Newboy

Not sure how much they charge, I'll find out tomorrow. Even if the membership fee is high, but the facilities are so good, the saving over the course of the year must claw back some of the fee. At the moment most Portsmouth Slips don't charge a fee to launch, but [almost] all charge to park, car and trailer, that is probably a tenner a go. The club is wire fenced and you know the trailer will be there when you come back. The only downside is that part of Portsmouth harbour dries up during low tide and I'd guess the slip is only usable at 1/2 the tidal range.

Charlie, it's the Fountain Lake Angling club. It's next to the bridge/gate to Whale Island. The club has over the year, built up a large membership and managed to presuade Portsmouth Council to give them the land and build their own club house and car park (not to mention the 35 tonnes lifting crane or the forthcoming slipway ).

Cost doesn't really matter, as it will cost me same/more in Lymngton anyhow (parking plus launching fee). The snag is finding Cobbs Quay. It's very difficult to do a 180 turn in middle of the road in poole, with a boat knowing you's just missed the turning Also, is there slips to avoid during certain direction of wind, i.e., slipway north/south but wind is crossway west/east?

Hasn't Rich got some gears from the USA for sale?! Does it include Rapalas?

I know it sounds silly, but did you prime the engine before you took the fuel connector off? If there is no (not much) fuel in there to start with, you won't be able to start it. I've the same dilemma as you, I used to have a Honda 4s 10 hp as an aux on my Shetland, it was rigged up to go tantam with the main outboard and it was ever so easy to start, not to mention quiet as well as economy. However, it won't fit on the new boat so I sold it and am looking for a replacement, since I can't afford a 4 stroke, I will probably go for a Seagull since they are really easy to look after and ultra reliable.

I am easy either way. My missus gave me premission to disappear for a whole day on next Tuesday and I can be at Lyminton early in the morning. Anyone else free? I think launching would have to be in Lymington as it's the only slipway I know west of Southampton, a bit difficult to read map and look for new slipway towing a boat.

Got mine last Thursday (or was it Wednesday?) thru the post. Great magazine, used to buy different one like sea angler, sea fishing from time to time. Gusangus from Solent fishing guide kindly gave me his old copies and I've been hooked since (thanks Gus). I now have it on subscription. Real shame they don't offer subsription discount (only a free beech casting type reel, beech caster in a boat fishing maz?!) like some of my other subscriptions do. A nice write up on Portsmouth fishing club, what a lovely clubhouse and boat storage and launching/recovery. Any chance of Dorset council giving us a piece of land by the sea?

I have the navman and it's great, only problem is not been able to connect my gps to the dsc. Sent an email to Seanark(?) who I bought the radio from, they were very helpful, they got in touch with Navman and got me a wiring diagram to hook up the 2 units, unfortunately it still doesn't work . Maybe I will upgrade the gps in future to a navman gps/chartplotter and use the dedicated plug.

Solent Fishing Guide does have a section on Western shore, I think it's under beach. Mainly flounders and small bass. Hythe has a very good slip, the only problem I see is that it hasn't a plontoon to load up your kit. There's also fuel in the marina and I think parking/berthing for the day is very reasonable. If you motor across the river, the stretch between the Hamble and hillend is also good for a mixture of fish. I fish there a few time when I had the Shetland, only problem is crabs robbing your bait.

If it's cost you want to keep down and only want to use the set in an emergency, I suppose you can always hide a handheld in the kit bag and only use when neccessary. I can also see the attraction, when I bought my navman, it cost me just under

If I can remember right, the M1 and M2 channels are for racing, i.e., say a club meeting and they are doing a roung the IOW race and the club house can broadcast the transmition thru either M1 or 2.

That would be excellent if you can. Many thanks in advance.

Nah, I've cancelled the launch until next Tuesday. It's just too rough. I was in Southampton yesterday and although it was inshore (by Town Quay) and was only force 4, there was a good amount of wave. Just hope next Tuesday will hold I really need to launch before the weymouth trip to make sure everything work fine

Forecast force 7 at the moment, so anyone going out today?

Either that or have a young lady dressed in bikini, that will work a treat

Yes Whippet is right, when I bought my Navman I enquired about usa model and was told they are incompatible with the uk/euro network as they use a slightly different range of frequency. You can be prosecuted for using such equipment, same as not having a VHF licence, however, when I was out a few time, I'd notice boats with antennas but no licence displayed on their portside, so I suppose it is only illegal if you get caught. The only situation I would think about getting an usa unit is for a handheld only use for channel 16 in an emergency, if the price is really dirt cheap.

I'd seen it You were filleting the whiting you caught on Adam's boat. It was blunt as a butter knife, definitely need sharpening.

Someone mentioned knives? There are a few facts you should know about knives. 1) Different job calls for different knife. 2) Blade will not stay sharp forever, despite some claims. 3) Generally the thinner the blade the sharper it is/can be. 4) Knives usually have a finite life span. Once you used up the blade part, no matter how much sharpening you do, it will become blunt again very quickly. Stainless/tatanian/...... blade will stay sharp longer but once it's blunt, it takes a lot of hard work to get it sharp again. In our kitchen, we usually sharpen the knives once a week using the oil stone. First using the course side first (also it's worth investing on a good stone, a cheap one can be

Interestingly, in this month's BFM, there are a few fish being gaffed!

Just wondering, are all propellers have same fitting or do they vary from different brands?

From the Solent fishing website, apparently you can net live prawns from the lake next to South PArade Pier for free.

I wear my bike themo, they keep me warm(ish).

I was reading the latest BFM, on p8; It was then the penny drpped for a few. Fishing with sandeels on mud! What were they thinking? What is wrong with sandeels on mud?

A battery is pretty heavy, I would say about 10kg+ each. Some items you can store in the car and they won't count towards the boat's

Who live right on the shore? Can't we have your phone number and ring you for weather report? I promise I won't ring at 2:30 in the morning.......