On Tue, 9 Oct 2007 09:37:25 -0700, "Capt. JG"
wrote:

Really? Wow... the mooring balls around here are pretty hefty... not much
chance of moving one with a boat hook.

Exactly, especially on a boat with high freeboard forward like a
trawler.

There is another solution using a large snap hook like a carbiner.

Attach a line to the snap hook large enough to hold the boat for a
while;

Tape the snap hook to the end of a boat hook using one or two wraps of
masking tape;

Reach out and snap the hook onto the top of the mooring ball;

Give the boat hook a yank to break away the masking tape;

At your leisure you can use the dinghy to rig a permanent mooring line
and detach the snap hook.

Net cost: zero for most folks.