LilBrit

What you planning then you sneaky old git? Because I'm going after the mother of all cod I've always fancied one of those Norway trips!!!

What you planning then you sneaky old git?

Drat! Would have moseyed on over for this if we hadn't already booked to take the ankle biters out on the boat this weekend Should be a few big uns hanging around at the mouth of the harbour by now. Have fun guys!!!

They used to get the Porgies just South of the Island. I fancy a go at the sharking if the weather picks up before we go back to Portland.

Did the Lymington to Yarmouth trip a couple of times in the QS620 while on hols with the uvver arf. Dropped her off at Yarmouth then went fishing, she seemed to find enough to do there for the day. Most of these harbours get all sorts turning up so they aren't going to send out an armed patrol if you go alongside somewhere that isn't ideal, just give the harbour master a call up and ask him where you can moor for a short while. Likeliest thing to naff them off is going in over the speed limits, they are usually well signed anyway.

Nope, he's right, he always looks like that. I reckon its from years of doing that serious face you get just before the mechanic tells you how badly bollixed your car is and how much it will cost to put right.

Ain't he a miserable looking old git though! You would have thought he could crack a smile with those two kippers on board?

Im sure I can get Rid of those screws as well maybe areldite or the like . maybe a strip of wood either side to help keep it on the platform. I think them chopping boards are just a large peice of ptfe . version 2 with added updates is already in the planning stages. Most of the chopping boards will be polyethylene or polypropylene I'd guess? I'm going to use a piece of the latter for my boat cutting board. You'll do well to glue any of that family of plastics so fasteners of some sort will be better. Self tapping screws maybe? You could get yourself a bit of 12mm thick for not too much cash from your local plastics stockist..

Looks good but I'd make sure those countersunk screw heads are flush or you may snag the rode. How about giving it a coat of resin and a bit of fibreglass matting?

I have a star shaped spanner thingy with mine which fits into the outside of the revolving drum or is that the wrong one? Paul Paul Yes, that is the spanner to operate the clutch mechanism.... Personally I don't like that method on those winches with a mixed rode (rope and chain) because there is a risk that the rope may catch on the splitter whilst running out under load (which causes a problem then and will probably require taking it all apart to repair/replace the splitter.... Use with care. As to the issue of whether to snub the anchor rode or leave on the winch - again when using a mixed rode in deeper water your only real option is to tie the rode off to a bow cleat (in the absence of an anchor post) and this brings a lot of other hazards into play IMO. If I was leaving the boat at anchor then I would transfer the rode to a cleat. Different if anchoring is shallow water to all chain, in which case I snub it with a chain link spliced to 1m 10mm nylon and an eye for the cleat. Not sure I was very clear about the spanner and where it fits; it isn't the one that goes on the outside diameter it is the one that fits into the face so not quite sure if that is the right one? I thought the one I am looking at is for freeing off the winch manually if it gets jammed? Thanks for the input and once again apologies to OP for wandering off. Maybe start as a new topic if it is getting annoying? Paul

Thanks for that, I've had a few bits of info on places to try but always keen to have a few options on the plotter. Two Orkney 24's with the same name and both of them the white hulled version Paul

Do you rely on the winch to hold you at anchor then or do you tie off at the front to take the strain off it? I have a star shaped spanner thingy with mine which fits into the outside of the revolving drum or is that the wrong one? Looked at Lewmar adverts and some seem to have a free spool sort of device fitted while others don't. http://www.lewmar.com/assets/img/dataset/M...e%203%20WEB.pdf Mine doesn't have the release button on the face of the gypsy cover, wonder if that part is interchangeable? Apologies to the OP for wandering off topic slightly. Paul

Paul. Ihave electric winch on marichelle and we drop anchor in free running capstan and anchor fine, must admit its a bit slower coming up though. . New to this winching lark, are they all fitted with free running capstan mode? Can't see how mine would work like that but it would be handy! It is a Lewmar winch.

