rapidCAST User’s Guide
March 2018
EAR-Controlled Technology Subject to Restrictions Contained on the Cover Page.
Page
39
Line Management
While the probe is in the water or hanging in the air, it pulls on the line and keeps it under tension. This
helps prevent line fouling.
When the probe is on deck, line is not normally under tension. If the spool is rotated outward while there
is no tension on the line, loose loops can form. An operator may not notice loose loops due to the winch
covers concealing the spool, and these loops may “hop” the spool sidewall or snag internal winch compo-
nents and cause fouling.
When feeding line to someone holding the probe on deck, it is important to remember that line is flexible.
The winch is incapable of “pushing” line out, so line should always be “pulled” under tension by the per-
son requesting additional line.
Keep the line under tension when rotating the spool to guard against fouling.
Figure 31.
Line Management
Checking for Line Fouling
The easiest way to detect line fouling is to inspect the spool visually. Another indication of fouling is if the
probe moves in a direction opposite what you expect:
•
If you rotate the spool out, yet the probe moves closer…
•
If you rotate the spool in, yet the probe moves farther...
These may indicate that line is wrapped around something undesirable.
