TomBettle

That's one way to describe it. I've seen you all in pink tootoos and shiney gold sequined boob tubes whilst changing a cambelt.

Meeting around DG is always useful. Not enormously off piste from Weymouth (about 35nm) and a regular stop for the chaps on the way over from Poole. The boys will let you know what DG is. It will also depend on tides. Now I am not able to go I haven't done any further homework, but with a big Westerly push you may find many of the smaller boats may get well over your way, before hiking over to Braye. Some as far over as the likes of the wrecks which are only 20 or so miles out from Weymouth. Or if the tide is pushing the other way, you may crack over East a little way. The veterans of the trip like Maverick, Alfresco and Adam F will be able to liaise on if these are possibilities. Do go, it's well worth it! My first time over on my own boat was out of Weymouth in 2005.

Looks like I am going to have to back out. Chris can't make it now as he has just got a new job and I am a little strapped, especially with the wedding at the end of the Summer. I would be losing some major Brownie points if I was to head off and spend the honeymoon money.

Late March will see one or two very skinny (see through) Plaice caught with them fattening up over the next two weeks and expect Easter Weekend to turn the Shambles into a scene akin to a giant fairground bumpercar ride with boats zooming in all directions.

Have a good day duncan!

Hi Rich Good to see you back!

In the grand scheme of things, sharks taking Marlin, Wahoo, Tuna etc that are hooked is quite common place. It's nicknamed the "Men in Grey Suits" when they come on the scene. Often if it is a pack of sharks you'll get nothing back, but the head. As for taking the back end, yes, this is normal. In Cape Verde, a guy I became friends with had his own private boat there and he used to release his Marlin by donning some fins and a mask and freediving down pretty deep (25 to 30m) before "shooting" the Marlin on it's way with a big shove and the momentum of the dive. He used to carry a small underwater camera and take shots as he did it which were always pretty cool to see on the big flat screen TV on his boat. One set of shots saw a HUGE Hamerhead and a slightly smaller Mako hovering either side waiting for the kill. I don't imagine the Marlin lasted long after being sent on it's way. Personally I have only ever experienced it once. In Antigua I was fishing a set of sea mounts about 15nm off the south coast in a big Atlantic swell. We'd been catching some mid sized Wahoo (see my avatar on my info page) and then I hooked into what turned out to be a small Yellowfin Tuna of about 30lb or so. From being a scrappy, juddering fight typical of Tuna my line simply started leaving the reel and just not stopping. At this stage the crew were still clearing other lines and hadin't noticed and it was only when I was down to the last knockings of line on the reel that they finally listened to my shouts to back the boat up and then the next 45 minutes or so became a dogged fight of retrieving line and then losing it again. About 20 feet directly under the boat the line suddenly went slack and I got back the whole Yellowfin Tuna, but it had been destroyed with a HUGE bite across the back just behind the pecs. The gape of the bite was far wider than the depth of the fish and was estimated at nearly 18 inches. The teeth marks also suggest a Mako with the local experts guestimating a fish of about 800lb by the size of the gape... but that is all fishermans tales. The shark hadn't swallowed or even bitten the Tuna in half, it had simply been holding on to it, much like a dogish does with a squid bait. It just let go when it knew it was going to lose the battle. Would have loved to have seen it though!

Rob It's Alderney, their idea of "Haze" involves about 15 metre visibility.

Can we also have 22 degrees through the day and 16 overnight.

Finances Terry. Would love to join you, but at present I will be reserving my meals "a'la Abbie", packed lunch stylie.

I'll second about Mainbrayce being VERY helpful. We lost ALL our electronics in very dense fog as we arrived over the Solway Prince in the Hurds Deeps. (Eerie watching a large ships topsides steam past 50m away with it's fog horn going, but not being able to see the bottom half) There had been a wiring error of our domestic battery after refitting our engine and it finally died in the worst possible place. We had to do some proper navigation and with the help of Yelo limped into Braye and straight to Mainbrayce who kindly helped knock up some cables and get us operating properly again within about half an hour of our arrival. First class! Tom

Martin I'd be very interested in the mower if still available and working ok. Item 11 I'll PM a price. Cheers Tom

Just for Craig!

Lots of boaty / fishey pics in my photo gallery in the folder titled Alderney 2010. Abode is in there and looking lovely. Not sure about the helmsman though.

Those with cabins may stay onboard with many opting for the various guest houses. Boats tie up to the various moorings in Braye Harbour. Some of last years flotilla

Sharkey 18 from WSF goes on his Raider and I know a couple of other Raider owners are talking about taking theirs from time to time. ONLY do it solo if you really know what you are up to otherwise there is no reason why you couldn't come as part of our flotilla. It is no rougher mid channel than in the bay. The only real issue is where the other boats may hedge their bets on a moderate forecast and still head home, you may be stuck until the weather improved to fine.

Belated Happy Birthday Paul

A full hull survey will be iro of

Thanks chaps. I woke up this morning and the realistion dawned on me that am probably closer to being dead than I am to being alive. Great Joy!

HI Oli Can't remember if we have talked about this yet, but a common fault on the Arvor 250AS is a leaky bow thruster tunnel. MANY of them have been known to leak around the join from the tube to the GRP. Any below the water line leak would have me start looking there. It shows itself in various ways, usually they just drip drip drip all the time, others may only show up when pounding through waves...

Happy Birthday Martin! Many happy returns

Have a good day Brian. Happy Birthday!

On a foot note: I've always said I'd never be without a boat and because I genuinely love the boat I am not even convinced I'll sell unless for the right money. She is truly the best example you'll find and the tiny little niggles are really just that. I have a (big) birthday this week, getting married (again) later in the year and who knows what will be coming after that so I think I've been having one of those mid life crisis reality checks. I'm doing the opposite of most going through this in that I've had boats, driven mega speed boats like a loon, owned fast cars, currently own a big old 4x4 etc etc. I am thinking of selling my ML in favour of a Skoda Fabia Greenline 83mpg you know! Zero road tax you know! Low insurance you know! 14 seconds to 60... that's not too bad is it? The boat costs me iro

LOL! Forgot to add the coolbox (beer coolbox) and stove to the spec! Price? Mine aint a cheap one, but she is the best! You'll find 1999/2000 basic spec boats asking around