Line Cutters - Prop Spurs and the like

[Freestyle]

We have not done a line cutter discussion in a few years.

I am considering adding some version of line cutter and am looking for advice. We cruise Tampa-Key West at night a lot and crab pots are always a concern.

What is the preferred brand?

Is this something my divers can install or does it require a haulout?

Bruce

Freestyle
1986 62 CPMY (54MY with ext)
Tampa

 

[Pascal]

I had them on a 70 footer I used to run, installed by spurs in FTL and they were always shedding (expensive parts). The 116 I run now has them and so far they ve stayed together. They re nice to have when running in areas with many pots like the keys, west coast or New England

 

[Captain Ralph]

Ask your diver about them. Our diver is against them. His comments are; Makes a wrap worse and he hates getting his fingers cut up cleaning/servicing/repairing them.

 

[motoryacht lover]

I had spurs on my boat and had a similar experience as Pascal. But I try not to run at night so I didn’t see the need for them

 

[CGHOST4]

I had spurs years ago and had nothing but problems. I now have Shaft Shark cutters. Split design so they can be installed with boat in the water. I have had them on the boat now for several years with no issues, and yes I have hit my share of crab pot lines


Caesar's Ghost
1980 58YF #472

 

[CGHOST4]

Interesting Test

https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s6/prop-line-cutters-60999.html

Caesar's Ghost
1980 58YF #472

 

[CGHOST4]

Second Try

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WADETXBD3Pc


Caesar's Ghost
1980 58YF #472

 

[Pascal]

I had heard about the sharks and was wondering. Good to hear they work.

 

[RonNP]

I used the Sharks on my last Hatteras and they worked wonderfully. I went through a gigantic patch of crab pots off the coast of Northern California. The sharks cut the lines to the pots with ease.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Must be there is more room between the strut and the cutter than what appears in that photo. Otherwise I don't see how you'd get enough water flow through the cutlass bearing.

 

[steve c]

I had spurs on two boats that I owned in a previous life. I found they were high maintenance items due to frequent bearing and zinc replacement and and the need to keep the blades sharp. They also caused a performance loss of appx. 1 kt on each boat due to the disruption of clean water getting to the props. The boats were a 32 Blackfin FB with Cats and a 31 Rampage with Volvos. Another consideration is the damage and loss of gear for the commercial fisherman. The gear is not cheap. To put the shoe on the other foot the commercial folks could simply switch to steel cable and not have problem with lost gear. I'm not a commercial fisherman but just trying to see both sides of the problem. r

 

[Captain Ralph]

Another consideration is the damage and loss of gear for the commercial fisherman. The gear is not cheap. To put the shoe on the other foot the commercial folks could simply switch to steel cable and not have problem with lost gear. I'm not a commercial fisherman but just trying to see both sides of the problem. r

If the pot fisher folk were worried about their gear, They would not place the traps IN the channel.
I understand close to the edge, close to the bottoms contour change. I can see some moving during weather and fast current events, but not farms of them in the channel as here in the St Johns River from Jax to Lake George.

 

[Pascal]

Same in the keys. Some of the channels crossing the keys like channel 5 are all clogged up with pots. Hawks Channel is a nightmare too the whole way

 

[steve c]

Pots in the channel...I agree completely , cut them off, but anchoring in a pot field is not a great idea.

 

[Freestyle]

Follow up from my original post.

Installed Shaft Sharks and cruised from Tampa to Bimini through Marathon in daylight and then the Hawk at night.

North of Marathon lobster pots can get dense. We believe we dodged most in daylight with one confirmed kill. We lost count of dodging maneuvers around 30 so estimate 50.

Night time was Shaft Sharks time to shine. No dodging maneuvers.

We arrived Nassau with the remnants of 14 lines wrapped between the Shaft Sharks and the prop.

Did the Shaft Sharks work?

Yes, we arrived in Nassau without incident caused by crab pots.

No, we had remnants of 14 lines around the shaft.

Both, what did I expect?

As a half full guy, I say they worked as expected. We probably cut free at night as many as we dodged during the day.

Bruce

Freestyle
1985 62 CPMY (54MY with ext)
Tampa en route to Eleuthera