TomBettle Posted April 13, 2006 Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 I had the pleasure in spending some of today with Mark Bennett, a relatively new club member. Mark took delivery of his new boat today from my colleague Martin and she was handed over at Salterns during the course of the day. Slightly chaotic day, with a few mini glitches here and there, but overall Mark is the proud owner of a spanking new 605 that should do everything he wants. As the only guy working for Southern Motorboats that has any idea of Poole Harbour I offered to help take Mark's new boat round to Mitchells... ...now I have been in to Parkstone and Lathams on a number of occasions, but never round to Mitchells. Rounding the "sticks" towards Lathams, Mark and I completly lost sight of the channel in, and I had perhaps the most embarrassing moment of my boating career when I managed to stick Mark's new boat firmly on the mud!!!! B@gger! After getting our bearings we could see we were no more than 2m from where we needed to be so after a quick consulation Mark and his mate went and hung right over the bow. The boats transom raised enough inches to allow a quick squirt of power to push us back on track. The only saving grace was watching the Latham's launch also manage to "scrape" bottom as we tied up his new boat on the pontoon. Mark: Have a quick check of your prop when she goes on her trailer. Anything untoward, let me know and I'll sort it!!!! All should be fine as Mark's boat has a very good lump of metal acting as prop protection beneath the boat, but how embarrassing!!!! Good luck with the new boat Mark and if you need anything at all, just ask. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afishionado Posted April 13, 2006 Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 I hearby propose that Tom Bettle be officialy renamed on this forum. His new name hence forth is MUDHOPPER. Do I hear a seconder to that proposal? Mad Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomBettle Posted April 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 Up yer Bum Mike! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick Martin Posted April 13, 2006 Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 I used to keep a boat at Mitchells we never attempted to leave or return with 1.5 hours either side of low water(well we did but frequently got stuck), Even then you have to ensure you are bang in the channel. Course a good skipper would have consulted his almanac, tide book and any other resources available to save the embarrassment of having a seconder for the proposal to rename him mudhopper I'll second that emotion BTW congratulations Mark on getting your new Boat. I hope you have many pleasurable (and fishfull) years with her. Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomBettle Posted April 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 Thanks Martin Mudhopper! Bahhhh Humbug! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afishionado Posted April 13, 2006 Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 Well as there is only him and theres two of us Martin I reckon the motion is carried and I think someone ought to brand his profile accordingly. I wonder if we should advise the yaching press at large? Mad Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted April 13, 2006 Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 I Did it Too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afishionado Posted April 13, 2006 Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 I Did it Too Too late mate Mudhopper is gone to Tom. Any road up you've got an excuse 'cos your an ampmeter and he's a profeshnial an' shoulda known better like Martin said. One day someone might persuade me to tell the tale of my excursion into the mud, which ended up with Carol having to jump in, and then all of us spending 3 hours in a small yacht with a baby who had done an enourmous poo and there were no spare nappies! Mad Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coddy Posted April 13, 2006 Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 One day someone might persuade me to tell the tale of my excursion into the mud, which ended up with Carol having to jump in, and then all of us spending 3 hours in a small yacht with a baby who had done an enourmous poo and there were no spare nappies! Mad Mike On the other hand perhaps not! Coddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
great white Posted April 16, 2006 Report Share Posted April 16, 2006 Well Tom thats a brave one, owning up to our cock ups on the forum is a good way to get it off your conscience. All of us that use the Harbour have been on the mud at one time or another. Congratulations on the New boat Mark, I am sure you will have many hours of fun on her. If you talk to the regulars from Mitchells they will soon let you kn ow about the tides. If you need a mooring to hang on too while waiting for the tide to flood prior to going back in to Mithells talk to me, mine is just outside Parkstone Yacht Club Haven entrance and will be free for a while. enjoy the new toy Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markee_b Posted April 17, 2006 Report Share Posted April 17, 2006 Cheers guys, and thanks for the offer Charlie....I've learnt a few things the hard way by now and getting into Mitchells goes on that list ! Should really tell of Espadons inaugral fishing trip too... Started off at 8am from the yard, managed to get it out the yard with no problems and even out of Poole Harbour via the fuel barge with no problems, so far so good...we'd already noticed that the Force 1-2 "promised" by Metcheck had turned into a F3-4 according to the VHF, but undeterred we motored off to our first mark, against the tide, to the bank off Dancing Ledge....nothing but rocks showing on the fish finder but this was to be my first anchoring experience and I'm pleased to say it all went without a hitch. After a couple of fishless hours sat in a wind over tide situation