fritchy

Hi everyone, After much consideration I have decided to offer my precious boat up for sale. My job is taking me to Cheshire on a regular basis, so I am not getting to use the boat enough to justify the cost of keeping my boat in the marina. One option is to buy a trailer and keep the boat at home, but then I would use it even less. I may still consider doing that, and bringing the boat back down when job circumstances change. I originally took delivery of the boat 5 years ago, and was unlucky enough to have one of the Quicksilver boats that had the well-documented problems with the integrity of the hull. However I was lucky enough to have bought it from the late lamented Oceanique, who supported my situation, and delivered me a brand new boat 2.5 yerars ago. So what is for sale is a 2.5 year-old boat (6 months hull guarantee outstanding), with a regularly serviced 5 year old 70HP Mariner outboard. The Quicksilver Pilothouse 580 is about 20ft, has a 2-berth cabin, with (unused!)chemical loo, and single burner cooker. Depending of course on the sea-state, it is happy to cruise in the high-teens knots, with top speed (according to my GPS) around 21/22 knots. It is equipped with a Simrad CE33 plotter/fishfinder, plus a Navman monochrome fishfinder. There is also a Silva DSC VHF radio. I also added additional Stainless Steel railings to improve safety for my children. I was advised that the boat would currently be priced at about 13-14000 pounds. If anyone is seriously interested in making me a reasonable offer, please send me a PM. Yours in mourning....

I had my first day out on the boat this year on Saturday - I think that was probably me mentioned as the Pilothouse fishing at Hengistbury Head in Smallfry's post above. It was SUPERB to be out. I missed much of last season because of problems with my boat (now sorted). So to pick such a nice calm and sunny day for first trip of the season was great. Unfortunately, beginner's luck which I hoped might return to me due to inactivity did not. All we got was a reasonable sized Garfish on a lure at Hengistbury. We then headed back to Poole Patch (after everyone had gone- we were on our own), and got a couple of wrasse (but no bream) before arriving back into the marina around 8:30. Mike F

Hi Jason, Cobbs Quay is a bit over 2000 pounds for the year for a 5.8m boat. Most things work well there most of the time. Nice loos, good sandwiches at the bar...etc. No issues so far. My boat can get out under Poole Bridge in (almost) any tide...I am not sure I would want to use this marina if I was restricted to bridge lifting times. (i.e. if I had a bigger boat). Cheers, Mike F

HI! It was good to meet you at Cobbs the other day. Well done for remembering the URL for PBSBAC. Very well worth joining... All the best, Mike F (just down the pontoon from you.....).

I went through quite a lot of thought about whether or not to put an aux engine on my Quicksilver 580.... I do not want to have to call out the lifeboat to sort me for something like failed engine/fuel issue etc etc..in extremis I might need them, but would prefer not to bother them for something potentialy avoidable.. in the end I went for two seperately wired batteries, and decided to join SeaStart - (A bit like the AA service) costs over 100 pounds per year but I felt that on balance it was better than the hassle/weight/ maintenance/fuel management issue etc of an auxilliary, but still gives me a (good) feeling that I am taking reasonable steps to avoid an unnecessary RNLI callout. I also have two anchors. I can imagine some scenarios where an aux would be very beneficial, but at the end of the day it is a question of finding the right balance... I would be interested in anyone else/s views on SeaStart. I am pleased to say that so far I have not needed to use them. Cheers, Mike F

Spent a couple of hours fishing today...first time out since February due to some problems with the boat. Lovely calm day. About 30mins off Ballard with the children (blank) before mutiny called for the crew to be deposited back at Studland ... Then went off and spent some time trolling round Hook Sands. Two makerel later I went off to Poole Patch and got two nice Bream.Then an unexpected smoothhound (my first) at about 8 lbs... my first...rounded off a very pleasant day. Cheers, Mike F

