Magnetic Fishing -- weird question, I know

[Mum2Mercury]

My husband is getting into Magnetic Fishing.  Check it out on Amazon -- it means throwing a strong magnet out on a cord and trolling around for metal junk in the water.  He's always been super into Metal Detecting in the sand, but this is new, and it's small enough to carry onboard.  Any of you who are engineers /married to engineers will understand the weird appeal.  

 

Anyway, I was wondering if he'd be able to "fish" off the cruise doc or any other spots during excursions -- we'll be in Cozumel, Roatan, Belize City and Costa Maya. 

Would the ship have any problem with him bringing a strong magnet, a cord and a pair of gloves onboard?  

 

Thanks for your thoughts.  

[Cigar King]

You could try.  I'm guessing the docks would be off limits, but, we won't know until one brave individual puts it to the test.  Sounds like your husband is going to be that person.  😉

[LeeW]

Have never seen anyone fishing off a dock.  They want things clear for people. 

[chengkp75]

Has he ever traveled with this magnet before?  Are you flying?  If it is a rare earth magnet, he needs to check the restrictions on these magnets on airplanes.

[3CatsInMA]

Do you have a balcony room?

 

He could do some trolling. 😃

[chengkp75]

2 minutes ago, 3CatsInMA said:

Do you have a balcony room?

 

He could do some trolling. 😃

I think that the hull would be the only thing he catches 

[Mum2Mercury]

46 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

Has he ever traveled with this magnet before?  Are you flying?  If it is a rare earth magnet, he needs to check the restrictions on these magnets on airplanes.

Never traveled with it before -- it's a new hobby. 

We're close enough to drive to the port.  

25 minutes ago, 3CatsInMA said:

Do you have a balcony room?

 

He could do some trolling. 😃

No to a balcony. 

22 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

I think that the hull would be the only thing he catches 

I'm sure you're right, but he wasn't thinking of using it on the ship.  He knows he'd get in trouble for that.

[zebra]

I would seriously doubt that he would be able to use it on the dock anywhere near the ship.  Since 9/11 there is a "security field" around every cruise ship.  That is why you don't see any type of fisherman etc on the cruise docks.  I would think if they allowed it onboard he would have to go somewhere away from the ships dock to use it...... definitely call RCCL for clarification.

 

[ZoeyVictoria]

I had to google that and found it to be really interesting. The problems I see would be disposing of any junk he found, and I don’t believe the governments of those countries would think highly of anything of value being removed from the country. 

[chengkp75]

3 minutes ago, ZoeyVictoria said:

I don’t believe the governments of those countries would think highly of anything of value being removed from the country. 

Anything magnetic would not likely be of value.

[ZoeyVictoria]

3 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

Anything magnetic would not likely be of value.

The articles I found showed photos of guns, a sword, a suit of armor, a gun safe, and a box with a metallic clasp that contained jewelry.  Also many, many bicycles and scooters. 
 

Edited to add:  I would love to try it if we were younger and had a pickup truck to haul away the junk and a garage to clean up any good stuff. Just not a suitable hobby for retirees living in a condo.

Edited October 12, 2022 by ZoeyVictoria

[3CatsInMA]

If he catches a crock pot, there's no way they'll let him bring it on board. ☹️

[neverbeenhere]

You can't stand near the edge of the cruise pier for long before getting a visit from someone.

I'm think magnetic fishing will not be a go from the pier, but perhaps from private docks along your cruise itinerary.

[death_star]

9 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

I think that the hull would be the only thing he catches 

If it's stronger than those little hook ones we have for the ceiling in the cabin he'll likely never get it off too.

[RockHoundTX]

I also like to magnet fish (fun activity to do with my son). However, there is no way I would bring one on the ship. Why?

 

Magnet fishing really doesn't work at most ports that RCL commonly visits. First, you can't magnet fish anywhere near the ship. Every single cruise dock I have been to (probably 30 different ports?) has the yellow "do not cross" line and they are pretty quick to tell you to move when you do pass it (just to take a picture or maybe look at a school of fish). Second, it is really hard to find somewhere to actually magnet fish. There are practically no publicly accessible piers in most locations. Closest thing you will find is maybe a small foot-bridge over a small creek/drainage ditch (and you definitely do NOT want to be magnet fishing there). Third, the water is clear (and warm) in most locations. As such, if someone (typically a local) see something metalic/shiny in the water, they will just swim down to it and check. Finally, if anyone sees you throwing a magnet around any of the carribean islands, they are likely to get REALLY upset. You have to remember that many spots have coral/sea fans/etc just a few feet off the shore. Throwing a magnet can easily damage these. DON"T be that person. 

 

Magnet fishing makes sense in the US since: 1) the lake water is dirty/cold so things are "lost" and not retreived, 2) tons of public fishing piers or boat launches where people loose stuff, 3) lots of bridges that have a pedestrian walkway on then, 4) we tend to be richer so loosing a $10 knife or pair of pliers is a "oh, dang" moment and we move on (while most island locals would do everything possible to retrieve the same thing),  and 5) most piers are made of wood and not concrete that get beaten up by hurricanes to expose lots of rebar that will hang up your magnet. 

 

Hope that helps.

[moposh]

This reminded me of a magnetic fishing game I have.  

[Mum2Mercury]

21 hours ago, ZoeyVictoria said:

I had to google that and found it to be really interesting. 

Yeah, my husband's always been into metal detecting too. 

Engineers.  They're a different breed.  

21 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Anything magnetic would not likely be of value.

He hasn't found anything of value yet, but he loves looking.  It's about the hunt for him. 

