Clearing the prop with a cabin shaft

[journeyperson]

Going up the Rochdale last summer out of Manchester with hardly any water in the canal I was picking stuff up every five minutes and eventually picked up something that I couldn't dislodge through the weed hatch; it was just too big and tangled. So I got in the water and using a stanley knife had the prop clear in 5 minutes. It was so much easier than through the weed hatch and at that time of year (July) the water was a lovely temperature and I won't hesitate to use that approach in future for difficult prop fouls. The only downside was that I forgot my new phone was in my back pocket and that never worked again. Being in the middle of Newton Heath I kept my shoes on too for fear of broken glass and needles.

[magnetman]

I've had several old iron boat hooks out with the magnet some of which have been sharpened on the inside of the hook and occasionally between the hook and spike part, to form a sort of cutting edge. I was told by a BW fellow (a proper old school one) that the sharpening to a blade edge was to help with cutting debris off the shaft/prop. this made sense to me.

 

Thanks Derek R. for the 'Barge hook' and the bit about the hole for the padlock. I've had some of these out too and did wonder if it was for a padlock or perhaps to tie a rope to so that when clearing the prop you don't lose the hook if the handle breaks !! and you haven't got a magnet, which I don't think they had in the old days judging by how many of these things I've pulled out...

Edited August 17, 2012 by magnetman

[trackman]

Just had my boat blacked two years after the last blacking and the weed hatch hadn't been out for the whole of that time. I've always been able to clear the prop with the cabin hook.

 

In 6 years with this boat only two times have I been defeated & had to go down the hatch. Both times the culprit was a mountain bike tyre (no, not the same one) that required bolt cutters to sever the wire beads.

[RLWP]

I've had several old iron boat hooks out with the magnet some of which have been sharpened on the inside of the hook and occasionally between the hook and spike part, to form a sort of cutting edge. I was told by a BW fellow (a proper old school one) that the sharpening to a blade edge was to help with cutting debris off the shaft/prop. this made sense to me.

<snip>

 

Any chance of some photos of the sharpened hooks?

 

Richard

[Richard T]

Just had my boat blacked two years after the last blacking and the weed hatch hadn't been out for the whole of that time. I've always been able to clear the prop with the cabin hook.

 

In 6 years with this boat only two times have I been defeated & had to go down the hatch. Both times the culprit was a mountain bike tyre (no, not the same one) that required bolt cutters to sever the wire beads.

It did however take two of us with cabin hooks over half an hour to get the duvet off Chateau Neufs prop in Walsall - if my memory is correct it managed to stall a BD3!!

The cabin hook was also useful last weekend to remove an Anglo-Welsh type steel stern fender from Longford lock - it was stopping a bottom gate from opening. We managed to get it out just as the CaRT guys turned up - however their reponse time was quick undrv an hour from the call out.

Edited September 2, 2012 by Richard T

[ditchcrawler]

You must have forgotten or never knew that Chertsey used to reside out in the Fens - otherwise you'd know the answer to that question without asking it

 

MP.

[ditchcrawler]

And for poling a broads yacht too

With a button to put your shoulder against

[Basyfart]

Makes a change to find something useful.

 

Some of the worst things that we encounter on the Basingstoke are steel wire framed crayfish pots.The steel wire is hardened and you cant get bolt cutters through the weed hatch. Last one we had took 40 mins to prise off with a mooring spike unfortunatley we 47 passengers on at the time and in the middle of Mytchett Lake