Anyone have shaft line cutters

Gary B

Active Member
May 20, 2015
317
Long Island
Boat Info
2007 52 Sedan Bridge
Engines
Cummins QSM 11
Had a white knuckle ride last season dodging numerous lobster trap floats in 3’+ white caps. It was breezy sending lots of spray up to our plastic enclosure and there was bad sun glare. Several times we got lucky as traps went right down the water line. It was not a fun experience.

Does anyone have experience with Sea spurs or other types of line cutters? Do they work?
 
Thank you for all the recommendations
Was debating whether or not they are worth the expense. Just ordered a set
 
I don't have them, but will probably put them on next time the boat is hauled.

In general I wish I didn't need to have them. I have no desire to run over the equipment of someone making their living fishing. In the Keys the floaters on the pots are small and a lot of times in a channel. With any kind of wave height becomes very difficult to see until you are right on top.

Through the Keys there is something called Hawks Channel. During season it is full of pots. To the point you cant use autopilot most of the time.

We have boated a fair amount in Maine with pots in the water. Totally different world, you can see the markers there.
 
Thank you for all the recommendations
Was debating whether or not they are worth the expense. Just ordered a set

Did you order two per shaft or just one?
 
Mechanic ordered set (1 per shaft I believe) of Shark shaft SS600 line cutters from AB Marine.
He recommend these as they are all stainless, almost no maintenance and the props do not have to be removed to install them. I hope to not need them but sure nice to have if we do.
 
9D736443-9D7F-4710-9201-85DA9AD29E4F.jpeg I have a pair of “new in the box” 2.5” shaft size double bladed serrated 316 stainless steel line cutters FOR SALE. Diameter is 7.5” anyone interested please let me know. They are the best you can buy. If interested I’ll send the price and specs.

Bow Tie
 
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Has anyone installed SPUR line cutters. It seems like they require over an inch of flat, no taper shaft. My shafts on a 3196 CAT installation are tapered from the strut hub to the face of the prop hub.

Spur makes a shaft extension that goes between the transmission drive and the shaft collar, but I can't measure the shaft inside of the strut until I uncouple it from the transmission. I would suspect that it is straight thru the strut.

Anyone that has any info or ideas would be much appreciated

Jim
 
Had a white knuckle ride last season dodging numerous lobster trap floats in 3’+ white caps. It was breezy sending lots of spray up to our plastic enclosure and there was bad sun glare. Several times we got lucky as traps went right down the water line. It was not a fun experience.

Does anyone have experience with Sea spurs or other types of line cutters? Do they work?
@Gary B - we had a similar white knuckle experience this weekend in Southern California. In my 10 years out here boating I have never seen so many traps as I saw this past weekend. I was literally dodging the entire trip between Marina Del Rey and Long Beach and back.
 
I have hit a few over the years that ar submerged. I have only had 2 hat the line got tangled. The others I have been lucky enough that my props took care of them. I am interested in cutters as well. Too many this time of year encroaching the channels.
 
I have had Spurs on my 400DB since i bought it. Until this weekend I have been thrilled with them, never knew they were there except for a handful of occasions and they did their job well. This weekend, we were idling into a marina and heard a rapid thump, kind of like a baseball bat to the hull, enough to get the attention of everyone at the fuel pier. Put both motors in neutral then tried it again. Port motor only, In FWD same effect, in Reverse a 'brushing' sound. Limped to the marina we will keep her for the winter. When we were hauled it appears the rotating spur engaged the stationary spur mounted to the strut. Not sure if we clipped something to bend the cutting edge or it just came loose. Hoping any damage is isolated to the Spur system. ER was normal however I did not check transmission fluid but there was no apparent damage. Thought I would share and will update when I learn more.
 
Trebble,

Thanks for the info. I have passed the first season and did see the SPURS in action. This was along a route that I have used for a long time and it had been free of crab pots. Also it was along a 40' sounding. The crab pots were brand new and I wasn't watching closely.

Sheared it without any issues. Just a slight knock and a floating buoy in my wake.

Just hauled and no issues this year with the cutters and no maintenance apparent at least for this season.

Please let me know what you find and I will do the same.
 
No pots in our lake. Will this cut regular old ski rope or larger?
Yep. Line cutters are intended to cut pretty heavy material commonly found on crab pots and fishing nets. Some can even cut cable and wire. Ski rope is typically lighter weight than what's used in commercial applications.

I got a tube towing rope tangled around my prop and shaft last year by doing something dumb (backed over it vs. pulling in the tuber). I didn't have a line cutter and had to dive underneath to clear the tangle. The line cut very easily with a filet knife so I'm sure a shaft cutter would have made quick work of it.
 

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