Carry a grappling hook

Following the article about freeing from a lobster pot (‘Could you free yourself from a lobster pot?’, February 2020), may I recommend carrying a small grappling hook.

A few years ago when sailing downwind with tide, in a moderate following sea, and stiff breeze, my yacht was caught on a lobster pot close to the shore. My wife was the only other person aboard. The line could not be reached from the stern even with an extended boat hook, and we considered it to be unsafe to go overboard. The only hook available then was a spare Danforth anchor which after several abortive throws caught on to the line. It was then possible to winch the line not quite to the surface but close enough to cut it using a bread knife attached to a long boat hook. Later when in shelter I went overboard and freed the line and float from the propeller. The float was small and would have been hardly noticeable.

Since then I have carried a small grappling hook which dismantles and is easily stowed; it would be much easier to use than the heavy anchor. I have incidentally used the hook more recently to free an anchor caught on an unmarked mooring. John Quayle

While onboard it can be very hard to free a line which has become entangled in the prop