it flying back even if it straightened out. http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/oh-mfg-aluminum-rig-hook-009721978p--1#repChildCatid=231052

Is this the same model that you have had issues with?


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## chumy (Jul 13, 2012)

fishinguy said:


> I use this one, I couldn't imagine it flying back even if it straightened out. http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/oh-mfg-aluminum-rig-hook-009721978p--1#repChildCatid=231052
> 
> Is this the same model that you have had issues with?


I bet my stern light using the same gauge tubing as this think has? I've been wrong before.


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## doslocosranch (Apr 24, 2006)

newman said:


> We (Dad & I) have straightened a few rig hooks over the years. Now we put 2 snubbers and 100' of rope out and have not straightened one since in up to 3' seas.


Agree with this we built our own, had it bent at muffler shop, added large rubber snubbers inline to handle any stress etc.. No problems.

I do prefer to fish the up current of a rig anyways so we position the boat and fish, only use the rig hook if we want to relax, have lunch, and want to chill.


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## donf (Aug 8, 2005)

Cmon guys , this wonderful device is easy to use. 
Get near the rig, toss it on a cross pipe, and don't let it wrap three times around the pipe. 
Pull on the rope.
Lasso the pipe Texas boys. 
Put a snubber on the line, and when you leave, the cable pops it off.
That is all.


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## caldvn (Sep 25, 2009)

I picked this up from Craigslist in east coast, simple to use, throw where it fits and pull the cable when ready to leave, one or two yank.


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## Mont (Nov 17, 1998)

Holycrap. Welcome back to 2004.


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## jdusek (Apr 7, 2006)

Mont said:


> Holycrap. Welcome back to 2004.


Haha just noticed that. Looks like someone who wanted to advertise found this old thread.


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## lite-liner (Mar 15, 2005)

noticed a few thread resurrections yesterday, this was by far the oldest I remember


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## Mont (Nov 17, 1998)

Seeing Kim's name on the top of the Bluewater board was greatness.


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## Wishfulthinking (Mar 10, 2012)

We got one on our 32' contender and works great slept many nights tied to rig with no worrys


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## TrueblueTexican (Aug 29, 2005)

*KISS*

Monty is 100% correct a 1/2 filled milk jug, a small pull rope tied to your cleat rope - a sharp knife if needed and you are only out a couple of bucks if it has to be abandoned -- Rik showed me that trick 20 years ago -- no muss, no fuss, and nothing extra to trip over on the way out --


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## bobkalm (Jan 10, 2007)

Read all the way through thread...2004??? I was just a pup.
Mont and Truebluetexican are right. Screw on cap milk bottle is where it's at. If that won't stay, go in.
Some things are still right.


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