I've just been advised it's not recommended to try and fix a rope cutter to our 461 saildrive leg as we have the standard feathering 3 blade prop.  Apparently inserting the cutter is moving the prop too far aft - and one can risk damaging the splines.

Not an issue for me and I'm greatful to Hanse UK for the honest practical advice.

As I did not know this when I ordered my boat, I think it is worth passing onward now.  If any new buyer is still specifying and also think they may add a cutter at some future stage - they may wish to discuss possible alternates to the standard specified prop........

Cheers

JOHN

Further to the above - I gave some though on how easy I'd find it to dive and to clear a fouled prop on our 461 with just a snorkel.

'Hard' sprung into my brain.  I've also had two occasssions this past summer when I dived to check my anchor but found I did not have enough bottom time when reliant only on my lungs.

So having wached James Bond I decided to research what small and hopefully lower cost diving devices might be around that would enable me to stay under but at shallow depth, to work and breath OK, and also did not take up too much space.  I hope those with any similar needs finds this interesting.

It was not hard to locate an product named 'Spare Air'.  It's an aluminium small tank with an attached regulator / mouthpiece and it's proposed purpose is as a reserve device for regular scuba divers.  Sadly as it only holds 2 cu foot of air which could be a few as 30 breaths if you are breathing heavy, it is not only canned by the dive gear critics but also not really adequate to my needs.

I then found a next best alternative was to find smallest 'pony tank' which holds 6 cu foot of air and add a regulator to it.  But sadly costs in the UK for a good aluminium tank and regulator appeared to reach  £300 + VAT.

So using trusty ebay I found same from a USA dive supply company (who choose to market alo via ebay) and a bid of just over US$200 won me the auction.  Even with $35 carriage to the UK this is much cheaper for me. 

Have not yet had it delivered let alone used it, but will report back once I've done so.

Cheers

JOHN

John,

Having caught 60ft of netting around my prop in thick fog, mid Channel on the way home from Cherbourg in June, clearing props is close to my heart! Our 300 is of course much smaller than your 461, but the prop is still a long way under the boat especially with all sorts of material floating around. One tip I learned from watching the diver in Yarmouth sort us out was that he tied all of the loose ends up to the boat as tight as he could. This meant that the lines stayed taught when he was cutting them, which in turn meant that he could see exactly where the problem was and minimise the time he spent under water - he did this with out the use of any air tank, but I dont think I could have done the same even in the flat calm waters of Yarmouth harbour!

Having informed the Coastguard that we were stuck 25 miles south of Needles Fairway, (in the westbound shipping lane)they decided to send the cavalry - Freshwater Lifeboat was alongside us exactly an hour after the first contact with Solent Coastguard. That is faster than you could get an AA van to a single lady driver on the motorway!

Suitably heafty donations were subsequently made together with a determination not to have to call upon their services again, so rope cutter fitted and an avid interest in exactly the type of product you have been searching for.

Freshwater lifeboat is, like Hamble and the Venturers boat at Lepe an independant operation - they are well worth supporting in addition to the normal RNLI memberships etc in my opinion. They are certainly on my Christmas list from now on!!

regards

Graham

Hi Graham,

Been there.  I've free dived to cut loose nets before when in Oz but it's never an issue when it's sunny and the seas flat!  Can symapathise with your trip described above and pleased to hear you made it back eventually.

The pony tank we ordered was from Diver West in the states.  Suspect they'll have a site somewhere to view the item if you do have more interest.  As stated - I'll update all once I've got it and used it.

Cheers

JOHN

This probably sounds oversimple but could you not use a length of hose to breath through, making sure, of course, that someone else on board was in charge of it at the other end?  You don't need to dive very deep and I am sure a system can be arranged to help hold the hose in place. 

I wouldn't choose to use such a system frequently or for long but as a simple short term solution to the immediate problem it should allow you to stay under for a short while - effectively it would be no more than an overgrown snorkel tube.

JofB wrote: I wouldn't choose to use such a system frequently or for long but as a simple short term solution to the immediate problem it should allow you to stay under for a short while - effectively it would be no more than an overgrown snorkel tube.

