Adam F

Pro Tackle is actually Loni's - and is owned by the other shop in New Miton. I have always had decent baot from there, maybe just a poor batch. Bournemouth Fishing Lodge in Moordown is probably the next nearest - Neil usually has decent bait also. Adam

I sort of follow the plan, but am struggling on one point - So you have these plastic tubes mounted on the stern, pointing down...you simply then just load up a sausage of Magnet and send it down the tube to the bottom? Presumably the magnet will be frozen? - if so, here is my problem - ice floats, hence when you drop the frozen magnet into the water it will not sink?? Adam

Works better out aloud... Man walks into a bar with a giraffe on a lead. He orders a pint and the giraffe curls up infront of the fire and falls asleep... Bartender: 'Are you going to leave that lying there? Man: Its not a lion, its a giraffe! ....Ill get me coat!

Patenoster for then the tide is slack and the fish come up of the bottom, and the flowing rig for when the tide is running.

I can source plastic tubing from 1/2" all the way up to 12" from work for pennies if anyone wants any.

Helpful tips for this time of year: 2 and 4 stroke - Applicable for overwintering \Servicing _____________________________________________ Run the engine on muffs for at least 5 mins to clean out salt and to warm it up. Have a look at the flow from the 'pee' pipe, if it is dribbling either you have salt deposits blocking the engine waterways or you need a new water pump impeller. Remove the plugs and squirt in some fogging oil ( Quicksilver Winterising is one ), turn engine over to distribute oil and replace the plugs. When you fire up next time run engine until it runs clean and then replace plugs. The old ones are then spares. These plugs are known to be good whereas a new plug from the box could be faulty. Remove top and bottom slotted screws on gearbox bullett. Drain gearbox oil, if it is clear you are OK, if it is milky get help. Replace by filling from the bottom hole and when it comes out of the top hole it is full. Get the bottom pug in quickly followed by the top. At the bottom of each carb there is a brass nut, undo it 1/2 turn and fuel will come out. Drain all the fuel from each carb starting at the top. Nip the nuts up afterwards. Take off the prop and grease the splines, check you havn't got anything round the shaft, bit of line trapped there can work under the gearbox oil seal and cause a world of grief. Grease all points on the engine with a grease gun filled with a lime based grease and give the steering tube a squirt with Wurth spray grease when fully extended. Store in the fully retracted position to stop water ingress into the inner tube. Inside the cable is all mild steel. Check the anodes on the engine, any that are 50% gone should be replaced. Give the engine an all over squirt with Duck oil, or WD at a pinch. A squirt of Wurth on all the moving linkages is worth while 4 stroke only, ____________ Drop the engine oil and remove the oil filter, replace filter and top up with fresh oil. Use the oil recomended by the mnufacturer, it is dearer than normal 4 stroke oil but contains additional addatives for marine use. It is a once a year cost so not worth saving a few bob IMHO. General _______ Give the outside a good wash down and dry, touch in any paint chips and when all dry give the exterior a coat of wax polish. Leave this on without polishing to protect the paintwork from the weather. A wash over and polish next time you use it will bring it up to spec. Take the battery out of the boat and stand on plenty of newspaper in a shed, trickle charge once a month. Top up your fuel tanks to the top and close the breathers to stop water ingress and condensation. OR empty them completely and store upside down with the caps removed. Check the hoses and bulbs or signs of cracking, perishing. Check the fittings at the ends of the fuel lines, especially the 'O'ring seals. any damage replace them. Take all the removable electrics off the boat, wrap in a towel and hide at the back of the airing cupboard, it will do them good. All the electrical connections will benefit from a dab of vaseline. Have a look at the end of the ariel co ax cable that goes into the VHF, if it is black the conducter is corroded. Cut it back to fresh metal and remake the connection. It is surprising how many VHF faults are down to this. Check your flares are still in date and any auto inflate life jackets are in good nick. Check the CO2 cannisters are tight, they tend to work loose with the engine vibes. Take the rope off your boat and give it a wash in warm water and washing powder, it picks up loads of sand and this causes wear inside the rope. Rinse in plenty of cold water and coil, hang it in a shed out of direct sunlight to dry. Check all the shackles on the anchor gear are nipped up and not rusty. Wash the trailer with warm soapy water to get rid of salt, Check the wheel bearings, rock the tyres side to side any play replace the bearings. While the trailer is jacked up spin the wheels, any graunching, replce the bearings. Take the bearings out clean them and check, if any signs of rust at all, replace and regrease. Check the tyres for damage and if you are leaving the boat for any length of time jack up and block off, this gives the tyres/ suspension a rest and stops flats forming on tyres. Grease the tow hitch and linkages. Any signs of rust on the trailer metalwork will benift from a wire brushing and a coat of a Zink rich primer followed by a cold galvanising paint. The trailer rollers should be checked for flats and the pivot pins dosed with Wurth spray grease. All I can think of but I am sure I have missed plenty, someone will fill in the blanks If you get stuck on anything shout. Sorry for the length of the post

Hi Mike - I see you found our site! Good to see you chaps out with us on Sat, and even more chuffed that you managed to find a few chunky plaice. Tight Lines Adam F

Graham Pullen detailed a 4 pint dropper made from a roses chocolates tin about 2 years ago in BFM - that would do the job!

