Sinbad

BTW, I never worked out how to cancel the advert once it had been placed, so I was still getting enquiries 6 months after it had sold. After a month, I think it gets placed in the free paper which is circulated nationally. Paul

I make it three... Sammy, SplashOut, OOTB (or has she sold already?) Now you could get a whopper for all that cash if you guys clubbed together!! I dont know if the boat market is still as strong, but Boats and Outboards reaches millions, and its free! Good luck chaps, hurry up, Alderney beckons...... Paul

By the way, isnt the correct spelling Doh! ?

When I first started boat fishing, I bought a Fladen boat rod for 10Quid from ashley heath boot sale (yes I know, it was probably stolen....) 7 years on, its still going strong, refuses to be destroyed.... Its not all bad, depending on how you treat it!! Paul

James Also, perhaps consider your insurance... When I put my boat into a swinging mooring in Poole, they would only insure for 6 months, march31 onwards. OK so someone may post with a great insurer who does 12 Months, but I wouldnt want to leave it in the harbour all year... thankyou. Maybe you can compromise with 6 months outside the house in the rough weather when her indoors isnt outdoors, and then get it away from the view of the windows from April onwards. Paul

Thanks for all the bday wishes - unusually, I'm spending a few days working in London on business, so couldnt take the day off which is my usual plan.... But... it has its compensations, as we are taking our Japanese client out to Michel Roux's restaurant tomorrow (its a tough life), and the scallops better be first rate! or shall I choose the turbot, and which wine to go with, or even champagne..... Guess who's picking up the credit card bill.. just hope they dont want to go 'clubbing' later on... it will be a case of a 'fish out of water'... Paul

Rich One of the joys of living in a highly populated area, with 1000's of people /sq mile - and you go 4 miles offshore, and the population reduces to 2 people / sq mile !! Hope you get used to 'outside' very quickly and enjoy many more peaceful and productive sessions... Paul

Trev Mines about 17 l/min and 4 bar - but its not really plumbed in properly through the hull yet - I use it mainly to flush the engine on the mooring, but will be converting it to full deck wash function soon. It looks exactly the same as the Jabsco, only half the price.... Its not as quiet as a rule type bilge - so I'm going for the charlie mark 1 over the side job, for the limited time I plan to spend with a livewell.... Regards Paul

It sure was a great day, almost warm enough without the float suit, absolutely no wind, and really flat seas. We were only beaten out of the marina by the full dredger, heading out by 0830, but we soon passed him in the harbour, and we were the only ones for miles around (bugger of a commute out to the office!!) Anyway, a nice super flat steam out to the mark, without hammering the engine, and spent a nice few hours at the first spot, collecting jumbo pouting and the odd smaller whiting. Squid baits were being left on the hooks to wash out, with the frozen Mackerel doing the business again and again. It wasnt really until the ebb tide, that the squid seemed to score equally, and we didnt have long enough to really test the theory...But just amazed that the whiting kept going in a steady stream of bites all through the slack into the ebb. We filled our cool box, but many smaller ones were returned with an 'au revoir' for next year. A quiet and peaceful day all round, just watching our rods and a pair of trawlers passing south of us, then swinging inshore to circumnavigate us once more. ( no wonder there's nothing left inshore) Just around 4ish, saw what looked like the swanage lifeboat attending the only other boat in sight some mile further to the west than us, and heard Tom Bettle over the radio, who must have been between sales at the time, and rushed out to answer the call. (OK sorry, wasnt monitoring ch16...) Apparently it was a flat battery... We had our fill by then, so cleaned the fish (thanks to Alun), and headed in. Was a bit like a Hitchcock film (the birds?) with about a hundred gulls going into a feeding frenzy, when Alun lobbed the whole bucket of guts (must have been 5lb or so) off the back of the boat..... Possibly the last trip for a while for me, but seems the whiting might stay arround for a few weeks more, and there are still plenty to be had. Paul

Trevor, Galeforce marine is a small business, just doing pumps - the one I got stopped working suddenly after two weeks, so the guys replaced it post free, and its worked ever since. Mind you, I wouldnt use it for a livewell - too much pressure, not enough flow!! Paul

The great thing about Monday, rather than Sunday..... Its a work day, and I've got the whole darn thing off!!!! Hope it'll more sucessful than Forest Gumps shrimping trips - you have to see it to know what I mean... We've plans for a few whiting, but there's always a chance of a bonus fish if you're fishing with the 'master harvester' tight lines all those going out tomorrow! Paul

So, the unit is still for sale I've one firm offer so far, if there are no more takers by Friday this week, it'll go. Paul

Terry Within the club moulds, there was an ajusti mould, went from 4 -9 ish Did you find it, or were you intent on making a new Anchor? 28lbs is a tad heavy for our sort of work..... Best of luck for tomorrow, should have a perfect day! Paul

Makes you glad you have a boat, and are not trying to surf cast over that lot.

BTW Memo To: Weight makers Guild I think Neal has the right idea, get someone else to make - with your lead - I managed get a right headache before I realised it was probably atomised heavy metal ions destroying my brain. Note to secretary, open the Window....

Dear keeper of mould, and his mouldling, I've got a hole in my roof, and will have a barrow full of lead in due course. Please could I borrow said stainless wire and moulds, when the heat has died down.? Paul If keeper of moulds would like to have some clamps, I'll put a set in the plastic bin as fair payment for the wire. (ps it hasnt rusted yet, not like my stainless pliers)

mike it will need an external aerial to be purchased if you have it inside your 625. I've got to check with my colleague at work if still available I'll post here Monday Best offer secures... Paul

Like a certain UPVC door - Still Available!!!! Offers arround 100??? its got to be worth that suit 16-18ft open boat, or fit an antenna. Paul

I hear that, plans for concrete encapsulation in the construction have been abandonned, in favour of wood..... depending on what 'turns up'

Or you could do what I did, and bought a french crap Mitchel for

Terry, I can vouch for the Conolon Pro 12-20lb - masses of rings, and very tough, but it'll fish happlily inshore for the bream and matched with a 7000, out in 30m. I give up around 12oz downtide, but it has so much left in the butt section. Paul

Charlie You know I want it!!!!! I thought I had enough doors what with the changes we've been doing to the back of the house, then the builder split the frame and put the old door on the back of his truck before I could stop him, so I'm minus one door now.... Pick it up this w/e? or to suit you... Regards Paul

Come on chaps - be positive!! could have happened in the middle of the real fishing season.... at least its got 2 months to travel up the solent and out of our area. Presumably it will go east and then up north? Paul

Hmmm Chris..... there's no such thing as a boat that runs on fresh air - (if only). I was worried about the cost of fueling up, and diesel or petrol arguments...but as others will probably tell you, there are so many other factors with the type of drive unit that the fuel cost is marginal. (e.g draught, servicing costs, availability of diesel (none in christchurch for example...) Also There's guys that harp on about how cheap their diesels are to run, and only potter arround the harbour once in a while, so are hardly going to notice the fuel costs anyway. If you're going to make passages down the coast on a regular basis then fuel is something to worry about. I'd rather have the fun and performance when I want it, rather than not having it in the name of a few more mpg. I'd serriously recommend talking it through with a few members - you might get a few test rides as well - which you wont get from most dealers / boat show vendors Paul

Charlie I'm trying a few recipies.... latest one is red and green chilli soda batter, wok fried and with a sweet chilli dip. That should get rid of the taste I suppose I need the practice as well at landing a few, as I kept on geting bitten off on the last outing, so have gone up a level on the trace and hook. I lost my stainless 3" washer /lock over the side in the marina, so if the dredgers turn it up, I'd be grateful.... Paul