Rope cutters for props/saildrives

[doris]

The new toy turns up in a couple of weeks and I have a week or so to
fiddle with her out of the water. Only one decision left to make and
that is whether or not to fit some form of stripper to the
prop/saildrive. Seems to be a bit of a no-brainer but I am sure there
are downdsides I haven't thought of. Almost everyone I have spoken to
recently seems to have had a rope around the prop at some time. I
never have so maybe I am just lucky but there is so much micro-
filament floating around that it can only be a matter of time. Any of
you chaps got any experience of these gadjets. The boat will be used for short-handed cruising racing. Which one is best and is there any significant drag.

 

[Miker]

I've got an Ambassador. It once cut through a trailing rope clean as a whistle. Could have been nasty without it being fitted. The ambassador is still razor sharp after over five years. I remove it every winter while the boat is out of the water and have to handle it carefully to avoid cutting my fingers! Previously I had a circular blade one fitted but it soon went blunt.

 

[nicho]

Also had an Ambassaor on our Volvo saildrive. Can't see it producing much drag. Does it work? Maybe! We never had a rope round the prop to my knowledge. If we did, it was quickly dispatched. You do need a thinner (or milled down) anode to allow it to fit on a saildrive though.

 

[Gin]

Try this, an excellent product which will not place high shockloads on drive shaft/ P bracket

http://www.quickutter.com/

The manufacturers laid on a demonstration for me at my home which was very obliging of them- nice people.

Sadly not suitable for my folding prop, otherwise would have bought it- if it's good enough for the RNLI, MOD and commercial fishermen then it would have done for me

 

[Andy_H]

I fitted an Ambassador on our Bav 32 and I'm sure it saved us from a fouled prop on a couple of occasions. One time we picked up a bunch of heavy duty netting whilst in reverse and the stipper managed to cut through this enough to give us some drive, even though we did still have to get a diver down to clear the prop and saildrive completely.
One word of warning; we also fitted a Bruntons Autoprop which is a fairly hefty lump of bronze. Coupled with the aluminium saildrive and the steel Stripper, both the saildrive and the prop anodes virtually disappeared within 6 months. I believe the Volvo folding prop also can have problems with electrolytic action when coupled with a rope cutter and have heard that Volvo won't warrant these props if a rope cutter is fitted. If you're having a Volvo folding prop it might be worth checking this out.
We now have anew boat on order and have specified a Kiwiprop which, with it's plastic blades, hopefully won't suffer so much in this way.

 

[Miker]

Perhaps I should add that I also have a Brunton 2 blade with the Ambassador. Last time on lifting out after six months, the shaft anode was about one third gone as was the prop anode. The previous year I lost the prop anode but had not put any antifouling around the retaining screws.

 

[Andy_H]

Interesting. Perhaps it was because mine was fitted on a saildrive rather than a shaft that gave us the problem. I'm not meaning the knock the Autoprop; I think its a fabulous peice of kit but I was a bit alarmed at the rate the anodes disovled on my boat.

 

[StellaGirl]

www.ropestripper.com

 

[Sailfree]

On new boat they fitted a plastimo disc type rope cutter instead of the specified spurs type. 4 ropes to my knowledge this year (charter boat). While the cutter cut the ropes it was only after they had been wound on tight enough for the blade to work. Still had to dive to remove the birds nest of rope left around the prop.

This winter fitter an Ambassador (had them on previos boats) IMHO the ambassador is the best with the spurs type a close 2nd. Certainly only get one with a chopping/cutting action!

On a saildrive you have to cut the anode a little but Volvo stock them precut for Ambassador type as demand is so high. You have to drill two small holes in rear of prop to drive the cutting blade. Can be a complication on feathering props as the hole position fitted between the two moving parts of the prop. Got it modified and then OK.