Motoring / Sailing at night in Maine (on coast not off)

[Joe CD MS 300]

I carry the same hooknife with the extention handle from sailors solutions.


http://www.sailorssolutions.com/index.a ... &Item=CH01

[Vern Campbell]

I don't carry a hookknife for the simple reason that I know how expensive lobster gear is, and how hard the fishermen work to make a living. Boat prices on lobsters were unbelievably low last summer and fall, and aren't much better now. So I'd rather deal with untangling than cutting off the gear.

[Joe CD MS 300]

Two of my three "snaggings" resulted in being able to get the pot off with out cutting but sometimes cutting is the only safe option. Untangling the gear sometimes is not possible. Under a bouncing boat how do you with one hand create enough slack in the line without any leverage other your own buoyancy so that you can unwind line that is melted and welded to the prop and shaft? Sometimes the safety of the situation takes precedence over property.

[Vern Campbell]

Very true (safety over property), and I have a knife with me on the boat, of course. It is just that, knowing the frailty of human resolve at times, I don't carry a hookknife. I am afraid that when faced with a choice of a swim in downeast Maine's cold water, or being able to free myself from the cockpit, I would suffer a lapse in character and opt for the less wet solution. Of course, you and I are talking apples and oranges--with the outboard auxiliary on the CD25 I have not had to deal with melted line on my prop and shaft.

[Steve Laume]

I am not so sure the hook knife would serve much purpose other than to lose some guy his gear. It would probably be effective in severing the fishing gear from your boat. If would not seem like you could remove the line wrapped around your prop and shaft with such a thing. That gets to be a real mess and running with a bunch of melted poly line tight against your cutlass bearing is probably not a good idea.

If you get in the water you can always tie a line between the pot connected portion of the wrap and the buoy before you cut yourself lose. You could most likely do the same thing by using a boat hook and a knife on deck.

I would same the money you would spend on a hook knife and buy some lobsters, Steve.

[Carl Thunberg]

Linekin to Boothbay is a short hop in familiar waters for you. Try it. There's nothing like sailing or even motoring under a full moon! Do it. Just be cautious, which I know you will be. Once you've done it once or twice, you'll be eager to sail under a full moon again and again. A dark night? That's another story. You can't see them damn pots on a dark night.

Edit: Make that buoys. Them pots is at the bottom.

[Joe CD MS 300]

If and when the conditions are right I'm going to give it a shot. A calm night, flat water and a full moon.

[cbrenton]

I agree that the Cape Dory underbody is very unlikely to snag pot warp. I have been sailing Maine waters day and night for 30 years and have only been caught twice. Both times were in daylight and in rivers with swift ebb currents running-- once in the Piscataqua and once in the Damariscotta. I believe that when the tide is running hard it stretches the pot warp out horozontally and makes it much more hazardous. As for seeing them at night, I don't believe it's possible from a useful standpoint-moon or no moon. There a lot of things to think about out there at night. I wouldn't spend too much time on lobster pots, and yes, it is beautiful.

Charlie Brenton
"Carol Anne"
CD 33