We were out last weekend for a delightful, but brisk late January sail. When the wind died, we fired up the iron genny to head back to the marina. After a short while the wheel began a periodic jerk about an inch or so. We slowed down, the jerking mostly disappeared. We sped up again and it was back. While we were still investigating this phenomenon, I noticed a good size string of kelp floating just under the surface behind the boat getting a free ride. We stopped and I got out the boat hook, and snared the offending kelp. It kept coming and coming and coming. I pulled it up around the port side of the boat as it was obviously fouled around the keel. When I finally got it all, it was about forty feet long, and the diameter of the central shaft was at least two inches. This was my first hands-on close encounter with a huge string like this. I was amazed at the weight and the strength. While I avoid kelp as a sign of shallow water, I've never been as concerned about this stuff as I am about the many logs and deadheads that float in our waters. This particular specimen was thicker and I'd venture to say stronger than any dock line or anchor rode we have on the boat. I'd hate to think about one of these being wrapped around the prop. I have a newfound respect.
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Kelp sucks!
While it provides a great food source for humans and fish, it is quite the nuisance. When we sailed down the Pacific coast, we often had to stop to clean the prop of kelp. HUGE patches of it off the CA coast - ugh! Sometimes trying to avoid them is as easy as avoiding cowpies in a hot Texas field!
LaDonna
While it provides a great food source for humans and fish, it is quite the nuisance. When we sailed down the Pacific coast, we often had to stop to clean the prop of kelp. HUGE patches of it off the CA coast - ugh! Sometimes trying to avoid them is as easy as avoiding cowpies in a hot Texas field!
LaDonnaFresh Water Kelp?
Sailing on Lake Erie, we encounter lots of floating "seaweed" during the hotter months of the sailing season. While it's not kelp (at least I don't think it's kelp), it will foul a prop. Returning from a trip through Lake Huron a couple of years ago, we motored through a floating mass of the stuff and immediately lost speed just as Gary described. We had to go overboard and cut it away from the prop and keel, all in all, a pleasant interlude from motoring on a hot, windless July afternoon. LaDonna, at least you don't have to dive into a cow patty to untangle the mess... by the way, when we were kids we were told to stick our stubbed toes into fresh cow patties to speed up the healing process. Yes, we're still alive, and yes, we still have both feet, yes, folk medicine is sometimes inexplicable, and no, I don't advise it to my kids, (grandkids, now!) Besides, noone pastures cows here in Ohio any more. (How about that for a long diversion. Anything to pass the time 'til Spring and the new sailing season)
Sailing on Lake Erie, we encounter lots of floating "seaweed" during the hotter months of the sailing season. While it's not kelp (at least I don't think it's kelp), it will foul a prop. Returning from a trip through Lake Huron a couple of years ago, we motored through a floating mass of the stuff and immediately lost speed just as Gary described. We had to go overboard and cut it away from the prop and keel, all in all, a pleasant interlude from motoring on a hot, windless July afternoon. LaDonna, at least you don't have to dive into a cow patty to untangle the mess... by the way, when we were kids we were told to stick our stubbed toes into fresh cow patties to speed up the healing process. Yes, we're still alive, and yes, we still have both feet, yes, folk medicine is sometimes inexplicable, and no, I don't advise it to my kids, (grandkids, now!) Besides, noone pastures cows here in Ohio any more. (How about that for a long diversion. Anything to pass the time 'til Spring and the new sailing season)
22 ton salad shooter
Feb.4, 2001, Dear Gary, I appreciate your comments. We once backed into a kelp strand backing out of a slip and thought we might have bent the shaft as a result, the vibration was so bad. Haulout and inspection proved otherwise. Since then we have been very careful not to turn the boat into a giant salad shooter. Fair winds, Brian Pickton of BeneteauOwners.net, Aboard The Legend, Rodney Bay, St. Lucia.
Feb.4, 2001, Dear Gary, I appreciate your comments. We once backed into a kelp strand backing out of a slip and thought we might have bent the shaft as a result, the vibration was so bad. Haulout and inspection proved otherwise. Since then we have been very careful not to turn the boat into a giant salad shooter. Fair winds, Brian Pickton of BeneteauOwners.net, Aboard The Legend, Rodney Bay, St. Lucia.
Spurs
I used to think my prop was a kelp magnet...and couldn't go a month without having a substantial and annoying foul. After I enstalled a "Spurs" line cutter on my prop, I enjoyed gaining revenge by carving straight through the stuff! I imagine any of the line/weed cutters would do an equally worthy job. They are also important safety gear. A huge number of the really bad boating accidents get out of hand when a previously manageable crisis escalates because something (usually a line) gets caught in the prop.
I used to think my prop was a kelp magnet...and couldn't go a month without having a substantial and annoying foul. After I enstalled a "Spurs" line cutter on my prop, I enjoyed gaining revenge by carving straight through the stuff! I imagine any of the line/weed cutters would do an equally worthy job. They are also important safety gear. A huge number of the really bad boating accidents get out of hand when a previously manageable crisis escalates because something (usually a line) gets caught in the prop.
Parked
Years ago I was near Orcas Island on my first boat, an 18 ft centerboarder. I was in a semi-reclining position, in the cockpit as we sailed downwind at less than two knots under beautiful blue skies in a gentle breeze. But at some point I had a feeling we were going a little two slow. When I sat up, I realized we were stationary atop a 50 ft bed of floating tangled kelp. I don't know how long we had been parked, but in my relaxed state of mind it was probably quite a long time, and could have ended up being much longer!
Years ago I was near Orcas Island on my first boat, an 18 ft centerboarder. I was in a semi-reclining position, in the cockpit as we sailed downwind at less than two knots under beautiful blue skies in a gentle breeze. But at some point I had a feeling we were going a little two slow. When I sat up, I realized we were stationary atop a 50 ft bed of floating tangled kelp. I don't know how long we had been parked, but in my relaxed state of mind it was probably quite a long time, and could have ended up being much longer!
Reverse!
I just hit reverse (or backwind) to flush the kelp off my keel or prop. If it gets on my rudder I use my boat hook. Although strong, kelp stalks are brittle, so they can be kinked & "snapped" in half to easily break them. Kelp can even be pickled & eaten! If you are desperate I'll dig up the recepie. P.S. Bull kelp can grow up to 2 feet per day! (faster than my maintenance bills)
I just hit reverse (or backwind) to flush the kelp off my keel or prop. If it gets on my rudder I use my boat hook. Although strong, kelp stalks are brittle, so they can be kinked & "snapped" in half to easily break them. Kelp can even be pickled & eaten! If you are desperate I'll dig up the recepie. P.S. Bull kelp can grow up to 2 feet per day! (faster than my maintenance bills)
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