Afishionado

A very good point Paul. Having been through building and owning a mirror dinghy in the 60's/70's from which I fished the length and breadth of Poole harbour, day and night too. My thoughts then were for a bigger 16ft boat with a cabin. This resulted in my buying a bare hull (Island Plastics) and making my own. So some more of the same thing in a bigger boat. BUT I thought something more seaworthy would be better, along came a big 20ft open launch, full bodied, good flare at the bow, tremendous sea keeping but open to the weather. Ah Ah ! a couple of seasons later I justified buying a big Romany Fisherman (a bit like 'Furzey') so I could roam far and wide, take all my mates fishing, or the family and dogs on weekend trips. At the end of three seasons I did the maths and discovered that every revolution of the engine cost 50p in the days that 50p was worth

(please call or pm if you need me to explain what I mean!). Go on force yerself Tell all of us Ps Can I go wiv me video camera? I could sell the pic's to Have You Been Framed Mad Mike

Drown? Mad Mike

Ta Rich, I will send him a vitriolic ranting message forthwith and sign it Martin Burt. Jokes apart Martin Is it OK to say I am a member of the club and there are others who feel that not enough has/is being done for trailer boat owners? If nes' I can copy you for your OK???????? prior to sending something Mad Mike

Jack states...I have NEVER caught a Flounder,or Plaice,or Bass or Tope or Conger,or Thornback etc. [should I go on ?] since joining the club...Still hopeing..Jack 'Sfunny you should say that Jack, my catches have not been as I expected since joining the club. Having caught bass to 10lb and a magnificent 8lb 12oz plaice in my time and loads of other stuff too. I wonder if the covern (Whoops sorry I mean the commitee) have an answer for this! Hmm!! Mad Mike

Picking up on a point Duncan made in another post..........most of the problems are caused by shallow water, shallow gradients at many local venues which favour smaller lighter craft......... Would/could the club start lobbing Poole council/planning to incorparate a new well made AND THOUGHT OUT slip for Poole harbour. Baiter is a joke for those who are not as strong as an ox and prepared to wade waist deep in freezing water. There are all sorts of grandiose plans for development on the old power station site, the new bridge, and Hamworthy park. Surely a dedicated slip into deep water could be incorparated, something with a decent angle into water at all states of the tide. If So'ton, Lymington, and Cristchurch can have a decent slip or two it is a sin that Poole is so laggardly in its treatment of local and visiting trailer boat owners. Mad Mike

I take your point on...Not sure I agree with what Mike said here. Yes you do get additional windage from a Pilot House, but certainly not "enormous". What I should have said is that a Pilot house that big on a 16ft boat would affect the boat far more than it would on a larger heavier craft which would carry its way to better effect in penetrating a head wind. My main point is that on a 16ft boat a pilot house like it has, is a pretentious style rather than a usefull design feature. Mad Mike P. S . However Jeannau are wonderful in all respects and I must say I realy admire them and those associated with their sale and service cringegrovellsnivelbackingawaymakingengratiatinghandwashinggesturesandbeing eversohumble

Well I waited to see what others would say because I am a bit of a traditionalist and prefere a boat shaped boat rather than a jelly mould. IMO the Quicksilver is a styling attempt to make it appear something it is not. The high pilot house will create enourmous windage which will make the lie of the boat at anchor unpredictable and also greatly increase the drag coefficient when underway. That will mean higher fuel costs. Also I agree with Adam that for fishing a 16 to 18ft cuddy style is far better bet. For the price I have seen the Quicksilvers at you could get a Warrior/Sea Hog Samurai/ Endevour sort of boat. Having said all that the ol' 'You pays your money and takes your choice' still holds true. Mad Mike

Steve you obviously know what your doing, but I think a warning for the first timers with this method should be made. The rotating head can build up a fair bit of heat (friction) if left to dwell on an area too long. Keep the working area moving, work in a defined section say 1mtr sq' and then move on and don't blitz one patch without adding a bit more cutting paste as the mop head can scorch the gell coat if left to run too dry. It's a little like using a power sander..... Boy does it work well, but you can go too far in a flash Mad Mike

No brainer easy to use 3 day forcast, and suprisingly accurate too http://www.met-office.gov.uk/weather/europ...alsouthern.html Click on the B'mth or Poole heading for a 5 day forcast Mad Mike

OK you win LOL Mad Mike

Ancient Buddhist script.........You can fish for whatever you want glasshopper, It is whether the fish are there that only the fish know I know the feeling, but Feb/March is the time of year that sea fish seem to go totaly off feed. Most of the inshore species are off somewhere doing fishy sex and the fish that come inshore in December/January (Cod & Whiting) slidedle off back into deeper water. There may be the odd flounder about in the smaller channels and creeks, fish the channel edges into the shallow sides of the channels. Take a book too Mad Mike

aayy, pardon, what was that you said HE SAID SORRY ABOUT THE SHOUTING DEAR! THE SHOUTING !! HE SAID HE WAS SORRY........... Daft ol' pillock he's got his 'aid switched off again.....Just smile at him and nod . Mad Mike