Unfortunately, an overgrown snorkel tube is a death trap. Please, don't invent diving equipment or use equipment that isn't properly designed and tested.

Hi Alain & Anne,

Yes agree it is a shame the Yanmar will not provide warrantly if one wished to go for a Max Prop as I think they are better than the Flex O Fold also.  Here are shots of our Flex O fold open and closed to compare with your folding two blader....

We've now had both (Max on last Grand Soleil yacht and Flex on 461) and the Maxi Prop seemed better to us.  Specifically its ability to stop the boat quickly.  To be fair we've never had an issue of drag with the Flex which we did experience sometimes with the Max, but the Flex need a real burst of power to engage in reverse and begin working to stop you.

Hear what you say about not wishing to risk Yanmar warranty by going with a non recommended prop - but you should be aware our experience in Spain and UK is the Yanmar agent warrantly is sadly worth very very little.

We've so far had two engine related issues, and in both cases the agents have ducked for cover the moment the 'warranty' word is used in our first yuear.  Guess what?  Offer hard cash each time they reappear happy to do the work.  How bad is that?

Hanse UK each time has always done the right thing by me and I love the boat, but if I were specifying a 461 today and knowing what I've experienced with Yanmar warranty, I'd have insisted they fitted a Max Prop. 

No issues for me in loosing warrantly that I've found does not exist anyway!  You'll possibly not find my warranty experiences with Yanmar agents replicated in France - and I hope by repeating them here you'll be aware enough to avoid any problems that may arise.

Regards

JOHN

Hi Alain,

Sorry if I viewed your prop as the two blader - but you've got my views of our Flex O Fold now anyway.

I am happy to be corrected by anyone who has more engineering expertise than I, but understand the issue of not enough space to fit a rope cutter is due to the length of the prop boss.

I'd be pretty sure one could take any of the props back to the prop manufacturer, explain the problem, and have them carefully machine the back end of the boss to make it shorter and therefore  allow room for the cutter to be inserted twix boss and saildrive.  It would mean a shorter length of spline overlapped on shaft and boss - but most such devices are over engineered anyway so such changes may be possible.

It's just a pain to do this kind of thing - so investing £150 in a dive tank is my easier solution to any rope on prop issues we may experience!

Cheers

JOHN

PS  Did 3,500 miles last year in mainly coastal / fishing areas and only rope we ever caught was into the truster when leaving a dock - but we are off further east this summer so wished to ensure we had a means of freeing anything from the prop - if we have to!!  

Hi All

check this site http://www.ropestripper.com/ - http://www.ropestripper.com/  which may solve your issues. i have it installed on my current boat with a volvo foldoing prop and will surely install one when i get my hanse. the concept is simple and it works fine.  I have had this product on each boat i owed and must say has always proved itself. they do have a yanmar version

Shawn 

Hi Taduka,

Really appreciate the suggestion but not sure adding the sail drive shaft extended would still meet Yanmar's requirements to keep warranty in place.  Be worth you chacking that before buying one for your pending Hanse.

In all events - it's too late for me. The alternate of pony tank has already been shipped so thats the solution I'll go with.

Cheers

JOHN

Hi John

Ropecutter fits in the sacrificial anode so you are not extending the shaft by no means. what is this pony tank option??

Shawn

taduka wrote: Hi John Ropecutter fits in the sacrificial anode so you are not extending the shaft by no means. what is this pony tank option?? Shawn

Hi Taduka,

Please see Alaines response above on the fitting of a rope cutter.  My advice also is one cannot be fitted with the Yanmar Saildrive and still retain the Yanmar Warrantly (for what thats worth).

The Pony Tank is a mini dive tank with a breathing regulator attached directly.  It allows one to dive for up to 15 minutes at shallow depth - enough to allow me to get under and cut free any rope etc.

Sourced from the USA these are only US240 shipped to the EU - so they are a cost effective solution also.

Cheers

JOHN 

hi Alain

yes i have a volvo sail drive and you do need to machine the prop but it;s a minor surgical operation (it only costed about $10). As far as warranty is concerned, i don;t really give a crap as it's mentioned you always have to show euros!!

Shawn

Receipted the small pony tank - summary report on main Hanse Chat.

JOHN