Coddy

Thanks Paul, Might just take you up on your offer as I only need to get her up the slip and store in the boat park for a week or two depending what I find wrong and if it will cost the earth to fix. Volvo prices are not like Fords! If you are at the meeting I will try to get to chat. Dave

Hi Bob Interesting article, I am not sure if those who have diesel engines know but most common rail engines, those with High Pressure systems, are not all compatable with bio-fuel and may cause major problems with seals and injectors! It seems that it is not uncommon to have fuel filters block up within weeks or months depending on use. If however thay are suggesting that an algae growth is happening in trucks which get through loads more fuel than our craft, what is happening in boat tanks? Do we need to add some of the wonderful additives that are available to reduce this happening to our fuel? Coddy

Well Bill and I were all set for a good days fishing. The weather had an improving forecast and we were in a friendly two day species comp. First stop was Pool Patch to bag up on the wrasse, pout and bream. Well after getting out of the harbour and going past Sandbanks Hotel is was quickly obvious that the sea state was not smooth, in fact there was a good swell and we saw a number of boats heading back into harbour, not a good sign! We plodded on at about 8kts with spray everywhere but got to my mark and down went the pick. It was not long before Bill was in with the first fish, a pout so he was off the score sheet and I quickly followed with a pout as well. This continued with a mixture pout, ballan, goldsinny, corkwing and a female cuckoo wrasse but no bream! As this was almost the end of the ebb we knew that as the tide turned and increased, the bream should start to come back onto feed, well it was almost lunch time so they must be hungry! I started to hear a noise like the outdrive had not locked down so I looked over the stern and in the swell I could see the leg was infact locked but the drive was swinging from side to side, odd I thought. Into the cabin and try the wheel and this was too easy to turn than normal, lean over the stern again and I found I could turn the leg from side to side by hand very easily, looked under the stern cover and the tiller steering arm was stationary. I knew then that I had no steering at all and that most likely the splines had failed that hold the steering mechanism had failed. What to do, thought the best option was to contact the Coastguard just to advise them of our situation just in case something else happens. This went smoothly and they said they would arrange for the RNLI to come out and tow us back in. So, after 3hrs fishing we were being towed back in by the Inshore lifeboat and back to my moorings, a bit embarrassing that my moorings are with the RNLI but there was nothing I could done to have to got back safely especially with all the boat traffic going on around the harbour and Quay using the auxiliary engine. I would like to publicly thank the guys for the tow back. I could have waited until longer before contacting the Coastguard but it is always safer to err on the safety side, so we came back sooner rather than later. All I would add is that at the FIRST sign of trouble, contact the Coastguard, things always seems to escalate into bigger problems which may not give you time to get things sorted. Coddy PS - Has anyone got a trailer I could borrow to get the boat out so I can remove the leg and get the steering sorted please? Boat is 21ft about 1.5ton

Hi Steve A lot of the information already given is great and I have listed some safety gear you may need if you have not already got. The following list is not exhaustive but suggests the minimum safety equipment you should carry for estuary and inshore trips in daylight: Lifejackets - A working life jacket for everyone in the boat plus lifebuoy or man overboard danbuoy or throwing rope. Means of bailing - Bilge pumps, bailer, sponge Means of stopping - Anchor & sufficient line to anchor in safety while you sort your problems out Communication equipment - VHF or Mobile Phone, In date Flares, Signal lamp or Torch Alternate propulsion - Auxiliary engine and/or oars & rowlocks Course to steer - Compass, at all times you should know the current position of your boat & direction back to safety if the weather deteriorates or fog rolls in Dangers - An up to date chart of the area Containing Leaks - Bungs, wedges, rags for blocking small holes & leaks Minor Injuries - First Aid Kit Fire - In date fire extinguisher Engine Problems - Toolkit, spare plugs, spare fuel Also wearing appropriate clothing and having wet weather clothes available if required. Much of the above can be carried in a waterproof container and will float, should the craft overturn, and you will hopefully be able to retrieve it. Charlie was spot on about the transducer on a wooden board that can be clamped to the transom of the boat. Many kyakers use a small 7amp 12v sealed battery wich will be fine for the amount of time it is in use on each trip. Similar to those here http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=19363 Many people who use inflatables use a similar set up. If you want you can get a portable GPS see a good one here http://www.allgadgets.co.uk/ag/product.asp...&pf%5Fid=AG4782 all depends on your budget. Hope the above helps Dave

Hi Mick As others have said I would check all wiring is 100% as the salt water enviroment is not good on any wiring on a boat. Switch/Contact cleaner may help on the plugs and pins. Might also be worth having a paperclip to ensure that there is no green growth on the plug or pins. The clip will help to clean the plug contacts if you GENTLY push an end into the plug contact. I think there was a repair agent in Wareham/Swanage area but I don't know if they look at Eagle/Lowrance units. Tom Bettle would know whom I mean if you PM him. Hope you get it sorted Dave

Hi Graham That was what I thought, however if you increase the diameter but reduce the pitch does the revs stay the same? Will it be slower on acceleration or quicker? Questions, questions Dave

I have a great leaflet from the Shark Trust on South Coast Skates and Rays. You can download a file here http://www.sharktrust.org/v.asp?level2id=6...id=6623&depth=1 then click on British Skate and Ray ID Guide. Print away in colour then laminate and keep on the boat Dave

