Adam F

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! You kept that quiet you old dog!! Have a good day. Adam

My sea test is next weekend, fingers crossed. I havent called the marina yet - I spoke to Wedger and he is paying

Jas, Re. the electric anchor windlass - this shouldnt be a pre-requisite of your selection, these can be fitted to practically any boat for a few hundred squids. As for looking for boats - http://www.boatsandoutboards.com/category/...s/Fishing+Boats Is probably the best place on the net for looking in one place, but once you have decided a short list google is good for tracking down boats for sale and reviews and piccies. From our brief chat the other day, the Arvor seems to sit your requirements nicely. The Merry Fishers would be good, but you'll loose a bit of deck space to the cabin. Arvors - http://www.essexboatyards.com/stocklist/category.php/FISH Once you have a short list post on here and we'll try and find clubs boats for a sea trial - failing that the dealers will be more than accomodating - if you need a hand / advice, again just ask here most of us would be willing to come along to help and give our opionions. Happay hunting!

.......would answer a few questions!!

Rich, My lead melting pot (a milk pot) holds over 4lb of lead without being too full and my lead making sessions last well over 2 hours - we roughly smealt about 40/50lb of lead on a big session doing 1-2lb dowtide leads. The stove does get hot, but the base doesnt and when it runs low after an hour or so, we simply leave it 10 mins, have a brew, re-fill her and off we go again. I would suggest that a Coleman is all anyone needs, unless you are going to make them commercially - the other factor is that regardless of how fast / efficiant the stove is, I still cant pour the lead, release the moulds, re load wires and stack before the lead is melted!!

You wont go near the conjestion zone, at least you shouldnt!! I'll be heading up once all of the rush hour trafic has died and leaving before it build's.....

Greys Longboat Pirker http://www.greysfishing.com/index.php?if=view&pid=122 The dogs - not an uptider to be used for pirking, a rod made for pirking. A little cheaper would be a Penn Giller Thriller, but the butt needs modifying.

Gas is a PITA for melting lead, esp this time of year. Try a Coleman Sportster Stove, I dont think you can beat these - they run on unleaded, and take about 10p to fill them full - this will burn at full chat for well over an hour, and melts lead faster than I can mould it.

Ok, Gordon and I are going up on Monday 8th, leaving Bmth about 8.30am. I have 2 spaces free if anyone fancies a free ride. Cheers Adam

OOOOH!! .......Shiney's!! Looks very nice boys.... looking forward to the launch date.

Mike, Have you looked at the Quicksilver 630SD?? It is basically the same boat as the 640 but comes with a 1.7DTI Mercrusier Stern Drive diesel - performance is still rapid and as you are on a mooring it makes little differance (IMO) plus you get the better economy and cheaper fuel - well for the moment anyway.... Resale value also likey to be reasonable too...

I appreciate that... it wasnt meant as it probably read - I dont want po pooing anyone who has a 2, my comment was aimed at Mike who is looking at a new package and has a pretty free rein on what he chooses.

As far as I know, 2 strokes as we know then in the'old' guise cant be made anymore - emisions thingy.... Non generation 2 stokes - Etec etc can be as can the Optimax etc... If you can find any old gen 2's in stoke still they will be like chips - cheap. Personally I dont know why anyone would want an old 2 though...the new gen 2's yes - and the 4's - yes.

Gordon, Go for the proper Fuji jobbies, dear but they last better than cheap imitations. Make sure they are Fuji's though - many shops will tell you that they are Fuji's, but look closely at the legs, they will have Fuji stamped on them. The best EVER were the fuji's with the luminous inserts, but I think they have stopped making them. Adam

OH....and that!!! Lunch today - fresh baked baguette with caramalised onions and sliced ham with mustard!! Mmmmmmm Dinner tonight....red thai turkey curry....!!

I'm not too sure - I am fairly free any date apart from the first w/e as down in Devon looking at the new boat. Cheap tickets would be good - I'm not too fussed about driving to London and having to pay full whack to get in....

Bob, Slice of a few decent slices and then roughly chop into chunks - a good few handuls are needed. Mix this with some chopped sweated leeks and/or an onion and mix the whole lot with a batch of mashed potato - finally, add a wisked egg to bind. Make into patties and you can add breadcrumbs if you wish... The best ham hashes ever!! Finally - we are in the same predicament.... Soups, curries, pasta, ploughmans.... Still going 5 days later!!

I know what AWOL means Rich..... I was trying to give it a different appropreation!

AWOL - 'Always Wanting One Last (cast)'?? 'All Weather Offshore Lunatic'

Does anyone have for me to borrow for a day in a week's time a handheld GPS? I would like to take it out on a boat test to oversee performance. Also - and a little bigger ask this one - I 'may' need to borrow a trailer for a day - needs to be twin axle, capable of carrying over 1.5 tons and preferably be the roller cradle type. Just putting out a few feelers..... Cheers Adam

Begining to get a little worried about your obsession Mr M....

Nice, very nice....! Will she remain AWOL, or will you rename her.... Caption compition for variations on the anagram AWOL.... ??

Mike, I havent owned a quicksilver, but have read quite a bit about them / arvor's (same boat) Great looking boat, well thought out in terms of features etc. Not made well unfortunatly, have a decent search through google - I have heard of many owners having problems like Mark - if it's a 2nd hander these may have already been put right by the previous owner... http://www.worldseafishing.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7595 As for the engine - the 4 stk will be alot quieter than a 2 stk, better at low speeds (under 5 knots) as less lumpy and smoother and not smell / smoke. On the downside they can stuggle to plane a boat compared to a same sized 2 stk, so its better to aim slightly larger in the HP stakes. But I would have thought 100hp would be fine, it's the 90 that may be a little small. Finally, it appears they spec the 640 in France with a 135hp engine... Good luck!

Is anyone going this year?? I hadnt planned, but may be looking for a few new toys Any free tickets will be found a welcome home, if anyone wants company free transport is available (I am happy to drive) Adam

Second the solar panel - BW has one, it works well enough to ensure the batt is tip-top. If you batt's are not keeping charge when you come to use them, make sure your problem isnot elsewhere (I.e alternator or duff batts) if this is the case the solar charger wont have much effect, they mearly help healthly batts. Adam