Nice site thanks Mad Mike

If she was a car I'd say she needed a good wash, T-Cut and polish. What do people use to achieve this on their boats? XXXX One needs to be a bit carefull here. If one ever intends to paint the boat then using silicone car polishes could make later paint jobs bead and/ or dimple. XXXX One 'household' product I have found good on GRP Gell coat is Astonish or Jif cream cleaner. T Cut is good as are most amonia based mild abrasive cleaners. Also, what do people use to polish up perspex? i.e the windows and windscreen. XXXX Only soap and water!!! Any attempt to polish Perspex will fail dismally as it is too soft and a billion fine scratches will be cut into it making it haze. Small areas can be cleaned very gently with jewlers rouge. If it is well scratched and crazed the only recourse is to replace it. Finally, where can I get gel coat filler in 'Stone' rather than white? Got a few little dings to sort out... XXXX The answer is yes and no...... Yes one can get it but only in large batches as with any other colour, small amounts just would not be worth making up. Use white Plastic Pading Gell Coat repair and touch in with model enamel to the right colour when set and rubbed back Mad Mike PS for all GRP stuff, there is a specialist supplier just the Hamworthy side of Pool Bridge. Expensive but huge stocks of everything.

Hi Crezz, THERE'S NO NEED TO SHOUT!!! It's ok to talk normaly we will be able to read your messages easier Fixed is better as it has a greater range and usualy the aerial can be placed higher up. Most of the fixed VHF sets can be mounted to be demountable at the end of the day so you can take them home. There are several guys with Orkneys and 25hp should be more than adequate for most of the waters fished. Traveling time will be longer of course but the Orkney is a very sea kindly and safe hull. It will get you safely home in a miserable sea and when it's lumpy most of us go for a safe and smooth ride rather than banging across the waves. Mad Mike

As you well know Paul it aint wot you got it's wot you does with it Mad Mike

Or if fishing for Chondrichthyes. It's a Ray dear. ??

Here's one divined from.... http://www.wordsmith.org/anagram/anagram.cgi?anagram=raider Rare id (id = primitive instincts and energies underlying all psychic activity. Or simply I.D . as in ID card) Mad Mike

BUT - The trim tab cannot be turned so the leading edge turns to the right ..... The manual states "turn the rear of the trim tab to the direction of the pull". ( I am presuming the rear of the tab is the trailing edge ). Isn't that just what I said? If you move the rear of the trim tab to the left to correct a left pull then the leading edge of the trim tab must be vectored right. It does act as a mini rudder. it is the same principal as used on aircraft trim tabs. These are adjustable from inside the cockpit and setting them is one of the pre and post take off checks. particularly on small single engined aircraft as these suffer similar (not the same) torque effects from engine/prop rotation. Mad Mike

Any Germans in the family? You could go all 3rd Reich and call it ...... Admiral Raeder A bit gung ho with.... Dawn Raider or down beat with... Over Raidered Mad Mike

Steamed fresh bass, baked sweet tomatoes in olive oil, a glass or three of vino verdi, followed by a glass of beautiful rich port and a snooze in the sun. Or Sitting on a heaving boat in a cold wet draft of spitefull wind, fingers numb, and fishless after six hours. Go on ask yourself do you realy want to go? Mad Mike

Realy? How would one prepare and cook them Kam? A couple of years ago when on one of my family days on the beach off South Haven we saw a family of Oriental folk gathering shore crabs like mad. I guessed they were not going fishing with them but have wondered ever since if shore crabs were edible and how one went about cooking them. Mad Mike

Exotic crabs in waterway invasion Mitten crabs have spread as far north as the River Tyne An exotic Chinese crab that preys on British native species is on the verge of taking over the country's major waterways, environmental experts warn. Mitten crabs were first brought into Europe in ships' ballast water. The UK spread has been most marked northwards to the River Tyne and on the south coast westwards to the Teign. A study by researchers at Newcastle University compared their invasion to that of grey squirrels, which pushed native reds to the verge of extinction. The study authors predict the mitten crab - so called because its claws are coated with small clumps of dark brown fur, or mittens - has the potential to establish itself in all major UK estuaries in several years' time. 'Drastic measures' The crabs are already present in some waterways, including the Thames, Humber and Tyne rivers, and parts of the North Sea and Channel coasts. They survive in both sea and fresh water, prey on protected native species, such as white-clawed crayfish and salmon eggs, and can destabilise river banks by burrowing into them. Dr Matt Bentley, a member of the research team, said: "The pattern of the spread in the UK since the 1970s mirrors the spread in mainland Europe and in the Baltic region which experienced a major outbreak. "This is a fairly good indication that the UK is set for a similar situation." The study, published in the academic journal Biological Invasions, recommends that a nationwide monitoring and trapping system for the crab be introduced before it is too late to control the population. Dr Bentley added: "With most invasive species, such as the grey squirrel, the problem is not recognised until it is too late to do anything and you cannot eliminate it without taking drastic environmental measures." Mad Mike