Interesting post, I'm thinking of alternatives to the electric winch for the new boat as it is a slow job dropping the anchor in deeper water. I will probably use the same Alderney buoy method as with "Eileen" but maybe go up from the 5kg Bruce. Had the same issues as the OP when retrieving the chain over the side of the boat and used to lay a rubber car floor mat over the gunnels to try and keep the damage down. Nigels idea of a bow roller is interesting, it doesnt have to stand too much weight and as it tapers in from both ends to the middle should help keep the chain in the roller. Guess it would be ideal to make it quickly detachable so it isnt in the way while drift fishing? Paul

Cheers Charlie, I've not met with many people who are looking forward to the Olympics, I reckon us "winning" the bid was a tragedy. Major disruption and horrendous as yet unknown cost to the public, ticket sales a farce and we haven't even started. I doubt we will get away without some terrorist activity. Planning to make the most of the stay up Pompey way, already got a few marks pointed out to try, just need the weather to pick up a bit during July. Paul

Pretty quiet on here so thought I'd post up a bit of a report on the new boat. I went down to Falmouth early June to give the boat (Orkney 24 Pilothouse) a shakedown before the WSF meeting. She runs very well on a 240hp Yanmar diesel and is a great boat out in the rough. Had a few niggling problems which I knew about before the purchase so decided to sort then while the weather down there (and by the sound of it, everywhere else) was pants. First job was to replace the bilge pump as the old one had the wire to the "auto" side corroded through. Soon got a sparkly new floatless Rule fitted and working, all the joints sealed up with self amalgamating tape. The other thing I noticed while working in the engine bay was rubber dust from the alternator/water pump belt, it was soon apparent that the wrong belt had been fitted that was too narrow so sitting deep in the "V" pulleys. I whipped it off and in the process learned how to do the job (always worth familiarising yourself with this in case it breaks at sea!) and fitted the spare which came with the boat. To get the correct belt tension the back of the belt was only about 1mm clear of a protuberance on the front engine casing so I wasn't too happy with that. Went in to the local car shop and got one 25mm shorter but couldn't adjust the alternator in far enough to get that over the pulleys so put the spare back on and kept a close eye on it for signs of wear. I was aware that there was a slight water leak through the front cabin bulkhead at the top on the starboard side, there is an area of very badly laid up fibreglass just under the deck up front where it joins the top of the bulkhead. I was able to get the ipad in there via the anchor locker and took a couple of photos. As this was a manufacturing fault I contacted Orkney to ask what their comments were. First answer was "stick a bit of silicon over it" I suggested that it would make a later, proper fibreglass repair more difficult. I then emailed them with all the details and photos and several days later having received no response phoned again, the guy I spoke to went off to look on somebody else's desk and came back with the updated comment "there is a note on xxxxxx's desk saying tell him to fibreglass over it". I suggested that as an obvious manufacturing defect they might like to consider looking at the job but apparently "it is a difficult place to get to when building the boat and is not a structural joint" Seems rather odd that the front bulkhead joint is considered to be of little importance? If nothing else the integrity should surely be sufficient to render it waterproof? Also that such a slapdash attitude is acceptable? Surely if it is known to be a "difficult place to get to" additional attention should be paid to getting it right? The conversation went on to "there could have been other, previously repaired damage that has led to this" I assured the guy that there was no evidence to suggest that. The lay up was so thin and dry right up in the corner that I actually poked my finger through the fibreglass from the anchor locker into the cabin!!! I asked if there were any other "difficult" areas that I should check for my own safety, as yet no reply. The WSF meeting was interesting and it was good to meet up with other boaties even if the weather and fishing were not great. After the meeting I had to take the boat from Falmouth to Haslar so set off on a rare sunny day to make the first hop to Portland. It was a really great trip of just over 100 miles; I headed straight across to Salcombe, passing the Eddystone Reef on the way then once round Start Point pointed the nose at the Portland Race and carried on. I'd have liked to tried the Skerries on the way but decided to keep on the move although to break the trip up I did try one or two wrecks that were on the flight path. Arriving at Portland I put the boat through the race where the bass boys were charging up and down and she didn't flinch. Very reassuring to have seakeeping of this calibre but not of course an excuse to take unnecessary risks! It took around 10 hours in all to do the trip and I used 185 litres of diesel which included going into Weymouth for fuel. While in Weymouth I went into the Yanmar agents chandlery and picked up a genuine alternator belt, took it back and fitted it and it is now spot on. Bit tight to get over the pulleys but now plenty of clearance all round so a lesson in fitting genuine spares in critical areas. Whoever fitted the narrow one was very irresponsible IMHO, had it snapped at sea he engine cooling would have failed. With a few days to kill I had a day out with another Portland berth holder on the Shambles, nothing much doing unfortunately but it is well hammered out there and surprising there are any fish left at all. There was even a small trawler going back and forth across the banks while we were there. Weather started to look iffy again midweek so I decided to make the next leg of the trip from Portland on Thursday 21st. Set off mid morning to try and make use of the tide and headed out to miss the Lulworth ranges. It was a snotty grey day with poor visibility, rain, stiff breeze and generally a total contrast to the first leg. Not many other boats out there so I just shut the cabin door and got on with it. By the time I got to St Albans ledge it was getting "lively" so I set my course for what looked like the worst of it; there was a potting boat out there rolling about like a cork and a big lifeboat on a similar course to mine but a mile further offshore. The boat sailed through it with no slamming or wild pitching, very impressive handling IMHO. After St Albans I set a direct course for the Solent and headed on, the sea if anything flattened quite a bit across that part of the journey and not long after we were in the gloomy Solent and then on, in relative shelter, to Haslar. The weather overnight picked up quite badly so it was the right day to do the second leg. Wind didn't let up over the weekend so I did a bit of sightseeing in Portsmouth then picked up a hire car Monday to drive back and pick up my car from Falmouth. All in all an interesting few weeks, not much good in the fishing stakes but hopefully we can do a bit from Haslar before taking the boat back to Portland after the Olympics. Boat wise I'm very impressed with her, she has all the facilities to make a stay of several weeks very comfortable, is a great boat at sea and a spacious fishing platform. Reasonably economical to run at sensible speeds and not too expensive to put on a berth. Still awake? ;-) Paul

