Rope around prop.

[Powersalt]

This being the first time this has actually happened to me(see earlier post) it got me thinking more about what would have happened if the rope cutters could not have done the job.

I have to say that in my mobbing, this is probably my worst fear.

We were going at 18 knots into a short sea, restricted on the speed by the conditions, we had intermittent rain, visibility was about quarter of. Mile, probably less in the rain showers. Wind as on the nose force 3 but of course felt more as we were going into it.

So just rounding close inshore to Sark, despite two good lookouts we caught something on the props. I now assume it must have just been below the surface, as we are paranoid, and even avoid seaweed in case there is more entangled there. Depth was about 35 meters and wind and tide would have been taking us towards sark.

So anchoring would have been out of the question, no flappy sailing things to to help out. Just not practicable to go over the side for me and I think that would most likely cause another risk as I am not in any way capable of getting under the boat, and should you do that with the tide and waves causing such rolling etc.

I don't think I have a conclusion, other than maybe to see if anyone was in the area to help with a tow as I am assuming it might be both props.

Would appreciate any practical experience others may have had or your thoughts what you would have done given the same circumstances.

 

[oceanfroggie]

It's been a concern of mine over the years especially in the former days of Salmon drift netting. Had a similar experience to you off Mount Brandon of SW coast of Ireland, but thankfully the rope cutters did their job with out any damage to the P brackets. The rope was light nylon. But I wondered at the time if the cutters hadn't worked what we would have done until a tow arrived in a very remote part of the coast, even though we were about 5 miles out in deep water. Had it been calm or only light winds we could have launched the rib and used the motor to hold station for a few hours while waiting for a tow, but had the weather been rough with an onshore breeze it would have been more interesting. In any event the rope cutters worked on that occasion but I wonder what might have happened with really heavy rope (ie off a ship or large trawler). I don't think they solve every situation, but probably most situations which involve light nylon lines attached to pots which there are plenty that are badly marked around the SW coast of Ireland.

 

[FalconSteve]

My immediate solution would be a largish kitchen knife gaffer taped to a boat hook, try and cut through the rope whilst sitting in the tender to improve the angle of attack.

This would only work if the conditions alowed of course.

 

[Firefly625]

we heard a MAYDAY about a week ago when we were in Yarmouth, yacht caught on rope about 30 miles out in the channel, a blooming lobster pot... unlucky or what!...., Yarmouth LB attended. Interestingly I was chatting to a friend of ours who lives in Yarmouth and is ex coxswain and he did an article in MBY or MBM about the subject, he had a few comments about the call.... but his solution, (which on his recommendation I have carried on Seabird for some years), is a small grapnel which attached to a rope you can catch the offending rope with off the stern, and the second vital item is a curved serrated knife that can be attached to a boat hook by cable ties or strong tape which you can use to cut free the rope.... apparently he wasn't popular with the fisherman because of which..

 

[superheat6k]

Glad your ok after your ordeal.

Not caught one yet, but I reckon its only a matter of time. Each passage trip I will at some point spot a pot nipping by a few feet away, by which time it is too late if I were going to snag it.

Last week we went to Brighton, where virtually every marker was denoted by a prominent flag about 3-4' high, conversely as we returned past Chi and Pompey, virtually everyone was a 20lt dark blue oil drum.

I was particularly impressed (not!) with the efforts of one of these idiots to smother the narrow passage through the Owers Looe channel between Boulder and the Street buoys, just where virtually all smaller vessel traffic would be passing by.

I know its been done to death, but perhaps the only way to get the message through to the idiots who don't mark their pots properly is that each time out we all stop and cut just one. With the sheer volume they would start losing I am sure they would get the message soon enough.

With the placing of these things just about anywhere night passages are a real risk, especially where other nav hazards exist, such as the narrow and fast running channels of the Channel Islands.

 

[lenten]

i think your first problem was wanting to do 18 knots inshore in the channel islands-----all of the channel islands are full of pots close in----a lot of these pots are singles or 2or 3 or 4 s-----the fishermen are not going to put a walloping big bouy (as recommended by non fisherman) on them as this will increase the drag on the pots and damage them-----a slower speed might give you more chance of spotting them----regards lenten

 

[Mr Googler]

A flag doesn't weigh much nor does bright paint. If it gets snagged then the pot, line, bouy and catch is lost. Sure cheaper to mark them well. Regards (non fisherman.)

 

[Powersalt]

Ok, I get some of your points but I really don't think it was a lobster pot. More likely a thrown away piece of netting.

I don't think I could have got in the dinghy in those conditions, but yes maybe used it as a tow