Wet suits, hacksaws, etc.

[George ( C&C 40 )]

Hi All,


This one's for the Maine sailors...

I have scuba gear for cleaning the race boat during the season and was wondering if it's worth bringing the full gear to Maine to deal with lobster pots. Or, is a wet suit, fins, and a weight belt good enough to clear lines wrapped around a prop. In seven years of sailing the Chesapeake I've managed to never catch a crab pot so I have no experience cutting away wrapped and melted line. Also, serrated blade or hacksaw for cutting away line on a prop shaft?

Thanks again,

George


P.S. We leave the morning of the 19'th and should be up in Maine around July 4'th.

[dasein668]

I guess it depends how comfortable you are diving under the boat, and whether you think you'll have trouble finding a place to stow your SCUBA. I'd say: if you've got it, and you've got room, bring it. If not, don't.

In any case you almost certainly won't need it. In about 15 years on the water in Maine I've fouled on lobster gear only twice, and never had one wrapped around the prop shaft. KNOCKS LOUDLY ON WOOD NOW.

Neither time did I have to go into the water to clear the warp.

I'm not familiar with the underbody of your C&C; you may be more prone to fouling than the boats I've sailed before.

[dasein668]

How long do you plan to be cruising in Maine? How far down the coast are you hoping to go? Will you be in the Portland area? Inquiring minds want to know!

[Figment]

You have a stern ladder on your boat, right?

This is a maneuver I will remember for a long long time:
In a recent wednesday night race, the boat just ahead of us snagged a pot with his rudder (light air, heavy current). The skipper dropped the ladder and (all in one smooth motion) dropped himself into the water feet-first, never losing grip on that last rung, swung his feet forward under hull to kick the bouy free of the rudder, and scrambled back up the ladder to take the helm. This whole thing took maybe 15 seconds. A very slick little maneuver.

I've never needed more than a decent serrated blade to clear pot lines.
I must also say that I reach for the blade only as a last resort. I've been able to unwind the line and leave the gear intact about 1/3 of the time.

[Tim]

With a little care and paying attention, you won't catch any pots. But you have to pay attention. Don't steam or sail over them. Watch the current. You do have to steer a circuitous course around pots; forget about straight rhumblines.

(TIP: always go below (downwind or down current) of close pots. Trying to pinch or squeeze over the upwind or up current side leads a lot of people into sticky situations. This is especially true in toggle country, generally in Penobscot bay and eastward.)

Serrated knives are the tool of choice for cutting line underwater (or elsewhere). Get a box of inexpensive ones and keep them around everywhere. I buy boxes red-handled Victorinox knives from Hamilton Marine and use them all over the boat till they dull, then throw them away.

Bring your dive gear if you can fit it. If you do have to go in the water, you may be happy. But it's not required unless you really get yourself into trouble.

If you do have to cut a pot warp, please try to save the buoy and retie it to the cut end, thereby helping save the gear for the lobstermen. MOst gear has buoys at both ends of the string or pair, but it's much nicer to try and retie if it's at all feasible. Don't risk life or limb for this, though.

[George ( C&C 40 )]

Hi All,


Thanks guys. I appreciate all the good info. I'm packing the boat later this week. If I have room left for the tank, bcd, and the regulator I'll bring them. Otherwise, I won't worry about it too much. I'm pretty good at avoiding crab pots and it appears to be a similar skill to avoiding lobster pots.

As to being comfortable under the boat(s) I do about 30 races a year between the two boats and scuba dive them both for cleaning, centerboard work, zincs, etc. before each race. Lots of experience under boats. Way too much really. Lots of jellyfish stings too.


The trip schedule...

Leave Yorktown, VA the morning of June 19'th. There will be four of us on board for the trip up to southern N.E. This should help ease the watch schedule. This section will be offshore all the way unless bad weather forces us into Cape May, NJ.
Landfall in Newport, RI on the 22'nd or the 23'rd.
Arrive on Block Island the 24'th for a get together with the rest of the York River Yacht Club members on this cruise.
Split from the rest of the Yacht Club cruisers on the 25'th or 26'th.
Cruise southern N.E. for the remainder of the month.
July 1'st -- Cut accross the Gulf of Maine to Frenchman Bay or maybe even Roque Island. This area is the primary focal point of the vacation.
Work our way back down the coast to Portland, ME by July 23'rd.
Denise gets off the boat in Portland and flys back to Virginia on the 23'rd.
Also on the 23'rd, one of my friends, Rich Watkins, arrives in Portland and joins me for the trip back down the coast. We'll probably spend a day or two hanging out in Portland, ME before heading off.
We then spend the next two weeks working our way along the coast and get back to Yorktown, VA around the 5'th of August. As I've told my wife many times, Rich and I will not, repeat not, be hanging out in Atlantic City drinking and gambling for a couple of days. I promise.

