duncan

as it appears I don't have to go back to work tomorrow (well I still have to clear my desk...) I guess Phaeton should be around to take advantage of any weather window...

I agree 100% with Pete's comments. I would add that as these same kayaker's are perfectly entitled to go out fishing with and without 2 in a boat, 30ft safty lines or whatever the two critical issues for the club have to be 1. by allowing enty into a club competition are we in any way encouraging, or condoning, unsafe practice? 2. the club should not set itself up as the arbitor of safe practice. It would therefore seem sensible to simply add the words 'where practical' to the existing rule relating to '2 men in a boat' from a rules perspective and use all possible means to direct individuals to souces of information regarding safety information, as with other craft. Outwith safety my main concern would be that they will have a hugely unfair advantage when fishing for flounder in the harbour............

Really? So what are the other options? Did Charlie use normal antifoul, by protecting the leg from reaction in the antifoul using a primer?? Boat coming out in a week so I need to know what to apply? Went down today and barnacles are EVERYWHERE!!! inside the leg, in the water pick ups.... dont think a jet wash will take them off!! On the upside the hull antifoul is working great - just a slime on the hull. exactly the same with Phaeton basically as non commercial vessels we are somewhat limited - biocides are out and copper doesn't mix with aluminum. if Charlie has managed to isolate the copper risk then his drive should look like our hulls - I wish mine did! it doesn't take much biocide to dramatically reduce the growth, but if everyone did it then the cockles, clams and oysters in the harbour would suffer, along with the balance of the food chain. my earlier experiments were in the Medway where the heavy metals and paper puld by products dwarfed my trial impact (and most people were still using up left over commercial antifouling!). overall I smoother mine in trilux (or Blake's equivilent currently) and blast it off from time to time. re blistering - this is normally a product of overcoating at the wrong time. there is a small early window for an overcoat but if you miss it you need 48 hours or you get blistering. might not have been the issue but it's what happens.

yep - the shallow warm water is a nightmare for this. Having scrubbed and tugged the foot long stuff from Phaeton's drive using the tender on the mooring I anchored up in shallow (clear) water off Swanage and did the rest from the water - I find a peice of bamboo cane the best thing to remove barnacles but not the paint! Pulled her out again a couple of weeks ago to change the anodes and give it a blast - hull was great but the leg.... Problem is that there is no effective biocide in the trilux, it's purely there as a scrubable (which is pretty useless on the drive). Once upon a time I used to add SBK brushwood killer to the trilux and it worked rather well....

1 really really really sharp knife 1 dogfish fillet the dogfish first remove skin from fillets in the normal (knife) way to cook - cube, seasoned flour, egg, coat with fresh breadcrumbs that were allowed to dry a little then deep or shallow fry. this is of course absolutely no use for street cred and nailing the fish to a board (or telegraph pole) and attacking it with pliers or pincers whist swigging cold beer and watching the barbeque burn out is far more 'manly'

something like this maybe..... .pdf attached

many electronic units have a voltage readout (all Lowrance units that I am aware of do) and you can get the basic info from that including - 1. charging voltage with engine running 2. static voltage before and after trips 3. load voltages, with and without charge voltages aren't everything but they are great indicators

congrats - shell shocked already?!

KJ Howells at Cobbs would be my starting point for a piece that size as they have all their off-cuts in bins for just such a purpose. I only have Iroko lying around and I am a bit late to the thread to machine up a piece to bring down when we head to Poole tonight.....it's going to cost less than a pint from Howell's and you can pick it up anytime their open.

Indeed - it can be any make and anything! Hope the shakedown goes like a dream - and the rest of the season provides enjoyment

Well done Craig, sounds like a frustrating start finally came good - nice fish.

excellent Paul - really excellent.

