Pots and Outdrives

[ian38_39]

Following the thread on Pots at night and noting the widespread use of rope cutters, I was wondering if anyone had had encounters with nets and ropes while on outdrives?

Did the trailering facility solve the problem or does the tide run stop you lifting them when attached to the bottom?

Were you able to unwind the obstruction or was it a major cutting job?

Ian

 

[Chris_d]

I've never caught anything round the drives at sea (touch wood), but loads of ropes old towels and all sorts inland. Just tilted the drive up, reached down with a knife and job done.

 

[Piers]

I hooked a 6' long piece of hawser line in Southampton Water in a previous boat with outdrives. Almost took the leg clean off - left it dangling and a rapid lift out at Hamble Point saved the day.

Also wrapped a large plastic bag to the W of the Isle of Wight causing an overheat, and other bags when travelling up the Thames.

 

[BlueJasper]

I caught a pot outside Portsmouth, lifted the leg and pulled the line off. I felt I was very lucky.

 

[DAKA]

I have had three incidents while on outdrives, one I would class as potentially serious.

1
Fouled Mercruiser Alpha prop by 3 ft length of rope, I was in the middle of a shipping channel with coaster heading our way with current behind him.

I made contact via VTS , managed to clear rope and clear channel with a few meters to spare, the coaster did manage to make a course adjustment and would have most likely missed us.

No damage, the mercruise leg is designed to kick up


2

caught a pot off Christchurch ledge.
boat stopped
lifted leg
stripped off to undies as bathing platform awash
cut rope off with junior hacksaw
boat started and off we went.

3
Last boat Fairline Corniche , Volvo Penta 290 duo prrop
Hit a drift net @24 knts
On passage single handed at the time
Boat stopped dead like hitting brick wall
hit head on steering wheel
Not sure but think I lost 5-15 mins, I remember being slouched over steering wheel with blood dripping down and then remembered I was talking to coast guard who by now changed from male to female and had got in a bit of a flap and upgraded my call to a mayday. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Bit of a discussion as to next course of action which ended with me saying

I am not listening as I am going over the stern to clear the net, I will call you back in 10 mins, if I you do not hear from me in 1/4 hour please send someone to look for me.

The leg had kicked up, oil was all round and bubbling around outdrive.

Propulsion worked on tick over but very noisy.

One engine was fine so I went back to shotly.

On lift out the engineers said there was no damage and wanted to relaunch but I insisted they remove the leg

The Universal joint had smashed the housing to bits.

New upper gear box (top half of 290 leg)

cost £4000

Haven Knox-Johnston authorised within hours and paid in full /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

These used to be a feature around Harwich not sure if they are still there or not.

They look like lobster pots but the net stretches across channels to catch fish.
the net should be submerged but dead seals can float the net to the surface where you can hit them.
The nets are not supposed to be left unattended, but mine was at first light and no other boats were around, it had clearly been there overnight.

 

[omega2]

Picked up an old mooring rope, on a sternpower leg, it got between the prop and the case, and before it was noticed it had acted like a puller and drew the lower gears and shaft out of the housing, that was just one of many "happenings" whilst propelled by those devil machines, now have a boat with shafts and 2 engines, feel a more confident these days.

 

[ian38_39]

Some scarey stuff there but at least heartening that even with the big milage boys there was nothing that left the boats totaly stranded, have to admit one of my biggest fears was ripping the legs off, was also worried that if one copped it they both would being so close together.

Ian

 

[AdeOlly]

I've caught both in my current boat.

Caught some netting round stbd o/drive props in the entrance to Sovereign Harbour at the end of my very first passage in the boat. It locked the drive solid. Was able to make it onto my berth, but had to remove the props to clear it; evil multistrand poly prop stuff. Had we been single engined we'd have been blown into the concrete revetment that was 20' downwind.

Aiming between two well spaced pot markers off Bexhill at 25 knots I realised at the last second there was a floating rope between them /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Straight into neutral; we hooked the rope around the outdrives. We stopped very quickly and at least one of the markers became airborne. Fortunately I was able to push the rope off with the boat hook; no harm done.