Bit of fishing line wrecked my outdrive

[richson]

Collected new boat from Plymouth & cruised to Exmouth with no problems - great trip, mild weather, calmish sea & engine sweet. Somewhere along the line apparently picked up a bit of fishing line. . . Next trip out in a bit of a chop, got about 2m & horrible crashing grating noises signalled end of powered motion. Needless to say, in a 6knt tide right in the middle of the fairway with rain lashing down, calmed kids & panicky wife (why didn't we just go up the river?), whilst I put the anchor out. Got towed back to docks & got engineer out. (cheers to Rob & Rich). Said bit of fishing line had wrapped around the shaft & ruptured the oil seal, with water ingress & oil loss resulting in gearbox destruction. New leg is now required. Initially I thought a big end had gone, and taking the plugs out & turning over engine it sure sounded like it. Thankfully not the case as insurance will now pick up the bill, but alarmed at the damage that "ordinary rod & reel fishing line" can do. Engineers recon they see "a couple of these a year".

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[TargaLout]

Sorry to hear that, another thoughtless fisherman. Had a similar experience with a plastic bag round the water intake on one of the sterndrives, which wrecked an engine - overheat. Fortunately was able to get in on the other engine and the insurance co sorted it all out. Unfortunately it happened in August just before we were going to have a 2 week holiday.

<hr width=100% size=1><http://www.fairlinetarga37.com>

 

[davedpc]

Something in favour of the Mercruiser leg that has the remote top up resivoir and low oil alarm in the engine room. Dave.

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[theguvnor]

That`s a bit scarey. Now the fishing season is in full swing on the Thames. Fishermen seem to hide between large bushes (or on the only moorings available) and they seem reluctant to reel in tackle (floatless) even in narrow lock cuts with 2 way traffic. If I snag a line whats the chances of major damage and are there any warning signs (apart from a puzzled looking fisherman who seems to think he may have a great white on his hook)

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[Soong]

I had just that scenario: Angler had his line out with no float and I went over it (at tickover) and snagged him. He swore bind it had snapped his rod and threatened to drill a hole in my boat when I suggested he must have had line with a 2,000kg breaking strain.

The insewer-ants company said if he presented a reciept for a replacement they would have to take my excess in to cover it, so far no word.

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[oldgit]

Re:Volvos .

Bit mystified by this one.Every year removal of my props produces its crop of assorted fishing lines,some of which,I may have been responsible for.Never has any of theis stuff found its way past the stainless discs designed to prevent prop shaft seal damage.Some of that line I know for a fact had been there for 6/7 months before removal.

<hr width=100% size=1>Stupid place to leave an island anyway......

 

[jfm]

liability - calling observer

I'm confused by that Soong. I dont understand why, if you're travelling slowly along a navigable waterway and run over a fishing line, you are liable for the rod breakage. What I mean is, under general law, I dont quite see why you owe him any specific duty of care or could be said to be negligent, and hence I dont see how you're liable. Surely it is his risk and, if anything, his negligence. And if all that's correct, your insurers have no business reimbursing him and recovering that from you.

Praps other know better on liability -one for Observer mebbe?

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[Soong]

Confused too

I was at a loss too, I got the empression from the insurance peeps that if someone files a claim like that - its better just to pay up than argue fault. There was no-way we could have avoided it though.

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[muchy_]

Surely if you can't get by his fishing line without snagging it then he is blocking safe passage of your vessel which, on the Broads anyway is an offence.

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For God's sake woman, it's a cabin not a bedroom.

 

[Dave_Snelson]

Exactly the same thing happened to one of mine, but I got lucky. I was taking the boat to be craned out last year which is a trip of 12nm. When the boat was out, I noticed milky oil coming out of the prop bearing area. Turns out that I had picked up some fishing line on the way over and it had got past the line cutter and into the seal.

Damn lucky that it was spotted when it was!!

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