How to pick up a mooring ball on the first try: the person on the bow uses hand signals to communicate with the person at the wheel. One finger held up means forward gear; two fingers held up means neutral; three fingers is reverse. Hold thumb and forefinger close together means go slow, wide apart means more power. Use the pole to point to the mooring ball. After you pick up the mooring line and place the loop over the cleat, tie another line over the top to keep the loop from lifting off and casting you loose in the middle of the night when the wind or current changes. We always have my wife at the wheel, and I direct from the bow and it has always worked perfectly. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />