Bl**dy Lobster Pots !!

N

nicks

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www.seabridge-marine.com
Does anyone think its about time there was some sort of legislation about the marking of these things?

we hit two on the way to Alderney on Sunday, in moderate seas at 20+kts most are very hard to see
the first we manage to lose, but the second managed to wrap its self around the prop and shaft and held us secured in one place. we couldn't reach it even by going into the water as the tide was too strong. After a couple of pan pans to any local vessels came to nothing, it was decided a mayday was our last resort -
Many thanks to Solent Coast Guard, Swanage lifeboat and the oil tanker "Solway Fisher"
 
Ah so it was you. I was out doing a YM exam and heard the goings on. There did seem to be some confusion as to your position.

First reports were that you were 12 miles south of St Cathrines, next thing I hear is that you are actually off St Albans head.

I was glad to hear that they picked you up OK.
 
Sorry to hear of your woes.

1. How or who assisted you to get clear in the end?
2. The the CG not respond to the panpan, or just the mayday?

They are a pain in the neck here too, and can even be pulled just under by the strong tidal stream in places. On a bright day with flat water they are easy to spot but I still need 100% vigilance. They seem to be concentrated inshore so we stay well off shore when the sea makes them difficult to see or at night. I've seen a few areas where each buoy is marked with a small flag. Problem in somes areas they are not laid by commercial fishermen, but rather by locals who often just use clear plastic containers such as 2l pop bottles, etc, and lots of floating nylon.

We fitted rope cutters to both shafts and so far (touch wood) this has kept us out of trouble. I would never cruise around our coast without rope cutters.
 
hi david, that confusion came about as at first we thought we were drifting with the tide, and after the first posistion sent, we worked out we were still in the same place, so re sent location, and we were 20miles of st albans. the life boat got a fix on their radar off the oil tanker that came to our assistance, but CG released that but i don't think the lifboat heard and followed the tanker in the wrong direction
 
I still think that the best solution if you see badly marked pots is to cut the floats off and let the remainder go to the bottom. I appreciate that it is not a popular solution with a few on here but done often enough discourages badly positioned / poorly marked pots. The pots can be recovered, but it takes a lot of time and effort and the worst offenders , part timers/doleys not proffesionals, soon get fed up.
Regards mikej
 
Glad we are not afflicated with that problem here in Bristol!
Can you get rope cutters for outdrives?
Picked up something unknown on passage from Cardiff a few weeks ago, seemed to make the portside prop just spin as if not biting the water, could this have been piece of rope?
It sorted itself out after about 1/2 hour and is now fine.
I informed the CG that our speed was limited to around 5 kts and we were limping home, they were great, we checked in with them every 20 mins.
Very re-assuring! As was the presence of a large coaster (after we went around the back of him to get out of his way!)
 
We were en route from Lymington to Exmouth when we heard rather broken messages from Solent CG. When we heard St Albans heaed mentioned we responded as we were about 1 mile away, but seems you were nowhere near!

What was the problem regarding your position? Solent CG broadcasts were very broken, whereas when Portland were crystal clear. As the boat was new to us we at first thought our vhf was on the blink!

Glad it was all sorted and hopefully no harm done.
 
Down in Torbay we are plagued by them - right pain. The majority can be seen, but some are very obscure. Most are marked by plastic 5L containers...which can ofter fill up with water and submerge just below the surface not easy to see if the light is poor or there is a more than just a usual swell. We have come close a few times but always spotted them in time. The previous advice is right, stay well offshore and they should not be there, but if you are close in - keep a sharp look out especially on the UK SW coast!
 
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Solent CG broadcasts were very broken, whereas when Portland were crystal clear. As the boat was new to us we at first thought our vhf was on the blink!



[/ QUOTE ]

That is a very interesting comment because we thought the same thing about our VHF - and we were mid Solent at the time. In fact almost opposite SCG HQ at Lee on Solent.

I also heard what must have been you responding and you were clearer than SCG.
 
quote]I still think that the best solution if you see badly marked pots is to cut the floats off and let the remainder go to the bottom. I appreciate that it is not a popular solution with a few on here but done often enough discourages badly positioned / poorly marked pots.

[/ QUOTE ]
Agree with you entirely I have very little sympathy for a twit that tethers a pot to a lemonade bottle and leaves someone else in the S**t – if it not marked with a yellow / red buoy then as far as I’m concerned it shouldn’t be there.
 
I'm glad it wasn't just us. Wonder what was up with the Solent transmitter? And maybe that's why the shout was transferred to Portland.
 
[ QUOTE ]
seemed to make the portside prop just spin as if not biting the water, could this have been piece of rope?
It sorted itself out after about 1/2 hour and is now fine.


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I think you have sheared the rubber cushion which fixes the prop to the splined sleeve (which goes on the shaft) If I'm right it will go again (it did for me!) best to get it checked out. I don't know if steel development do this.
http://www.steeldevelopments.co.uk/

yes they do see:
http://www.steeldevelopments.co.uk/Rebush_service_for_propellers.html
 
If you were 20mls south of St Albans Hd, then you were in MRCC Portland's patch, so that is why they would have handled the call.
With regard to radio comms, Solitaire - just because you were near the MRCC it doesn't follow that was the aerial being used, could have been any of the other Solent aerials.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I'm glad it wasn't just us. Wonder what was up with the Solent transmitter? And maybe that's why the shout was transferred to Portland.

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Solent CG runs from Beachy Head to Hengisbury Head, Portland then takes over so StAlbans is in fact in Portlands area anyway.
 
Its a tale of two seas round our way. From Porthmadog westward there are quite a few pots around Pen-y-chain point but they are all clearly marked with floats and clean flags - commercially fished of course. Head SW on the other hand and you have the amateurs with small black ball markers that you don't see. Bloody nuisance!
 
Around our way, its all small boat fishers. they may only have 10 or 12 pots. The reason they use crap markers is so that their pots are harder to find and therefore not as easily robbed.
 
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