more lobster pots!!

[pcatterall]

I have read lots of threads on this subject but untill recently had no direct experience.
During our recent trip from Preston to Falmouth we saw an increasing number of pots with some close encounters.
En route from Newlyn to Falmouth we spotted quite a few around us but ( more importantly) off the Lizard in motor sailing in quite rough conditions we had to take fairly drastic evasive action on 3 occaisions ( the pots were bang in front of us and not spotted early in the waves) at night we would have certainly hit at least one of them.
3 pots bang on course make you wonder just how many pots there must be floating around.
Is this 'score' par for the course in this area?

 

[sailor211]

In my experiance that area has a lot of pots, mostly with tall marks with flag so relatively easy to spot

 

[beserksail]

Portuguese coast is like a slalom course.

 

[SlimRick]

Aberdaron Bay, dodge the floating plastic milk cartons masquerading as pot markers.

 

[pcatterall]

Yes we saw those at Abedaron fortunatly the weather/sea was calm so easier to spot.

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

No mate, you missed loads.

Penzance to Falmouth a couple of weeks ago I must have seen over 70

Our strategy is to do nothing until they are 10m or so from the bow and to then just turn a little if needed. Interestingly, we didn't have to turn for a single one, despite thinking we would.

Shows how rubbish we are at predicting our visual water track.

 

[Tranona]

You will find pots tend to be concentrated (unsurprising) where the crabs live and the water is shallow enough to make pots viable. So headlands are obvious places, which makes it fun when tides are running hard. A few years ago a map was published based on the reports of pot sightings and snarl ups. Needles Channel, Chritschurch Ledge, Old Harry, Portland, Berry Head, Lizard etc. Also watch out for buoys marking nets and worst of all discarded bits of cut up net and bits of poly sheeting floating just below the surface.

Hope you have fitted a rope cutter in preparation for your voyage.

 

[GrahamM376]

Portuguese coast is like a slalom course.

At least they don't have up to 20ft of floating line to a pickup buoy which seems to be the norm in the UK.

 

[Maine Sail]

Oh quit yer whining....

 

[TQA]

Oh quit yer whining....

Maine or the Chesapeake?

 

[maxi77]

At least they don't have up to 20ft of floating line to a pickup buoy which seems to be the norm in the UK.

And because the Portuguese marine plods seem to enforce the law on fishermen to they all tend to be well marked

 

[savageseadog]

We have a problem with them round the N Wales coast with small markers that are pulled under in strong currents. The worst I've seen were round Puffin Island.

 

[onesea]

In my experiance that area has a lot of pots, mostly with tall marks with flag so relatively easy to spot

Hmmm I would question that, there are more than enough mark's out there that are very poor...

Hope you have fitted a rope cutter in preparation for your voyage.

Hmm presently no rope cutter so no Auto Pilot if your steering by hand your twice as likely to see them and avoid IMHO.

We have a problem with them round the N Wales coast with small markers that are pulled under in strong currents. The worst I've seen were round Puffin Island.

Also the Solent / South coast also, I think some are laid by "day trip" type fishing boats, either commercial or private to return to there favourite spot.

In this case I think for all of us it is a case of there by the grace of god we go...

Another reason you should be sailing not motoring

 

[ghostlymoron]

No mate, you missed loads.

Penzance to Falmouth a couple of weeks ago I must have seen over 70

Our strategy is to do nothing until they are 10m or so from the bow and to then just turn a little if needed. Interestingly, we didn't have to turn for a single one, despite thinking we would.

Shows how rubbish we are at predicting our visual water track.

Best to pass 'down tide'. If you see them that is. At night it's just pot luck!

 

[ianat182]

Southampton Water and the Calshot /Lepe areas are seemingly better marked with more flags evident. Last year the Harbour masters Launch removed or cut some that were empty plastic drink containers.
They were also laid across all the start line areas regularly used for the Club and SWSA racing, no problem unless no flags or tide strong; I think that most now have a riser rather than the long tail ropes that were the norm.

ianat182

 

[prv]

Is this 'score' par for the course in this area?

Seems a little low, if anything.

Pete

 

[Seajet]

The mention of pot markers being towed under the surface by the current is spot on; Portland inshore passage is notorious for this.

I'm told by a professional fisherman that these idiotically dangerous places are used by semi-amateur people, in order to provide the odd lobster to their pub.

No doubt these people think themselves 'professionals', but they are happily endangering other seagoers, basically selfish brainless scum.

 

[NPMR]

I alerted the Falmouth Harbour Master to a couple of lads (maybe 16-28 years old?) laying lobster pots from a dory, in the harbour, on the Trefusus side of the main fairway (where you need the space if you're tacking in or out of Falmouth and racers especially, who aren't allowed in the moorings) but in the path of boats motoring back to their moorings there, or to the inner harbour and Penryn.

The HM advised they would go and 'look' and that they had in the past removed those that were deemed unsafe.

Seems that if the HM thinks they're OK, we just have to take the chance of running over them in the dark. My opinion is that they were a hazard.

 

[Ludd]

Generally,creels tend to be set along contour lines or near "seamounds" farther offshore.

 

[Maine Sail]

Maine or the Chesapeake?

Maine.....