Hi guys I have a question about props which I am unsure of. I know my boat prop is over pitched, I suspect I need a 15x15, currently running a 15x19 BUT what differance does a change to the diameter make? I am looking at a 16x13, what effect will this prop have? The boat has and inboard engine on a volvo outdrive. Dave

Hi Mike I had a 165 and you need a long shaft auxiliary. I bought my mount from the guy I bought the boat from, it did not have one when I got it, but I would recommend one that has adjustable height. Most brackets are listed to certain HP but a 4 or 5hp engine will work on nearly all of them. The plastic mounting pad models seem ok but if you were going to keep the boat some time, the plastic my age over time so you could go for the wooden pads but these will need a coat of something to keep them looking good and to stop it absorbing any water as so stop the rot. Suggest you keep an eye on EBay or Boats and Outboards to see what prices they go for. I would also suggest that you make sure you can lock the steering or tighten the steering collar on the auxiliary as you will find it is easier to steer the boat by using the main engine as a rudder. Coddy

Hi all Took Lady C out for the first time since we painted the hull and re-antifouled last Bank Holiday with Bill as crew. Went out to Poole Patch and found my favourite mark. First drop and Bill pulled in a nice 2lb Pollack good start I thought. We then started on the Bream and did not stop all day until the last couple of hours when it all went dead. Managed to pull up a number of different species including Scad or Horse Mackerel, Goldsinny wrasse, Ballan wrasse, Baillons Wrasse (thanks Mike for identifying these), Cuckoo Wrasse (both male and female) Tompot Blenny & Rock Goby. We tried for mackerel all day on a lazy rod but did not even manage one however we did not see any doggies at all! Great day out apart from idiots which came full speed through all the anchored fishing boats. Coddy

Happy Birthday Dom Hope you have a good one Coddy

Not sure if anyone was listening to the radio today, BBC Radio 2, but they had a section on the Chris Evans show explaining that some of the US GPS satellities are old and begining to fail. We all need at least 24 satellities to get a good postion. It seems that there could well be a problem with some satellities going down before they can replace them. Here is a link to some information http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/...18/daily26.html So if your GPS goes down you may need to check to see if it can pick up any signals. Coddy

Hi Adam There are a number of companies that members use from cheap to more expensive! However the thing to remember is how well do the respond when it comes to a claim. I can only speak of Porthcawl as I have been with them since I started owning a boat and (touch wood) never yet had to make a claim but spoken to others who have and they have been fast and efficient. Coddy

Hi Adam Welcome to the site. I would suggest you join our club, or your local club if you live further away, and get some feel of how smaller boats suit you as many don't like it after they buy a boat. Many members here are only too willing to get crew and talk about their craft. Get out on as many craft as you can so you get some idea of what is available. I have made a web site which might help you, called www.fishing-boats.info Good luck on your dream and keep us informed how you get on. Coddy

Found this information on another site. Thought it might help others Coddy --------------------------------------------- Bargain We manufacture Galvanised bruce type anchor's. Every month we have about 10 anchor's that dont pass the high quality grade we require. Normally we melt them back down but we have now decided to sell them off cheap to help boater's with the credit crunch. These anchors have nothing really wrong with them the only reason they fail inspection is that the lines of the anchor are not as smoothe as the ones that's passed. We can deliver but the cost would be very high about

An excellent bait dropper! Had one of the first ones from Terry and still got it!! Just need to add a bit of lead in the nose to get it to the bottom and then lift it up and down, like pirking, and its door opens and out falls all the ground bait. Simple but effective. Look here http://www.blackpete.com.au/bp_secret.html Coddy

Hi Rob Try this site if you have not seen it already http://www.fishingdartmouth.co.uk/navigation.htm Coddy

Hi John I had a word with my son who is a welder by trade and would be willing to have a look for you and advise. If you PM me your contact details & address I will pass them onto him to make contact with you. If you are coming to the club night Thursday you could always collar me there. Coddy

Hi all My Ron Thompson neoprene boots gave up and leaked at the week-end and I am after another pair. I have found a pair on the Veals site but wondered if anyone out there have found a better make/type. I do need wellington high boots as I launch a tender and anything shorter would give me wet feet! Coddy

Gary I use to use a wahing bag that you get free with the washing tablets for the washing machine. Great for stopping things and fish, if sandeels, going back down the outlet. Hope the picture comes out ok Coddy

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Billy Hope you have a good one and get out to those fish again Coddy

Thanks guys It seems as you get older so birthdays seem less important but the numbers keep increasing. Oh to be 25 again and knowing what I know now! Coddy

A quick call to the Harbour Master I think would be in order. If I found a boat on my mooring I would be tempted to tow it to the furthest free buoy in the river and tie it off there. Coddy

I confirm that the Quicksilver 25ltr ones fitted in my 165 Mk2 exactly Coddy

Have a great safe trip to everyone who is lucky enough to be going. I will be thinking of you as I am rubbing down and re-antifoul the hull and all those little jobs that need doing. Charlie, have a Happy Birthday for Friday, just hope they don't try to keel haul you as you pass the ripps! Look forward to reading the reports Coddy