Reelbacklash
09-21-2008, 10:24 AM
Well it's that time of year again. Time to break out and dust of those hoop-nets and go deep where the big boys sleep for tasty lobsters.
In the pre-excitement of it all we tend to overlook a few valuable tools that ensure your hoop-netting experience is a success and as safe as possible. I'm talking about SAFETY.
Each year I am blown away by some of the stuff I see and have experienced on opening night and the remainder of the lobster season. From boats with no running lights to boats stalled out due to a rope being wound in the prop. Even seen a man lose his life right infront of my eyes all due to poor judgement and in my opinion no safety plan.
Please take a few minutes to go over your safety equipment and befor you get out on the water have a "What if safety plan" ready. Share this plan with everyone onboard your vessel so each person knows what to do if for some reason something should go wrong.
Here's my list of things.
Befor I leave the dock I do the following
1. Check that there are enough PFD's for each person on board ( I have 6 but no more than 4 people fish on boat at one time)
2. Check the running lights and make sure they work (It's dark out there and i'd like to know if a boat is coming my way)
3. Gas, do I have enough?
4. 2 Working flash lights/spot lights to find your nets and see others (It's dark out there)
5. Do a VHF radio check (make sure you get a response)
6. Check the weather forcast.
Once on the water and befor I drop my nets I do the following.
1. Pull out my anchor and have it at the ready. If for any reason I need to drop anchor and fast (such as fishing a break wall and i wrap a rope in my prop and stall dead in the water. it's only a matter of minutes and or seconds befor you are on that wall) It's ready to go and could save your and others life's and your boat.
2. Have a sharp knife ready. (Great for cutting a rope out of a prop)
3. Have a boat gaff ready. This you can use to move a rope away from your prop or even help unwrap the rope from your prop.
4. Make sure each bouys light source is working (it's a great way to see your bouys and others long befor they get run over and always carry extra glow sticks)
5. Check the VHF radio again.
6. Scout out my prospective hoop nettng area. Ask your self this befor you drop them. If the area is being worked by another boat is there enough room for me in there? Maybe I should talk with the other captain first? If you do decide to drop in there, leave you and the other boat a minimum of 20-30 ft between bouys so you have plenty of room to safely manuver your boat as do they. Do I have a clear way in & out of there?
7. Give the safety speech and inform each person what there role is if there is an issue.
Each person on my boats knows that if I say "drop the anchor" everything else stops and the anchor goes over board immediatly.
8. Have a little respect and common sence for others fishing in a given area. I have seen boats race into an area clearly over loaded with bouys all the while runnng over gear and drop them right on top of others already in place. (This is the person that had to ask me if I had an extra spotlight he could use to find his gear) No I dont own the ocean and I welcome all to fish along side me as long as it's safe. If it's not I'll say something or move.
Take your time and slow down the boat when pulling up into an area, setting or pulling your gear.
Lets drop em.
1. Light up the bouys
2. Always drop your nets on the wind side of the boat.
3. Go in slow and give plenty of room between each net 20-30 ft.
4. Know your surroundings. Wheres that other boat, bouy the rocks or shore?
5. Stay visible with your running and anchor lights on at all times.
6. Wheres that knife
7. Have the spot light ready.
8. Who's pulling the nets, measuring the bugs, rebaiting the nets and re-deploying them.
I hope that someone finds this information of value and maybe even takes something from it?
These are just a few of my own personal precautions I like to take and If you have something to add to it please do so. You can never be to safe.
Here's to a productive bug season to all. Good luck.
Ed
In the pre-excitement of it all we tend to overlook a few valuable tools that ensure your hoop-netting experience is a success and as safe as possible. I'm talking about SAFETY.
Each year I am blown away by some of the stuff I see and have experienced on opening night and the remainder of the lobster season. From boats with no running lights to boats stalled out due to a rope being wound in the prop. Even seen a man lose his life right infront of my eyes all due to poor judgement and in my opinion no safety plan.
Please take a few minutes to go over your safety equipment and befor you get out on the water have a "What if safety plan" ready. Share this plan with everyone onboard your vessel so each person knows what to do if for some reason something should go wrong.
Here's my list of things.
Befor I leave the dock I do the following
1. Check that there are enough PFD's for each person on board ( I have 6 but no more than 4 people fish on boat at one time)
2. Check the running lights and make sure they work (It's dark out there and i'd like to know if a boat is coming my way)
3. Gas, do I have enough?
4. 2 Working flash lights/spot lights to find your nets and see others (It's dark out there)
5. Do a VHF radio check (make sure you get a response)
6. Check the weather forcast.
Once on the water and befor I drop my nets I do the following.
1. Pull out my anchor and have it at the ready. If for any reason I need to drop anchor and fast (such as fishing a break wall and i wrap a rope in my prop and stall dead in the water. it's only a matter of minutes and or seconds befor you are on that wall) It's ready to go and could save your and others life's and your boat.
2. Have a sharp knife ready. (Great for cutting a rope out of a prop)
3. Have a boat gaff ready. This you can use to move a rope away from your prop or even help unwrap the rope from your prop.
4. Make sure each bouys light source is working (it's a great way to see your bouys and others long befor they get run over and always carry extra glow sticks)
5. Check the VHF radio again.
6. Scout out my prospective hoop nettng area. Ask your self this befor you drop them. If the area is being worked by another boat is there enough room for me in there? Maybe I should talk with the other captain first? If you do decide to drop in there, leave you and the other boat a minimum of 20-30 ft between bouys so you have plenty of room to safely manuver your boat as do they. Do I have a clear way in & out of there?
7. Give the safety speech and inform each person what there role is if there is an issue.
Each person on my boats knows that if I say "drop the anchor" everything else stops and the anchor goes over board immediatly.
8. Have a little respect and common sence for others fishing in a given area. I have seen boats race into an area clearly over loaded with bouys all the while runnng over gear and drop them right on top of others already in place. (This is the person that had to ask me if I had an extra spotlight he could use to find his gear) No I dont own the ocean and I welcome all to fish along side me as long as it's safe. If it's not I'll say something or move.
Take your time and slow down the boat when pulling up into an area, setting or pulling your gear.
Lets drop em.
1. Light up the bouys
2. Always drop your nets on the wind side of the boat.
3. Go in slow and give plenty of room between each net 20-30 ft.
4. Know your surroundings. Wheres that other boat, bouy the rocks or shore?
5. Stay visible with your running and anchor lights on at all times.
6. Wheres that knife
7. Have the spot light ready.
8. Who's pulling the nets, measuring the bugs, rebaiting the nets and re-deploying them.
I hope that someone finds this information of value and maybe even takes something from it?
These are just a few of my own personal precautions I like to take and If you have something to add to it please do so. You can never be to safe.
Here's to a productive bug season to all. Good luck.
Ed