Fishing net got stuck in my yacht propeller: How I managed to remove it

In particular fishing nets can be a real PITA to remove, once they tangle themselves around a ship's propeller.

BHPian Jeroen recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

I kept thinking about my fouled propeller and or rudder. Yes, I could jump in the river and check it out. My experience is that it takes quite some time to cut through ropes, nets and so on whilst holding your breath and or working by feeling alone. Or it would be best if you hauled it out anyway. In particular fishing nets can be a real PITA to remove, once they tangle themselves around a ship's propeller.

So rather than getting very cold, I decided to haul Sirion out. So I called the guys at the Koornwaard again. They did the haul out for the work on Sirion's teak. Sure enough, they were very busy with hauling boats out for the winter. But they will always accommodate an emergency.

So this morning at 07.45 I casted off and arrived at the Koornwaard at 08.20. We had Sirion out and back in the water all within 15 minutes! What the problem was was very obvious!

I got my special rope-cutting serrated knife out and sliced through this tangled mess quickly!.

I did not see any water in the engine room bilge, so I don't think the shaft seal got damaged.

By 0900 I was back at WSV de Gors. I decided to take on a fresh load of water for our last trip of the season in two weeks time.

I checked some of my previous jobs on solving the various leaks. So far so good. I am also beginning to home in on the problem in the center bilge. I am leaving lots of paper towels in strategic places. This time I could see the beginning of a trail in a particular direction. It's too early to tell where it will lead to, but at least its a beginning.

Sirion still has 275 litres of diesel in her tank and 220 liters of fresh water. That is more than sufficient for the three-day trip we have planned to take her back to her previous home marina Strand Horst. I will have to arrive late on Wednesday afternoon. On Thursday 31st I have scheduled various maintenance jobs and winter preparations to be done, before hauling out for the winter.

Jeroen

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