TomBettle

FOR SALE I have sold this once on here and she is currently proudly owned by one of our own members, however they have just purchased a biiger Orkney after having so much fun with her through the late Summer and Autumn of 2006. The owner has reduced the asking price from when she was sold last, but has actually now included 2 new spare wheels for the trailer, a new winch for the trailer and also a new Portable Garmin 160C fish finder with 2 x spare batteries for this. The above is in addition to the spec below. Only one key fault that he is at pains to point out is a small chip from the bottom of the outboard skeg. Other than that sh eis VGC for the year with no more than a couple of mino cosmetic scracthes. The engine looks virtually unused with a perfect prop and is fitted with Dolphin Hydrofoils. Fitted with a dark blue folding spray dodger it gives large cuddy style protection when raised, but has the option to lower on better days. The boat benefits from a small steering console and full remotes with a centrally mounted bucket seat aft of the normal thwarts. The previous owner purchased her in '99, but her hull number shows she was built in '98. The current owner has had her as a first "return to boating" boat through the latter part of '06, really loved her and now upgraded. Lying on her trailer at a friends house in Poole until Easter and then likely to be lying in Leicester after this. Great package, sea worthy and looks ready to go. Offers around

Hi Skippy Don't take this the wrong way as I am smiling whilst I type (not being agressive, just having a bit of fun debate). But of the cod in the bin, I would guess that a large portion are under 5lb (your own minimum size?). I applaud you for the business you run, and envy you as I would love to do it and think that Halibut you have pictured is just fantastic. Your fishing looks superb too, but most of us are aware that Iceland has wonderful fishing although fish size is more akin to Southern Norway rather than the monsters seen up "North". ..The little bit about John Wilson was a silly joke. ...he is known for his silly laugh, but also he is very well known for (and all fishermen are) exaggerating.

Skippy If those Cod on your site are averaging 8lb then my scales are wrong and the fish I weigh on my boat at 15lb are really 30.... Don't get me wrong, they are nice fish, but smaller than 8lb. "Even the big one" the lad is holding up doesn't look to be close to a 20.... maybe 14lb? You don't know a guy called John Wilson do you? All the best Tom

If you like the conoflex trilogy range, but don't like the rings (they ae cr@p) then contact: Stan Massey at Alba Rods. He builds Conoflex rods (sometimes for them). I think his website is this one. http://www.alba-rods.co.uk I will be getting a new custom built with custom butt and rings Trilogy 6lb class in the next few days. This rod will be my main rod for fishing the channel wrecks for Cod, Pollack and Bass. If you are drift fishing(?) then you shouldn't need as much as 400grm? Unless you use mono line you should be able to fish with 210grm in up to about 250 feet and the most 350grm in anything up to 3.5knots of tide and 350 feet of water. Weight will be even less if you cut the line down to 12lb or 20lb braid. If you fish on the drift, you can use hardly any weight at all to get down as the boat will drfit at the speed of the tide (the only other effect will be wind which does need considering). In theory, you could use 30grm or 60grm to get down, but it would take so long we tend to use more. Tom PS: The cod in the big bin on your website are pretty small ones, but that halibut looks something else. 6lb class won't work for him!

Hi Skippy I have to say that your general fishery management is brilliant and I applaud how Iceland has managed to get such a top, sustainable fishery. ...I think the key policy is to blow out of teh water any French, Spanish or for that matter "any" otehr trawler other than your own. Good on you, I think we should adopt a similar policy. Shame about your keep it all regardless rules, but if your fishery is that good and well managed with it, along with anglers bieng sensibile and knowing when to stop then fair enough (within reason). I'd be interested in knowing more as I should be fishing Norway sometime soon and a comparison would be good. Tom PS: Are you guys still using dirty great pirks or do you lighten up the gear and use shads or small jigs?

Nice one Paul, glad you got one in the end! She looks very pretty. Have fun with her. Tom

...It does look kind of porn starish(no other word for it, horrific!)! Still the rest of the article is good. Dave didn't spend as long focusing on my guests as I had hoped, but it's a start! Tom PS: If you look VERY closely, I am also on the front cover of Motor Boats Monthly this month, but when you open the pages it is the pretty girl on the V berth.... ...Still if you look closely at another pic you do get a nice groin shot of me . I feel a new occupation could be calling. I may not make much out of it, but all that spam email I am getting for penis enlargement may now come in handy.

Likewise Mark, You are always welcome out on Quest II if we have space. Tom PS: Got your email and text. Been away for a few days and just got back, will get in touch tomorrow morning.

I really want Sam to come and clean my boats, but cutting through a mile of "invented" red tape with our HR is nigh on impossible. Sam knows that if and when the job actually becomes a reality (it's there, but not as we know it Jim) he will get first refusal, but I have kind of mucked him about on it far too much right now, hence he is looking again. Once again, sorry for messing you around Sam! Tom

That is only a small one. I was on Lake Travis a few years ago (just outside Austin, Texas) and we were feeding a huge shoal of Carp the chips from our lake side restaurant lunch. Just underneath the Carp were these enormous shadows about 6 or 7 feet long. Thos buggers get huge.

Duncan When did you get a photo of the inside of my garage?

Absolutely clonking fish. What is the British Record now days? Been a very long time since I actively chub fished and managed 7lb 6oz out of a pit and 5 1/2 lb from the Oxfordshire Windrush, but your fish is simply incredible. Well done and I hope you get plenty of recognition for it! Tom

Oh forgot to say, my own opinion would be number 1) I do agree with Adam that there is a real need for a better built / better handling diesel stern drive fisher / cruiser than the offerings currently in the market.... ....Phaeton aside Duncan. I was referring to "other" brands.

