crab traps do you avoid them ?

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

not crab pots, but I've caught a lot of lobster pots and had them stop me dead in my tracks, but have also never had one in the prop

I guess you have to Dive to cut them free? I’d hate to do that in cold water, especially if there was any real wave action, I have been under my boat in three ft seas, if I wasn’t able to wedge myself in between the rudder and the keel with the lobster strap supporting me, I think the boat would have beaten me to death.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I guess you have to Dive to cut them free? I’d hate to do that in cold water, especially if there was any real wave action, I have been under my boat in three ft seas, if I wasn’t able to wedge myself in between the rudder and the keel with the lobster strap supporting me, I think the boat would have beaten me to death.

I’ve always been able to get them ti slide off as they were on the keel

[Snore]

Been up and down the coast often. The trick is to get out to the 10 fathom line and the volume goes to almost zero.

Inside of that is dodge’em

[ggray]

To answer the question:

You get into trouble in cross currents when you pick may the wrong side to pass on. If in doubt, I aim for the crab pot, and it soon becomes apparent which side to go and at that point it is easy to do so.

I don't complain about crab pots out in open water. That is their livelihood. But when I find them in narrow channels through shallow water, or covering anchorages (which represent a pitifully small percentage of the water where crab pots can be set), I don't have much patience. It's my water just as much as it is their's.

[danielamartindm]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

Yes, you have to maintain adequate lookout and a proper helm watch. It's right there in the COLREGs. It's not considered "annoying."

Look at it this way. I tell power boaters all the time, just because you have the ability to go 30 knots or whatever, doesn't mean you always SHOULD.

Likewise, just because you HAVE autopilot, doesn't mean you should set it and go about doing other things.

I cruise the coast of Maine a lot. You don't know about trap buoys until you've spent some time around here. Autopilot is of little use in many places.

One last thought: If you don't watch for buoys, how are you going to spot a log, a deadhead, a refrigerator (yes, I saw one floating just below the surface once)?

Bingo on that last paragraph!

[RobD527]

Originally Posted by Snore

Been up and down the coast often. The trick is to get out to the 10 fathom line and the volume goes to almost zero.

Inside of that is dodge’em

Thank You this is pretty much the answer I was looking for so next time I will get in deeper water

[Striker37]

There should be a law that is made to keep the traps out of tbe channels.

[Ken Z]

FRANKLY.... I ll make believe I didn t fully read your post. DO NOt run over them, DO NOT rely on auto pilot. Try not to travel at night in lobster, crab trap areas. If you snag one and get it off without going overboard with a knife your lucky.... Most traps have 40 lbs. of concrete for anchoring them in place, add 15-20 pounds of lobsters or crabs and 20-30 feet of trap line, wrapped around the shaft or prop and you may end up with a bent shaft, gearbox failure and be dead in the water. YOUR LUCKY, buy a lotto ticket😧🤪

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by s/v Moondancer

We have the 'shaft shark' and it works great.

Prop Shaft Line Cutters | Blue Water Sailing

Oh hell! Just run over the guys livelihood by cutting his warps. I guess if you can't avoid them because they are set in the channel which seems common in the Keys.

[FutureStories]

Got one caught in my rudder earlier this year. Was pissed I lost steerage and had to drop the sails and throw an anchor since I was on the edge of very shallow water. Went down and cut the line because I couldn’t get it free all on its own.

It had a black marker and was at night. I think with the low cost of glowing paint or solar powered LEDs it should be mandatory that crab traps have something to make them more visible in the dark.

[rbk]

Originally Posted by RobD527

Thank You this is pretty much the answer I was looking for so next time I will get in deeper water

Watch for shelf’s/drop offs. As mentioned above about the 10 fths; not sure about east coast but west coast pots can range from 10’ to 500’ for crab/shrimp and will tend to be strung along a shelf at similar depths which by the law of the universe will put it directly in your path of travel. Do a 90 degree turn to deeper waters and get a half mile out to deeper water if possible. Agree with others about dropping pots in channels and anchorages, just ignorant. Outside the prop it can also be a real pain to haul up 2-3 tangled pots, lead line along with your anchor and forget about it if a wad of kelp has decided to join the party.

[AJ_n_Audrey]

I lived in dread of crab pot last year going south on the ICW. This was one of several reasons I decided to stay outside as much as possible after that trip. They suck in every way. Go outside if possible.

[ArmyDaveNY]

Be grateful you're not in Maine!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eB_9OiGNjH4

As was said earlier, moving a little further out can make life a lot easier.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Striker37

There should be a law that is made to keep the traps out of tbe channels.

There is. State laws are pretty consistent on this. If they are actually in a marked channel (not a line between way points) or designated anchorage (not just some place you like) report then to the local fish and wild life guys. That is their job.

As for hogging the good coves, they're working those pots 7 days a week. I'll get over it. Is it reasonable to ask them not to work waters that might get a few cruisers on the weekend? Not as long as we order crab cakes.

[Cadence]

You should try south Florida with a tri.you can catch them with no problem at all, they slip between the hull and an ama with no problem to fowl the wheel. I'd bet a cat with a mid boat foot or outboard would be even more fun, eg. Gemini or CatFisher. the solution is avoiding them.