Pot ropes

[wotayottie]

Bored whilst waiting for a weather window, I wandered along the pontoon and started chatting with the skipper of a small pot boat. Told me he had a problem with people raising his pots and nicking the contents so one of his tricks was to embed razor blades in the pot rope. So what happens if a yottie like me gets a rope round his prop then, I asked. You **** shouldnt be sailing where I put my pots was the reply.

 

[Seajet]

wottayottie,

that sounds like a good warning tip you've discovered, worthy of widespread warnings ?!

Numpties like that hardly improve ones' opinion of fishermen, I presume we 'shouldn't be' in Portland inshore passage or on the bee line between Chichester entrance and the Dolphin gap in the barrier, as some clown lays pots there ( dark blue plastic cans ).

I keep meaning to get one of those long handled pruning shears, some have a serrated blade on the edge.

At the moment I have old breadknives, in the cockpit and anchor locker.

Hearing this re razor blades I'm even more inclined to cut any line without even attempting to free it !

 

[Ariadne]

wottayottie,

that sounds like a good warning tip you've discovered, worthy of widespread warnings ?!

Numpties like that hardly improve ones' opinion of fishermen, I presume we 'shouldn't be' in Portland inshore passage or on the bee line between Chichester entrance and the Dolphin gap in the barrier, as some clown lays pots there ( dark blue plastic cans ).

I keep meaning to get one of those long handled pruning shears, some have a serrated blade on the edge.

At the moment I have old breadknives, in the cockpit and anchor locker.

Hearing this re razor blades I'm even more inclined to cut any line without even attempting to free it !

A balanced reply then!

Don't they have a right to earn a living? I mean, it may interfere with your pleasure but it is a legitimate means of earning a living. How would you like it if some plonker decided to stop you earn a living by cutting your work up or throwing it away so you couldn't recover and it cost you over £1K to replace it, to enable you to carry on working!!!!!!!!!!

As for pot bouys, well they should be clearly marked and visible with the PLN or a contact No on them. You are not allowed to cut them away and not re-connect then - they are protected by law!

 

[onesea]

A balanced reply then!

Don't they have a right to earn a living? I mean, it may interfere with your pleasure but it is a legitimate means of earning a living. How would you like it if some plonker decided to stop you earn a living by cutting your work up or throwing it away so you couldn't recover and it cost you over £1K to replace it, to enable you to carry on working!!!!!!!!!!

As for pot bouys, well they should be clearly marked and visible with the PLN or a contact No on them. You are not allowed to cut them away and not re-connect then - they are protected by law!

Yeah yeah but if I was a Strawberry farmer and defended my crop with flying razor blades I would not get much sympathy.

Neither should such fishermen, who do similar. What did he expect whole areas shut down for him? Balance comes from 2 sides.. They need ot earn a living but that does not mean they should stop free passage.

 

[binch]

cutting adrift

When building Fare Well, a steel ketch, I was well aware of the problem of laid nets which are often unlit. I think this is unreasonable. Obviously I avoid laid nets if they are clearly marked, or if, Like tunny nets off Sicily, there is a guard boat at the end who will flash "U" if you are standing into danger.
But these nets can extend five miles which itself is unreasonable.
I welded a saw-blade along the leading edge of our fin keel. It was quite deep down, well below that reached by any normal swimmer and it kept my rudder and propeller clear of entanglement.
I was guided in this by our family trade, that of herring fishermen in the North Sea. We often used to get ships fouling our clearly marked drift nets which had buffs, ossels and head-rope of substantial size. This not only disabled the ship but screwed the nets and needed big repair. Better a clean cut, no disablement and all pass.
It should not damage a lobster or crab pot, unless the potter leaves a tail from his buoy, which is unnecessary. If he does, serve him right.

