mickburder

Thanks for the tips, I only want to keep whatever small mackerel or pout I catch for 3 or 4 hours whilst I try to chase Mr Spikey round the bay, I rarely go out for more than 4 or 5 hours at a time. I shall have a ponder and sort something out. kind regards Mick

Been looking at various aerators and aquarium pumps on the web, can anyone recommend one that I can use in a large bucket on the boat with battery clips? regards Mick

Phill visited Friday afternoon and the problem is sorted.... The problem was the red on/off battery switch, he replaced the switch, cleaned up one or two connections and jobs a good 'un. Hope to get out sometime this week and chase a few bream around the bay. Thank you all very much for all your help and advice kind regards Mick

We did try to jump it from a spare battery but no joy, hopefully Phill will sort it out on Friday and I will report back to you exactly what it is, when you take the cover off it all looks very clean and dry, no signs of damp or rusty connections.

I am pretty sure the meter is accurate, the battery was put on last week and has not been used at all, untill I tried to start it at the weekend, The instruments worked Ok but I guess they don't draw much power?

Thank you for your help on this, you guys are such a great source of information and help I really appreciate it... My mate had a meter on the battery and that was reading 12.5 volts so we assumed it was OK, maybe this is not the case? I have made an appointment with Phill Brown to pop round Friday and see if he can sort it, some of the other members have used him and he said it sounds like a bad connection or battery problem, so hopefully it will be a quick (cheap?) fix.

Problem starting my Tohatsu 60hp outboard. I went to start the engine at the weekend and first the tilt wouldn't kick in but after checking battery terminals (brand new battery) and trying a few more times all of a sudden I got it to go down. To start the engine I have to push the key in to activate the choke, this wouldn't work and there was a sort of fast clicking noise coming from the engine , which my mate said could be a solenoid not working properly. The tilt stopped working again. I dont know if the choke and the tilt work off the same solenoid but niether are working now. As you can proberbly tell I dont know one end of an engine from the other, does anyone know off a local (boat is in Bransgore now) engineer that knows about the electrical side of outboards and can fix it on site rather than me coming back down from Watford just to tow it 'round the corner'. regards Mick

Thanks for the advise, I spoke to Ambrows and they are sure they can help me, all I need to do now is get the bloody engine sorted! I have posted in the 'engine problem' section, Oh the joys of boating...

Hoping to bring the boat back to Christchurch this coming weekend. I noticed that some of the rollers on my trailer need replacing. Is there someone local in Christchurch that would have a stock of rollers and will be open next Saturday morning? I was hoping to put the boat in at Wick and do the repairs in the carpark. all the best Mick

Gave poole patch a try for the first time yesterday, my pal caught one small bream in the first 5 mins we thought at last bream for tea! but then all we had was a steady stream of pout and small wrasse for a couple of hours. Moved off to Southbourne and drifted around for a while and caught plenty of Makerel, so something for the pot. Wind picked up at 3ish so headed back. Lovely day out on the water, still hoping to catch a bream before the summers out, maybe next time. regards Mick

Good morning guys, Looking at the competition results from yesterday it seems like there were a few bream caught, well done to all those taking part. I am planning to come down tomorrow, launch at Wick at about 10.30ish and have a day chasing fish around the bay. Were most of the bream caught yesterday on the Ledge or somewhere else? With the tide coming in all day is it best to start on Poole Patch and then move back to the ledge or visa versa, or doesn't it make any difference, or is there somewhere else that might give us a chance of catching tomorrow? If anyone has a specific coordinate where we would stand half a chance I would be most grateful. best regards Mick

Quick update, I sprayed all the connections with a switch cleaner, switched them on and off a couple of times and bingo, both units now working thanks for the advice. Mick

My pals run Keypart up in Watford, I asked them on your behalf and this is their reply.. We can get a Head Gasket, Our Part Number 18-3813,

Thanks very much for the offer Mick, I cant make it tomorrow, gott'a work, I will call you when I can next get down. Thanks Terry I will give them a squirt before I do anything else regards Mick

Hi All Went out for the first time on Saturday, both my Garmin fish finder and my Navman gps wouldn't power up. Last year I had problems with the fish finder and the company in Wareham repaired it (in unit fuse). It seems strange that both units wont power up, I have checked the boat fuses and all seems ok. Before I start sending them off for repair I figure if I could take them somewhere local so I can plug them in to another boat or power source just to eliminate that it could be the boat. Do you know if there is anyone in or around Christchurch that could help? I maybe able to get down tomorrow work permitting thanks Mick

I lost my anchor yesterday, very odd, I think the shackle must have snapped. I have an 18ft Wilson Flyer can you advise what type and weight of anchor I should be looking for and is there a supplier you could recommend in and around Christchurch or Poole? thanks in advance Mick

Thanks guys, got out yesterday and have posted my report in 'detailed catch reports'. Deep joy!

Hello one & all I havn't been out for ages but I am hoping to come down sometime this week, launch from Wick and spend a couple of hours chasing the fish. What should I expect to catch and where? Will I need to order ragworms from the tackle shop? I think I have some frozen mackerel will that be any use this time of year? Any help will be most welcome thanks Mick

Yes I did mention that I was a member and I dont know what caused the problem yet, I am down tomorrow with a mate that has some experience with electrics so fingers crossed. I will also be able to see the repair to the crack in the hull that has been carried out, and with a bit of luck I will be able to get out and do some fishing tomorrow. I have put on a post in the fishing tips section for some advice on what and where to fish tomorrow. regards to all Mick

A couple of weeks ago I sent my broken Eagle fish finder to The Service Centre in Wareham, they fixed it within a week for a very modest

Catch report from yesterday on Silver Spray = nowt, not even a bite. There were 9 of us on board, got to the shambles at about 9.30am, it was very busy with a lot of local boats with their nets out trawling for sandeels. Andy the skipper put out his net and 30mins later enough live bait for a spot of bassing later on. All the other boats had left by then, a sign perhaps?. Anyway we stayed and drifted for turbot and brill, none of us had a bite for nearly 5 hours. Could it be that all the earlier trawling had scared the fish away? On the way back to Poole we stoppped at 3 different bass marks, only one small bass was caught, and 2 mackerel between the 9 of us. Very dissapointed, hoped to learn a few things, all I learnt was don't forget the bloody suncream!

I am going out on Silver Spray tomorrow to 'the banks' fishing for brill, turbot and plaice. On the way back using sandeels for bass and pollock. Is it worth me making up the rigs myself or is it best to use the skippers rigs? If I make up my own what do you guys suggest? thanks Mick

Dont worry , I worked out the 8 and 7 were transposed, he is a busy man, can't look at it for at least 2 weeks. thanks again Mick

Sorry to trouble you guys but the phone number for Martin Cobb is unavailable, do you have another number for him? thanks again Mick

I have always suspected that my Wilson Flyer let in a small amount of water between the hulls, we went out yesterday and it let in an awful lot more. On inspection it seems there is a crack and some soft fibreglass where one of the rollers on the trailer is in contact with the hull. Does anyone know of a local boat repair man? Bloody typical weather improving and now no boat to play with!