Prop. guard or not?

[VL1500]

Howdy folks!

I saw an advert. for a prop. guard to protect against stray bits of

rope & stuff, and I'd like an opinion on whether they're worth fitting or not.

I'm completely new to boats, so I haven't got a bloody clue!

This prop. guard is like a round cage that surrounds the prop. and stops

anything from touching it. The price is about £105.

If I do fit one any ideas on whether it could affect performance or whatever?

My engine is a Honda 75hp. outboard, and according to the advert. this guard

can be fitted to outboards or inboards.

Any info. or ideas would be greatly appreciated!

[blueskip]

They dont affect performance significantly, and they do stop things like plastic bags getting wrapped around the prop, but you can still take cord & rope & FISHING LINE in, "end-on".
So you have to decide whether £105 is good value for money for what it does, a good measure, is to have a look at how many outboards you see with prop guards on?
I rest my case!
blueskip

[VL1500]

Much obliged Blueskip!

As a complete beginner I can only go by Magazine articles I read & stuff

like that. 1 or 2 articles have been filled with dire warnings about rope round

props. and wrecked shafts & things!

Trying to prepare to take the boat out for the first time, I'm a bit paranoid

about safety of my family and all that!

Anyway, reading between the lines with your' reply, I'll assume it's not

something that happens all the time, and put the money towards some more

fishing tackle!!

Thanks again!

[blueskip]

Well VL, the best way to put your mind at rest before taking the family out, is to source an auxillary engine in case of main engine failure, get yourself a small back-up motor.
I dont know how big your boat is, but a Seagull Silver Century/ Century+ 4/5hp will push most boats, (not against a 5 knot current), but is adequate to get you home safely in case of main engine failure, & can be picked up at most boatyards, boat jumble, or on e-bay for about the same or less than a prop guard.
I have a 50hp Mercury as a main engine, but my auxillary is a 3.5hp Suzuki, & it has brought me home a couple of times (after waiting for the right conditions), plus its great for trolling a spinner/feathers.
I am going to get a Seagull Silver Century Plus when one appears though, because although noisy & ugly they have probably been responsible for more "home runs" than any other engine.
A pair of oars are another means of easing the conscience, & it keeps the kids fit!
blueskip

[VL1500]

Hello again Blueskip!

Yes, I have got a back-up engine mounted alongside the main one.

It's a Honda 6hp. 4str. which I thought would be too small, (the boat is an

Orkney "Pilothouse 20") but Cambrian boats said that's all I need!

I was still dubious so I 'phoned Orkney & they told me the same as Cambrian,

so that's what I got! We've gradually got Flares, Lifejackets,VHF radio,(just done

the course & got a licence!) GPS, Fishfinder. And I've just finished a 20week

"Dayskipper" course, so I am trying!!

I've got a berth available now and I still don't know how to connect up the petrol

tanks to the engine, let alone how to start the ruddy thing! So at the moment

the boat's still sitting on it's trailer in our garden. As soon as I've read all the

instruction books and plucked up enough courage, we'll be towing it to the

Marina and see if if we can launch it! (bought all the rods & reels over the last

10 mnths. so no excuse now!!) Good 'ere innit?

Thanks for the info. and good luck!

VL

[ChrisP]

VL, you have a cracking set up there, the 6hp will push you at about 5mph, enough to get you out of trouble. The reason for not having bigger is the maximum weight you can hang on the transom.

You sound as though you have done all the courses and are as well prepared as anyone, what I would advise you is to take someone who knows small boats and the area you intend to fish.

You have a lot to think about if you are going out for the first time, launch, mooring, engines, vhf, navigation, col regs, the list is endless. Someone with experience to keep an eye on you will ease the pressure you will be under and increase your safety.

[fishy Finger]

VL,
I Have been in Swansea Marina for 2 years, prior to that I trailed boats for 16 years, if I can be of any help send me a Pm and we could perhaps swop some notes.
An outfit like yours deserves to be in the water and by the sound of it you have probably done more training than alot of people. I think its time you went for it!

Steve

[blueskip]

As ChrisP said you have an excellent set-up there, get it onto the berth, get the engines started & get familiar with what you need to do to start them, both warm & cold (how much choke, throttle etc).
Try out your GPS in "simulator" mode & get familiar with which button does what. Get yourself a chart of Swansea bay L(D1)1161, & one that covers the approaches L(D1)1165, study them, spread them out on the table, look for wrecks, reefs, holes in the bottom, The Strombus, Port Medine, Riverton, White Oyster Ledges, St Christophers Knoll off 3 Cliffs, The West Helwick, The Scarweather & Hugo Banks, get down into Port Eynon Bay & get your sounder on & "quarter" the bay looking for the little reefs that stop the buggers trawling in there, find spots between them & winkle those plaice out of there like I do. Have a look at the obvious reef that runs off Langland (look for the "horshoe") get drifting over there with a long paternoster trace baited with rag or squid, get over the White Oyster drifting with a long trace & a live sandeel, drift over the Mixon Bank from 2hrs after low water on a neap tide, with a sandeel or mackerel fillet for the turbot.
Work out the numbers from the charts, & get them written down in a book & get them into your "waypoints" guide in your GPS (If your'e not sure how to do it, send me a PM & I will show you how its done)! If they aren't "spot on" its not desperate, you can always amend them in the GPS when you find the spot with the sounder, at least you will be pretty damn close!
You are 6ft longer than me & thats a lot, you can go to America in 20ft if you pick your weather!
Get it on the water my son, you have studied long & hard & know all the theory, now is the time to put it into practice, remember just because you can do 30 knots you dont HAVE to, if you can only think at 20knots, then do 18knots, & give yourself chance to correct that little mistake, let the "Birmingham Navy" bomb along & make prats of themselves.
Starting next month I will be about the bay & Gower in "blueskip", give me a shout on Ch16, & if I am big enough for the conditions, we can bomb around & do some fishing together, but remember 14ft has its limitations & so do I!
blueskip

[VL1500]

Wow! What a response!

I never knew there was so many helpful people about!

If only you lot were in the Aberystwyth area and not the other way (Swansea)

I'd be full of confidence!! The berth I've been waiting for and have now got is in

Aberystwyth Marina, miles away from you lot!

And by the sound of things all the fishing folk are around your' neck of the woods,

so it looks like I'll be the only one fishing out of Aber.

Anyway, Chris, Blueskip, Fishy, much appreciate all the info. and back-up, there's

obviously far more friendly folks about than I could imagine. Wish I was down

your end, but too far for me to travel!

Thanks again, and I will stay in touch on here!!

VL