OK Guys I am sworn not say much, but I have been asked to find out what the boating / fishing public want. Dimensions are examples and not set: If, say, "Someone" was designing a 7 metre, high performance outboard driven Pilot House would you the buying public prefer: 1) A beamy 2.75m wide boat that has a fairly decent level of overnighting accommodation (imagine something like a high performance Merry Fisher 695). The downside is that the beam will make it all but prohibitive to trailer. 2) A slightly narrower hull, say 2.55m, that allows the boat to be trailored. Similar handling and performance to 1). The downside will be that due to the narrower beam, less weekending accomodation will be available. When working it out, remember that 7m is a BIG boat to be regualrly trailering. It is, however, quite do-able with the correct vehicle and decent slipway. Both versions would have a large open cockpit and a high level of overall finish. Both boats are likely to offer comfortable handling and a generous performance range right up to +/- 30knots. If you were buying a boat and both 1 and 2 were in front of you and the two on your shortlist. Which one would YOU buy. Please let me know ASAP (I need answers by about lunchtime tomorrow!). Thanks for your help Tom

Now now boys and girls. Mike is very well aware he could actually have his boat anytime in February and WILL get his boat in March. The date Arpil 1st is actually a strategic one as it coincides with berth availability. The problem with March is that everyone who has ordered a boat between September last year and March itself wants to take delivery then. This means that getting an actual date until a fortnight or so before is really tricky as we are juggling all the hand overs, making sure the boats are tip top, organising engineers, delivery skippers and instructors and it all gets a bit chaotic. Mike's hand over will be an absolutely superb day. He will have to endure a rather dull hour or so with me drumming in the importance of title documents and original paperwork and then we actually go to his beautiful new baby and have a nose around any features he is not yet familar with. At that point I hand over to one of our more skilled instructors (yes believe it or not there are better boat drivers than me... not many, but some) and Mike will have as much of the rest of the day as he feels he needs with an instructor onboard. He can practise anything from high speed running, to trimming the engine in different circumstances to shallow water maneouvering to close quarter handling all with a knowledgeable helping hand. This extra special cuddling at hand over is actually not unique to Mike (sorry Mike), every single customer should get the same experience. ...There are the odd exceptions to this rule and it tends to be when too many people get involved. Fellow club member Mark Bennett had an interesting hand over day on his boat "Espadon". It started with no one really knowing what was going on and ended with me putting his boat up on the mud outside Mitchells!!!!! ....Fingers crossed that Mike's hand over goes according to plan! Tom

....but did we say what year? She is being lovingly looked after at our Southampton office right as we speak. A team of the finest craftsman are tinkering with her and making her all lovely just for you Mike. Anytime you want (give me a call first so I can ask the squatters to move out for the morning) you are welcome to go down and stroke her beautiful lines or tickle her transom. Tom

Pete We use "Undercover" based in Shirley, Southampton. They are absolutely first class and do anything from full awnings to upholstery. ...All colours and fabrics available.... I seem to remember doing a lilac pink leather interior for a "gentleman" once on his very posh new gin palace... ...He and his chums were very pleased with the finished product with the leather being "ever so fun and slippery". Not sure why, but it may have had something to do with the baby oil they were rubbing into each other... Give John Heinz a call at Undercover on 02380 704044 There are a few local companies to Poole too. I haven't personally used them so can't be too sure about their quality. I am sure others will give you an idea.

Can't say anything (for a change) apart from WOW!!!

Happy Birthday Paul

Hi Guys Thanks very much. I am quite chuffed it was mentioned! Jason: I'll happily get you on the water. Give me a call or pop into my office and we'll have a chat about which boat is most suitable for you. All the best Tom

Bad luck mate, still may have been for the right reasons as she was very differetn from theother boats you had spied so far. Good luck in the search, and as always, if I can offer any pearls of wisdom (not sure if that is possible) then just give me a call. Tom

Yes, new boats can and often do have "snags". By snags I mean a faulty fuse or a loose screw or an irritating rattle. These snags should be fixed as soon as possible by a reputable dealer. From time to time a new boat may have a more serious issue that was part of a fault during the build of the boat (much like Toerag's). Again a serious issue should be jumped on by the dealer to do their best not to spoil the owners enjoyment. New boats do come with little irritations, but that is why you have a warranty and a good dealer will do their very best. It is for the very reasons above that a used / brokerage boat must always be surveyed and tested. ...the buyer can put up with a loose screw and fix a rattle himself, but should he find that the hull bonding is coming away from the superstructure he may well be a little out of his depth.

Hi Blu Gul Welcome to the site. I hope you get useful feedback from the guys on here. All the best Tom

4 stroke / 2 stroke whatever. The fact that the dive boats lasted for ages is more likely to be to do with the fact that they were getting almost commercial levels of usage (?). Ignoring petrol outboards for a moment, take a look at marie diesel engines. A charter fishing boat may run an engine for, say, 10,000 hours without a major rebuild. They will be serviced and the oil checked, but the engines go on for ages. The very same engine in a pleasure craft may require major work in less than a thousand hours. Typically anything in the water actually wants to be used and suffers more from the kind of "sitting" around that pleasure boaters give their engines. This may be why the dive boat engines faired so well against the privately owned four strokes?