 

[catalac08]

Accepting that fishermen have a living to make what really brasses me off is where they are placed right on the passage route through potentially dangerous places like Bardsey Sound, Puffin Sound Jack Sound etc where if you pick up a pot rope you may be on the rocks before you can sort it out. I have no sympathy for a fisherman losing his pot line if they are not marked with a proper dan buoy rod and flag marker and in a sensible place.

 

[Ariadne]

Why would want to sail through potentially dangerous places known to have pots laid in the vicinity? Doesn't seem like prudent seamanship does it? Where do crab & lobster live then - I seem to remember they tend to live holes in the rock, under rocks and ledges; sorry you'll have to do better than that, I'll go with correctly marked gear though.

Going back to the OP, can anybody please explain to me how you splice/attach razor blades to pot line without them cutting through it as you work the gear, and how you work it yourself without cutting yourself to ribbons? How long would pot lines last chaffing with own fixed blades, seems a pretty stupid way of trying to stop theft when are far better tried and tested methods available.

I think the said fisherman was telling a big porky pie to a thick yachty who believed it and then instantly told all his mates, who being equally thick also believe it!

 

[catalac08]

Why would want to sail through potentially dangerous places known to have pots laid in the vicinity? Doesn't seem like prudent seamanship does it? Where do crab & lobster live then - I seem to remember they tend to live holes in the rock, under rocks and ledges; sorry you'll have to do better than that, I'll go with correctly marked gear though.

These are safe passages at the right state of tide to avoid headlands and sometimes long diversions. It is not unreasonable to expect fishermen not lay their pots on the leading lines for safe passage. I am not saying they should avoid these places completely but not lay the pots on the normal route through the sound.

 

[Pye_End]

Why would want to sail through potentially dangerous places known to have pots laid in the vicinity? Doesn't seem like prudent seamanship does it?

Requires local and up to date knowledge as they are not market on charts.

 

[Seajet]

Why would want to sail through potentially dangerous places known to have pots laid in the vicinity? Doesn't seem like prudent seamanship does it? Where do crab & lobster live then - I seem to remember they tend to live holes in the rock, under rocks and ledges; sorry you'll have to do better than that, I'll go with correctly marked gear though.

These places are only potentially dangerous because some selfish clown has laid pots there !

As I mentioned, Portland inshore passage, the direct line between Chichester West Pole beacon & the Dolphin; at Portland, a yacht caught and pinned by a pot could easily be in real danger.

These are not to be given up as no-go areas just because some monobrow doesn't care about anything but his beer money; I've discussed this with a real pro' fisherman, he reckoned most of these dangerous pots are laid by unlicensed semi-amateur types out to provide lobsters for their mates' pubs.

He also said he'd rather have the line cut and the pot left in position, as he could easily locate it again with a grapnel.

If fishermen want to be taken seriously as 'professionals' they have to act like it, not be an inconsiderate menace.

There are plenty of pro' sailors BTW, before the Packham style 'gin swilling yuppies' claim starts !

 

[electrosys]

I think the said fisherman was telling a big porky pie to a thick yachty who believed it and then instantly told all his mates, who being equally thick also believe it!

Aawh - you've spoiled the plot - that was exactly what he was doing. Fish-hooks are what we splice onto risers to stop thieving, not razor blades !

But there's the problem - if pots were better marked (so that yachties could see them), they'd be raided more often - so there is an obvious incentive NOT to mark 'em too well.

 

[Seajet]

Aawh - you've spoiled the plot - that was exactly what he was doing. Fish-hooks are what we splice onto risers to stop thieving, not razor blades !

But there's the problem - if pots were better marked (so that yachties could see them), they'd be raided more often - so there is an obvious incentive NOT to mark 'em too well.

If fishermen can't trust each other that's their problem ( I've heard of the salt block time delays etc ); any pot line causing me grief is going to get cut !

 

[Ariadne]

If fishermen can't trust each other that's their problem ( I've heard of the salt block time delays etc ); any pot line causing me grief is going to get cut !

