duncan

indeed.............escaped reasonably early and found peace in Chapmans Pool - apparantly the charts available in the Midlands don't show past Studland more because I was hot (burning) than brave I popped over the side with a snorkel and mask for a good hour in the shallows - haven't done that for years despite teh coastline welcoming and a caravan full of gear. Nice not to piss around with wetsuits, belts, knives, boots, flips etc etc etc as well as the obligatory wrasse and a few interesting spider crabs I came face to face with the biggest mullet I have ever seen! Unusually it appeared alone as I always remember them swiming in pairs or small groups. anyway back in missing the worst of the mellee (but it was still bad) and taking the last of the lift back through blood alley. couldn't believe the 2 Arvor 20's drifting the middle of the main channel about 2 buoys out - weren't flying red/orange pennants so I just piled by (with everyone else).

don't worry - we don't have one any more.............

heading out over the weekend but not 'real fishing' - however I may run back in quite late and it occurs to me I could try out my luminous squid/cuttle jigs that I bought back from Spain.............. are there many around and if so where?

What use up time and fuel just to go and recover a float? Come on Adam don't be so tight.......... ps I think you will find the float will be lost unless it's the snood that fails - if the lead gets trapped the braid to leader knot should fail but the stop knot will retain the float and leave it held under in the tide waiting to get back up just under the surface on the next LW slack and catch someones prop, wind round the prop shaft, take out the rubber seals.............he's going to be so hapy to have got himself a free float..............

having found myself in exactly this situation, but without the final result, ik have huge sympathy with the boat driver. in my case I was trying to help right a large lazer thingy in Loch Lomond - everyone was tired, the dingy crew were weak with cold despite full suits, and I one minute I had the boat conciously in gear with the bow to the dingy and both crew off the bow and in sight; the next we were about to help one up the steps at the stern...........don't ask how you can go from one to the other without a middle (it happened). Realised just in time. I knew better then, I know better now............but things just happen to put you out of your ordered structured mindset

battery powered aerator seems to work fine judging by PaulJ's one not sure where he sourced it though have also heard that adding an ice pack to the water to cool it down can help in warm weather

nothing has actually happened new yet EU commission is minded that there is no case for the continued derogation (well they would 'cos that's what they said last time and it's consistent with the EU regulations reguiring taxation on fuel at a minimum of .302E/l across Europe. ie they have formally restated thier case. remains with countries to respond (through EU ministers) final situation will depend on political wrangling (about other things - this is so small it won't be the issue that matters in the negotiations)

Kam 2 hands being crossed / uncrossed over head = help 1 hand doing anything my need help but isnt distress per se (at this point Mike usually pops up with 'How does a one armed guy wave for help? - I'll pass on that..............)

well done Allan - so many 'can't be bothered' or are concerned that there involvement will inturupt their day. I know I am out ofet enought that I will need help more than once in my lifetime so will never refuse to get involved...........last time we lost all the eels in the live tank but got the guy in the water (of Winspit) into the helo...........

Mike helpfull as usuall......... Tom - couple of questions; 1. Does your mate have a suitable 'friend'? 2. I have a Shakespear Wondereel 20 and have managed to get 180m of whiplash on it - would this be suitable twinned with an Uglystick 1/8oz spinning rod or would the outfit be to heavy? 3. It is OK for 2 boats to share the same slick? ty

yep nice pictures too I have always thought the fishing in that area should be better than it comes over - may just be that few get out relative to the South Coast.

Dave, Good points - excellent materials and components used - mainly US sourced and high quality eg battery switches. no compromise on style v function - look on the picture at the bow rails. Nearly every other manufacturer would have stopped them shorter and had them lower/probably one guage down too. interior will all be double skinned including below - not 'carpet lined' - but the lockers will be carpet lined! Down sides - Every HT model I know has fresh water leaks somewhere! I don't know them all obviously but I know 4 and they all do. May not apply to the sport model. General - You don't say if this is a shaft or drive boat - they do it both ways I believe. Assume it's drive with that engine and that you have about 220hp on tap through an Alpha drive. Going to give you a top end (depending on load) of about 34knots/38mph. That hull differs from the 780 I have a little but has some common features - look at the forward shoulders; pretty wide pretty quickly. Gives more space below, gives better handling in following seas but can give a bit too much lift in a head sea requiring backing off. With a diesel you can set it at 11/12knots and it will hold it in poor conditions - the petrol just can't do that. Fuel consumption is going to be pretty heavy at WOT (70lph) but you should be able to get a more reasonable 20/25l/ph at a cruise speed in the 15/20knot range - these are all theoretical figures. Not sure how the sport layout will work with fishing - radar arch may or may not fit in well! However the foredeck is easily accessablewith the walkway and offers an excellent spinning / fly platform and also works well on drifts enabling 4 people to fish the same side easily. Summary - good amount of boat for the money; price reflects the engine though. Final point I would make is about dealer support if you need any parts.....I am currently trying to source some rubbing strip after the baot was hit in Feb. Repairer hasn't managed to get it through his sources so I approached the manufacturer - who refused to deal direct and referred me to the supplier (bust) and then the new dealers. I recieved a positive response on the phone from Gibbs over a week ago but have heard nothing since by way of confirmation or price etc. 6 months ago I approached Gibbs about 2 other direct replacement parts via thier parts web section and never got any response......... Hope this helps

just the one 11lb'er then Gordon? COme on mate keep up..............

now now Charlie - taking the piss would be poor poor Charlie but poor poor Charlie is empathasing - honest

poor poor Charlie.................

like the stella bit....................

nice one Martin = I

ah well at least I was thinking of you lot here in sunny Seville............

thanks Jack - had to get up early but at least the sun was shinning tackle was my worst nightmare - what the hell is all the plastic string they load the reels with???? drifting all day; worked about 7 wrecks overall we ended up with a good bag of cod, pollack, mackerel and seagulls (not me!) and apart from spending a fair time sortingout other peoples tangles and birdsnests..........from letting down!...........I have to say it was a great day. boat was great - big heavy cat - and made mincemeat of the relatively benign conditions mid channel. cruised at 17 knots. Noel and Nick made everyone really welcome and breakfast was all laid on etc - fish were all filleted down for us on the way back too! pleased to see all the codling returned alive, and many of the pollack too (and the sea gull!) sorry this note's not up the the crazy standard but I am rushing to pack...........probably th eonly person in teh UK to be flying to Spain for a long wekend with this weather forecast.........

As Adam and Paul have said - good luck! Quite franlkly the specimin limits in the CIs are actually lower than the Wessex ones in nearly every case; mullet in Poole Harbour are as big as anywhere, the general runof bass are relatively huge, turbot on the shambles are biiger than the CIs all the time etc etc etc We have a clearly defined southerly limit; and well written rules - I find it amazing that it's even a matter for discussion but what the hell

worse than that Charlie the trip is actually work............. aquavitesse Kam

few reels under 7000 series do!

typical bloody badger.........as if you need help! I think Martin has it spot on - a balance of comps through the year (which is pretty much what we do have already). I think some of the poor weather early on caused problems, then the really good weekends............... Realistically the species basis is much the best for true competition and reflects the club better in qualifiers etc. Possibly the bream and ray next in the list.

thanks for those words of wisdom Mike - looks like I will put up with what I am given! it's not about actually catching anyway (I will check the mainline!) it's more about the enjoyment.

nice thorny