Adam F

I had asked to have JV launched over Xmas to keep options open, but the forecast looks so filthy, I've decided to keep her ashore and wait until the new year for more settled conditions.

I'm out today but short trip Poole end.

I've got a Rule 500 gph as a separate pump for the bait tank, I like it as it's not over powered for this use. That's good enough for me, I'll go for a Par Max 4 this time. As the saying goes, 'buy cheap buy twice' or three times in this case!

What are you chaps using as deck wash pumps? I'm currently on my 4th in 5 years. All have come from Gale Force Marine which specialise in pumps, although they are all copies of the big brands like Par Max. First I had a diaphram unit - it worked well with reasonable pressure and I liked the pressure cut off, meaning you could leave it on all day with it cutting in on demand, however the head of the unit which houses the electrics and diaphram failed for a past time. To be fair to Gale Force they have replaced them without quibble, but ive had 2 of these units and maybe 4 heads. This year I changed and bought a HD pump, with a big brass head and impellor type. This wasnt meant to be heavy duty. It had the pressure but was noisy and didnt have the pressure shut off - anyway after 5 months it's bust - stripped the impellor mount and the gasket is leaking. Gale Force are refunding in full. So what do I get next? I just want something that works! A lot of people seem to use the Par Max 4? Any suggestions?

I posed a question to the guys with me on Sun. Could we be more responsible when we target the winter cod? We know they are in decline, 150 people fished the cod champs the other week, 130 blanked. Yet come Nov we all head out and target them, little else is around so they get fished for hard, and I don't think I've ever heard of one being returned. Yes, I know it's a drop in the ocean when trawlers take so much more but every little helps? They aren't he greatest fighting fish, so if you were going to put them back would you even bother wasting the fuel for them?

A mixed day on JV. Great to be back out though. I had Rob and Al on with me, the weather wasn't quite as if hoped, but it wasn't rough either. I gambled against the IOW and the big tides and stuck to a trusted big ray mark on the spoils. A smattering of whiting kept us busy, rob hooked into a big blonde ray, alas half way up the hooks pulled. I hooked what I think was a small cod, only for it to go slack and then solid and then slack again, on winding in the 80lb leader had been bitten through about a foot up from the pennels? A shark I think? A move inshore out of the tide in the afternoon, proved unfruitful, although I did sneak a 2lb 3oz Spotted Ray for the ray comp. The only downside was a recurrent fault code on the Volvo, 'low fuel pressure' needles further investigation. And then on entrance to the marina at LW I hit some rocks and took a chunk out of a brand new prop :-( Roll on the next weather window!

Book in as usual 1) Court Jester - Neal Alfie, Stuie 2) Kingfisher, Chris, Jim (Tiddler) & Stu (Non member) 3) Fisheagle 4) Serenity 5) Alfresco? 6) Hobit plus 1 non member ( staying in the harbour as first time out with new engine ! ) 7) AWOL Martin & Dean 8) Wight Magic Dave ,Ben , Craig 9) JV Adam, Al plus 1

1) Court Jester plus crew TBA (on each and every day possible!) 2) Kingfisher, Chris, Jim Davies, Stuart. 3) AWOL Martin + Jon 4) Fisheagle plus Allan, Dave (Coddy) and Jan T. 5) Serenity , will need crew any volunteers , Tony + Rich 6) Wight Magic crew tba 7) fillet up crew tba 8) Manta Ray Tomo, Paul D, Nigel,Mal, Charlie C, Dan C, Sam C,PJ.. + non member Mr Shaky Artois.... Tubby. 9) Joint Venture, crew tbc

Worth considering Parkstone Bay Marina. Its where I dry store my Aquafish 23. They dont rack the boats over 20' they store them on launch trailers, so easy access when ashore. Very secure, not many issues with theft. Great new faclities - new posh shower block etc. Close to the entrance - saving you about 15-20 mins over Rockley. They also have a fuel berth onsite which does both petrol and diesel on an account basis and self service. The downside is that you pay a little more for these extras - worth consdiering. Adam

I like toys as much as the next man, but the water we anchor is relatively shallow compared to many pats of the world... What's wrong with the Alderney ring and crew on deck?

