Replies Regarding These Shaft Cutters

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all my boats had spurs marine shaft rope cutters that I believe perform much better (from experience!).

Spurs marine.JPG
 
Alaskan Sea-Duction said:
Has anyone tried these shaft cutters? Good bad and ugly?



https://ab-marine.com/shaft-shark/
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Tom

I have them on my boat. I would say they are worth the money and have kept me from having a big issue. I did have a diver find line on one shaft but the sharks had done their job and keep the props clear and I avoided any significant issues. Overall I am pleased with them.

Geoff
 
See Shaft Shark link below. I recently switched from Spurs to Shaft Shark.

Shaft Shark is a spit ring serrated blade vs spurs that is a multi piece with a stationary piece that produces a scissoring action. In my experience, the Spurs are fragile. I would have thought the scissoring action of Spurs would be much more effective. Unbiased videos I've seen show there's little difference. I believe Practical Sailor reviews reach a similar conclusion.

https://ab-marine.com/product/shaft...SHARK is a,to entangle your shaft & propeller.
 
I installed just over a week ago. No practical experience yet, but from my research I expect them to be adequate for the job. 20210129_145212.jpeg
 
I was curious about the effectively of those. They seems a bit expensive for what they are unless they are machined from platinum. Wouldn’t take much to machine a set from scratch.
 
Had Spurs, now have Sharks. Sharks are simpler and don't need zincs. I changed because I thought the Spurs were rattling on the shafts, theorized by a boatyard which I'm not sure was true.. Do either of them work? Don't know....never cut anything that I know of. But if they only work once and keep you out of a jam, they're worth it.
 
Look on YouTube - there are a couple of live tests run by different people showing how effective the different systems are. Sharks were amazing, frankly. After doing as much research as I could I went with the sharks. Really easy install, too.

I can't say I know if they work - I've avoided crab traps the best I can, but when I haul this year I'll find out about those ones I didn't notice early enough...
 
Juliet 15 said:
Look on YouTube - there are a couple of live tests run by different people showing how effective the different systems are. Sharks were amazing, frankly. After doing as much research as I could I went with the sharks. Really easy install, too.

I can't say I know if they work - I've avoided crab traps the best I can, but when I haul this year I'll find out about those ones I didn't notice early enough...
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I saw those videos but how a pot line gets around a prop can be very different from how they passed a line in. I suppose if someone has them on and reports they still had an issue with a fouled prop that would be a good data point, but saying "so far so good" doesn't help unless you know you ran a few pots over and ended up with the remnants on the prop.
 
Have had both Spurs and sharks. Much prefer the sharks. Occasionally you see either rope (dyneema usually) or wire neither will cut. If you don’t get to neutral quick enough you’re much more likely to really have a mess using Spurs. Also think there’s much less turbulence and induced drag with the sharks.
 
lwarden said:
I was curious about the effectively of those. They seems a bit expensive for what they are unless they are machined from platinum. Wouldn’t take much to machine a set from scratch.
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Ain't that always the case with boats.....

Install is dirt cheap - a diver will have them on in 10-mins. Compare to pulling prop to install Spurs......

Peter
(converted from Spurs to Shark)
 
I had Sharks on my previous boat and have Spurs now. I agree that the Spurs seem less desirable and robust - but I have not had a problem with either. I can't tell you that they work, but I can honestly say they have never failed me.
 
Shaft Shark for 2 inch shaft lists for $960
AB Marine $820
Defender $774 (non-member)
Defender $725 (member)

How much space is necessary to install it?
 
I have two sets of Spurs shaft line cutters for 2-1/2 inch shafts. $200 Send a PM if interested.
 
I used this kind and I chop up fathoms of pot warp every year with no complaint (from me not the lobsterman). The best part is they only cost a bit over $100.00 (for 1.25 shaft), they come as one piece or split, I got mine at ASAP supplies in the UK. Prop protector.jpg
 
My only question/concern is how close to the strut they can be installed and not interfere with cooling water in the cutless bearing causing premature wear?
 
lwarden said:
Has anyone tried these? Price is right and they look just like the Shark.

https://anodeshack.com/zinc-salca-m...B-3UklVl6ErJ09MJlT_FCEBlMpAM_QFYaAsuvEALw_wcB
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I went through two of the Salca cutters in a year. I believe the first set departed as it served its purpose as it cut away a bunch of plastic strapping material like you see on cardboard boxes with small appliances shipped from China. Tough stuff. I went ahead and put on a second set which unaccountably departed a few months later. The boat is lift-kept so the zinc portion of the cutter was not immersed in saltwater and in fact was rinsed with freshwater after every day's run.

That was enough for me, and I now have the non-serrated sharp disk shown above with also served me well for many years in my trawler.
 
Great Videos. My question is when the prop stops that suddenly what breaks inside the boat? Will this damage most transmissions?
 
I had spurs on my previous boat, an old 34 Mainship and they worked great the 3 times I ran over a lobster line (which was below the surface). I noticeable "thunk" on the hull, then look back and see the buoy floating.
I had the non serrated disk shown in a previous reply on my Albin but it never got pressed into service thankfully.
Spurs shown in pic
 

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floater said:
Great Videos. My question is when the prop stops that suddenly what breaks inside the boat? Will this damage most transmissions?
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My props stirred up a submerged log leaving a lock in 2019 and it stopped my starboard engine instantly. No damage to anything except a little curl on the tip of one prop blade.
 
Mischief Managed said:
My props stirred up a submerged log leaving a lock in 2019 and it stopped my starboard engine instantly. No damage to anything except a little curl on the tip of one prop blade.
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Before shaft line cutters, I wound a 1/2" nylon line which was the leader line between my mooring buoy and the weighted stern line at my mooring. Stopped the stbd engine as it level-wound between shaft and strut, bent the strut a bit, and bent three of four motor mounts as it yanked the engine aft.
 
Hippocampus said:
https://www.sailorssolutions.com/?page=ProductDetails&Item=CH03

Works great when used from the dinghy when the shark or spurs are entangled by too much line. Have used in Maine when the water is too cold to dive with a serrated dive blade.
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That would not have worked on the tightly wound nylon lines I have had to cut free. Firstly props are too far underwater to reach with that thing. Secondly, it cannot be inserted into the half melted ball of nylon.

A hacksaw was the only way I could cut that mess free. I always have fins, mask, and snorkel aboard and a wet suit if transiting colder waters.
 
And how could you possibly know this without duplicating your exact experiences using both types? You obviously have had a good experience with the Spurs product so you conclude that, hey, it must be better. I have Spurs cutters by the way. Anything said here on this subject is purely anecdotal and not determinative or anything.
DrissZougari said:
all my boats had spurs marine shaft rope cutters that I believe perform much better (from experience!).

View attachment 114150
Click to expand...
 
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