Mike Fox

Pete, You might find that close quarters control might be tricky, but your main engine and wheel will still give you moderate steerage control if the auxiliary is locked straight ahead, though with a larger than normal turning circle. You probably would be able to get back to the bridge, for example, but doing 90° turns that way into the berth would be tricky. For close quarters work, I'd lift the tiller handle clear of the bars, and operate it in "near vertical" mode, with vectored short bursts of throttle giving you slow progressive steerage. Chances are, you'd have lots of helping hands. Mike

Pete, Your normal approach with 3 tanks is sensible, and gives you a reserve, subject to not drifting/recovering ground over a distant mark after using a whole tank. My estimate of 5 litres per hour on an auxilliary running flat out may be over or under, depends on model, boat windage, sea state etc. It's all about margin for error. The auxilliary would almost certainly be fine for over 90% of your time afloat in a season, but potentially close to it's limit on your suggested outer range. However, if conditions deteriorate or the wind goes Northerly and picks up a bit, you know it will struggle to cope, and you will probably be travelling across tide, so no tidal assistance. If this happens, leaving early on your main engine might make sense. However, if you need to use it, the auxiliiary should get you within radio range of shore (your DSC VHF may only have line of sight range - say 10-12 miles), so you can call and arrange help for the last leg back, if needed. A lot in the club work the buddy boat system particularly on distant marks, which can work well if you each carry enough fuel for a displacement-speed tow. Hope this helps. Mike

It's worth checking that current fuel lines will fit on the auxilliary engine. You might also want a good estimate of fuel consumption per hour at displacement speeds (5 knots?) in good conditions and punching back into "typical" weather such as a Northerly F3/4 , where speed over the ground will be much lower, possibly 2-3 knots depending on windage etc. For example: 20 miles back at 2 knots into a head wind/small waves = 10 hours Fuel consumption possibly = 5 litres per hour (to check!) Total fuel to get back on auxilliary = potentially 50 litres. Despite being a smaller engine, you might use more fuel for the distance if punching wind and waves, because of the total time "out". Mike

Not sure PJ would be seen out in public in a hat like that. Mike

I'm still amazed a simple short tunnel couldn't have been installed.... I feel the cost would have been lower, and with no disruption, lift times, annual maintenance, etc Mike

Found this, which might impact members: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-26567573 and http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/NEWS/11061505.Commuters_set_for_disruption_when_Twin_Sails_closes_for_week_for_annual_maintenance/ Boat traffic not impacted - just access to the area it seems Mike

Brilliant

Management measures needed are simple: - monitoring (both official and unofficial) - evidencing to enforcement authorities (photos, lat/long, date/time) - defined enforcement authorities (Southern IFCA?) - legal procedures to seek conviction at an appropriate court - defined penalties that can be applied (e.g.punitive fines and take the boat). Failing that, gun boats Mike

A neighbour is clearing his garage, and has an old Mitchell 386 left-hand drive, salt water fixed spool reel, which I offered to sell on here for him. It's 20-30 years old, and hardly been used, with no rust or corrosion, just a light film of grease, and dust from decades of storage. These were a quality bit of kit in their day. Is it worth anything to anyone in the club? Can bring it down to the club meet on Thursday if so. Mike

Or.... CMD prompt, ipconfig /release then ipconfig /renew Mike

Sitting at home listening to the wind build, I thought I'd have a look at the Shipping Forecast, to see what it's really like out there... Sea areas Wight and Portland have a "mere" Storm 10 mentioned....with sea state High or Very High but Plymouth is as follows: Plymouth Gale warnings - Issued: 1546 UTC Tue 04 FebStorm force 10 veering southwesterly soon Shipping Forecast - Issued: 1625 UTC Tue 04 Feb Wind South veering southwest, gale 8 to storm 10. Sea State High or very high, becoming phenomenal for a time. Weather Rain or squally showers. Visibility Moderate or poor. I had to look it up...Phenomenal - Wave height more than 14.0 m Glad I'm not out there! Mike

I've had a good look at this, as a sheltered marina would be useful for cross channel trips for Frisky. I can see why the location has been picked under Fort Albert, with shelter from the NE (the current danger sector), and the massive breakwater providing protection from the West. I think swell will still get in, and a NE blow will see every boat on the Alderney buoys and anchorages scurrying in for shelter...and there's not going to be that much room. An interesting proposition, that needs selling better to the locals. French villages and towns that have installed marinas in the last 20-30 years have seen massive spin-off benefits with ongoing support and maintenance staff, local tradesmen, shops, pubs, restaurants etc all getting extra trade. I think it WILL help the island economy, and the concept is good. Personally, I'd prefer to see a larger development, with space to spare even in mid-summer. Mike

Works for me Brian, thanks

Another vote for Musto here. Have used it since late 80s, and it's last well. While I've upgraded to better Musto jackets, and now have breathable stuff, overall it's always been good. Mike

Brilliant! Mike

Lots of messages for me here... - Licensing seems to have been accepted easily; - Constraints on bags and size limits seems to be agreed to help fish stocks for all - Limits designed to preserve the breeding fish - Flouting size/bag limits is considered socially unacceptable (and this might be the biggest surprise for me) - Authorities willing to act with punitive fines. Wonder if something similar would work for bass....might stop them being commercially targeted! Mike

Found this and thought it might be food for thought: http://www.chron.com/news/article/Texas-fisherman-s-photo-of-enormous-red-drum-goes-4998568.php Mike

1. Kingfisher 2. Fisheagle 3. Slice of Life 4. Awol 5. Reflections 2 6. The Grinch 7.Wishin Too 8 Freeboys 9. Yelo 10. Tiddler 11. Mistress 12. JoJo 13. MegaByte 14. Wight Magic 15. Sweet Pea 16. Tigerfish 17. Alfresco 18 Court Jester 19. Serenity 20. Star Turn 21. Just Chillin 22. Fillet up 23. Hobbit 24. Marlin 25. Marichelle 26. Sea Dream 27. Frisky Fox

Dreadful news Nigel, and I hope you can get the engine fixed as soon as possible. I couldn't see if you had identified the root cause of the sinking? - A few inches of rain shouldn't have done that, even with blocked cockpit drains. A failed bilge pump rarely causes it, unless it was pumping water uphill with the weight of rain water, and the failure caused an open siphon circuit? You might need to reposition the new pump if that's the case. - Have you checked for a split hose, or damaged shaft seals or through hull transducer, or for a damaged sea cock/skin fitting? - You might even have been holed by another boat or storm debris (e.g. a floating railway sleeper going down river in flood waters). A split in fibreglass might be hidden by antifoul etc and doesn't have to be big. It's possible this could have happened at any time, and had it happened at sea, I know you would have noticed, and probably fixed it using onboard materials and spares, but at least this way it didn't involve any risk to life. When that root cause is traced, it would definitely be worth reminding the insurers that they could have been funding a total loss, instead of repairs to a boat that sunk in shallow water and was recovered, with no loss of life. Mike PS The RNLI have tested and have proven that a 3" hole just beneath the waterline will let in half a ton of water every MINUTE....so this might have all happened very quickly!

Happy Birthday Neal! May your pressies be fishy ones! Mike

Albino?

Thinking about the benefits of economy with a backup engine, I can see why twin 25s would work for some! Mike

Good luck Allan, 50lb class gear maybe? Mike