Tag lines on offshore pots

[backman]

I see the original thread got taken down.

This is data and fact.

After trolling perhaps 40 miles of wall and pot between east Atlantis and past Veatch safely on Saturday we ate a tag line under a pot at dawn Sunday.

Despite conversation about staying well clear of the pots we somehow ended up 10 yards off on the "safe" upwind side.

Mistakes happen.

The tag line was at least 100 yards long as we cut off 30 yards; were 10 yards off the ball and it ballooned well off into the distance.

We ate the tag line *upwind* of the ball; the theory is that the tag line was floating in the current opposed to being downwind from the flyer.

The point here is I have encountered 100 yards of line up wind of a ball. The line was dark nylon exterior with an orange poly center and was floating perhaps 2' down under the water ballooned out in the current. On a grey day or low light conditions you would never see it.

We were lucky it only wrapped a couple times on one prop and one of my crew went in and was able to cut it free in 3 dives. We were also lucky (and smart) enough not to make matters worse by trying to back down and spin it off. We were also lucky the sea's were 3-4 at that time, not 4-5 as they were a few hours later.

Stay away from the pots!

[Sea Draggin]

Your also lucky the water was divable. This winter it probably won't be.

[backman]

Thanks - I'll keep that in mind if we do any January canyon trips.

[Bill_N]

That's scary stuff! Glad you were able to clear it.

What about line cutters? Do they work, or create other issues?

[JoeyM]

i've always had outboards. i've been trying to sell my boat to buy a twin diesel express.


it's posts like these that make me reconsider sticking with outboards.


i've hit at least one lobster pot every year for the last 5 yrs (including one in Oct with water in the 50's!)



it's no big deal in an outboard. maybe i need to start looking at the new crop of giant outboard powered expresses.

[CindyLou]

That's scary stuff! Glad you were able to clear it.

What about line cutters? Do they work, or create other issues?

Here's an interesting review:
http://www.prop-protector.co.uk/SAIL...acc16d5a90691e

I'd like to hear from people that have installed them though. Any issues?

[JoeyM]

Here's an interesting review:
http://www.prop-protector.co.uk/SAIL...acc16d5a90691e

I'd like to hear from people that have installed them though. Any issues?

no personal experience, but the anecdotal things i have heard have been corrosion issues, shafts breaking, decreased fuel economy...

[chumtini]

Sorry to hear LB. There's nothing new here. This has been going on for sometime. It can turn the overnite run S into a nightmare. The only water I'll jump into after dark is a hot tub.

[backman]

Two reasons what not.

First - Spurs on small diameter shafts such as mine carry significant risk of their own. One of the naval design rules states thaat the strut/prop hub gap should be no more than the diameter of the shaft with less gap being better. Too much gap = more bend and play in your shaft under load and that leads to really bad things over time.

Second, if a line binds in the cutter and is not cut - your now dealing with a line, cutters, a knife and no room to cut out a wrapped line without cutting yourself.


Third (I lied) if in fact spurs or cutters cost 5% fuel economy - nope - next boat gets a pony tank locker.

[eppefour]

I had spurs on my Egg harbor but to install them we had to lengthen the shaft 1 inch. The boat wouldn't get on plane after that and I had to remove the spurs and the inch.