Prop Mate.

[johnmck]

Having visited Liverpool this year, well reccomended by the way, I feel the need for an aid to assist removing debris from the prop. This was the only down side to the visit and was mainly plastic bags. Wigan provided similar enjoyment ! Now further up the canal at Burnley and carpet appears the local favourite .

 

I have seen the Prop Mate advertised ( http://www.miracleleisureproducts.co.uk/prop-mate/prop-mate/prod_165.html ) and wondered if anyone has any experiance of this or similat hooks.

 

[dor]

Well, compared to bargee bill's offering at about £80 it seems a bargain!

Edited July 1, 2012 by dor

[bizzard]

Having visited Liverpool this year, well reccomended by the way, I feel the need for an aid to assist removing debris from the prop. This was the only down side to the visit and was mainly plastic bags. Wigan provided similar enjoyment ! Now further up the canal at Burnley and carpet appears the local favourite .

 

I have seen the Prop Mate advertised ( http://www.miracleleisureproducts.co.uk/prop-mate/prop-mate/prod_165.html ) and wondered if anyone has any experiance of this or similat hooks.

 

I see they've nicked my rescue ladder idea from last year.

[PhilR]

That looks a handy bit of kit and much more useful than bargee bill's tool which seems much too cumbersome (and expensive). The only proviso is It wouldn't work if you haven't got enough working space directly above the weed-hatch. My cruiser stern is decked over above the weed-hatch and my favourite tool is a gardener's patio weeding tool (sharpened on the inside).

 

If the Prop Mate had a flexible joint in the middle of the shaft it would probably be ideal for almost all boats?

 

I see they've nicked my rescue ladder idea from last year.

 

Who will deploy a rescue ladder if nobody is on board?

[MtB]

Hmmm I had a look at one of these things in Wharf House Chandlery at Braunston. Nice idea but apallingly badly excecuted. Made from plain mild steel and 'sharp' is the last word I'd use to describe the blade edge.

 

Had the blade seemed sharp enought to cut something, I'd have bought one, but it wasn't (in my opinion).

[bizzard]

Hmmm I had a look at one of these things in Wharf House Chandlery at Braunston. Nice idea but apallingly badly excecuted. Made from plain mild steel and 'sharp' is the last word I'd use to describe the blade edge.

 

Had the blade seemed sharp enought to cut something, I'd have bought one, but it wasn't (in my opinion).

Sharpen it on your flywheel Mike and then case harden it with sugar.

 

That looks a handy bit of kit and much more useful than bargee bill's tool which seems much too cumbersome (and expensive). The only proviso is It wouldn't work if you haven't got enough working space directly above the weed-hatch. My cruiser stern is decked over above the weed-hatch and my favourite tool is a gardener's patio weeding tool (sharpened on the inside).

 

If the Prop Mate had a flexible joint in the middle of the shaft it would probably be ideal for almost all boats?

 

 

 

Who will deploy a rescue ladder if nobody is on board?

If your solo and fall in it could be made to self deploy with an electronical sound reciever by shouting 'HELP!!'

Last year i rescued a heavy lady with mine,she just climbed out,i couldn't have lifted her.I toweled her all down though.

[Joshua]

As a matter of interest, never knowingly had anything fouling the prop, what are the signs?

 

Are minor fouling's obvious?

 

 

 

Joshua

[dave moore]

Hi

 

You're one lucky boater if you've never had a "bladeful". Boating for many years around the BCN, they are rather more common! Symptoms include a shaking swan neck and tiller, engine labouring /smoking, a changed pattern of propeller wash and the boat may handle less responsively. If I suspect there's something on the prop, I always try what boatmen called " chucking back " - into neutral, then reverse, a blip of revs then into ahead again. This can sometimes throw the fouling off.

 

I'm sceptical about the prop clearing gadgets, tho' Ive no direct experience of them. I think they may work best where the rear deck can be lifted and the tool used directly down the weedhatch from above. If I have to clear the prop, I start bare handed down the hatch to assess the nature of the problem. Plastic bags are easy to pull off, vegetation too, tho' a sharp knife or saw can be handy to loosen it initially. I also have cutting pliers handy for wire or orange safety netting, which is a real pain to remove. Larger obstructions can sometimes be removed more easily by using a short shaft with a boathook directly from under the counter while on the towpath (carpets, plastic banners and the like). Real challenges such as spring steel mattresses and dead bodies require docking to resolve - and yes, I've had all of those mentioned over time!

 

Cheers

 

Dave

[BruceinSanity]

Hmmm I had a look at one of these things in Wharf House Chandlery at Braunston. Nice idea but apallingly badly excecuted. Made from plain mild steel and 'sharp' is the last word I'd use to describe the blade edge.

