[Rhodes22-list] Cautionary Tale

[Michael D. Weisner]

Ben,

You are very lucky!

We should all know that engines and props are dangerous but many don't 
realize that monofilament line can slice through flesh all too quickly, 
without exceeding it's tensile rating.  While it should be common safety 
practice to stop all engines before investigating entangled lines, be very 
careful to stop all motion (possibly even anchor) when checking out any 
fishing line entanglements.  There have been reports of severe limb and neck 
damage when fishing lines suddenly caught on something and tightened across 
cockpit spaces.  Whenever I approach my town "No Fishing" dock to discharge 
passengers, I always blow a warning horn to the fishermen and advise them to 
remove their lines from the water or they will be cut.  I have a riggers 
knife and a pair of sailing gloves at the ready to quickly and safely cut 
any lines that contact the boat.  Do not fool around with fishing line and 
bare hands, ever.


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

From: "BenCittadino" Sunday, August 29, 2010 10:37 PM
>
> This weekend, after a calm, pleasant sail, having motored smoothly into my
> slip, and just secured the boat I noticed somebodies  fishing line had
> become tangled in the prop. I lowered the prop back into the water with a
> plan to pull on the loose end while running the motor slowly in reverse to
> unwrap the line. I held the filament end with one hand while manipulating
> the tiller controller with the other hand. The plan did not work and 
> almost
> sucked my hand into the prop. I miraculously escaped with nothing more 
> than
> a semi-nasty paper cut like slit in my hand from the filament and the
> certain knowledge that I am an idiot.
>
> Lesson: NEVER EVER RUN AN ENGINE WITH ANY PART OF ANYONE'S BODY NEAR A
> MOVING PART OR ATTACHED THERETO.
>
> With the engine OFF I cut the line free. It took a few minutes but I have
> all my fingers.
>
> BenC
> S/V Susan Kay ('93 recy '08)
> -- 
> View this message in context: 
> http://old.nabble.com/Cautionary-Tale-tp29569114p29569114.html
> Sent from the Rhodes 22 mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
>
> __________________________________________________
> To subscribe/unsubscribe go to 
> http://www.rhodes22.org/mailman/listinfo/rhodes22-list
>
> For the list Charter and help with using the mailing list and archives go 
> to http://www.rhodes22.org/list
> __________________________________________________