Luv2fish
Well-known member
A couple of weeks ago we were fishing the Chesapeake bay and the conditions changed very quickly. I was heading to the ramp when my motor got caught in a floating fishing net. The waves were 4+ and coming from the south which really calls for a rough time. The air temp was 41º and the water temp was 36º. Not a good day to be stranded. By the time I saw the net it was too late.
I hurried up and cut us out of the net because I have a notched transom and while hooked in the net the waves were coming in the back of the boat. Took a bit to cut out but I felt better when we were floating free. I tried to remove the net from the prop but it was imbedded under the prop also and the wind and waves made it too dangerous. I dropped anchor and called Towboat US. I'm glad I had the insurance.
Here is a short video that my buddy was shooting during the incident (I was pretty busy). Everything worked out well in the end but it could have been an entirely different outcome. This is the first time I've been stranded without a motor in my Parker. It is a pretty helpless feeling. I was happy that I had read posts about the dangers of the notched transom (although the water was draining pretty well I didn't want to wait for a rogue wave to change that). I also remember a post about keeping sharp knives close in case of emergency. I had one mounted on the back of the door and after donning a PFD and tying a rope around my chest for my crew to recover me in case I fell off the back while cutting the net, I was ready for the job. With a water temp of 36º and those waves I probably wouldn't have lasted too long trying to get back in the boat.
http://youtu.be/U05WwXeKDH4
Oh yea, we did catch some fish.
The bottom line is that we were prepared for a cold day of fishing and had the equipment and "insurance" to have fun and make it home. The music on the video is a bit tongue in cheek but if I had not been in a pilot house (with my heater) after getting wet cutting out of the net and waiting 1 hour for a tow, it would have been miserable.
I hurried up and cut us out of the net because I have a notched transom and while hooked in the net the waves were coming in the back of the boat. Took a bit to cut out but I felt better when we were floating free. I tried to remove the net from the prop but it was imbedded under the prop also and the wind and waves made it too dangerous. I dropped anchor and called Towboat US. I'm glad I had the insurance.
Here is a short video that my buddy was shooting during the incident (I was pretty busy). Everything worked out well in the end but it could have been an entirely different outcome. This is the first time I've been stranded without a motor in my Parker. It is a pretty helpless feeling. I was happy that I had read posts about the dangers of the notched transom (although the water was draining pretty well I didn't want to wait for a rogue wave to change that). I also remember a post about keeping sharp knives close in case of emergency. I had one mounted on the back of the door and after donning a PFD and tying a rope around my chest for my crew to recover me in case I fell off the back while cutting the net, I was ready for the job. With a water temp of 36º and those waves I probably wouldn't have lasted too long trying to get back in the boat.
http://youtu.be/U05WwXeKDH4
Oh yea, we did catch some fish.
The bottom line is that we were prepared for a cold day of fishing and had the equipment and "insurance" to have fun and make it home. The music on the video is a bit tongue in cheek but if I had not been in a pilot house (with my heater) after getting wet cutting out of the net and waiting 1 hour for a tow, it would have been miserable.
