Advice needed: 5-line array harvesting gear and process

[jamie_lee]

Hello there!
We are looking to improve our harvesting method and hope to learn from fellow 5-line array farmers!
We harvest our 5-line array with a 8m (24ft.) fibreglass body fishing boat. Most steps are done manually: lifting up the 5-line system with block and tackle, getting all 5-lines to lay perpendicularly over the boat (without detaching from the system), the lines to move the boat along as we harvest. 
There are a few pain points (apart from those on our backs):

• we cannot lift the lines onboard when seaweed is attached, so harvesting everything overboard
• the point of contact between seaweed lines and boat rails is under high pressure, so the seaweed is rubbed off, stuck or smashed when we try to pull the seaweed onboard over a roller
• the harvested side is very light while seaweed-bearing side is heavy, so we need to keep hands on the lines to prevent the lines from slipping back

Could you share what your harvesting process looks like? Do you detach lines from the spreader bars or keep them attached? Do you harvest all 5 simultaneously, or line by line?
What types of hardware do you find very useful to have? We appreciate any recommendations on non-permanent installations.

[david_bailey]

Hey @jamie_lee great to hear from you! Looks like your getting great growth. How many kilos (or lbs) do you harvest at a time? Is it more or less than a single lines worth? Detaching works well if you are planning to harvest the entire system , if you are only harvesting a portion of a line I would not detach that line. Detaching lines causes the system to loose its stability underwater, which can result in the spreader bar flipping. If you are planning on leaving the system out after detaching a line I would start by detaching the middle line (line 3) then move to line 2 and 3. The outer lines (lines 1 and 5) provide the most stability so I would remove them last if possible.
I assume you are positioning the lines perpendicular across the boat so you can harvest from all 5 lines evenly to prevent they system from becoming unstable a flipping? Instead of positioning the lines perpendicular across the boat the I would focus harvesting only a single line parallel to the boat. See photo below. To prevent the growline from sliding back and forth, we use prusik knots to secure the growline. We then pull the growline to a convent height for harvest. Once that section is harvested we move down the line. Just remember if you are harvesting from the 5-line array you don't want to harvest to much from one side and not the other. What you do on one side you should do on the other next time.

Another thing that can help when trying to access a single line on the 5-line array is additional extension line length. Increase the length of the extension line allows you pull up a single line without having to pull up the spreader bar and the weight of the other 4 lines.

[clifford_goudey]

Jamie, reaching over the side like that must be backbreaking. While the seeding of all five lines at once can be a real time saver, I think it's best to cut from one line at a time, especially from a small boat. I agree largely with what Dave said. Better to start with one of the outside lines and preferably the one on the leeward side of the rig so the wind does not push your boat on top of the other lines.
Your boat has a lot more freeboard and deck height than the 24' Privateer in Dave's photo, so it will be harder to get the growline up to a handy cutting height. It might be a good occasion to ease your deadeye tensioner to give you more slack in the growline.
Again, try to harvest the rig in a balanced way so things don't get lopsided crop-wise. I do think that once the two outside lines are harvested,, it is OK to remove then to gain better access to lines 2 & 4. Likewise, remove those after harvest to ease the final harvest of line 3.
Consider adding a post positioned at the stbd. side, aft of the cabin roof and another back at the stbd. quarter to support a hanging block or a cantilevered pulley to give you a decent length of line positioned tor cutting well above the rail.
Anyway, that's a nice looking crop. I'm glad things seem to have worked out this year. Cliff