 

Had the blade seemed sharp enought to cut something, I'd have bought one, but it wasn't (in my opinion).

 

I was told that they have to leave the blade blunt so's they can mail them out. Easy enough to sharpen up, though. Even blunt it's good for dragging stuff to the surface to be cut up or whatever.

[BEngo]

Having visited Liverpool this year, well reccomended by the way, I feel the need for an aid to assist removing debris from the prop. This was the only down side to the visit and was mainly plastic bags. Wigan provided similar enjoyment ! Now further up the canal at Burnley and carpet appears the local favourite .

 

I have seen the Prop Mate advertised ( http://www.miracleleisureproducts.co.uk/prop-mate/prop-mate/prod_165.html ) and wondered if anyone has any experiance of this or similat hooks.

 

 

Originally invented by James MacDonald (of Elizabeth), I believe. I have had one for years and they are handy if an ordinary hook shaft won't do the job. Don't use it down the weed hatch- go at the bladeful from the bank. There more room, you can feel what the hook is doing and you don't have to pass all the cr@p through the boat. The handle needs to be long enough to make it practical to work from the bank and not so long that the boat has top be in the middle of the cut to get a good pull.

 

The 'original' McD version has a large chunk of old file as the 'blade' and that can be sharpened and will hold an edge very well. The sharpening process also produces a sort of serrated edge effect where the file teeth were and this can be useful getting a grip on hard bladefuls (bladesful?).

 

N

[pearley]

I went to a garden centre and bought a long handled patio cleaner that has a hooked stainless steel blade, sharpened on the inner edge. I does the job for me ok.

 

Regards

Pete

[steelaway]

Having visited Liverpool this year, well reccomended by the way, I feel the need for an aid to assist removing debris from the prop. This was the only down side to the visit and was mainly plastic bags. Wigan provided similar enjoyment ! Now further up the canal at Burnley and carpet appears the local favourite .

 

I have seen the Prop Mate advertised ( http://www.miraclele...e/prod_165.html ) and wondered if anyone has any experiance of this or similat hooks.

 

 

Hi

 

 

I have one of these Lino knife. With a wrist cord attached.

 

Alex

[Nine of Hearts]

You're one lucky boater if you've never had a "bladeful". Boating for many years around the BCN, they are rather more common! Symptoms include a shaking swan neck and tiller, engine labouring /smoking, a changed pattern of propeller wash and the boat may handle less responsively. If I suspect there's something on the prop, I always try what boatmen called " chucking back " - into neutral, then reverse, a blip of revs then into ahead again. This can sometimes throw the fouling off.

 

The first sign for me is always the prop wash. When I've got a clean fan, the wake is a lovely smooth rollover with minimal surface disturbance (unless the boat is cornering or accelerating). With adornments, the prop starts producing more and more turbulence until it looks like a washing machine on rinse (the "Wednesbury wake" effect). Like Dave, I find a blast of reverse will shift it if it's vegetable in origin, but man made stuff is normally a duck down the hole with a Stanley knife.

[Heffalump]

Kukri

[Rebotco]

Kukri

 

Sorry, don't speak much Swahili.

Please translate.

[Heffalump]

 

Kukri, ghurka

[jelunga]

I hope you did the customary self knick before sheathing your weapon?

[BruceinSanity]

Sorry, don't speak much Swahili.

Please translate.

 

One of these:

 

 

Edited to delete hiccup

Edited July 2, 2012 by BruceinSanity

[Nine of Hearts]

I hope you did the customary self knick before sheathing your weapon?

 

Which reminds me, how do you poison someone with a khukuri knife?

[jelunga]

Which reminds me, how do you poison someone with a khukuri knife?

You only have to draw your own blood if you have not drawn anything elses. So put poison on blade, keep out of sheath and attack enemy. Clean blade real well and sheath. QED.

[Nine of Hearts]

You only have to draw your own blood if you have not drawn anything elses. So put poison on blade, keep out of sheath and attack enemy. Clean blade real well and sheath. QED.

 

Far too complicated. You just give their arse-a-nick. Ba bum. It's ok, I was going anyway.

[Rebotco]

 

Kukri, ghurka

 

Hmmm ......... Looks as though designed for slightly more nefarious purposes than removing plastic bags from props!

And a tad illegal these days?

[Barry]

Hmmm ......... Looks as though designed for slightly more nefarious purposes than removing plastic bags from props!

And a tad illegal these days?

 

Only if carried in the street I think

 

I am prepared to be corrected if I don't have that right

[Ratzend]

I thought the two small blades were designed as sharpeners for the main blade?

[Heffalump]

One of them is