I’ve got a Garelick model 55190 boathook. It extends from four feet to a bit over seven. It fits in the little cubby/shelf in the cockpit of my C-Dory 22. It’s a fine little boat hook.

Thing is, I did something kinda dumb with it a few weeks ago. We had the boat in Lake Washington…freshwater. Normally, it’s in saltwater all the time. So I figured I would take that opportunity to rinse off all the cockpit gear. Everything gets awfully salty, and with the season winding down, it makes sense to rinse everything off.

I noticed that the molded rubber hand grip on the end of the pole has a little hole in the middle. Hey, I can rinse out the INSIDE of the boathook too! Great idea!

So I used the pole like a big syringe, sucking up lake water into the interior of the tubing. Then I swished the water all around, pointed the hand grip end into the water, and collapsed the pole to expel all the rinse water back into the lake.

Which is fine, except that the molded rubber hand grip shot off the end of the pole like a rocket, into the lake, and sunk to the bottom. Never to be seen again.

Oops.

See, I may have been confused. Remember not too long ago when we made a video of the Bridgenorth Bailer? Now THAT’S a boathook you can use to squirt water!

Anyhoo, this lost end cap has become a minor nuisance. The pole still works, but it’s not very comfortable to grip, and the raw end of the aluminum pole may even be dangerous, compared to the smooth, rounded, forgiving rubber cap it used to have. I’ve been making do with it, but I keep meaning to contact Garelick and see if I can order a replacement.

This morning, I finally did it; I phoned Garelick, explained the problem, and Diane in Customer Service was kind enough to offer to send me a replacement for free!

A small issue, for sure, but this is one of those experiences that really cements a company’s reputation in a person’s mind. Honestly, once I had the boat hook aboard the boat, I didn’t even remember what brand it was. I just used it.

But now I know; it’s a Garelick. They treat their customers well. I’ll buy their products again.