Neal

Happy Birthday Charlie, I hope you manage to enjoy the sunshine. Neal

I always thought it was called "skippers privilege" - however it always seems to work in reverse when I use my boat! Neal

Tried that - even bought a brand new battery in Alderney on my last trip - for the princely sum of

Yes, to all of the above. I only run the windlass with the engine running - which now flattens the reserve battery immediately and turns all the instruments off. It didn't use to! I have spoken to the manufacturer re this problem and they have indicated it is a problem they have encountered with the alternator. I don't have the time to deal with it during the week and probably the knowledge either. Hence wanting someone to deal with it. Sam Trickett services the boat annualy, so thought he would be best to deal with it but I can't get hold of him and I don't know why? Too busy? as was the next person I called - Kev Dixon. So until someone goes down to the boat and says this is the problem and this is the cost of fixing it, I will have to keep trying to contact people and if I want to use the boat, keep spare charged batteries on board and not use the windlass. Cheers for all the help and suggestions so far. Neal

Problem with my Arvor 250AS For some reason my reserve battery keeps draining. I have 2 separate isolator switches - one for the main battery which starts the engine and a second one which isolates the reserve battery which basically runs everything else. The alternator recharges the main battery - or at least doesn't appear to drain it! But doesn't seem to top up the reserve battery, which I am sure it should do! Firstly, I have tried unsuccesfully to get hold of Sam at Tricketts Marine - can't seem to get hold of him - does anyone know of his whereabouts. Secondly, can someone else help - I need it sorted quickly, as each days fishing requires a complete battery recharge and I can't use the windlass at all - even with the engine running it flattens the battery in seconds. The boat is on a Pontoon in Cobbs Quay. Neal

PJ "I am so relieved that my favorite outfit of the past 20 years is still with me!" Is that the one that has had 2 new Butt sections - three new top sections and all the rings replaced? Neal

Court Jester report Neal, John Young and Mike Fox - joined the rest of the boats fishing off Dancing Ledge. John had a couple of Bream - largest estimated to be between 1lb 12oz and 2lb (have you got the scales? - no thought you had them!!!) Saw the occasional fish being brought aboard by boats either side - so decided to try elsewhere. That proved to be no better! Other than a near endless supply of Dogfish. Final stop, off Ballard and just as we were planning to go the Bream started feeding - but I think I had located the Nursery! ... and still catching Dogs! Lovely day, lovely weather - good company - crap fishing...... 3 out of 4 not bad - Guarantee if it wasn't for a comp we would have all caught loads!! Neal

Alun, I've been for an unexpected "swim" from an anchored boat in a full spring tide. The thwarts were too high for me to climb back on board unassisted. No engine hydraulics to lift me out. We were beam on to the tide race and I was being dragged under the boat due to the weight of me and my wet clothing. I had a ladder similar to the one shown, in the forward cabin locker, but my crew mate had no time to get it. I eventually managed to get hauled over the side, back into the boat - the bruises were evident for weeks. How we all laughed on the way back inshore........ not!! It all happened so fast - you have very little time to react - fortunately in that instance no harm was done - but it so easily could have been different - especially as the engine had broken down. This is precisely why I have spent so much time, money and effort on making sure that both me and my current boat are prepared for the unforseen. Thank you Mike Fox. Neal

Neal and John Young on Court Jester Room for another if they know where the Big Bream have gone!!!! Neal

And just what do you think you are doing?......... Ive told you before, you can't park that there! Neal

John and I fished the comp on Court Jester. Having had no luck at Dancing Ledge 2 weeks earlier, we decided to head for Christchurch Ledge. Seeing a number of Charter boats heading in the same direction I raced "Crazy Fred" across the bay to get to my one and only mark on the Ledge. As we arrived I noticed a boat 50 yds away pulling in bream - however, even with groundbait - not a bite. Alun and Rob on Gasronaught helpfully came alongside and anounced that we were in the wrong place and he shot off to the "right place" (I saw your report Alun!!! After a couple of hours watching the boat alongside pulling bream after bream aboard and pretty much all the other boats leaving - I thought it best to follow. Nothing showing on Southbourne Rough so went further west to join another group of Boats on another mark. Success at last - now it was our turn to catch Bream after Bream We ended up with a Dozen or so males between 1.5lb to 2 lb and a couple of larger females about 2.5lb - I knew that winning fish would be 3lb plus so they went back. As the tide slackened so the fish got smaller and smaller. So with nothing to weigh in - went back to see what had been caught. Neal

Sorry - I am in Alderney this weekend (shame!) so cannot make it Neal

Sorry Adam, as you say Alderney got in the way - however I did particularly like....... "With everyone harping on about a PBSBAC clubhouse, things went quiet when new chairman Paul J unvieled the building the club had bought..." So its back to you Adam Neal

Big notices around my Arvor say that anodes need replacing every 6 months - suggestion to your mate RTFM. Whilst they have not worn completely away, they have been changed - now I am glad I have. Cheers Neal

Does that mean we can order breakfast in bed - for those sleeping on board! Neal

Perhaps it needs a "starter for ten" - and in topical fashion New facilities in Alderney fail to meet exacting standards required for visiting PBSBAC fleet. Neal

For those of you wondering what fishing in the Gambia is all about............ This is what you get..........

Can anyone who has been over before give me a rough estimate of the cost of fuel we need to budget for. I know all the boats have different engines and run at different speeds. Different fishing types / anchored / drifting etc etc - So I only need a rough estimate based on previous experience Thanks Neal

As mentioned earlier...... I have an inflatable Avon tender with 4hp outboard that I will be bringing - hopefully that will be sufficient for our group requirements. I trust that it will be safe to leave somewhere whilst we are being fed and watered? It would appear that you are not really recommending that we spend too much time drifting the banks for the turbot given the tides we have this weekend. I don't personally think it too environmentally / ecologically sound to have 5 or 6 boats dragging heavy weights across the sea bed - potentially damaging the area for the fish and therefore others to enjoy. Other alternative methods may be available - or maybe we have to target different species and come back for the Turbot another time! All to be discussed / agreed on Thursday, hopefully Cheers Neal

Court Jester will be out after 9.30 Bridge - either looking for Plaice in the Swash or popping over to Poole Patch to join the rest of the Poole fleet waiting for the Bream to turn up. Or maybe to a couple of other marks....... Maybe a shuffle futher out for some Rays - who knows. Neal

Towing Willy out to the film set was proving more difficult than I thought! Neal

Ok - So now that i've caught one, how the bloody hell do I get the hook out? Or........... Ok - So now that i've caught it, does anybody have a decent recipe for it? Or.............. Ok - So now that i've caught it, I've only got room in the freezer for 1 fillet! Neal

Can I buddy up please

I bought the Coleman version (I think!) at last years Boat show - I haven't used it in anger yet - but it was less than half the price. Says it will keep stuff frozen for up to 5 days same as the Icey Tek - would have preferred the Icey Tek - but just a little too much money at the time. Time will tell whether I got what I paid for! Anyway - I have salvaged all the plastic milk bottles from the wifes re-cycling bin and now put in the freezer ready for next weeks trip to Alderney - hopefully Neal

Adam, I also cannot leave until Saturday a.m. I am not usually troubled by Poole Bridge - except at high water - so I will keep an eye on the tide accordingly. Plus I need to wait for Paul and Alun to join us and load up. I havn't decided whether to stay on-board or not as yet - but even if I do, John will stay at the B&B - that way no one else has to put up with my snoring!! Probably seems like a good idea travelling a fair way across to fish a wreck before heading into Braye. Hopefully all together. Mackeral are still a long way out so not much point stopping too soon for bait. Neal