Fishing Gear in Central Solent

[Ribald]

Best keep an good eye out folks.............

http://www.southamptonspin.net/zones...t/2005no17.pdf

[Alex Brown]

Wonder who'll be the first to pick-up-a-pot then - sailing boat or high speed boat

We have numerous pots in and around the waterway here - mostly they're 'just' out of the channel, but some go astray (I hit one end of last year). One of my mates ended up having to go in the water last year to free floating pot rope from his prop - much fun....

I like the idea of light and radar reflector though - the height of marker also makes a wonderful difference from partially submerged buoy

-Alex

[benc]

I was very close to hitting one last night!

I can't believe where they put these things

[Biggles]

I can't believe they are allowed to use old black liquid containers to mark the pots. I see them everywhere. They must be a nightmare at night. Surely they should put a light on them. Or would it scare the lobsters ???

[Richard B]

Originally Posted by Biggles

They must be a nightmare at night...

Yes and no... if you're in the wrong place at the wrong time, you've got no chance! But if you anticipate and plan, then you will OK. Keep to the main channels at night, or retrace a known safe route. Information like this is invaluable - cheers Peter T.

My most memorable hazard from last year was a lone buoy covered in green slime fixed a couple of miles out off Colwell Bay which we passed many times. It was almost invisible until right on top of it.

[tim griffin]

The RYA are working hard to improve the level of poorly marked fishing gear, and are interested in any details of entanglements . As Richard has said stay just inside the main channels at night and passage planning is your No1 priority for night navigation. Osbourne Bay has a couple of nasty ones that lay just under the surface at MHWS and the route up to the Hamble from Calshott North Cardinal is scattered with quite a few. Perhaps people could post on here sitings of poorly marked pots .

[Jelly]

Don't get me started on fishing gear in the wrong place, we collected a pot line at xmas in the main shipping channel in Plymouth and we are still trying to get it fixed. 2 bent blades and a drive shaft all from a pot line!!
Jelly

[tim griffin]

Did you report it to the authorities , as the pot should have the license no of the boat on or some other identifying mark, at least that way the Port Authorities could prosecute. One would think you would have grounds for a claim against the fishing boat for laying marks in a channel and posing a danger to shipping

[Jelly]

Tim,
it was an unmarked light to mid blue chemical drum laid in just on the edge of the main shipping channel - no one is going to own up to that!!
Also it was more than likely not a profesional's string - there are much better places I 'm told.
I was more worried about getting some where safe to check out the strange noise and vibrations coming from the drive.
James

[osprey__viper]

Originally Posted by Richard B

But if you anticipate and plan, then you will OK. Keep to the main channels at night, or retrace a known safe route.

Richard,

You ought to try a cruise up the Norfolk coast. The damn things are everywhere. Sometimes up to as much as 3/4 miles off shore. The Cromer, Sheringham, Mundesley section is notorious. Me and me dad used to take his motor cruiser up and down there on passage from Gt Yarmouth to the wash or Humber ports and it aint the first time the diving gear has had to put on!!!!! These pots were laid in the so called channel. The ships used to drive straight thro em.

It will be interesting to see how many of the pots will be to 'specification' in my experience not many

Thanks to Ribald for the info .

Martin