we thought we'd use the tide to our advantage and get over to Christchurch Ledge....new Alderney ring put to it's first use and success first time ! Nothing to it thinks me....and the retrieval method certainly beat trying to pull it up by hand.... Motoring to the ledge in a fairly lumpy sea the boat was fantastic...very good seakeeping indeed and never felt unsafe even with the occasional tide rip and some decent waves getting us from all angles...we were making a good 14 knots until the windscreen wipers blew their fuse, and the spare, so down to about 8 knots and arrived on the ledge....lots of rocks, one OKish wrasse of 1.5lb ish and then a very very stuck anchor when we decided to move...this being a brand new anchor, with brand new chain and brand new rope I was a little depsondent at this point but after about 30 minutes of trying to free it it eventually gave...phew...note to self, set it up with the trip on it as clearly told elsewhere here Lastly tried a drift along Southbourne Rough (I think ?) from about Hengistury to Boscombe pier and managed possibly the smallest whiting I've ever caught....and that was it.... In summary (to echo someone else) Sea state : crap Fishing : crap But the boat was good, despite the wiper and anchor glitch...that'll all get sorted... Seems the first thing I need is some reliable marks think Im fully paid up now so do I get access to the inner sanctum ? Look forward to seeing some of you guys out there...and maybe once I've sussed my radio out I'll be a little more vocal on there...is Channel 6 the preferred one ? Thanks again guys...Mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomBettle Posted April 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2006 Hi Mark Glad you had a good run on the boat despite naff fishing. Yes, we'll get the wipers sorted, sounds like it is linked with the switch panel issue...? Well done for giving her a proper first run. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob F Posted April 17, 2006 Report Share Posted April 17, 2006 Nice report Mark. Glad the trip went relatively well. Yes, channel 6 for the VHF. BF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul D Posted April 17, 2006 Report Share Posted April 17, 2006 Gald you had a good first trip out. You might have seen us on Christchurch Ledge - we were right at the end of it though. As you found out, I wouldnt recommend anchoring on the ledge ( apart from in a couple of holes as marked on the plotter ) - it is well snaggy and I lost my anchor there first trip out in Neo ( learnt how to trip the anchor after that ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markee_b Posted April 18, 2006 Report Share Posted April 18, 2006 I did see a couple of boats, one looked like a charter so I guess the other was you Paul ! The sea was moving a bit much for my binos to be of any real use so couldn't get any close ups ! And yeah, once bitten, twice shy with the anchor...any chance of telling me where those holes are ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam F Posted April 18, 2006 Report Share Posted April 18, 2006 Realising I may be tempting fate here - but dont worry about anchoring the ledge - I have done dozens of times and apart from the odd slightly snagged one havent had too many problems - if your anchor is tripped correctly neither will you. Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob F Posted April 18, 2006 Report Share Posted April 18, 2006 Agree with Adam. But I tend to reset the anchor when the tide changes rather than just letting the boat swing round. The one time I did get the anchor stuck on the ledge was when I left the anchor in, and as the tide turned that anchor rope wrapped itself round something and as a result it was impossible to pull up. BF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul D Posted April 18, 2006 Report Share Posted April 18, 2006 Quite reassured now actually. I always used to get paranoid anchoring the ledge. I shall now anchor without so many worries. BTW: What is your address Adam, so I can send you the bill for my next trapped anchor ( only kidding ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coddy Posted April 18, 2006 Report Share Posted April 18, 2006 Mind you Paul, with that new E-Tec engine you will be able to pull up the ledge as well! Coddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMac Posted April 19, 2006 Report Share Posted April 19, 2006 I've lost a couple of anchors on the ledge, but had one retrieved by a mate with scuba gear. When he went down he found that the chain and anchor were lying in a heap and the rope had lassooed a large rock making it impossible for us to pull the anchor, which wasn't even stuck!!! This had happened because we let the anchor and chain to freefall through the water, as we got to the uptide limit of where we wanted to anchor,(rather than backing off as it dropped)and then take up the slack as the boat drifted downtide by which time a couple of loops of the anchor rope had got itself around the rock. Haven't lost one on the ledge since we started lowering the anchor to the bottom by hand and then paying out the anchor rope under tension. We would of just presumed the anchor was stuck if our mate hadn't retrieved it and not realised that it was our inept way of anchoring that had really nearly cost us our second anchor. Another day older, another day wiser Allan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest_sinbad_Fisherman Posted April 27, 2006 Report Share Posted April 27, 2006 Echo all of this Reminds me of the time I snagged on the ledge, and using a separate trip line and bouy, pulled the anchor into the boat using the trip, undid the anchor from the crown, uncleated the warp from the boat then pulled the warp up from the rock that it was threaded under ! Sounds wierd but it must look even more wierd down there in amongst all the crevices of the ledge. Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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