Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] escape & rescue

[Garry Muir <garry.muir4@virgin.net>]

Hi All

I have used bottom set gillnets and drift nets they are not as 
frequently encountered  as you have been led to believe you are most 
likely to encounter a bottom set net near a wreck or very rough seabed  
they can also be found very close to the shore just outside the surf 
zone. Driftnets are not very common at all and most are very lightly 
constructed probaly no more than a 20mm PP float line with 1-2mm 
monoline netting. After fishing for a good few years fishing with trawls 
and dredges I have seen no more than 8 gill nets snagged on gear. The 
bouy line of lobster and crab pots could be a bigger problem but even so 
we are still talking about PE and PP rope 10-25 mm if you are planning 
to be in Alaskan waters the rope they use is much larger. Lost trawl 
nets caught on obstructions could be a serious problem we are talking 
about heavy duty materials such as 6mm PE netting,  steel wire, chain 
and even Spectra rope. Consult local fishermen they will inform you of 
the location of fishing gear and obstructions where you might encounter 
lost gear, they also have the best knowledge of inshore waters  and are 
mostly willing to share that knowledge. There are several types of rope 
cutters available for propellers and some thought could go into the 
design of the leading edges of a Psub maybe providing cutting edges, 
mesh guards fitted on the ducts or nozzle would be a great idea.

Regards, Garry
On Friday, October 17, 2003, at 04:22  pm, SeaLordOne@aol.com wrote:

> Shipmates,
>
> I would like your views on escape and rescue.
>
> As to the original "caught in a net" problem, I have the impression 
> that the average psub would lack the power or bouyancy to escape a 
> large net.  These new mega nets, do they call them drift nets?, are 
> many miles long and many tons heavy.  About 10 years ago I read of a 
> section of net three miles long that had broken off and was killing 
> porposes off the US coastline. I don't see how anything short of 
> Carsten's U-Boat could survive an encounter with that much net.  Does 
> anyone know any more about these mega nets?  Are there still large 
> sections floating loose out there?
>
> Then comes rescue.  Who is going to come to our rescue?  I get the 
> impression from reading the paper that the U.S. Coast Guard has been 
> largly re-purposed for homeland security, and that private boat towing 
> firms are the closest thing to a "rescue operation" most boats see 
> these days.  Do you still think the Coast Guard would/could help us?
>
> Doug Farrow
>