Nobodies going to have a problem with cutting a line around your prop or whatever, but I think they'd appreciate it if you tied it back after, if it's safe to do so.

As for unmarked pot as I've said many times on here before "cut the buggers loose" but if it's a correctly marked (PLN, or contact details) then do have the decency to try and join it all back, or even let them know.

If they are doing it right then you have to, being professional in your approach works two ways!

 

[Seajet]

Nobodies going to have a problem with cutting a line around your prop or whatever, but I think they'd appreciate it if you tied it back after, if it's safe to do so.

As for unmarked pot as I've said many times on here before "cut the buggers loose" but if it's a correctly marked (PLN, or contact details) then do have the decency to try and join it all back, or even let them know.

If they are doing it right then you have to, being professional in your approach works two ways!

I doubt I need lecturing about decency by someone who thinks leaving pot markers in dangerous places is OK !

 

[maxi77]

Aawh - you've spoiled the plot - that was exactly what he was doing. Fish-hooks are what we splice onto risers to stop thieving, not razor blades !

But there's the problem - if pots were better marked (so that yachties could see them), they'd be raided more often - so there is an obvious incentive NOT to mark 'em too well.

In some countries the marine plods will remove any gear that is not properly marked. The problem in the UK is a combination of some fishermen who believe their right to earn a living entitles them to create danger for other water users, and our abject failure as a nation to enforce the few rules and regulations we do have.

 

[simon barefoot]

I doubt I need lecturing about decency by someone who thinks leaving pot markers in dangerous places is OK !

1. Pots are our living. You sail for fun.

2. If it's a dangerous place (your words) why the hell are you sailing there?

Usually agree with most of your posts, but not this one....

 

[Seajet]

Simon barefoot,

making a living doesn't entitle you to put me and families in danger.

Sailors can be making a living too, including me in various ways but I don't string barbed wire between pierheads just to get a good photo !

If you've chosen a sensible place, not on a predictable route, and in the incredibly unlikely event the pot marker has a danbuoy and at least reflective tape, then fair enough.

Places like Portland Inshore passage are serious but fine, until someone puts pot markers there to be towed just under the surface by the current...

That makes it super-dangerous, and you can't tell me it's seamanlike to leave traps like this.

Also why are there dark blue plastic can markers on the direct route to and from Chichester ?

I'll say it again, making a living doesn't entitle you to put me and families in danger.

 

[pvb]

The "fishermen" who lay pots without proper flags are scum. I've done a few miles around the south and east coasts in the last few weeks, and pots are a menace. Most don't have flags, and the little buoys are practically invisible. And, as others have said, they tend to be laid in the most obvious route corridors. Having been unfortunate enough to collect a (floating!) line around my rudder a few years ago, right next to the "safe water" buoy at Eastbourne's Sovereign Harbour, I'm very unhappy about the antics of these amateur jokers.

 

[Tintin]

1. Pots are our living. You sail for fun.

2. If it's a dangerous place (your words) why the hell are you sailing there?

Usually agree with most of your posts, but not this one....

So it is you that lays them in the entrance to Falmouth harbour, marked with a 2 litre plastic milk bottle?

Or do you just think that is acceptable?

 

[Dabhand]

A few years ago I had a potter DELIBERATLY drop a string of pots directly over my anchor, he could see I was anchored, it was obvious. The pots of course, fouled on the anchor, so after much effort I managed to retrieve it complete with the rope and pots. This was about in the middle of the string so it took some effort.
My thought was if he is going to be an a***hole, I will be one as well, so I leaned over the bow & cut the rope to release the anchor before bringing it over the bow roller.
Before anyone says there would be pots left on the seabed catching crabs who would be left to die, the string was danned at each end so was fully recoverable.
It simply meant he was inconvenienced in the same way that I was.
Fortunately the fishermen in the Torbay area nowadays are seem to be more considerate and I have not had a repeat of this.