Noticed that the bilge pump wasn't working on the auto setting so have replaced it with a new Rule jobbie while sitting about at Falmouth watching the weather get worse! Paul

Please let me know how you get on with it as I'm going to need a fishfinder upgrade on the Orkney at some point.

Glad to see you enjoying the new boat, you don't seem to be using many smilies in your posts though? LOL Hope my boat is still there when I go back to Falmouth next week

Probably best to live onboard your boats for the duration then guys. The bastard thieving pikeys are bold enough when plod are supposed to be about, WTF will it be like when they've announced they won't be!!! Apparently the Optimax electronics box has a record of the serial number so once Barrus have alerted the dealers it should trigger if the new owner (sic) tries to get it set up or serviced at a main dealer. It's probably not even in the country by now and trailer theft is so rife that the likes of Ifor Williams are tripping over themselves to run a database of owners to reassure customers that there is a chance of getting their trailer back once stolen. Not sure what the recovery rate is, I'd guess it ain't too impressive. Seriously naffed orf by the whole experience to be honest.

Barrus have been informed so we will have to see, insurance sounds like it will pay up but that still leaves me to find a replacement 115hp motor. Very much doubt I will get another in such good condition :-(((

Been a spate or robberies in the local area recently, I'm expecting them back to get the ride on lawnmower, motorbikes and rotavator that I've just been doing up. Police never seem to find a clue or have any idea where the stuff goes to. One of the neighbours had a car fitted with a tracker stolen, tracked it himself to the pikey site where it was "resting" and called the police, they turned up but wouldn't go in, when the guy said he would go in and fetch it himself they said he would get arrested for trespass. Is it just me or do we live in a seriously f**ked up country??

Apologies to the moderators for posting this in a couple of different sections but I wanted to get the info out as far as possible. We have had the 115hp Optimax stolen from the back of the boat last night while it was parked up on the trailer in our paddock. The scumbags also stole my Ifor Williams trailer, chainsaw and the kids quad bike. So if anybody is offered a second hand Optimax that sounds a bit dodgy please do let me know. Paul

Apologies to the moderators for posting this in a couple of different sections but I wanted to get the info out as far as possible. We have had the 115hp Optimax stolen from the back of the boat last night while it was parked up on the trailer in our paddock. The scumbags also stole my Ifor Williams trailer, chainsaw and the kids quad bike. So if anybody is offered a second hand Optimax that sounds a bit dodgy please do let me know. Paul

Come on you lazy old git, get some piccies posted! Great to hear that you've got the boat you wanted mate, seems to be a good year for that sort of stuff?