21 hours ago, 3CatsInMA said:

If he catches a crock pot, there's no way they'll let him bring it on board. ☹️

If he catches a crock pot, there's no way I will let him bring it back to my house.  

11 hours ago, RockHoundTX said:

I also like to magnet fish (fun activity to do with my son). However, there is no way I would bring one on the ship. Why?

 

Magnet fishing really doesn't work at most ports that RCL commonly visits. First, you can't magnet fish anywhere near the ship. Every single cruise dock I have been to (probably 30 different ports?) has the yellow "do not cross" line and they are pretty quick to tell you to move when you do pass it (just to take a picture or maybe look at a school of fish). Second, it is really hard to find somewhere to actually magnet fish. There are practically no publicly accessible piers in most locations. Closest thing you will find is maybe a small foot-bridge over a small creek/drainage ditch (and you definitely do NOT want to be magnet fishing there). Third, the water is clear (and warm) in most locations. As such, if someone (typically a local) see something metalic/shiny in the water, they will just swim down to it and check. Finally, if anyone sees you throwing a magnet around any of the carribean islands, they are likely to get REALLY upset. You have to remember that many spots have coral/sea fans/etc just a few feet off the shore. Throwing a magnet can easily damage these. DON"T be that person. 

 

Magnet fishing makes sense in the US since: 1) the lake water is dirty/cold so things are "lost" and not retreived, 2) tons of public fishing piers or boat launches where people loose stuff, 3) lots of bridges that have a pedestrian walkway on then, 4) we tend to be richer so loosing a $10 knife or pair of pliers is a "oh, dang" moment and we move on (while most island locals would do everything possible to retrieve the same thing),  and 5) most piers are made of wood and not concrete that get beaten up by hurricanes to expose lots of rebar that will hang up your magnet. 

 

Hope that helps.

Now that was a solid answer. 

 

Thanks, All! 

[HicksRA]

It’s a great way to stock up on bottle caps and rusty tin cans….

[Airbear232]

On 10/12/2022 at 11:45 AM, Mum2Mercury said:

My husband is getting into Magnetic Fishing.  Check it out on Amazon -- it means throwing a strong magnet out on a cord and trolling around for metal junk in the water.  He's always been super into Metal Detecting in the sand, but this is new, and it's small enough to carry onboard.  Any of you who are engineers /married to engineers will understand the weird appeal.  

 

Anyway, I was wondering if he'd be able to "fish" off the cruise doc or any other spots during excursions -- we'll be in Cozumel, Roatan, Belize City and Costa Maya. 

Would the ship have any problem with him bringing a strong magnet, a cord and a pair of gloves onboard?  

 

Thanks for your thoughts.  

Sounds really interesting, but a few Q’s from curiosity.  What strength magnet does he use.  What’s the test of the line?  Does he “lose” a lot of magnets?  I mean if you contact rebar in the water, you most probably lose your magnet.  Just curious.   Sounds fun. 

[joeyancho]

Please excuse my ignorance but  anything that would stick to a magnet  would be made of iron.  Wouldn't it be too rusty after being in salt water for a period of time?   I do see that you would be likely to bring up anything of value.  But I am willing to be wrong.  

[smokeybandit]

Catch any good Steelheads?

[cruise1957]

On 10/12/2022 at 2:16 PM, 3CatsInMA said:

If he catches a crock pot, there's no way they'll let him bring it on board. ☹️

Would they let him keep the iron?

[Btank]

On 10/12/2022 at 10:45 AM, Mum2Mercury said:

Would the ship have any problem with him bringing a strong magnet, a cord and a pair of gloves onboard? 

 

I'd be more concerned with the magnet "sticking" through the bag material to the sides of the luggage carts, x-ray machines, ferrous parts of other bags, etc.  That could cause a jam up on the equipment belit, a delay... or even lost luggage.

 

Also, PLEASE tag the bag with a warning label so that an unsuspecting porter or crewmember with an implanted medical device (such as a pacemaker) knows to keep it away from their vital areas - many of the newer devices use external magnets to put them into a "safe" mode for MRI's, etc.

 

Finally... things might also get entertaining if it is accidentally attached to the deck or walls in your cabin.  You might be unable to pry it up without damaging the carpeting or wall covering.

 

       --bruce T.

 

[PolicromaSol]

On 10/12/2022 at 11:08 AM, 3CatsInMA said:

Do you have a balcony room?

 

He could do some trolling. 😃

 

I have this mental image of a guy with a fishing pole catching random metal items right out of peoples' hands from the balcony below...

 

If this becomes a big thing I'm sticking to cabins with windows! 🤣

[RockHoundTX]

2 hours ago, Btank said:

 

I'd be more concerned with the magnet "sticking" through the bag material to the sides of the luggage carts, x-ray machines, ferrous parts of other bags, etc.  That could cause a jam up on the equipment belit, a delay... or even lost luggage.

 

Also, PLEASE tag the bag with a warning label so that an unsuspecting porter or crewmember with an implanted medical device (such as a pacemaker) knows to keep it away from their vital areas - many of the newer devices use external magnets to put them into a "safe" mode for MRI's, etc.

 

Finally... things might also get entertaining if it is accidentally attached to the deck or walls in your cabin.  You might be unable to pry it up without damaging the carpeting or wall covering.

 

       --bruce T.

 

Most people typically keep the magnet it a specially fitted box whe carrying it. The box has about an inch of padding on the outsides and about 1-2 inches under the magnet itself (and the top tends to have a eyelet that is 1-2 inches tall). When in the box, it is safe to carry the magnet and it really doesn't stick to anything.