Lost prop

[SimonD]

My Bruntons three blade varifold prop has fallen off and I'm looking for bright ideas on how to get it back.

It's in Port Solent Marina in about 2.5m of water. I've got a pretty good idea where it came off and I'm told the bottom is chalk with a layer of silt over it.

I'm hoping to be able to find it by dragging some sort rake over the bottom (unless anyone's got better ideas). Then, I thought of two ways to get it up: some sort of scoop on a pole, or a rope with weights and hooks on it to try to tangle round the thing. (BTW, I'm assuming diving into the water to drop a loop of rope round it would make me very unpopular with the management.)

Any other bright ideas? At £800 a pop, I'm quite keen to get it back!

Simon

PS I can't rate the staff at Port Solent too highly - they really could not have been more helpful in getting me back home sans prop. Brilliant customer service.

 

[Genie]

Sorry to hear of your mishap.
At £800 a pop I would don mask, snorkel and dive down with rope to pull it up!
I'd rather be £800 better off and suffer someones indignation than lose it.
Surely they would understand that sometimes the ends justifies the means?
However, if by 'management' you mean your other good half, then methinks involve her in the 'rescue' by getting her to help out - 2 heads are better then one!
Good luck with the 'rescue'!
;-)

 

[chuzzlewit]

A 3 meter drain pipe with perspex glued over one end and a weight attached.

 

[l'escargot]

The marina should have a diver on their books, use him. It will be a lot less than £800.

 

[bigwow]

Why not just claim on your insurance?

 

[Jonny_H]

Think I would adopt the 'oh dear I fell off the pontoon (coincidentally wearing a dive mask) and look what I found at the bottom!'

BTW - Lidl have underwater LED torches for around a tenner which may help!

Jonny

 

[SimonD]

Damn clever! I'll give that a try.

 

[Jonny_H]

Have used this method to remove a rope from around a prop in a marina (one person holding drain pipe - other person with a broom handle and hacksaw blade taped to it) - so can confirm it does work! Although at 2.5 metres perhaps you might want to tape a torch to the end of the tube to help light the way!

 

[SimonD]

You'd think so wouldn't you. But apparently because it's in a marina there has to be two divers, lots of insurance etc. Costs around £400 for half and hour with no guarantees.

 

[SimonD]

I will claim on the insurance, but they have to be persuaded that it was caused by accidental damage. Tricky....

 

[savageseadog]

I tried to find a prop in a canal once when I was a diver. It was an impossible job. If its anything like most harbours there isn't exactly a bottom, it just gets thicker, you can't see a thing and there will be all kinds of debris everywhere. Unless you know where it is to less than a 3m radius it's not findable. The problem with trying to scoop it up it that it's likely to be down into the mud, anything in the way of a scoop will skate over the top of the mud above the propeller.

Having said all that if the bottom is at all firm you might stand a chance and I would give anything a go anyway.

 

[SimonD]

I like this idea. Better still, my wife fell off the pontoon and I jumped in after her! I think if the water is clear and I can see it on the bottom, the marina staff would have to have a heart of stone to stop me going in after it.

 

[Anonymous]

Some metal detectors work underwater; try www.joanallen.co.uk who are one of the best specialist retailers. Once you know where it is, it is easy peasy /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[l'escargot]

[ QUOTE ]
You'd think so wouldn't you. But apparently because it's in a marina there has to be two divers, lots of insurance etc. Costs around £400 for half and hour with no guarantees.

[/ QUOTE ]
Sounds extortionate and a con. Only one other option - wait for a low tide at about 3 am and sneak in and open both lock gates.

 

[Vanilla]

This may be a stupid idea but just possible that this super magnet thingie could haul it up. I bought one at SIBS and have been trying to think of something useful to do with it ever since! HWMBO as been taking the p*** for my falling for the sales patter. Good luck whatever
http://www.nauticalia.com/uk-info/tools_...gnet/3101R.html

 

[BrendanS]

to use the magnet, you'd need a prop made out of a metal which is suitable. Brunton prop will be a bronze alloy of some sort I suspect

 

[Kawasaki]

The Magnet thingie You have is Great.
Tiss however useless at picking up or attaching to any Non Ferrous stuff.
IE. it will only stick to bits with iron or steel in them.
Don,t like copper or brass or aluminium and such like.

 

[Vanilla]

Yes of course....I should have thought of that. So the search for a use for the thingie goes on! Won't let HWMBO see this thread as it will only add to is merriment about my gullability

 

[sarabande]

Don't worry, the English Speaking Union has just banned the the use of the word "gullible" from the next edition of the Oxford Dictionary.


If the prop has got any ferrous bits in it (sleeve, bolts, etc) the Sea Magnet will pick up the prop easily. It will also pick up old tin cans, spanners, shackle pins, anchors....

The key function will be to locate the prop. Even a White XL metal detector with a waterproof head (or an ordinary loop one in a proper plastic bag) will be hard put to find one on 7ft of water. Calibrating it would be a problem for the ground balancing function. The local dive club might have some ideas or detector kit, though.

 

[webcraft]

Sounds ridiculous that you cannot just go in and get it.

Wetsuit, snorkel, mask and slide in quietly.

No-one will notice if you slip in subtly without making a fuss.

If they do pretend ignorance.

- W