[PUP] Alanui 350 miles down, 150 to go!

[Scott E. Bulger]

Milt, thanks for the suggestion, Alanui does have the sharp stainless Kelp
Cutters, I'm not sure how the line hung, but probably because the fins were
active at the time and not lined up behind the cutter.  We could have turned
the stabilizers off, but I typically run with them on, so it was the luck of
the draw to pick up the line.  These are horizontal floating lines with
plastic milk jugs every 75 or 100 feet.  Usually they have a black flag at
one end and a panga at the other.  In our case it was night, I saw the panga
both visually and with radar, but he never moved to warn us away from his
working line.  Most of the time if your approaching a line the panga driver
will come over and show you how to get around it.  Perhaps he couldn't tell
which of the approaching lights was closest to him and got confused?
Another reason I'd line the boats up next time.  I also have spurs, but I
don't know if they have ever cut anything?  

We will be in Maine this Fall.  I don't know if the lobster pots will be
better, the same, or worse than the crab pots of the Pacific Northwest.  If
they are the same I'll be ok, if worse than I'll probably run a few down.
Thanks again for the comments Milt, always great to hear from the experts!!!

Scott Bulger, Alanui, N40II, Seattle WA