Hope to do lots of whale watching, offshore fishing, and general relaxing. Hope to not spend too much time fogged in :-)


George

P.S. -- I'll be on 8.158 MHz at 8am, 8pm, and most likely 12 noon as well on the trip up to southern N.E. The #2 frequency will be 8.167, #3 frequency will be 4.039, and #4 frequency will be 4.051. There's very little traffic on 8.158 so it's very unlikely I'll ever be on the #2, 3, or 4 frequency. I'm handling the weather tracking for the group on the trip up which is why I'll be on. I'll be on SSB and HAM frequencies for the balance of the trip.

[A30_John]

I have scuba gear for cleaning the race boat during the season and was wondering if it's worth bringing the full gear to Maine to deal with lobster pots.

Yes. Absolutely. In some areas (particularly around Swan's Island/Mt. Desert) the pots can be very thick. If for no other reason than your peace of mind, bring the gear.

Enjoy your sailing in Maine.. you're going to love it!

[MikeD]

Heck, if you've got scuba gear and can fit it, bring it! Forget the lobster pots, just go diving! You may want a dry suit however...

[Tim]

Diving for pleasure in Maine??? What's there to see? (Not that you can see anything in this murky water...)

[MikeD]

I read a great book this winter, Shadow Divers, that made me want to get back into diving again here in Maine - almost. Granted, these guys were diving off New Jersey, but I'm sure there are plenty of wrecks and other interesting things in Maine waters. It'd be a fun way to catch your lobster dinner too. I'd be willing to bet there's a whole community of divers here who know of lots of great spots. Heck, there's even surfers up here. It sure ain't the Caribbean or the South Pacific though!

[Tim]

It'd be a fun way to catch your lobster dinner too.

That's illegal here.

I'm sure there are plenty of wrecks and other interesting things in Maine waters.

True enough. The problem is that the visibility tends to be very poor, or nonexistent. Plus, the waters are deep and the currents strong. And cold, which turns off most recreational people.

I'd be willing to bet there's a whole community of divers here who know of lots of great spots.

Most people diving in Maine do so from necessity, or as part of making their living: urchin divers, mooring services, bottom cleaners, etc. I honestly don't know if anyone really dives for pleasure here or not, but I don't know anyone who does.

I should add, by way of disclaimer, that going underwater is something I do not like, and I wouldn't dive at the Great Barrier Reef either! It's creepy under there...I like things way better on the surface. One of many shortcomings I have to live with.

[MikeD]

It'd be a fun way to catch your lobster dinner too.

That's illegal here.

OK. One less reason to dive in Maine. ;)

[catamount]

Almost every fall I show up at Nubble Light, Cape Neddick, with some geology students to look at the rocks there, and there always seems to be a big group of SCUBA divers going in the water there that same weekend. I think maybe it's a class of people getting their open water certification?

[bcooke]

I should add, by way of disclaimer, that going underwater is something I do not like, and I wouldn't dive at the Great Barrier Reef either! It's creepy under there...I like things way better on the surface. One of many shortcomings I have to live with.

You are missing out. Everyone gets a little creeped out at first. It simply isn't right for land mammals to breath under water. On the other hand you miss seeing beautiful and totally new worlds out there. Definitely worth it. :-)

I agree that most of Maine really isn't for recreational diving but I have found a few spots where I really wished I had my gear along. While visibility and strong cold currents are the norm, there are pockets in some anchorages where the visibility was pretty good (by temperate standards) and the currents were mininal. Thick wet suits or a dry suits are a must though unless you are a true hero. You might also find it hard to get your tanks re-filled unless you have a compressor on board.

That's illegal here.

Only if you get caught.
A lobsterman (woman) might assume you are raiding their traps and shoot first/ask later though.

I read a great book this winter, Shadow Divers, that made me want to get back into diving again here in Maine

I read that on my last cruise too. Two of the divers died horrible painful deaths and a boat driver commited suicide by alcohol. Good story but I can't say I felt inspired. I am just a pansy I guess :-)

-Britton

[MikeD]

I read a great book this winter, Shadow Divers, that made me want to get back into diving again here in Maine

I read that on my last cruise too. Two of the divers died horrible painful deaths and a boat driver commited suicide by alcohol. Good story but I can't say I felt inspired. I am just a pansy I guess :-)

-Britton

Ever notice how some people just focus on the negative?

I found this just now: Maine Coast Diving. They try to make it sound fun, but it sounds like it's kind of hard to sell.

[Tim]

Only if you get caught.

Please don't go there. There are certain things one does not do, regardless of whether it's the law or not. Getting caught has nothing to do with it.