Charlie, if Rob goes with AJ, come out with me.

Good luck with the sale Dave - have you put in on Find a Fishing Boat?

Fish of a lifetime. Very well done!

Well done mate. When you text me I assumed you'd gone on a charter.... Not on Jojo! Awesome :-)

I do actually think that something like Powerboat Level 2 should be enforced for say all boats over 16' and over 50hp for instance... It won't happen and people would protest blue murder over civil rights being taken away but it's just mad that anyone with enough money can take to sea in anything! Once a year maybe, but it concentrates just what is out there.

Oh yes, the other thing I was going to mention - which Charlie reminded me of... The knob jockeys who think it is acceptable to blast through the middle of the anchorage at full speed, strangely most of them were driving RIBS, we had several come past us at over 20 knots - with people in kayaks and swimmers in the water... frightening. Not to mention the wash they created. We came in early around 4pm - and was glad to get back in before the mad rush! I bet the entrance was fun at 5/6pm??

Good idea Steve, would also act as a quick ref point for club members and the web in general to find info if an a-like fault occured.

Like many others over the weekend, we got out and enjoyed the nice weather and entertainment. First the fireworks and start of the airshow on Thurs eve and then again on Sat with the Airshow, anchored off Bournemouth Pier. Ive never seen our marina so empty! Or so many boats in one place off the piers... Anyway, as expected it was carnage. I made a point of having the VHF set to Ch16 and it was amusing and frightening to hear some of the stuff going on. Boats casually chatting on Ch16 when Portland had issued Seelonce Mayday Plenty of open Mics on Ch16 A boat calling 'Mayday, Mayday help, help' and then the ensusing conversation where the guy had no clue of how to use a VHF or communicate with the Coastguard.... all because he couldnt get his engine started. The icing on the cake was when the ILB made contact with the vessel and asked them to make their boat visable.... ' we are waving at you' was the response.... well half the boats on the water were waving at each other that day.... It actually made me quite angry - when most of us go to quite a lot of time and expense to educate ourselves, practise etc to make sure we are safe and opperating correctly at sea, and then you get these once a year weekend warriors who really just give us a bad name! The coastguard were well prepared, and fair play to them, took it all in their stride. Rant over - off soapbox now!

:-( Bad news Nige. It's been a bad year for this hasnt it! Must be the nice weather and increased usage. I was also thinking last night, and nearly all the boats that we regulary see out within the club have suffered some kind of fairly serious mechanical issues over the past year or two - doesnt say much for marine engines! You dont see cars doing it that often. Keep us posted.

Well done Rob and all, another great open comp. I don't get to fish many comps now, but always look forward to this one, and I think the format is now spot on. A big pat on the back!

Joint Venture, Cobbs, 3 fishing

Alderney is THE place to buy them, £75 last time I looked. May 2014 it is then? Unless you fancy a quick blast over!

Wow!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xPcdIrjQ2s&feature=youtu.be

I enjoyed a cracking day out last Thurs with Charlie on Alfresco, as something of a consolation trip for the disaster I had on the way to Cherbourg a few weeks ago. We had planned for weekend trip but as the wind was due to come up we booked days off and went out on what is probably the calmest day Ive ever spent in the Channel. It was super flat, and super hot all day. Ben and Alun J completed the crew. Whilst I was gutted not to have JV out there, it was really nice to have a rest from skippering and really enjoyed crewing for the day. The fishing was good, if not a little sporadic and sadly wasnt that evenly split across the crew. Nevertheless, some good fish were caught, including a 14lb Pollack and a 1lb 4oz Cukoo Wrasse to me, and a 52lb Conger to Ben, best cod went to Charlie about 10lb. We ended the day with about 7 cod and 7 pollack, 3 eels and a few wrasse. Thai turbot fishcakes and homemade Elderflower Champagne for lunch was a nice touch.... even if I did make it myself Anyway, as they say a picture paints a thousand words, hopefully this little video will show the trip! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xPcdIrjQ2s&feature=youtu.be