great white

after my camera started flatening batteries after just two pictures I started using the camera on my phone its 5 mega pix so the quality is fine, but even though I can get them to the PC ok as jpegs and they save and print ok, I have failed tonight to resize them enough to add a couple to the forum when I attempt to resize using paint they change but I am then unable to save the message keeps saying thet the save was interupted. any boffins know what is going wrong?? Keep it simple guys Thanks Charlie

Hi Pete I am sure you will now be fine, especially as the numbers I gave you are from my lowrance and are definatly WSG84 and DMD. I hope to be out on Sunday and maybe in that area returning from Weymouth, give me a call and if we are close enough we can check numbers again Tight lines Charlie

Thats the one, works like mapcreate but its free. just check that the settings are correct for Degrees Minutes and Decimal, not degrees Minutes and Seconds Charlie

Well done Billy Nice to see the results are still coming good. and to hear Sammy is still "Dragging you out" We may try and get across your way for a night very soon, can you PM me a couple of places on route that may be worth trying, Nothing to serious as Wendy will be onboard for a social weekend. I fancy trying for triggers and maybe a few drifts on the banks, if they are fishing. All; advice appreciated Cheers Charlie

Good advice Bob I bet like Alfresco, joint venture will have a lot of marks in those plotteres when she is launched. Pete if you follow Bobs advice it works a treat ,but remember to delete the false ones after confirming which are the good ones. I had been looking for a certain wreck for a while, I had all sorts of numbers from lots of various sources, the plotter had about 5 positions for it. when we went out it was directly below the third one we tried. the other 4 are now deleted. For my Lowrance I use mapcreate to add the info to the SD card from the comfort of my study,then load onto the plotter later at the boat, There is a free download of a simular pc based system providing your set can read a user card. I am sure Bob will post what its called. Charlie

Having not owned and run an outboard for some time its hard to advise. But someone [Gordon I believe] was talking this though with me the other day, the whole 2 stroke v 4 stroke debate. He raised a point that he had seen exploded drawings of comparisons between the two types, the reduced maintenance of two strokes could be easily explained by the vast reduction in engine parts involved. and the simplicity of a 2 stroke engine. So its down to personal choice an old tech engine like the Tohatzi are strong runners that go on and on, but they are bulky and heavy compared to newer designs and no doubt use more fuel. Fuel economy, low maintenance costs and emmisions are the modern concerns and are what evinrude are marketing the etec on. It just goes to show that its not just what the purchase costs are, its also running and maintenance costs and resale values. Alfresco has the latest common rail diesel with all the whistles and bells to a duo prop drive. It was an expensive purchase needs plenty of maintenance. But it pushes the boat at over 30 knots, at cruising speeds our fuel consumption compares very well or is better than smaller boats running more old tech diesels. With the current fuel costs, I am pleased we took that into consideration when deciding on our engine. I hope that helps, but its only one opinion Charlie

Hi Bob The newer chart that I checked at work today stated the WGS 84 datum could be taken from the chart. An older chart in a frame in the Clubhouse was WGS 72 [i have not even heard of that one,] I thought it was all 84 or 36 but I know there were loads to select from on my last DGPS set. Pete those numbers should be good now mate, better get to a wreck and test that reel. Tight lines Charlie

I am sure someone will post on here which Datum to use I believe if it is WGS84 positions can be taken from a modern chart. If you have info from other datums corrections are available to change to the WGS84. Numbers that I gave you are defiatly in that datum, so your plotter needs to be if you are looking for something as specific as a shipwreck. It is the standard datum now I believe, so it sounds lijke you are now using it. I have simular problems with the navionics gold in the Yacht Haven, it shows me as driving through the breakwater on the eastern side. I think it is an error with navionics drawing of the marina. When I check with other better documented things in the harbour ie bullpit , parkstone platform and haven post they are all spot on. You are right Dan is always keen on eeling trips, I am sure if the weather plays ball we will be out there soon enough. Charlie

Great write up guys and what looks like an excellent away day to the Bristol Channel in perfect conditions. The fictures really give a feel for up close and personal conger fishing. If you add a few codling to that mix I am sure that our trailer boaters must be considering a trip, although from memory there are no slips at blue anchor. Well done Charlie

Pete there are certainly some good eels on the sky, and sometimes plenty of them. She is also a good big wreck to practice anchoring and drfting over. That reminds me have you checked which datum your set is using? our numbers should not have been as far apart when you were alongside me a while back. Charlie