Good idea in theory, but the resistance by the tide caused in a large swimfeeder makes then hard to use - I would opt for a large 1 pint bait dropper as used for coarse fishing and alter the lead size to maybe 12oz. AF

Sam, I agree, but - the inboard is much more efficaint that the outboard, one main reason, it gives it a higher top speed, and it doesnt actually take up that much room - you can also have a std outboard if you wish. 2ndly - The cuddy is not attractive, I must agree, similar to the Raider IMHO, but it serves the purpose and it must be hard to please everyone. I wouldnt buy one, but I reckon they are a good boat. Adam

Yes, it was our friend at Wick - just what I was thinking. Nice letter, Im sure he wrote it off his own back, and a good advert for redfinn too. Im also not keen on the look of the boats, but you have to admt the stats on the boat look very good. Adam

BW's Day: Dave - a collegue from work who runs a Warrior 195 from Weymouth wanted to tag along, they only use the boat up to 2 miles from shore as are not confident in heading to the Shambles, so I suggested they tag along and watch how its done (supposedly!!) The fog was a real pea souper - 50 yards max vis all day, and cold with it too - I guess it didnt get about 3 or 4 degs all day at sea - while you lot were basking in 20 deg sunshine!! The plotter really showed its worth as navigating in the mist was worse than at night - at least you have lights to see then... On arriving at the bank, Blue Boy (195) drifted alongside us, and after me showing them what to do they promptly landed a brace of 3lb + fish in 2 drifts!! They then had to leave, thanking me for the knowledge they sped off. It was 1pm before we had the first bite on BW, a cracking plaice of 3lb 13oz to me - huge fish, but sooo skinney - would make a 5lber in the summer, so slipped her back to fight another day. Gordon then took a couple followed by another two for me...it was then 2pm, so we had enough of the mist and stopped on the hood for a few drifts. A HUGE shoal of 2-3lb pollock were present about 50 yards uptide of the wreck, so we proceeded to drift with rag and take a fish per drift, much to the annoyance of the small 14' dingy who was anchored on the wreck without a bite! At 4pm, we navigated on the plotter back to the harbour following the Condor. On reaching the slip, the temp increased by about 8 degs and the sun came out!!! Such as shame, had the weather been better Im sure we would have stayed longer and also caught more.. Anyway nice to be out, nice to get the 1st plaice of the year...good to see Sam out with us also. Tight Lines Adam

Ive decided on Sat. It suits Gordon better, and my collegue from work who is also coming can only make Sat. Sun looks quite fishable, 16 knots F4 all day, but tomorrow is 3-6 knots winds and 1-2 all day! So Ill see you in the morning Paul - James, I think Loyal Royal and Domino are still going out on Sun, so you wont be alone. Bring on the plaice!! Adam

HMmmm...I can do either day and I must say that Sat is by far the best weather wise. Sunday looks to be touch and go - I may join you yet Paul. Adam

Hi Mike, Welcome back to the site! Its just not been the same!....

Just wanted to post a quick note to advertise Penn Europe's fantastic customer service. During a recent conger trip on Dawn Raider, my new Formula 10kg ended up on the deck during the steam home and the inner of the tip ring popped out. After hunting all the local tackle shops without finding one the right size, let alone with the gold inner and bronze outer - I emailed Penn. A reply came back within the hour and the next day a new ring arrived FOC. Quality service like that goes a lomg way - thanks Penn. Adam

Its getting a bit better - 5pm will tell when the forecast is updated. F4 easterlies forecast now, so as long as it doesnt get any worse it should just be OK. Adam

Kam, I agree - but sadly these things take so much time that I feel it may be too late in many cases....

Kam, I can see what you re saying...BUT.. We are not just a bunch of blokes 100's miles away - the petition shows 500 names and comments from people who ARE involved in the island and its tourism - we are off to Alderney next month for example. It is probably a splash in the ocean, but I applaud it in a time when little else is done apart from talks at goverment levels, things like this surely must help. Adam

I have a tub of grease, I have a new grease gun - how do I fill it up?

I suppose you need the new bucket seats Paul to provide support and to brace you against the sheer acceleration of Neo! Sorry, matey - couldnt resist it.

The intention of this petition is to force Guernsey's Sea Fisheries dept. to declare a 'close season' for bass between January and April. This is to allow the slow-growing bass to spawn and ensure sufficient stocks for future generations. Many tons of spawning bass are currently being taken by the Guernsey Commercial fleet, bass that YOU will be fishing for in the summer, wherever you are in the channel. http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/bassdebate

Where can I get some G3 and G10 locally? It will take 7-10 days if I order online, so Id like to just pick some up - the polisher is coming this weekend. Any ideas?

Weather isnt looking good for Sunday lads - winds - 25-30 knots SSW. Lets hope the forecast improves. AF

Got myself a free hire on a Makita Polsiher for a few weeks from work. It has a compound head to apply the polish and a mop to remove / buff it. I have ordered some G3 to remove the P1200 marks and already have some Autoglym to finish off with. Like Martin - now I just have to get underneath and remove the rest of the subborn antifoul!