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, 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. [1]
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.
Evidence of boat hooks has been found from ancient Rome and the painting The Storm on the Sea of Galilee , by Rembrandt van Rijn was painted in 1633 and clearly shows one in its familiar form.
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. [2]
Although the traditional boat hook is still available, various different materials, such as aluminium and even a rolled up polymer are now available. [3] 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 [4] designed for length rather than the rigid strength of a boat hook.
In the Royal Navy, during ceremonial occasions the Ceremonial Boat Hook Drill must be performed during berthing and unberthing. [5]