Even I might be able to find another wreck with that level of precision on numbers...I have seen a few sites that give the numbers to 2 decimal places, but this one (on the wrecks I looked) at gives 3 places. If anyone can comment on whether the numbers given look accurate, that would be interesting. Many thanks for the link! Mike F

Many thanks to Duncan for the idea, inspiration, company, advice and encouragement to make for the Aolean Sky on Sunday. I spent a slightly chilly night on the boat on Saturday (frost inside as well as outside in the morning) then when my friend and his son arrived, we set off a little before 9am from Poole, in excellent calm weather, and made good speed round to the West. Duncan overtook us a couple of miles before we got there, and led the way on some drifts. After a few passes and no luck, we changed tactics and anchored. After losing a couple of rigs we finally made contact with a conger - a shade over 20lbs - a Personal Best for me since it was also my first conger! It was also the heaviest fish taken on board the boat. (Next best was a Tope last summer which was a just a little under this. I only held the Boat Record for about 30 minutes before my friend Simon got a conger at about 30lbs! We got one more at 20 lbs before leaving the wreck at about 3:30 and heading back towards Poole. We had a superb ride back - almost mirror calm sea, sun getting lower in the sky, and a really enjoyable session behind us. Many thanks again for Duncan for showing me the ropes, and for your patience with a relative beginner..... Very much appreciated. Mike F.

Good luck with the boiler Duncan! It would be great to meet up if things work out. (Weather / boiler / engine will start since it is first trip this year...!) Many thanks! Mike F

I am hoping to get out on Sunday if the weather forecast holds good. Any inspiration on where to go (people often tell me where to go!) would be welcome. If it is reasonably calm it would be great to follow someone or meet at a mark with someone who might have a better catch record than me (that means probably anyone else in the club!). After long drive down, we will be leaving from Cobbs, but probably not much before 9am...unless I really lean on the crew! All the best, Mike F

I got out for the first time since early september yesterday (too much work). It was a lovely day, and I was hoping that after so many weeks away from it, I might be due some beginner's luck again. Anyway, it was not to be. We headed out through the swash channel, and were a little surprised that it was quite a bit rougher than we hoped (dreamed). Soon after stopping to drift, my friend decided that we needed some ground bait (!) ... he felt a little better afterwards, but we decided to head for calmer water. We fished for a while not far from Brownsea castle, and out towards the chain ferry. The only 'success' was a weaverfish. Anyway it was good to be out on such a beautiful day. Mike F.

We had a fantastic day out on the boat yesterday, and even caught a few fish. We started off by trolling around Hook Sands, but nothing happened. Then we went over to Christchurch Ledge, and then Southbourne (Thanks Alun), where we had a several wrasse, and a couple of makerel. Then back to poole patch, and more wrasse - I somehow managed to get two small wrasse on a single hook! I was cursing that I didn't have my camera with me. Then we headed out to the area south of Anvil Point to catch the period of slack tide around 5pm. When we got there, the tide was still running at about 3knts. I managed to hook the bottom on my first drop, and got had most of my braid out before we got the engine started and carefully headed back up tide so I only lost 35M or so, plus the tackle. Soon after we got a 17lb Tope...my first on this boat. We also got a couple more Makerel...and then a couple of dogfish on the last drop. All in all it was a great day out...very little breeze, comfortable temperature, Lovely flat sea.... And then the first flashes of lightning in the sky while we cleaned the boat, and home by midnight. Mike F

Many thanks Alun. The comments on your other thread about makerel are interesting...a couple of weeks ago (out of date info I suppose), we were spinning for makerel at Christchurch Ledge..the person with the heaviest setup caught most...so fingers crossed! All the best, Mike F

Hi I am hoping to take a day off and go out on Thursday....anyone else going out that day? The weather looks OK. Looks like the tide will be ebbing most of the day, with low around 4pm. Anyone got any suggestions where we might get some makerel, and then something a bit more exciting? All the best, Mike F

