Looking back, the rope that caused the problem was a loose fender line that had not been properly tidied away before leaving the mooring. What is the main lesson?

A. Loose lines trailing in the water are never actually a real risk to the propeller

B. This kind of incident is completely random and cannot be reduced by any checking beforehand

C. Always check before getting underway that all lines, fenders, and loose ropes are properly secured, coiled, or stowed, and not trailing in the water near the stern — this simple check, done every single time before moving off, prevents most propeller fouling incidents

D. Only ropes specifically labelled as "mooring lines" can ever cause this problem — fender lines are always safe

A. This always means the engine has suffered a major internal failure needing a full rebuild

B. This pattern always means the fuel has run out completely

C. A sudden bang and slowdown like this is completely normal and needs no investigation

D. A rope, mooring line, or fender line has almost certainly wrapped around the propeller, jamming it or stalling the engine — this is one of the most common causes of a sudden loss of drive with this exact pattern of symptoms

A. Increase engine revs to try to cut through the rope with propeller speed

B. Ignore the engine entirely and focus only on the boat's position for several minutes

C. Put the engine into neutral and switch it off straight away — continuing to run the engine winds the rope tighter around the shaft and propeller, making the problem worse and risking damage to the shaft seal, stern gland, or gearbox

D. Keep the throttle open and try repeatedly going forward and reverse to "shake" the rope free