TomBettle

Trevor If you can find one, a Jabsco Waterpuppy is the kiddy you need.

Hi Chris Great meeting you and Mrs Gould today. I hope that I gave you a little food for thought and look forward to seeing you at the meeting a week on Thursday! All the best Tom

The makings of the boats website is now online. For information and also to download your own brochure, please visit: http://www.troms-explorer.com

Here is an update... about two weeks out of date, these pics were taken Mid January when the guys from Troms Explorer visited the boat show and also Rod Baker's boat yard. I'll be going down to see Rod in about a fortnight for a further update. Yep, I reckon a month behind at the moment, but with four full timers working on the project alonside Rod, she is coming along. Exciting news is that Standard Horizon will be sponsoring a suite of state of the art electronics aboard the boat. Plotters, fish finders, VHF's, Camera's and even an OEM radar system will be going on courtesy of the lovely Ailsa Turbett (no pun intended) who is sales manager for the eletronics giants. Our very own, Poole based, Matt Sydenham will be organising a team of his guys at Marine Electrical Services to fit the kit. Somehow Matt has wangled a trip on her maiden voyage in Norway in return for his help in the project. Here's a few more pics to continue the story (Pics courtesy of Holger Buricke) 1) Ailsa Turbett and Matt Sydenham demonstrate the new Standard Horizon plotter to Martin Founds (Co-owner of Troms Explorer) and myself 2) Rod Baker, boat builder, studies the deck plans at his yard in Wadebridge 3) These next two pics give you some idea of the sheer scale. The first shows the deck matrix and bulkheads going down and the second simply shows one of the two giant hulls. 4) On a knife edge. How sharp is that wave piercing hull!? 5) And just in case you had forgotten where Troms Explorer will be going, this was taken the day before yesterday....

Charlie what's your current email address (PM me if you would prefer not to put it on the forum)? I'll email it over, it's a 4Mb file. Tom

It's all starting to seem very real now. She is well under way, but as expected now about 4 weeks behind. I had a very "interesting day at the boat show when I took part in my first day of filming. You would never know how hard it is to have a camera pointed at you and then with no script or planning have to walk, talk and sound knowlegeable with looking a total bafoon. For anyone interested, I now have a first draft brochure for Troms Explorer. I will happily email you a PDF of it if you wish, or can bring hard copies to the meeting. Please let me know if you would like one emailed to you. Tom

Hi stu Seriously, join the club proper. It will be the best

Hi Andrew Welcome to the forum and one of (actually THE) the best small club on the South Coast. The 165 is without doubt one of the best boats in it's class and can be purchased for really good money used and OK new. I know the chaps at Warrior fairly well and they are decent guys, but they are in business and their boat show deals are not necessarilly that spectacular, but push them anyway. The Pro Angler is a lot smaller inside than the standard boat so if you ever plan to fish more than two it may not be suitable. Not sure your preferred fishing styles, but if you plan to drift much (a lot of our bassing is on the drift), you may find a boat with better all round side decks will give more space for two or three anglers to comfortably fish without being at odd angles. The 175 is also a very fine boat on the water, but look out for the angle it sits at when at anchor or on a mooring. It's an indication of where the balance of the boat may be, but also makes the self draining scuppers a bit superfluous as water actually drains forward rather than back when you are not there or sitting at the helm. If two "largish" anglers stand at the transom you may find a little water creaps in through the scuppers which sort of defeats the object. Finally, in the price range of the 175 there are a huge number of other boats with all different features out there (not just the ones I sell) so if a 175 is more the size for you look much more closely at what is available before handing over your deposit. (That said, the 175 will do you proud too). Welcome aboard PBSBAC Tom

Come along Steve you will be very welcome. With fish like that Cod of yours you'll find several of us picking your brains! Tom

Superb fish Alun. What an absolute beauty. Great angling mate! Reckon that one could stay a record for a little while? Tom ....or not?