Hi Adam Glad to hear you had a nice dive. and I am also glad we were not trying to fish the sky yesterday. would not like to have to net a Franklin When do you divers pack your kit away for the winter? and leave the inshore wrecks free. You may be interested in looking at the wreck tours website, I believe the sky is No27. It shows a good insite into what you would see in good vis. regards Charlie

would love to Alun But work gets in the way. Charlie

Hi all After so many contradictory forecasts and no cancelation notices we decided that we would go all out for the Ray part of the comp, with a fallback plan of getting worms only if we needed them. Woke up to clear sky's and what looked like gentle breezes but like others we were surprised by the horrible seas through the swash channel and beyond. We stopped had a look at the wind strength and then decided to change plan to much nearer banks and press on. As Gordon says the mackeral were hard to find at slack, but we did not need many so soon had the anchor down. and fairly shortly after I had a heavy fish on that was determined to stay deep. When she surfaced I was very pleased to see the first Blonde to Alfresco was a lovely female, swiftly netted by Dan and weighed onboard at 25lb then returned. Good start [i was so pleased I put the kettle on] After that Gordon had another Slightly?? smaller Blonde. Tide eased and we decided to move [while the slack tide was swinging the boat] to another mark 1/2 mile away. almost straight away Gordon had a small eye of 6lb 8oz, and we thought things would start on the ebb. Unfortunatly not I did manage another small blonde of 7lb 4oz but apart from a gurnard, garfish and a few dogs it was quiet. a couple of points of interest, The mackeral were very hard to get at slack water periods but we caught them at intervals when the tide was running so never ran out of bait. All 4 rays came to a cocktail of squid and fresh mackeral. As the wind and sea state eased and the sun came on to the cockpit it turned into a nice afternoon. always a pleasure to have Gordon onboard and a specimen fish Charlie

With hugely contradicting weather forecast between the BBC inshore and most internet weather sites are we on for tomoprrow? Gardon will now be joining Dan and I if we have weather for outside. Thanks Charlie

Looks like the weymouth trip is off, due to weather and other commitments. Dan and I will be trying the comp. 1 other may be coming so I will have a space if you need it Paul. Charlie

We are thinking of going out for the weekend to Weymouth if the weather is good as I only have the boys as crew. we will probably still fish the comp on the way home. If that plan changes I will try and call Rich to see if you are still available I was getting tempted to go out much further, untill we were asked to go west with another boat. Tight lines all Charlie

No wonder they didn't catch a lot ! They're all drinking Tea ! Blinking cheek Jim , you have to drink tea on alfresco, its not unknown for the guest crews to pop the kettle on LOL. Charlie

Well I did watch it last night for the first time, I thought it was on at 8 but it was at 9, was it my memory or has it been moved? Certainly not one of those programs where you learn anything or are blown away by the presenters skills. Although he is a self confessed fly angler from the NE, I would have thought someone could have shown him the rudiments of rod and reel angling. He appeared to have no idea how to cast, how to pump and wind. and only really seemed interested in what could be eaten. The best part was when the shark moved and he ran off like a ten year old girl. Would have been more entertaining if someone had given him one of the roll ups on the squid boat and then used him as shark bait. Charlie

Hi James Happy Birthday mate I hope that you get all that you wished for. Trust all is well with you and the family, if you need a trip in the fresh air at some time give me a bell Charlie

Nice report Rob Sometimes those trips out on your own are bliss. Something I miss occasionally with the new boat being a bit too big for one man. You must of had some good mackeral "a few mackerel heads were retreived!) (both about 5 - 6 lbs)" if the heads were that heavy they must have been blackfin tuna CU afloat Charlie

Hi Guys Dan and I were very happy to help you out on Sat, it was nice of you to arrange a sunny day The willingness and flexibility of the driver/Hiab operator helped with everything but Bobs nerves. [jokes about old strops and test dates for the chain block did not help] But apart from the nervous rechecking of a few things as we went along [and just afterthe crane left ] it all went very well Please thank Rach again for lunch. Are all the auxilleries now on? and when do you fire her up for her first run? Regards Charlie

Have a full crew on Alfresco Paul D, Paul R, Alun J, Dan and I we will help to swell the numbers CU afloat Charlie

Hi Steve and welcome to the Forum, a fine place to start gathering advise and snippets. However the best way without any doubt is to join the Club over the winter and start to join in with the fishing. I may be speaking out of turn but I am sure offering Martin a test drive/ fish on your boat would be a big help. Our ex Chairman could talk you through the various fishing in all of our Club waters. While we can not match your 50 knots I am more than happy to offer to buddy up when you start exploring the wrecks Charlie

I was sorry that I forgot that this program was on But even though I have very thick skin and have done plenty of fishing and shooting It does not sound as if I would have enjoyed watching this program. It seems hard to complain about something you have not seen, but it does not sound as if this sort of footage is doing anything to help the image of us RSA's. It also shows how far the Yank hunters in some states are behind the times, During poor weather we do watch a fair bit of fishing on cable and other shows make a great effort to show how well fish are treated and really push catch and release,[Paul Young, Henry Gilbee, I Fish, Rex Hunt John Wilson to name a few] it sounds like these shows deserve the time on mainstream TV, rather than this trash. Charlie

So sorry to miss you out Dan With so many Members its hard to keep up I hope that you too had an awsome Birthday and got lots of shiney fishing kit Charlie and Boys