Damage That Fishing Does.

[High Seas]

So from then on I decided to follow the byelaws and if I take anyone's fishing lines I will send them a bill for a lift out and a new cutlass bearing, after all you can not argue with video footage.

I must admit that many times I would be chugging down the river and I will see fisherman up ahead but they have their backs facing me.
So, the only chance they have of seeing me is when it's too late, especially if they have not heard me too.
I think what is lacking in general is a bit of common sense and no matter how much fisherman rant and rave about it, they are obliged to keep the navigation free for boats passing.
If they can't be bothered to move, keep an eye out for boats coming then you can't blame the boaters.
It's a lot easier to spot several tonnes of boat coming than us skippers trying to see a millimetres worth of fishing line.
As boaters we are not obliged to navigate around barely visible fishing lines.
I recall coming out of Stalham once and this dinghy full of fisherman with lines going in all directions refused to make any attempt to move so I crept up as near to the bank as possible and hit the bottom.
So from then on I decided to follow the byelaws and if I take anyone's fishing lines I will send them a bill for a lift out and a new cutlass bearing, after all you can not argue with video footage.

[Rick H]

Having replaced plenty of cutlass bearings and even those with fishing line on the shaft iv get to see one that's had any damage by line , yes cooling water travel's up the bearing via the flute's in it towards the stern gland but fishing line rarely does and if it did its no match for the bearing , rope cutters will virtually illuminate line around shafts but they will also leave baited hook in the water after the line is cut and that one good reason not to run through fishing lines .
I fo accept that seeing lines while fishermen are ledgering is dam hard but following the line of the rod its possible , yes fishermen have a responsible to remove tackle for passing vessels but if they don't see or hear you then what's the problem with letting the know with a short blast of horn ? , yes there is a minority of idiots who think they have a god given right to do just as they want and they come form both sides of the argument to be honest in both fishermen and boaters , .

[High Seas]

Cutlass bearing is vulnerable to fishing line and more so outboards because of their seals.

mono-on-shaft.jpg (39.33 KiB) Viewed 504 times

Cutlass bearing is made up of metal and hardened rubber on its interior
Poly line on lobster pots and netting is far worse but monofilament wraps around the shaft and forms a bracelet or bundle which can also melt into form with heat from friction. This in turn can make a formidable solid plastic collar which will work into the cutlass and eat out its bushing.

Johnson-Cutless-Bearings1.jpg (25.63 KiB) Viewed 504 times

In addition, the hardened rubber is staggered so water can lubricate it and if monofilament particles make their way through the channel with the water then it can develop and take out your PTFE or graphite stern gland.
The results are water ingress.

A rope cutter would help but due to the size of fishing line, I suspect it may not be infallible.

[Waylander]

Generally when I approach fishermen in the day light I will give them a small toot on the horn, slow down and play work out where the lines are by rod angle method and if there is room will swing wide to clear them I also if it's possible slip into neutral to coast past them. Some times they are round a blind bend or hidden the other side of ludham bridge.... At the bridge they are unavoidable but they and any boat the other side get a long blast in the horns and they are not quiet! I too have clouted the bottom going round fishermen as I have bilge keels. I can safely say I have never knowingly run over a fishing line apart from the two seperate occasions at ludham bridge when the fishermen got cross and said I never gave them time to reel in before coming under the bridge.... Actually I think it was the same man on seperate occasions! The only other time I have taken lines was that night whilst rescuing the sailing boat with my dingy and taking it to Sutton when the Holliday makers decide to have night lines out while sitting in the cabin watching TV .

[High Seas]

Sitting in the cabin watching TV with the fishing lines out unattended?
You make it sound like they are at fault?
That's just outright fishermanist.

[Rick H]

Note the word CAN cause a problem not DOES and I read that report too incidentally, outboards and stern drives are far more susceptible to the problem of line both of which can be raised to remove it though.
At bridges and bends obviously sound signals are a good idea not so at night though where a search light is better .
I can honestly say neither I or anyone I know of has had a cutlass bearing damaged or seal failure due to line even when there is evidence of line on the shaft .
BTW watching TV while fishing as indeed so is sleeping at the side of active rods , both are illegal as they are classed as unattended tackle and liable to a fine via EA .
To me we should be helping our self's more by observation , light and sound signals and a little more give and take and that does not mean allow others to take the Mick .

[Scardinus]

Not watching rods is inexcusable but you said there was someone watching, in that situation I would have called out that I could not move across as I was towing. No angler wants a boat to take their lines and I have never had any problems with other anglers, maybe because I am polite! Never have I had line around my prop either, have had rope left by a thoughtless boat owner, should we ban rope on the broads too!

[High Seas]

I think the point here that would most likely be a source to target on is the byelaws that apply to navigation and fishing.
Anything outside of that subject and what could be deemed as common sense is pointless in discussion as it is arbitrary and is aberrated from the topic.
As far as throwing ropes in the water go, I would in fact imagine there are byelaws governing that too as the level of destruction it would cause to vessels is enormous.
So the next time you see a group of men in the freezing cold wearing DPM camouflage throwing ropes in the water, share the wisdom with them.

[High Seas]

To me we should be helping our self's more by observation , light and sound signals

Well that's the way is should be but sadly we all know it does not happen as it should.
Coming in to Beccles or Loddon, even Stalham sounding a horn like the QE2 leaving port in her day does little to encourage fair play.....from my own experience.
Ideally, I would like them to stand to attention on the sound of my horn, about turn and make way for the Queen's guards.
Jokes aside, I think what it is the fisherman are probably frozen and can't move...yeah that's it.

[Waylander]

Both I and the boat I was rescuing called out to the shadow in the well of the hire boat. The sailing boat shone his torch at him but beyond shouting at us ( unintelligeable) he didn't reel in. I couldn't stop as a 3m inflatable with a 7.5 hp outboard towing a 27 foot sailing boat by being tied down the side is not at the best times very manoeverable.... On the way back I never saw anyone in the boats and the rods appeared to be just leaning in the rear well, it wasn't apparently that there were any lines out and I only knew there were when the familier reel scream occurred! Unavoidable on my part! If I had known they had reset I would have knocked on the hull and asked them to reel in. I reiterate, I do not plow through fishing lines deliberately and it too me two hours the next day to clear my outboard prop!