I noticed that my local Lidl store is doing a special deal on fishing gear next week (from Monday 25th April). Based on what is pictured in the newspaper they use to advertise the stuff, it looks like it might be relatively 'low-end' stuff. Hard to tell from the pictures. Certainly some interesting stuff...e.g. waders for 14 pounds...stainless fish smoker for 20 pounds, selections of lures etc. Fly rod/reel/line for 30 pounds etc...(may not even be worth that...but may be worth investigating) I assume it is a nationwide offer, so it might be worth checking out your local Lidl next week. All the best, Mike F

You are right Bob, we were very happy to catch something, ....and it was such a lovely day too... One not-so-happy thought though....we returned all the fish, but many of the wrasse looked like their swim bladder had expanded...making them prolapse. Anyone know whether the fish would have recovered? Or did they probably become seagul food...? We brought them up from about 11 metres. All the best, Mike F

My fish repeller was also working most of the day... With the lovely calm conditions we kept on the move... Started off drifting near Ballard Down..nothing Anchored for a while instead of drifting...nothing. Went out to the Spoil Grounds.....nothing Went to Poole Patch....nothing Then headed over to Christchurch ledge and had about 10 wrasse between two of us, and one very (very very) small pollock. One of the wrasse was about 4lbs one 3lbs, the rest were small. (one very nice purple cookoo wrasse). Then back to the Swash channel ...nothing. anyway is was a lovely day to be out.... All the best, Mike F.

Thanks Sam and John...I will keep my eyes open for you John...I suspect that my fish-repellent abilities are pretty well developed too! I will see how it looks tomorrow. I am on Arctic Turn. All the best, Mike F

Hi - I am planning to get out on Saturday from Poole...weather forcast seems good, light wind etc, and I will have with me one of my friends who only rarely goes fishing. So it would be nice to catch something...! Recent catch reports haven't seemed very promising ("pants" etc..)...anyone got any hints where to make for where we might get a some reasonable prospects? Other boats in the area would be a bonus too... (Boat is Quicksiler 580, so we could travel a moderate distance assuming the swell is OK ) Any advice much appreciated...Mike F.

Rich, I have got quite a lot of lead left over from some building work ( about 30lbs+ for a guess)...if you could mould me half a dozen @1.5lbs (any time, no hurry), I would be delighted, and you can keep the rest of the lead. I will be around Poole for Easter week....(I assume building lead works OK...not some strange amalgam) Kind regards, Mike F

Me too.... Now I just have to find a way to catch enough fish to be worth BBQing! all the best, Mike F.

I keep it moored at Cobbs Quay. With the young family, time is pretty limited, so it is good to be able to just turn up, check everything over, and then go out...and the boat is small enough to fit out under the bridge in almost any tide condition. So far this is working well, though it is a costly way of doing things...

..I am generally very happy, but I have had some similar niggles. The wipers never worked from the day of the sea trial...or more accurately they won't switch off. Route cause appears to be some water ingress through the roof of the cabin into the electrics...the internal cabin light is now intermittantly struggling too. The throttle has also been rather stiff from day 1, but doesn't seem to be getting worse. Other than that I have been happy. I have even slept on the boat and was surprised to have a comfortable night despite being 6'3". Who did you get yours from? Mine was from Oceanique... All the best, Mike F

And then there were three...(or am I showing my age)... Arctic Turn is a Quicksilver 580 too. I got her early last year and have been very pleased with her. I would reiterate the earlier comment about taking the family out only on the calm days. We had a trip to the Isle of Wight last summer...the kids were sick on the way back when the tide/wind was unfavourable and it took them a while to get any enthusiasm back....it took my wife even longer. All the best, Mike F

Sorry I missed you Adam...hopefully next time. Arctic Turn will be out of the water from tomorrow for a few weeks. But come April I hope to be around a fair bit. My friend I was fishing with was not enjoying the waves (to say the least! ) so I was busy baiting his rods too...he was OK as long as he didn't have to do anything... hence must have missed your call... He much prefered it today in Wareham channel. All the best, Mike F