MFA must cringe at such outcomes - surely if guilty the penalty must significantly exceed the benefit gained? Otherwise thecriminal activity is inherently profitable

just adding another link - this to the yuckaton which tested highest in extensive testing in one of the American mags knot article on lines and knots article

No where near Duncan. Please see my (also tonge in cheek - see smilies) earlier post aimed at individuals, including you. PB weighed 82lb PB estimated 86lb apology - in my haste to clarify I had only scanned that post (badly!) I'm sure you are as aware as I am of similar opportunities within club waters...well maybe beyond casting but not the mid channel wrecks.

thanks for the confidence Adam - and yes of course it was TIC for the sake of clarity I believe the actual fishing feat overall to be a solid combination of skipper and angler I wasn't aiming to stir up a debate over specimen weights (they are what they are) but I do agree with the observations you (Adam) make. I did predict this capture (sitting at the Maris on Friday night) almost exactly - I was 3lb out (but that doesn't make it any less of a feat) I will predict that it will get broken again this year - probably on the same boat at that 200% will be the mark by the end of the year. Whilst there are species that are difficult to find at specimen weights in our waters (ling and coalfish spring to mind) the congers are there. One more time - a great angling feat overall. Finally a question for Tom - is this a pb?

I struggle with all this fuss over what are really just a couple of meadiocre eels in the wider scheme of things

1) Adam F - Bass - 9lb 12oz 2) Alun J 3) Paul Jennings - nothing wieghed, tope circa 35lb 4) Charlie Chapman 5) Dan Chapman 6) Jon Parker (Soleman) 7) Colin Francis - Bream - 2lb 2oz 8) Bobi Francis - Garfish - 1lb 9) Gordon Holt 10) Terry Bartell 11) Dean 12) Martin 13) Paul F 14) Paul D 15) Dave Evans - Ling - 22lb 16) Peter Senior 17) Duncan Mackie - Bass 5lb (gutted) 18) Neal Sturt - Spotted Ray 4lb 19)Craig/Gas 20) andy garrett - bass- 7llb8oz 21)Will Summerell 22)Stuart Summerell 23)Helen D ( Webmistress ) 24) Allan Mac 25)Rupe Morrall 26)Carl Hurren 27)Aaron Murray 28) Tom Bettle - Conger Eel - 67lb

sig but not the way I know it - the ryoishi also shown is really usefull with thicker mono to hooks and swivels though really good thread discussing this and other knot options have fun my conclusions are that SIG is strongest slim beauty is easy and acceptably strong for most applications albright is similar strength but slightly toughter to tie

whilst no 2 is the most likely cause with normal lines I do find that doubling the braid (and even putting a twist in the doubled section as well) makes a difference with the ultra fine braid and soft mono combination. it's an absolute must when attaching braid direct to any swivel etc using a hard mono (Mason etc) with plenty of turns and the right 'return' is almost 100%, certainly relative to the mono to whatever link next down the line but.... if you are using light braid to strong mono and hook lengths (say 20lb braid to 50lb mono to a tope trace (real ones not the christchurch gang versions) then the braid to mono connection will be the weakest link and that's exactly where a failure should occur - if you see what I mean. However the failure should be in the actual braid in the early part of the knot. This would then be a reel drag setting failure rather than a knot failure......... on which subject if fishing in deep water and running fish you do need to adjust your drag settings for the significant reduction in spool diameter or the effective setting can be significantly increased over that set with a fully loaded spool.

ty Charlie - may well meet up on the return from the sound of it. D

OK we will be tagging along behind - Gas is joining me. Will leave Rockley mid morning Friday and catch you guys up either on the banks or in Braye.

1) Adam F 2) Alun J 3) Paul Jennings 4) Charlie Chapman 5) Dan Chapman 6) Jon Parker (Soleman) 7) Colin Francis 8) Bobi Francis 9) Gordon Holt 10) Terry Bartell 11) Dean 12) Martin 13) Paul F 14) Paul D 15) Dave Evans 16) Peter Senior 17) Duncan Mackie

tope are everywhere at this time of year with pack fish inshore around most features and on the Dolphin Sands conger will be feading around most rocky areas after dark - little action in less than 90ft of water during the day

it's been said already - but I will say it again........ super fish!