I will be sailing for the first time an Ericson 29 in Maine waters, the land of a million lobster pots. The boat has a swept back keel and a rudder set back from the keel with the prop in between. The rudder is mounted on a post on the rudder center line. There is a space between the hull and the fore part of the rudder, a perfect spot to trap a line. What have people done to prevent this other than the obvious don't run over any lobster pot lines. Would it work to run a cable between a point on the aft of the keel to a point on the bottom of the rudder that would not affect the turning of the rudder. The idea being the line could run along the cable all the way past the boat harmlessly. Might this work?
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They will Drive you Nuts!
Tim, Those pot floats will drive you crazy out there! It is actually harder than you think to foul a line on your rudder or prop (but you can!!!). Best thing to do is 1st- watch and avoid them and 2nd - for $119 per year, get a Sea-Tow membership. if you ever get hung up on one they will come out for free and cut it loose- piece of mind out there. Rob
Tim, Those pot floats will drive you crazy out there! It is actually harder than you think to foul a line on your rudder or prop (but you can!!!). Best thing to do is 1st- watch and avoid them and 2nd - for $119 per year, get a Sea-Tow membership. if you ever get hung up on one they will come out for free and cut it loose- piece of mind out there. Rob
Good idea
But I would also worry that other stuff, like seaweed would get tangled in the line and cause unnecessary drag. I know...how about the line and a window in the hull where you can inspect it...just kidding
These pots have floaters on them, right? If you caught one, couldn't you use a long hook and bring up the south end of the line and cut it off. I would think the floater and water would work the line out eventually.
But I would also worry that other stuff, like seaweed would get tangled in the line and cause unnecessary drag. I know...how about the line and a window in the hull where you can inspect it...just kidding
These pots have floaters on them, right? If you caught one, couldn't you use a long hook and bring up the south end of the line and cut it off. I would think the floater and water would work the line out eventually.
A Cable?
The cable may shed pot lines, but it will hook everything else. There is so much rockweed in the water up there, you will be harrassed more by that than lobster pots. I spent two months in Maine waters in 2002 and was just very cautious. Never a hook-up. Even in Penobscot Bay. Here's a trick: Always pass down-wind/down-current from the pots to avoid them. The pots that have a stick sticking out of the top of them will always lean toward the correct side to pass them by. From Eastern Pen Bay to the east, the lobstermen use "toggles" on their pots. That's a float (usually color-coordinated) that's on a 20'-30' warp (line) that's attached to the base "pot". These are used because of the extreme tides. Be very cautious NOT to pass between them or you may be sure to get hooked. Just be very diligent. The worst places I saw for pots was outside Pemiquid Harbor and Tenant's Harbor. I heard one lady complaining on the radio because she had a catamaran trying to get thru the pot field. If you do use a cable, be sure to paint it with antifouling paint. You won't regret it.
The cable may shed pot lines, but it will hook everything else. There is so much rockweed in the water up there, you will be harrassed more by that than lobster pots. I spent two months in Maine waters in 2002 and was just very cautious. Never a hook-up. Even in Penobscot Bay. Here's a trick: Always pass down-wind/down-current from the pots to avoid them. The pots that have a stick sticking out of the top of them will always lean toward the correct side to pass them by. From Eastern Pen Bay to the east, the lobstermen use "toggles" on their pots. That's a float (usually color-coordinated) that's on a 20'-30' warp (line) that's attached to the base "pot". These are used because of the extreme tides. Be very cautious NOT to pass between them or you may be sure to get hooked. Just be very diligent. The worst places I saw for pots was outside Pemiquid Harbor and Tenant's Harbor. I heard one lady complaining on the radio because she had a catamaran trying to get thru the pot field. If you do use a cable, be sure to paint it with antifouling paint. You won't regret it.
Get a prop protector ... I've only hit one
lobster pot BUT it happened coming out of Penobscot bay at 10:30 at night in thick fog. "Never should have left when we did" We heard a loud BANG and saw the pot pop up behind the boat. If that rope had fouled my prop at that time of night in the COLD waters of Maine, it would have been one BIG bummer going over the side to cut the rope off the prop. Paided 200.00 and well worth it. It's very sharp.
lobster pot BUT it happened coming out of Penobscot bay at 10:30 at night in thick fog. "Never should have left when we did" We heard a loud BANG and saw the pot pop up behind the boat. If that rope had fouled my prop at that time of night in the COLD waters of Maine, it would have been one BIG bummer going over the side to cut the rope off the prop. Paided 200.00 and well worth it. It's very sharp.
Tree Lopper
I bought a tree lopper from a garden supplies store. It fits on a pole and is operated by a cord. Modified the end of my telescopic boat-hook to accept the gadget. Has sat in bottom of a locker for four years and never been needed - wonderful insurance.
I bought a tree lopper from a garden supplies store. It fits on a pole and is operated by a cord. Modified the end of my telescopic boat-hook to accept the gadget. Has sat in bottom of a locker for four years and never been needed - wonderful insurance.
Lobster Pots / Crab Traps
Lake Ponchatrain has crab traps, instead of lobster pots, but same difference. These are all marked with floats, of various colors. Some purple and some black. Almost impossible to see when light isn't good. I got into one just before Christmas. I was motoring,& got the line in the prop. In a channel. Before I could get the anchor in the water was in the muck. To make a long story short, knocked the cutlass bearing completely out, and pulled one of the bolts on the strut almost completely through the glass. So be careful. Very careful around them.
Lake Ponchatrain has crab traps, instead of lobster pots, but same difference. These are all marked with floats, of various colors. Some purple and some black. Almost impossible to see when light isn't good. I got into one just before Christmas. I was motoring,& got the line in the prop. In a channel. Before I could get the anchor in the water was in the muck. To make a long story short, knocked the cutlass bearing completely out, and pulled one of the bolts on the strut almost completely through the glass. So be careful. Very careful around them.
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