Under way with no way on

[Dan Johnson]

Hey Bill...

Having visited the Bodkin in August the past four years, I keep a fish filet knife in my cockpit locker in case my attention strays to watching the scenery on a passing power boat and I get caught up in the "minefield" on either side of the channel out by the first day marker! Talk about thick enough to walk on! Most crabbers know roughly where their pots are positioned and a missing float can sometimes be recitfied by dragging a hook in the area. Shame on them if they've set a string too close to or in a channel. A knife is the only answer to a line wrap on a prop.

 

[kmsa]

sparre power

where I more my boat is down a long protected shallow chanel and my boat has an older motor and it has happened that I suck something up or tangle on garbage. I simply pull up my old three horse johnson and stick on my electric trolling motor that I got at a garage sale dirt cheap and finish my ride untill I have time and space to clean out my gas motor. Also if its real bad I break out the oars and move the old fasioned way.

 

[Leviosa]

all good responses

Weve also had this happen,,,, But after I dropped anchor, checked out what was wrong I came up with the dingy idea....I took our inflatable with the 10hp engine dropped it off the davits,,,wedged the bow of the dink against the transom and tied and nested the two together, fiered up the dink engine and as the admiral steered the wheel we guided her right into the slip.....it works this way but when I tried to do this off the bow with a line, and PULL the boat,,,no way...but you can push a fairly large boat around...just have to watch the stopping distances.

 

[sailaway78]

Chessy guys are lucky

You Chessy guys are lucky. At least the crabbers up there don't put their pots in the channels. Here in La. these guys think they rule the water. On Lake Ponchatrain, a channel is just as much fair game for them as anywhere else on the lake. Basically no one boats at night, although is beautiful to be out there after dark. We have so many crab traps, it just isn't safe to boat at night. Lots of them are painted black, or some other dark color and are just impossible so see after dark. I have only gotten into one, but got it bad enough to pull one of the bolts on the strut through the glass of the hull. I have talked to the local sheriffs dept. who has marine patrols, and the coasties about this, but to no avail.

 

[Alan]

Hoist sail!

Who the hell makes rules that say a SAILBOAT can't sail?? *grr What a pile of crap!

 

[Eric]

even if the engine's in great shape....

Last year, I jumped on the chance to head over to the fuel dock on an unusually warm day in early spring. As I was approaching the dock, another boat made a sharp blind turn around the end of the fishing pier and cut in front of me at the dock. In order to avoid a collision, I was forced to reverse hard, which served to just barely stop my boat and back her off the other boat a bit before the prop shaft slipped out of its coupling and I had nothing."No problem," I thought, as I rolled out the 140 genny. But again, nothing. The sail hung limp in the breezeless air. Fortunately, there was no current to drive me against the rocks, so I sat waiting for the other boat to leave the dock. As he did, I jumped up and down waving and yelling to him, asking for a bit of help as he passed about 20' off my starboard beam. He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye, and motored right on by making sure to stare straight out in front.I was stuck there motionless, hoping for the slightest hint of a breeze, for about 10 minutes before some kind folks went by in an inflatable and pushed me the remaining 200' back to my slip. Had I been drifting toward the rocks, I would have been forced to drop the hook and wait for help. If I had drifted back toward the dock, I could probably have landed there safely after the other boat was gone. It's good to know what your options are, but it doesn't necessarily do much to alleviate the feeling of helplessness. ;-)

 

[jeff s]

1985 ofday anniversary 26 ftr

I agree with Alan get that sail up and get out of the way . I find one of the advantages of sailing or owning a sailboat is that you have multiple means of powering your boat. I have been out sailing with just the main when a turnbuckle let go , so I dropped the main to take some streess off the mast and pulled out the genny to sail back to the mooring. You can always turn on the kicker for me its a last resort

 

[WeeZerNeek]

Why wait?

Raise the sails, of course. First rule of operating any vessel is safety of the crew, the vessel and other vessels. If any flak comes your way about bending "local rules", one short sentence will dispel any problems. "My boat was in jeopardy; my desision was to proceed under sail."

 

[Brian Aldred]

Dark Marks

I see your complaint re crab pots and dark marks.As a matter of interest over many years we have experimented with coloured marks for racing. We are convinced that BLACK is the most obvious colour to see in the dark in a marine enviroment.Hope you find this to be the case and encorage the fishing fraternaty ty adopt this idea.Brian Aldred