Rope V Props - FFS ( Med Mooring)

[mcanderson]

I really like the people around me and my berth, but today I discovered that my neighbour had rigged a line from my bow line that I didn’t see and when I went to motor out it went around our starboard props. First swim of the season done.

Still haven’t got all the rope out from between the duo props. Luckily I was already booked to be lifted out on Monday.

Argghhhh!

 

[[2068]]

Argghh indeed, make sure that bits of line haven't damaged the prop / shaft seals.

 

[Seastoke]

Argghh indeed, make sure that bits of line haven't damaged the prop seals.

Second swim ,rope around his props

 

[mcanderson]

It was 12 mm braid on cord. Typical sheet rope. Too thick to get between the front prop and the seal.

Well I get to go for another swim tomorrow to get the last out and the lift on Monday will reveal the rest.

 

[mcanderson]

Second swim this morning got the rest of the rope out. Props now spinning freely!

 

[Portofino]

For clarity a adjacent boat tied a line to your stb bow line unbeknown to you ?
So when it was dropped in the usual way instead of sinking to the bottom out of harms reach Its was prevented and effectively hung high enough to foul your stb duoprops when you attempted a normal exit from your berth ?

What’s the rationale of the neighbour attaching this line ?

 

[RupertW]

For clarity a adjacent boat tied a line to your stb bow line unbeknown to you ?
So when it was dropped in the usual way instead of sinking to the bottom out of harms reach Its was prevented and effectively hung high enough to foul your stb duoprops when you attempted a normal exit from your berth ?

What’s the rationale of the neighbour attaching this line ?

As sailing boats have diferent shapes to motor boats I have had to do this from my sailing boat to a line belonging to my motor boat neighbour. He had put a stern line across my stern to have a wide angle in case of high wind. A totally reasonable thing for him to do and I did similar but his line went across our passerelle at ankle height so a real trip hazard. If I had been a mobo then the heights would have been fine.

So I put a line with stainless steel snap-shackle onto his line so it would change the angle without chafing his line at all or preventing his stern being held up to the wind. He wasn't around so I couldn't discuss it with him but it seemed a reasonable approach all round and hopefully he noticed it when leaving.

But I have also seen bows tied together with a similar reason in mind and would be a bit miffed if it was done in a way that wasn't really obvious.

 

[Portofino]

As sailing boats have diferent shapes to motor boats I have had to do this from my sailing boat to a line belonging to my motor boat neighbour. He had put a stern line across my stern to have a wide angle in case of high wind. A totally reasonable thing for him to do and I did similar but his line went across our passerelle at ankle height so a real trip hazard. If I had been a mobo then the heights would have been fine.

So I put a line with stainless steel snap-shackle onto his line so it would change the angle without chafing his line at all or preventing his stern being held up to the wind. He wasn't around so I couldn't discuss it with him but it seemed a reasonable approach all round and hopefully he noticed it when leaving.

But I have also seen bows tied together with a similar reason in mind and would be a bit miffed if it was done in a way that wasn't really obvious.

Yes I can visualise that , more so on visitors berths in unfamiliar marinas with a myriad of boat types and sizes with a mistrial blowing through. Everybody mucking in and someways giving implied consent to temporarily tiring up to a neighbour.

But in your home berth , similar L and B for that matter , we use x springs at the stern , each boat users his own dock bollards .
At the bow normally twin lines and fortunately for us we have keen FOC divers who will at request helpfully reposition your twin bow lines and fine tune the L so they can give optimal lateral support .In other words custom fit the lines .

Never seen stern lines cross another’s stern/ Passerelle or anything from a neighbour attached to a bow line .

We do get storms in every direction like everyone else plus or minus swell .

Just seems odd doing that ( attachment to neighbours thing or crossing his Passerelle) without consent .

 

[Bouba]

Never seen stern lines cross another’s stern/ .

I have several times, cats, sailboats but tbh can’t recall if I’ve seen a mobo do it. But I have seen bow lines that go all the way to adjacent docks blocking in all their neighbors. I think that the general consensus is that come a Mistral anything goes

 

[mcanderson]

For clarity a adjacent boat tied a line to your stb bow line unbeknown to you ?
So when it was dropped in the usual way instead of sinking to the bottom out of harms reach Its was prevented and effectively hung high enough to foul your stb duoprops when you attempted a normal exit from your berth ?

What’s the rationale of the neighbour attaching this line ?

L,

You nailed apart from it was port bow. He is a great guy and appeared today with champagne and insurance details if required. The line was to stop snatch in a storm in January.

 

[mcanderson]

Just to paint a mental picture:

The line was from a sail boat (Swan) starboard bow to my port bow mooring line. This mooring line just drops away to the sea floor when released in a traditional Med mooring style.

 

[Portofino]

L,

You nailed apart from it was port bow. He is a great guy and appeared today with champagne and insurance details if required. The line was to stop snatch in a storm in January.

I think you will be ok .
When I had a duoprops boat I noticed coming back from St Trop one day a few knots less , just an observation.
We pulled into Agay for planned stop and later snorkelling ( August so warm by then ) noticed a whole wad of black builders band that they wrapp bricks with , wrapped around a set .
I tried to cut as much off with a hack saw and bread knife etc , but being thin in section some had gotten sideways between the two props , you know that little gap .
Turning them compared to the good side felt very stiff .
So long story short I had to take the props off bobbing about at anchor .We did anchor over clear sand .
When off the stuff had kinda friction welded to the rear shaft , so more delicate surgical dissecting ( bit of a busmans holiday )
Managed it and refitted the props , felt the same turning as the other side and in the morning normal service resumed .
At the next haul out following April it was fine the drive oil .

There’s some old wife tales of fishing line knackering the seals .
Buy I think that’s a myth as because it’s thin and plentiful it just happens to find itself in that crack / gap .
Seals fail without fishing line .In other words the majority of failed seals have no evidence of any thing snagged in between the duoprops .Just age gritty water .

 

[Bandit]

When the boat is out of the water and all remnants of rope removed inspect carefully the gap between the props on each drive.

A great difference in gap could indicate spun bushes on the props.

 

[oldgit]

There’s some old wife tales of fishing line knackering the seals .
Buy I think that’s a myth as because it’s thin and plentiful it just happens to find itself in that crack / gap .
Seals fail without fishing line .In other words the majority of failed seals have no evidence of any thing snagged in between the duoprops .Just age gritty water .

Probably far more of problem on UK non tidal rivers than elsewhere.During many years of owning outdrive boats almost exclusively used in shallow rivers, it was not unusual at all to find on the annual haul out, a selection of thin nylon fishing lines ranging from 2-3IIbs up to 25IIb firmly wound round the outdrive propeller shaft.In some cases virtually welded in ring of plastic.No obvious visible signs while underway of oil leaking out, only on inspection of oil in gearbox was water ingress spotted.
As no obvious lack of performance line could have been on there first day after launch.
It was not uncommon, when fisherman were bit tardy to draw in lines to collect an irate fishermans tackle as you continued on your way.