G
Guest
Guest
Do these things work? Are they worth the money?
Any experiences would be welcome.
Many thanks
Any experiences would be welcome.
Many thanks
Richard_H
New member
Hi
My experience of the single surface blade ones is disappointing. Wouldnt cut sea weed!
I have heard better reports of the stripper type with multoiple serated type teeth.
Look forward to other postings too!!
Richard h
My experience of the single surface blade ones is disappointing. Wouldnt cut sea weed!
I have heard better reports of the stripper type with multoiple serated type teeth.
Look forward to other postings too!!
Richard h
G
Guest
Guest
I have the v.expensive type, the Spurs which, if we are to believe the publicity the RNLI use.
I hope that they have better luck than I do. Like most I have flexible mountings and there is some flexibility in the prop shaft couplings so every time I go astern the damn things come loose. I refit them every year when the boat comes out of the water in the forlorn hope that they might save me from something. My advice? Save your money.
I hope that they have better luck than I do. Like most I have flexible mountings and there is some flexibility in the prop shaft couplings so every time I go astern the damn things come loose. I refit them every year when the boat comes out of the water in the forlorn hope that they might save me from something. My advice? Save your money.
pvb
Well-known member
Some do, some don\'t, but...
...you only find out when they don't! I've fitted a Stripper from Ambassador Marine (www.ropestripper.com) which has serrated teeth and, to my mind, seems most likely to be able to knaw its way through a wayward rope. It's a very well-made piece of kit, and seems very durable and free from problems.
...you only find out when they don't! I've fitted a Stripper from Ambassador Marine (www.ropestripper.com) which has serrated teeth and, to my mind, seems most likely to be able to knaw its way through a wayward rope. It's a very well-made piece of kit, and seems very durable and free from problems.
billmacfarlane
Active member
I use the one by Ambassador Marine , called the stripper. I had one for 11 years and never had a problem. It's cleared a lot of weed from the prop but as far as I know I haven't had a rope round it ( yet! ). Sailing Today wrote a report about them. Have a look at their mag. I'm a fan of them if only for piece of mind and have got one fitted to my latest boat , Ambassador Marine again , the sail drive model.
pete
Well-known member
I bought my boat with a ambassador stripper already fitted and have had no problems with it, a couple of months ago whilst leaving my mooring in a strong tide and in a rush I accidentally ran over the pick up line, It sliced straight through it, the engine is only 9 hp and never missed a beat probably been cutting through line for years un noticed very expensive but very good !
Twister_Ken
Well-known member
My Stripper successfully chopped through my trailing log line.
Sammy
New member
So did my prop!
ccscott49
Active member
I'll be interested in the posts' on this one, I was thinking of fitting them this year, the stripper type, or spurs, for me it is a very expensive procedure, as I will need spacers and my shafts are 2 1/2" bronze! So I would like to hear any reports, as a matter of fact I've had rope round my props, 3 times in 4 years, had to dive on the props, everytime and slip once, to remove burnt on rope, between prop hub and p bracket.
colin_jones
New member
I have had Spurs cutters for about 10 years and would now hate to go to sea without them. If you go cross channel and meet those islands of shoelace weed, they cut right through them. If you are canal navigating, they are almost indispensible. Ours also just about mangled a one inch rope in mid Channel, then murdered the rest when we went astern. We were lucky. It could have been worse in the prevailing conditions.
I replace the nylon bearings every year ( after about 500 hrs) which costs £9.00, but keep the old ones for emergency repairs. This has only happened once and that was caused by prolonged running with nylon fishing line with weight attached, wedged between the bearing and the metal. This is a one in a thousand incident, but they do happen.
Probably, the more you pay, the better the product here, but the cutters with one standing part and one swinging blade seem the most robust
I replace the nylon bearings every year ( after about 500 hrs) which costs £9.00, but keep the old ones for emergency repairs. This has only happened once and that was caused by prolonged running with nylon fishing line with weight attached, wedged between the bearing and the metal. This is a one in a thousand incident, but they do happen.
Probably, the more you pay, the better the product here, but the cutters with one standing part and one swinging blade seem the most robust
ccscott49
Active member
Thanks, Colin, you should know! The mileage you do. Remember you from Dartmouth, Brixham area, you may remember "Englander". I was thinking of the spurs, most expensive, but do look the best and vicious enough if you know what I mean!
AndrewB
Well-known member
They work. They\'re worth it.
My 'Spurs' saved us (again) crossing the Channel last week, when we picked up some rope. About the 10th chop since I fitted it 7 years ago. 4 times on my own warps/sheets.
Spurs is a sissors type. I wouldn't be so sure of the single-bladed types.
Sometimes the cut can jolt the shaft quite hard. It has never damaged my lower bearing or gear-box, but its something to consider.