Yep Happy Christmas one and all. I'm more or less logged off now until the 2nd January so I hope you all have a great one. Tom

Looks like it was caught on a Charter boat so won't count? Also it isn't on the Wessex Specimen List so couldn't have been weighed in even if he had got to Baiter in time.... I'll get my coat. Tom

Just had an email from Spike who was absolutely chuffed to have been involved and even more chuffed that the final raffle total was

Paul can you PM your address over and I'll post you a CD of the ones that Spike and I took. Some great, some good, some "OK".

Here is the latest Inshore Waters forecast. I am going offline now on the assumption that the comp is on, but most will be in the Harbour. If for some reason we do cancel, could someone please let me know by phone!!! Also, when the final nod is given, perhaps someone could inform the gazillions over at WSF to try and get some attendance from their guys too. Thanks Tom Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis Strong wind warning 1553 Sat 15 Dec 0600 Sun 16 Dec Easterly or southeasterly winds will touch force 6 at times Inshore waters forecast 24 hour forecast: 1200 Sat 15 Dec 1200 Sun 16 Dec Wind East or southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at times. Sea state Slight or moderate. Weather Mainly fair. Visibility Moderate or good. Outlook: 0600 Sun 16 Dec 0600 Mon 17 Dec Wind East 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times. Sea state Moderate. Weather Fair. Visibility Good.

It wasn't me Sam... You'll have to take it up with Norman tomorrow. He is leaving his flask at home...

Emergency email in from Norman Berry! Charlie, do you have a cooker onboard for pies and tea!!!? Tom

We shall be on Ch 6, but under the name of Prestige (we will be on a Prestige 32). I shall be out for an hour or right at the start, but I'll be solo then and it will be to try and get a few pics of boats heading out, if you are going offshore let me know and I'll see if I can get some of Alfresco around Old Harry or maybe passing Brownsea Castle? If you (or anyone else) see's a 10ish metre flybridge boat behaving a little oddly don't panic too much, it will only be me (OK panic) trying to sneak over for a picture or two. If you don't want me around, tell me to bu@@er off and I won't take offence, but I shall do my level best not to get in the way at all. I'll be meeting Spike at about lunchtime and we plan to pop back out for an hour or so then to have a mosey around and hopefully get some pics of fish being caught. Spike and I should also be at the weigh in later on and then on to the Mariner centre for the prize giving. Tom

Hmmm This could mean the camera boat I am using and will be taking Spike Spears for a cruise on (10m long and twin shafts) could be staying in the harbour if that is where everyone will be... I am going to be writing an article about the comp so please could any spectacular (or half decent) catches be called in to me and I'll nip over and take a pic. ...Obviously with the boat I will be on, I won't be able to sneak to any secret marks in the reeds up the Wareham river etc. 07780687795 Cheers Tom

Had the same one today too. ...nice personal touch rather than the mass mailout ones don't you think?.....NOT One interesting bit is the last paragraph though. At least they are going to discuss a review of the situation. Tom

If you are struggling, contact Stan Massey at Alba Rods. He will do a beautiful repair job if it is doable. Better than the original. http://www.alba-rods.co.uk

Go for a fun day out. Don't go expecting a show like Southampton or Excel.

Charlie we managed one gust on the metre here (don't know how accurate) that went exactly 65 knots. Down in windsurfers corner at Sandbanks there is a small yacht lying up to the bottom her mast in water and also a 21 footish Bayliner sports cruiser up on the beach. Breezy, definitely! Mind you, last year didn't we get gusts to almost 90 knots on one night? Tom

Not exactly fishing related, but another batch of wildlife photo's from the area that Troms Explorer will be plying. Again, photo's courtesy of Holger after he commented to me that he was impressed with Chris Caines' Recycle Fish Initiative. Great if Chris can get some multi national exposure for this. Sign up if you haven't yet: http://www.deepsea.co.uk/forum/recycle_fis..._fish_forum.htm Some pics of the Norwegian wildlife. All are genuine and endemic to the area although he admits that the Bears were in a reserve as they are really hard to find in the wilderness.

Hi Clive Welcome to PBSBAC and well done for joining our efforts to support Richard and his colleagues. Nice letter and great to coem from a different angle. What these guys need to realise is that they could have a veritable army on their hands to support them, not attack them, if they choose sensible ways of steering us towards sustainable fishing and angling. Tom