Pot buoys

[TQA]

With respect I'd say even snorkel gear - which I still carry as Plan C / Z - is too dangerous for me as a moderately fit 56 yr old to try alone offshore.

I'd suggest the pruning loppers if one can - with the assistance of a kedge anchor to lift the bower warp if possible, and a definite +1 to having old serrated bread knives handy at each end of the boat; failing that a VHFChannel 16 or Mobile 999 cal to the Coastguard, they won't mind and will probably enjoy it.

I sail in the Eastern Caribbean the only places you MIGHT get a positive response to a call to the coast guard are the French islands, the rest of the islands don't monitor 16 and there is no active CG in most places with few working boats and no money for fuel. Cruisers mostly get themselves out of trouble and go to help other cruisers.

BTW I am 70 and still snorkel on my boat. The last time I cut a prop free was 2 years ago. On a typical prop wrap the line will be near vertical I would not like to try to cut that with loppers. 30 seconds sawing from the surface with the pole mounted bread knife cut the line.

 

[RobF]

I sail in the Eastern Caribbean the only places you MIGHT get a positive response to a call to the coast guard are the French islands, the rest of the islands don't monitor 16 and there is no active CG in most places with few working boats and no money for fuel. Cruisers mostly get themselves out of trouble and go to help other cruisers.

BTW I am 70 and still snorkel on my boat. The last time I cut a prop free was 2 years ago. On a typical prop wrap the line will be near vertical I would not like to try to cut that with loppers. 30 seconds sawing from the surface with the pole mounted bread knife cut the line.

Most of us would be happy to snorkel in the Caribbean with its good visibility, weak currents and warm water temperatures. Not really comparable to the Alderney Race.

 

[Seajet]

Most of us would be happy to snorkel in the Caribbean with its good visibility, weak currents and warm water temperatures. Not really comparable to the Alderney Race.

:encouragement:

 

[AngusMcDoon]

...a definite +1 to having old serrated bread knives handy at each end of the boat.

At each end of the boat? Isn't that overkill on a 22' boat? Does it take you long to walk 22' and back? I have one bread knife on board - in the galley to cut bread mostly. It doesn't take long to fetch it from any location on the boat.

 

[jwilson]

Why not sail backwards for a bit rather than use engine?

I'm not joking: probably 95% of cruising sailors and 90% of casual dinghy sailors don't know how but it can be done on almost any boat from an 8 ft dinghy through a modern cruising boat to a square-rigger. It should be the automatic first choice to try and escape a keel-snagged line.

Serious racers likely to understand: it also has the advantage that you don't have to declare an emergency engine power use and possibly take a time penalty. On really fast-accelerating racing boats like skiffs where position on the start line is sometimes more important than a timed run "flying start" you'll see it done as boats manouevre for position.

Starting an engine to free a buoy line is the first easy step in what is often an escalating series of problems: line that was round keel now round prop, lose boathook trying to catch line, someone goes swimming with breadknife to cut line free, someone drops breadknife or gashes hand, problems getting tired someone aboard again ......

 

[Seajet]

When you need a good knife, you need it quick - and wearing a sheath knife not only makes one look a poser, there's the risk of being unpopular if one forgets and walks into town with it.

The anchor, knives, lifejacket / harness points and fire extinguishers are part of the quick briefing to new crew.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

When you need a good knife, you need it quick - and wearing a sheath knife not only makes one look a poser, there's the risk of being unpopular if one forgets and walks into town with it.

The anchor, knives, lifejacket / harness points and fire extinguishers are part of the quick briefing to new crew.

Can't say I've ever seen another boat with bread knives stashed around the place & on-board pruning loppers. Still, each to their own, if it makes you feel safe.

 

[Seajet]

Angus,


I used to enjoy sailing dinghies backwards as part of my instructing - but I freely admit this is one of the the things the Anderson 22 simply refuses to do, perhaps you could come and teach me ?

And who said what I keep around my boats to ' feel safe '

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehhs2T1AQVc

Andy

 

[Neil_Y]

We practice the reversing technique before each race as the boat has a bulb keel that catches weed. It should be possible on most if not all yachts. Secret is coming to a dead stop head to wind then pushing out the boom to give some power whilst holding the tiller central and only using small ammounts of rudder. Hold the tiller very tight.

 

[lpdsn]

I'd suggest the pruning loppers if one can - with the assistance of a kedge anchor to lift the bower warp if possible, and a definite +1 to having old serrated bread knives handy at each end of the boat; failing that a VHFChannel 16 or Mobile 999 cal to the Coastguard, they won't mind and will probably enjoy it.

Could you not fit a serated leading edge to the keel? Something along the lines of what U-boats fitted to cut the cables of mines.

 

[Seajet]

Could you not fit a serated leading edge to the keel? Something along the lines of what U-boats fitted to cut the cables of mines.

Not possible, as the 950lb keel leading edge runs and bears heavily on a roller built into the hull structure of the keelcase about 6" up inside- it's slightly raked, not a direct vertical lift.

I know what you mean about U-Boats and often wondered if such wires and saws could be fitted to long fin keelers with separate long skeg hung rudders but apparently the drag penalty is too much, especially if and when one collects weed and creates unacceptable loads if drying out in mud.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Could you not fit a serated leading edge to the keel? Something along the lines of what U-boats fitted to cut the cables of mines.

Something like this?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wire_strike_protection_system

 

[Graham_Wright]

Why not sail backwards for a bit rather than use engine?

How do you turn to sail backwards when the wind is astern and you are being driven forcefully forwards?

The boat would not come up into the wind with all the combinations of main and jib we tried. We just could not achieve sufficient speed through the water to make the rudder effective. That was why, fully aware of the probable consequences, I started the engine with the trailing line running well off the quarter. Just a gingerly couple of prop revs confirmed the entrapment. Apart from cutting, the only alternative I can imagine in retrospect would have been to drop the bower anchor. That could well have worsened the situation though and I think the water was too deep for a decent grab.

I think attack with mask and snorkel would have been foolish with relative speeds of boat and water. As it was, even in a reef sheltered anchorage, there was still a knot of current running and it was necessary to have a floating (tied to a fender) tether to keep station. The wrap was minimal and I freed it with the boat hook to avoid scraping off my hard-earned tan on the barnacles.

 

[BruceK]

tree limb cutter.