My 'Spurs' saved us (again) crossing the Channel last week, when we picked up some rope. About the 10th chop since I fitted it 7 years ago. 4 times on my own warps/sheets.
Spurs is a sissors type. I wouldn't be so sure of the single-bladed types.
Sometimes the cut can jolt the shaft quite hard. It has never damaged my lower bearing or gear-box, but its something to consider.
Miker
New member
My single blade cutter would not remove a large sheet of plastic wound around one prop blade but would any cutter? I wondered why the boat would not stop quickly or motor backwards or forwards in a straight line.
tonyleigh
New member
Totally disagree. Spurs have proved invaluable against both weed and rope. Spend your money. Need to renew anode as well as spacers annually which is a bit expensive.
G
Guest
Guest
Yes
In 1987 we got caught off Alderney, luckily at slack water and sailed on to a bouy. Mainbrace kept an eye on us so if we ran into trouble with the tide a launch would have come and got us. By the time we were secured we had been at sea for 20 hours. That winter we had an Ambassador style rope cutter fitted and have one fitted to every subsequent boat. Three times to my knowledge we have been through rope and many more times through thick weed, each occaision could have been another incident!!! I would not be without one.
Pete
In 1987 we got caught off Alderney, luckily at slack water and sailed on to a bouy. Mainbrace kept an eye on us so if we ran into trouble with the tide a launch would have come and got us. By the time we were secured we had been at sea for 20 hours. That winter we had an Ambassador style rope cutter fitted and have one fitted to every subsequent boat. Three times to my knowledge we have been through rope and many more times through thick weed, each occaision could have been another incident!!! I would not be without one.
Pete
G
Guest
Guest
Spurs, strippers etc do not last on inland waters. They may be OK for weed and light rope (pot buoys etc) but they are no match for supermarket trolleys, wire rope and the other debris to be found inland because when they are called upon to "scissor" through the debris they just jack themselves apart. The best I have found is a Danish (?) product called "Cadyma Prop Knives". These are stainless steel knives welded to the stern bearing boss and positioned to be very close to the propeller boss. The idea is that any rubbish flailing around on the prop will be cut to pieces by the four blades. Not possible to fit on many GRP installations but excellent for steel boats, fishing boats etc.
cynthia
Member
We've got a Stripper - it has earned its value, cutting through a rope very efficiently. Think of the cost of a diver or lift out!
It was also reassuring when avoiding all those salmon nets off the coast of Ireland, whilst listening to calls to the coast guard from those less fortunate who had became entangled in them. One boat was sinking because of the net tangled round the prop shaft. We were lucky / extremely careful, but the Stripper was a comforting back up should the watch system have failed.
It was also reassuring when avoiding all those salmon nets off the coast of Ireland, whilst listening to calls to the coast guard from those less fortunate who had became entangled in them. One boat was sinking because of the net tangled round the prop shaft. We were lucky / extremely careful, but the Stripper was a comforting back up should the watch system have failed.
colin_jones
New member
The good thing about this sort of forum is that you get all sorts of different real experience, so the reader is left to make his own choices.
My own boat has now done the Atlantic to Med down and back in a season 8 times. This is not lamp swinging but serves to illustrate the point that (1) the supermarket trolley thing is very over talked about. I have never seen one or heard another skipper say that he has retrieved one. stolen motor scooters are a more likely obstruction, but even these are very few and far between. It would be difficult to see how a trolley sunken in the mud and passed over by the keel, would hit the prop, unless you were doing the canal transit asern.
The greatest danger is half sunken logs - and no stripper is going to chew up those. Nylon fishing line is a hazard and on some days and some stretches very thick floating weed from grass cutting the banks, dredging and a loaded barge chewing up the bottom growing weed are a danger. Some boats have to stop every 300 yards or so to clear the prop.
In those 16 transits ( about 8000 miles) the cutters have only once given a problem as above and this was not the fault of the product.
You can only speak as you find from experience.
My own boat has now done the Atlantic to Med down and back in a season 8 times. This is not lamp swinging but serves to illustrate the point that (1) the supermarket trolley thing is very over talked about. I have never seen one or heard another skipper say that he has retrieved one. stolen motor scooters are a more likely obstruction, but even these are very few and far between. It would be difficult to see how a trolley sunken in the mud and passed over by the keel, would hit the prop, unless you were doing the canal transit asern.
The greatest danger is half sunken logs - and no stripper is going to chew up those. Nylon fishing line is a hazard and on some days and some stretches very thick floating weed from grass cutting the banks, dredging and a loaded barge chewing up the bottom growing weed are a danger. Some boats have to stop every 300 yards or so to clear the prop.
In those 16 transits ( about 8000 miles) the cutters have only once given a problem as above and this was not the fault of the product.
You can only speak as you find from experience.
