Stopping the prop and lobster pots

Speaking to one crab fisherman in Newlyn & he had 1000 pots out set about 20-25 per string which meand 80-100 markers for him alone
I am currently sailing SH down the east coast uk & have constantly to alter course to miss markers. Going to the heads takes about 4-6 minutes by the time i have my gear on & off & in that time i may have travelled half a mile so cannot see of i am in line with a pot.
Those that are properly marked are not so bad but as said before there are the idiots who use 5 litre cans which partially sink in the tides.
When i was at Eyemouth i was delayed by big seas breaking into the harbour entrance. Anyone who knows Eyemouth will appreciate the third of a mile drag out between the rocks to clear the rough water. Some idiot has placed a pot marker slap in the leading line so anyone coming or going at night or in rough weather has no chance. If one snagged a line It would take only a few minutes to hit the rocks & a life could easily be lost
I fully understand that fisherman have to make a living , but surely there should be regulations about laying in approach channels.
Radar reflectors etc will not work as first one has to have radar to see them plus sea clutter will hide them. Electronics will not help as the yacht or mobo has to have a means of detecting. & that means someone dedicated to reading it & the maintenance is high
Personally i would like a petition to improve marking & prevent silly positioning like the case above
(Perhaps that idiot who is into saving eel grass might help us as the press loves the **** he talks & he could say he is saving crabs & lobsters)
 
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Jim@sea said:
The statistic for having a rope round your propeller is twice in 40 years. (it is for me) Now fitted a rope cutter
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I am averaging one a year

and it bloody frightening

and the efforts made to mark them are pathetic

we entered anstruther at 1.30 in the morning with a strong southerly

it was rough, plenty of depth but I was bloody frightened because of the number of pots scattered around the leading line by the pot twassocks

http://www.keepturningleft.co.uk/sailing-around-britain/classic-british-pot-markers/

http://www.keepturningleft.co.uk/sailing-around-britain/anstruther-snaps/




D
 
I've passed a few going through St Patrick's Gate that were completely submerged; you can't see them until you are looking down directly over the gunwales........
 
I won't go into all the reasons why radar reflectors etc aren't used, been done to death already, but, when this was suggested twenty years ago I provided a rough chart showing the disposition of ends in the shipping track at the Lizard. I pointed out that a ship in fog could have as many as 80 small echoes in the four nm ahead, as well as ten or so larger ship echoes. He could assume that most are fishing gear, and might not try to avoid them. Some would be yachts.
 
Had a similar experience off mizzen hd on a rough day,the tide was strong and the buoys were submerged.It was by sheer luck I avoided them.Surely a minimum size buoy with a flag should be mandatory. At least it would be better than the present situation.The other annoying practice I see is the 100 metre polyprop line in depths of 10 metres.Have no problem with people trying to make a living from the sea(it can be hard work) but a bit more consideration for other users would be helpful.
 
pathfinder said:
Had a similar experience off mizzen hd on a rough day,the tide was strong and the buoys were submerged.It was by sheer luck I avoided them.Surely a minimum size buoy with a flag should be mandatory. At least it would be better than the present situation.The other annoying practice I see is the 100 metre polyprop line in depths of 10 metres.Have no problem with people trying to make a living from the sea(it can be hard work) but a bit more consideration for other users would be helpful.
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In tide the rope is in a catenary, vertical under the buoy, near horizontal on the bottom. Hopefully unlikely to get snagged, we have trouble enough catching them with a gaff. Of course, some use a tailer to ease this, a small buoy on a floaty stray, I don't and won't. The correct way to rig this is on ten fm of leaded rope attached 5 fm below the buff, you could sail between. Lost art I think.
 
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