Bob F

Duncan, I think the number of memory locations that the radio has for storing MMSI numbers is going to be the big clincher for me. The ICOM 421 has 100. The Navman and Raymarine 54E only have 20!! Like you say, PBSBAC already have ~70 boats, so 20 memory locations will not be enough (once everyone has moved to DSC). BF

...I was thinking they were something to do with the London Underground. Thanks Blueboatdriver...I think.

Cheers Coddy. I'm gunna have to take up your offer some time. Duncan, interesting comment about the position requests. I guess it is easy enough to plot the position in manually as a way point. That may have sold me on the ICOM421 and saved me

Not sure if you've heard... Poole Harbour are staging "Poole Alfoat" at the Harbourside Park on June 24-26. Used to be called "Go Boating". Supposed to have the latest Yachts, powerboats, dinghies, windsfurfers, Kite boards, etc, etc. There will also be stores for electronics (that's where I will be then ), clothes (that will be where the misses will be then ), safety gear, general advice, etc. Some boats will be taking demo trips into the harbour. Can see more on http://www.bmfwessex.co.uk# One for the diaries I think. BF

Not sure if this has been posted before, but it appears that Ofcom have plans to scrap the renewal of ship's radio licenses. At the moment you are supposed to renew your licenses annually at

...and the reason that BF was late for the launch of BW was that BF got a call from MB asking him to divert to the nearest shop to get 10 quid worth of

...oh, and I had a Bull Huss. A baby one. I also caught a 30lb eel but Adam even wanted a had in that. The eel took both our baits so we brought it up together. So, that one doesn't count for the book. BF

My daughter and son have just started canoeing lessons...they'll be wanting to borrow my groundbait rig soon, then. BF

Jack, Congratulations!!!! Fish at last!!! We heard you on Blue Warrior and tried calling you several times during the day, but to no avail. It's the Bream comp next Sunday and you WILL catch Bream!!! That's an order!! Is Andy getting on OK with his Simrad plotter? If not, I've read the manual and could give him some tutorials at some time. BF

Double groan...

I think I'll order my sign now!! Nice one Kam.

Cheers Charlie. I will have to arrange a demo with you (e.g. another excuse for a trip out on Great White). I quite like the Lowrance Plotter and Fisher Finder. I heard today that the PC Planner NT, which is the PC card reader used for C-MAP cartography, will be bringing out a Card Reader that will be able to read Navionics Gold charts, so in the near future you should be able to get full details charts on your PC. BF

Spent a nice hour or so in Greenham-Regis at West Quay Road this morning. Looking at the Standard Horizon and Raymarine Chart plotters. Chris, the manager couldn't have been more helpful and informative, even though he was having a busy morning. Well impressed with his pre-sales service. I liked the joystick and the very bright display on the Standard Horizon, but wasn't that impressed with the C-Map charts. I thought the colour coding for the depth contours was poor. Once you were deeper than 30ft everything was the same colour, making it harder to determine the depth contours. Try as we may, we couldn't find a way of adjusting the colours (unlike other plotters). They Raymarine C70 was a very nice piece of kit, but you have to go up in price quite a bit. It uses the Navionics Gold charts which had much better colour definition on the depth contours. But when you pan across the display the chart page goes white (except for a rough outline of the land), which made small panning a bit of a pain. Also, Navionics do not yet have a software package that you can use on a PC, so you can't load up way points, etc on a User Card and then plug it into the plotter. Charlie, Duncan I think you have Lowrance plotters. They use Navionics, have you been able to create waypoints, etc at home on your PC, and then save them on a user card. I also remember Duncan producing plots off the Fish Finder. Looks like I will give the Garmin plotters a good look again. I'm out with Adam tomorrow, so I'll be playing with his charts for a while. Whilst I was in the shop a guy came in to look at the ICOM 421 DSC VHF. Chris is selling these for

When talking navigation, what is a Rhumb Line and a Great Circle? What's the difference between the two? cheers BF

Bloody echos!!!!

Jack, Adam and I might be round the corner somewhere, so give us a shout on Blue Warrior. BF

Two Mexicans are stuck in the desert, wandering aimlessly and close to death They are close to just lying down and waiting for the inevitable, when all of a sudden... "Hey Pepe, do you smell what I smell. Ees bacon, I is sure of eet". "Si, Luis, eet smells like bacon to meee". So, with renewed strength, they struggle off up the next sand dune, and there, in the distance, is a tree, just loaded with bacon. There's raw bacon, dripping with moisture, there's fried bacon, back bacon, double smoked bacon...every imaginable kind of cured pig meat you can imagine!! "Pepe, Pepe, we ees saved. Eees a bacon tree". "Luis, are sure ees not a meerage? We ees in the desert, don' forget". "Pepe, when deed you ever hear of a meerage that smeell of bacon...ees no meerage, ees a bacon tree". And with that...Luis races towards the tree. He gets to within 5 metres, Pepe following closely behind, when all of a sudden, a machine gun opens up, and Luis is cut down in his tracks. It is clear he is mortally wounded but, true friend that he is, he manages to warn Pepe with his dying breath. "Pepe...go back man, you was right, ees not a bacon tree" "Luis, Luis mi amigo...what ees eet?" "Pepe...ees not a bacon tree.... Ees..... Ees..... Ees..... Ees, a Ham Bush"

Still think Strawberry sandwiches are the best thing for seasickness. They don't stop you being sick, but it tastes better when it comes back up. (the old ones are the best...) BF

Brilliant, Dan, brilliant. Best giggle I've had in ages. There's hope for the human race. BF

Familiar looking pose on a familiar looking boat. Nic eone Coddy! BF

Hmm...nice idea. Might give that a go. BF

I can't see the Wooden spoon...??? BF

Good old Blanford!!! It'll be a bit trendy for Blandford, though. We like the rustic appearance. BF