Sargasso weed.

capnsensible

capnsensible

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Early this year around the Canaries. Didn't used to get any. Now it's nearer mid spring and in bigger quantities.

Watch out if you are planning on heading down this way, bigger bunches.....or whatever.....tend to trap plastic and other rubbish to clog engine inlets and propellers.
 
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geem said:
Lots here in the Caribbean
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Seems so , though from a quick google the data so far looks like less than last year >
Sargassum is headed to Florida and the Caribbean. Could it ruin your beach vacation? - The Points Guy
"Based on satellite imagery from a quarterly bulletin provided by The Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies at The University of the West Indies, Barbados, there is about 40% less sargassum visible in the Atlantic Ocean than there was at this time last year.

"There is definitely sargassum out there, and it's already starting to make its way into the Eastern Caribbean," Schell said. "So even though the bloom is about 50% smaller than last year, those beaches in the Eastern Caribbean are probably seeing a fair amount of sargassum wash on the shore, though not as much as they had this time last year."
Xie also noted that this year's outlook is more favorable than last.

"So far, this year is better than last year, and this situation is likely to continue in the next few months," Xie said.
"
Glad to have a transom hung rudder, first few times driving straight over a small island of that stuff never feels right... 😲
 
geem

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GHA said:
Seems so , though from a quick google the data so far looks like less than last year >
Sargassum is headed to Florida and the Caribbean. Could it ruin your beach vacation? - The Points Guy
"Based on satellite imagery from a quarterly bulletin provided by The Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies at The University of the West Indies, Barbados, there is about 40% less sargassum visible in the Atlantic Ocean than there was at this time last year.

"There is definitely sargassum out there, and it's already starting to make its way into the Eastern Caribbean," Schell said. "So even though the bloom is about 50% smaller than last year, those beaches in the Eastern Caribbean are probably seeing a fair amount of sargassum wash on the shore, though not as much as they had this time last year."
Xie also noted that this year's outlook is more favorable than last.

"So far, this year is better than last year, and this situation is likely to continue in the next few months," Xie said.
"
Glad to have a transom hung rudder, first few times driving straight over a small island of that stuff never feels right... 😲
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Having just been out wingfoiling and playing slalom with the weed, it's not great.
How does the transom hung rudder help? Friends who sailed a twin rudder monohull across the pond had quite an issue with weed on their rudders since the keel offers no protection. Our Wind Pilot self steering is also a problem even though it is centre mounted behind the rudder. Every so often I would push the boat hook down the servo blade to clear it. I think because it's so shallow, it picks up weed where as the main rudder is mounted on a skeg. It doesn't pick up and weed at all
 
capnsensible

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geem said:
Having just been out wingfoiling and playing slalom with the weed, it's not great.
How does the transom hung rudder help? Friends who sailed a twin rudder monohull across the pond had quite an issue with weed on their rudders since the keel offers no protection. Our Wind Pilot self steering is also a problem even though it is centre mounted behind the rudder. Every so often I would push the boat hook down the servo blade to clear it. I think because it's so shallow, it picks up weed where as the main rudder is mounted on a skeg. It doesn't pick up and weed at all
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I'm a bit of a fan of watt@sea electricity 'provider' but it wouldn't cope with sargassum. Would imagine our old hydrovane would be a bit put off too.
 
geem

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P
capnsensible said:
I'm a bit of a fan of watt@sea electricity 'provider' but it wouldn't cope with sargassum. Would imagine our old hydrovane would be a bit put off too.
Click to expand...
Our old Duogen can't cope. It won't be getting used on the way back until we are clear of it. I did think of making a blade to install in front of it. A bit like a curved sword. Never got around to it but thought it might help. It may also help with the ever increasing discarded fishing gear we seem to hit recently
 
mjcoon

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geem said:
P
Our old Duogen can't cope. It won't be getting used on the way back until we are clear of it. I did think of making a blade to install in front of it. A bit like a curved sword. Never got around to it but thought it might help. It may also help with the ever increasing discarded fishing gear we seem to hit recently
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Sounds like you could patent it under the name "Scimitar"...

If the weed could be made to sink it would sequester lots of carbon...
 
capnsensible

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The worst fouling I ever saw was goose barnacles in the Pacific. They even grew on the whirly watt@sea blades. The tenacious little tinkers. Now if they could be trained to eat sargassum......

Ah, then they would probably be candidates for world domination.
 
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