Shaft razor questions.

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DAVA390

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Jul 13, 2010
1,100
Precision 23 Perry Hall,Baltimore County
While flipping pages in a marine supply catalog that just arived, I spotted something that really intriqued me, Shaft razor cutters. As a trailer sailor with an outboard, I know nothing of inboard motors and systems, etc. In almost 2 yrs. on this forum , I don`t think I have ever heard or read of them or seen photos. So, do these things work? Are they a must have up there in lobster pot land?
 
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Caboteur

Caboteur

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Feb 21, 2010
362
Beneteau 31 016 St-Lawrence river
Shaft cutters!

Yes!
In lobsterpot and in crabpot areas they are a must. You still watch out for the floats because if you cut a line a fisherman has just lost a bit of his livelyhood.
However if need be, they will save a shaft, strut and prop...
I've had them on my last two boats. One razor set cut through steel wire that would have wrecked my boat's unders.
Pierre
 
Bill Roosa

Bill Roosa

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Jun 6, 2006
6,990
currently boatless wishing Harrington Harbor North, MD
They are not a "must". I live in one of the most crab pot infested areas of the country and I've only had one occurrence in 6 years and that was my fault. We routinely motor at night through crap pot fields and don't get tangled in anything.
Not that I recommend driving directly over them BTW, take them on the up current side and you will be just fine.
 
Ron20324

Ron20324

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Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
Bill Roosa said:
...take them on the up current side and you will be just fine.
Click to expand
Uummm... perhaps you meant "down-current side", as in the direction the float will lean in the current? That's my route of choice.
 
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Bill Roosa

Bill Roosa

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Jun 6, 2006
6,990
currently boatless wishing Harrington Harbor North, MD
That is correct Ron, being dyslexic is a challenge at times.
Just don't run over the anchor line and you will be fine
 
Maine Sail

Maine Sail

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Feb 6, 1998
11,760
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
Bill Roosa said:
They are not a "must". I live in one of the most crab pot infested areas of the country and I've only had one occurrence in 6 years and that was my fault. We routinely motor at night through crap pot fields and don't get tangled in anything.
Not that I recommend driving directly over them BTW, take them on the up current side and you will be just fine.
Click to expand

Ditto, we sail in Maine, had them, they failed to cut a floating mess of warp, had to dive to clear it, cut my wrist VERY badly, came very close to dying due to bleed out because of these devices & took it off........

They are NOT 100% and when you eventually do have to dive you'd better be wearing some chain gloves cause you might as well be sticking your hand into a blender full of razor blades....

Have had them on two boats, won't do it again. The Spurs type work far better but are still not 100% fool proof.....
 
WayneH

WayneH

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Jan 22, 2008
1,121
Tartan 37 287 Pensacola, FL
The only time I ever had a problem with a crab trap buoy was the one that got hung up between the dinghy and the tow bridle. My tow bridle splits at the mothership and runs down each air bag of the inflatable to the stern of the dinghy where it ends in a loop. Between the wife and I, we missed seeing the buoy ahead of us. Our first indication was the sudden slow down of the boat and then the extra noise of the dinghy. Looking back at the dinghy, I see the buoy wedged between the dinghy and the bridle line. We must have moved the trap about 200 feet before I could get it loose from the bridle. We just laughed and kept a better watch for the rest of the day.
 
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Benny17441

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May 24, 2004
7,215
CC 30 South Florida
Have had my share of experiences with crab pots and do not recommend any kind of cutters. As Maine explains they can be more of a hazard that they are worth. To work the cutter needs for the shaft to be revolving at speed, if the line traps the shaft and kills the engine it is not going to cut anything. When I go below and the boat is moving up and down I want to know that the only sharp thing there is in my hand.
 
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