[Rhodes22-list] Pot Luck - the art of snagging a trap (pot) float

[Michael D. Weisner]

Dave,

We don't have many crab pots in the LI Sound - we have lobster pots!  They 
are just about everywhere!  When you get snagged on one, they usually let go 
pretty easily, unless your rudder is fully down and locked.  My first summer 
with our R22 I nearly ripped the rudder assembly off the stern when we were 
really moving and caught a partially submerged float that nobody saw. 
Fortunately (for us, not the pot owner), the line snapped before the rudder 
did and we continued on our way.  The problem was that while we lowered the 
main and furled the genny, the line became badly fouled and I couldn't seem 
to loosen it unless the boat stopped pulling.  As a result, I rarely lock 
the rudder down and have a good sized knife attached to the underside of the 
lazarette cover (handy access) to cut us loose in a hurry.  It is always fun 
...

Mike
s/v Shanghai'd Summer ('81)
Nissequogue River, NY

From: <DCLewis1 at aol.com> Tuesday, July 24, 2007 5:33 PM
>
> Lee,
>
{snip}
>
> FWIW. this last weekend we tried a new maneuver called "trolling for crab
> pots", and we actually caught one.  Actually, it caught us.  I  realized 
> our
> good luck when I noted the rudder didn't have sufficient  steering 
> authority to
> turn us from the land ahead. I thought to check the  OB and there, jammed
> between the prop and the lower motor housing, was a  crab pot float with a 
> rope
> streaming off to the rear.  This has never  happened to us before, some 
> people
> are just lucky.
>
> Turns out I'd decided to leave the motor down and linked to the tiller in
> case things got out of control  I didn't want to be hanging off the stern
> disconnecting and then reconnecting things in the wind and chop.  Early on 
> I
> measured the wind at 18 kts, and we were making more than 4 kts when I 
> made the > measurement; I wasn't real comfortable.  In retrospect, I 
> should have
> disconnected the linkage and raised the motor once we left the  harbor.
>
> At any rate, I was able to raise the motor to the point I could access the
> prop with our boat hook, then by levering the boat hook I was able to pry
> loose the float and clear the float and rope from the prop.  Once I  found 
> the
> right leverage point it wasn't hard, but it took a few moments.   In the 
> meantime
> the land was coming up and that added to the excitement of the  moment. 
> Fun?
>
> The above has probably happened to everyone who has sailed the Chesapeake,
> but it was the first time for us.  I'm sure there are more crab pots than
> crabs left in the Bay, and we found ours.  The moral of the story  is, 
> keep your
> motor up.
>
> I think I've learned something nearly every time I've gone out this season
> because I had to deal with an unanticipated situation nearly every  time, 
> and
> that's largely a consequence of the relatively high winds we've  had this
> season (15kt to 20kt).  What ever happened to sailing as a simple  and 
> genteel
> sport where you glide reliably, serenely, and securely from  point to 
> point upon
> quiet, gentle, water?
>
> Seriously, I look forward to hearing form Hank, and I look forward to
> meeting you.
>
> Dave
>
>
>
>
>
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