Rope cutter - yes , or no ?

[YARGESOL]

We have all experienced the situation, when a loose rope, or a fishing line tangles arround the prop... In the middle of ocean , where you may see another ship once during three days...I've got twice the ropes arround the port propeller... One of my crew was playing with his GoPro and we were saling so, no damage. Fishing line - they are everywhere!
The question is, if a Rope Cutter may help and, what is the best variant for SD20 - fixed 2 blades aluminum propeller. I will be on the hard soon.
Applreciate opinions

[gmakhs]

Saved my boat from crashing on the breakwater , Definitely yes.
Imagine the situation , 50 knots of wind and only one small safe harbour - bay that you have to anchor inside , the wind comes from the mountains , in front of you are shallows behind you the brake water you try to maneuver inside and get a good place for your anchor , is night so you cant clearly see the shallows suddenly Genoa rope gets in the water , you and your crew dont notice , the rope gets in the propeller , engine stops .
This situation happened to me , because of the rope cutter i started the engine again and manage to maneuver the boat and anchor safely .
Without the rope cutter , i would have either crash on the breakwater or manage to get out of the bay using the storm sail , but then will have had to sail the storm .

[Pete7]

We have one of these Ambassador types but on a shaft although they do a SD version.

Ambassador Marine - Home of the Stripper Propeller Protector

We hit a lobster pot a couple of years ago, there was a dip in the revs as it cut the rope and then we were off again as if nothing happened.

The down side is they are expensive, but you are only only going to buy it once.

Pete

[YARGESOL]

Originally Posted by gmakhs

Saved my boat from crashing on the breakwater , Definitely yes.
Imagine the situation , 50 knots of wind and only one small safe harbour - bay that you have to anchor inside , the wind comes from the mountains , in front of you are shallows behind you the brake water you try to maneuver inside and get a good place for your anchor , is night so you cant clearly see the shallows suddenly Genoa rope gets in the water , you and your crew dont notice , the rope gets in the propeller , engine stops .
This situation happened to me , because of the rope cutter i started the engine again and manage to maneuver the boat and anchor safely .
Without the rope cutter , i would have either crash on the breakwater or manage to get out of the bay using the storm sail , but then will have had to sail the storm .

I remember - last year 2 chartered cats in Greese went aground/one sunk...due to the "ropes blown down from the deck by a sudden gust"

[YARGESOL]

Originally Posted by Pete7

We have one of these Ambassador types but on a shaft although they do a SD version.

Ambassador Marine - Home of the Stripper Propeller Protector

We hit a lobster pot a couple of years ago, there was a dip in the revs as it cut the rope and then we were off again as if nothing happened.

The down side is they are expensive, but you are only only going to buy it once.

Pete

Almost $900 x 2 ! Quite expensive. Thought, it may save a boat and lives.

[Suijin]

There's a Yachting Monthly test of various rope cutters. My take away was that while some are marginally better than others they all get the job done, to a degree.

While I've been here in Oriental doing my refit I've seen two boats come in with bent prop shafts/skegs from fouling one of their lines. That's a $4,000+ repair, give or take depending on the particulars. And that does not factor in what might have happened to the boat itself if it was a "wrong place wrong time" situation.

As for the OP's "yes or no" question, the answer depends on your appetite for risk, the waters you sail in, etc. No one can really answer that for you.

My boat came with a broken old Spurs rope cutter on it. Ended up putting a Prop Protector brand on, in large part due to it's price as well as the fact it can be installed without pulling the prop, which with a MaxProp is a PITA. While it might not be the absolute best device, it's a degree of insurance that meets the degree of risk I'm willing to live with.

[GTom]

Even in my short sailing experience I encountered a rope getting around our shaft. Fortunately no drama with 50kts, brakewaters, etc - but half an evening hassle to get the boat in its berth and half morning to get the rope off the shaft. To avoid even this singe "small" event, I'd gladly shell out that 900$ (fortunatley only one prop to spend $$ on ).

[S/V Alchemy]

I installed a "Shaft Shark" and found a bit of evidence (a tiny bit of poly line skewered on one of the "teeth") when I last hauled that my $5,000 VariProp four-blade had been spared.

I agree it's about where and how one sails, but it seems far cheaper and less risky than going "bare".

[deblen]

Gulf of Maine.

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

[Clivevon]

Fit a rope cutter? Definitely yes. Mine is the Spurs type, & to my knowledge it has (instantly) cut ropes twice - one was at least 16mm 3 strand nylon and i heard the thump under my feet. My 36 HP diesel engine was just above tickover but didn't miss a beat.

(In Mallorcan marinas they use a heavy "ground chain" lying on the bottom & running down the middle of the lanes between the docks, with thick mooring ropes running off towards each dock. These divide into two tail ends which you pick up. You berth end on, tying up to the dock then using a lazy dock line which leads out to pick up the two tail ends of the mooring ropes for each quarter of your bow or stern. Lots of rope sloping down into the water when the boats are tightly packed in. I caught my neighbours line in my prop when reversing out of my berth in a bit of wind. As I recall he was glad I called it in to the marina on my way out - $40 euros for the diver to resplice it..)

Anyway, heres another link to the Yachting Monthly test:

Propeller rope cutter test

I think the fact they were only using a 3HP motor in their tests is worth noting.

Hope that helps.

[Clivevon]

re: The Lobster buoys of Maine - you wouldn't go there at night, would you.

[bbowman294]

I live and cruise in Maine....................THAT'S ridicules!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The lobsters DON'T have a chance!!!!!

I have heard that lobstermen/women are responsible for your boat if you get tangled in a lobster buoy.........can anyone confirm this!?!?!?!?

[Txcruiser]

I had them installed before a trip thru Maine on my 45 foot motor yacht. Cutters worked once and two other times had to have a diver go down and remove the lines from the shaft. In general I would say they are not worth the high cost.

[GTom]

Originally Posted by Txcruiser

I had them installed before a trip thru Maine on my 45 foot motor yacht. Cutters worked once and two other times had to have a diver go down and remove the lines from the shaft. In general I would say they are not worth the high cost.

YMMV but even that 1 in three could save your boat.

[tedowens]

I have the Spurs brand rope cutters, and I have been very disappointed with them. It is basically a saw blade, but if you think about it the rope is going round and round with the blade so it can’t really cut the rope. Maybe the Spurs type is better. It makes more sense since that uses momentum to shear the rope.