Cruising Safety: Learning from Repeated Incidents of Discarded Fishing Gear
Discarded and lost fishing gear remains a serious and often invisible hazard for cruising sailors in Irish and nearby waters. A recent near‑miss in the St George’s Channel, when viewed alongside a previous Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) investigation off the West Cork coast, underlines how quickly these encounters can escalate, and how critical early, practical responses can be.
In the early hours of Wednesday 4 March, a cruising yacht was motoring north in very light winds in the St George’s Channel, en route from Milford Haven in Wales towards Bangor, Co Down. At just before 1am, approximately midway between Wicklow Head and Bardsey Island (position 52°51.16’N 005°17.85’W), the crew felt a sudden thump and the engine stopped immediately. While the engine would run in neutral, it could not be engaged in gear, indicating that something had fouled the saildrive. In darkness, all that was visible was a long “tail” trailing astern. With only light winds but relatively settled conditions, the crew were able to continue under sail at around 3-4 knots through the water, with reduced speed over the ground due to tide.
It was not until daylight, and later arrival in Greystones Marina, that the scale of the problem became clear. What had initially appeared to be a stray line was in fact the cod‑end of a trawl net, over 10 metres long and more than 3 metres wide, wrapped around the saildrive. A tow was required for the final approach to the harbour, and the yacht was safely secured later that afternoon.
This incident closely mirrors the findings of a 2023 MCIB investigation into a casualty off the West Cork coast, where a sailing yacht became completely immobilised after entangling with a large, unmarked discarded trawl net. In that case, the vessel was rapidly set onto a rocky shoreline and became a total loss. The MCIB identified abandoned fishing gear as the root cause and highlighted how little time is available once propulsion is lost near land.
The contrast between the two outcomes is stark. In the St George’s Channel incident, relatively calm weather, available sea room and the ability to maintain limited control under sail prevented an emergency. The MCIB report demonstrates how, in different circumstances, the same hazard can lead to grounding and loss of the vessel within minutes.
The clear lesson is that entanglement with large, submerged fishing gear leaves crews with very few options, and very little time.
Both incidents reinforce several critical seamanship principles:
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Anchors are an immediate emergency tool: the loss of propulsion, particularly due to entanglement, should be treated as an immediate threat. Early anchoring can be the single most effective action to prevent drift into danger and to create time to assess options.
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Carry anchoring equipment suitable for your operating area: anchors and rodes should be appropriate for local tidal ranges, depths and seabed types, not just for fair‑weather conditions.
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Keep anchors ready for immediate deployment: An anchor that is difficult to access or deploy quickly may be unusable when it matters most. Deck layout, stowage and procedures should all support quick and easy usage.
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Regularly inspect anchors and rodes: Chains, warps and attachments should be checked for twists, tangles and wear. Entanglement within the system itself can delay deployment at a critical moment.
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Always secure the bitter end: The bitter end of the anchor rode must always be attached to the vessel. Discovering otherwise during an emergency can have catastrophic consequences.
Irish Sailing continues to work with the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) to improve the reporting of fishing gear incidents, including fouled propellers or saildrives, near‑misses, and hazardous concentrations of pots or nets around the Irish coast.
We encourage Irish sailors to report incidents using the RYA Fishing Gear Incident Reporting Form.
Reports are anonymous and plotted on an interactive map showing previous entanglements and incidents, allowing sailors to identify recurring problem areas and factor this information into passage planning.
MCIB investigations exist to share safety learning, not to apportion blame. When viewed together, these incidents underline that discarded fishing gear is not a theoretical risk but a known, repeated and serious hazard. Preparation, early action and the sharing of information all play a vital role in preventing the next incident from becoming a loss.
Even in calm weather, readiness can make the difference between an inconvenience, and an emergency.