sTTu

Hi No I dont, I did think about buying one when I bought the boat but as I was planning on keeping the boat in the water all year round I didnt need one. I'm going to keep my eyes open for a second hand one though. Cheers ! Stu

Hi folks I was wondering if anyone knew of a cheap local place to store boats for next season, ie: feb 2011 onwards. Its so depressing, my boating has been limited to five times this year due to an ongoing back problem so I either need to sell up my Merry Fisher or store for a year and see how it goes. Thanks Stu

LOL !!!! P***ed myself !

Thanks Charlie, I'll take you up on that. Much appreciated. Cheers ! Stu

Sounds great ! can these be caught in the bay ? I still haven't got my head around all the baits,different rigs and stuff yet, does anyone ever give a talk for us novices at the club meetings ? Or if anyone wanted to come out with me for a couple of hours sometime I'd gladly provide boat, fuel, bait, food :-) Cheers ! Stu

I was planning on going on a Mackeral fest this weekend to stock up but the weather is so bad I didn't go this morning, but might just go for it tomorrow anyway, as there is no way I can bunk off work for any time this week and next weekend is looking like a "family" weekend (ie:no boat!) When you talk about mid channel I assume you mean on the way to France ? Not sure if I've got the confidence to go that far yet in my boat. Is there any year round species that will keep me going a little closer in ? I am really looking forward to getting out on the water on those cold, crisp, sunny sunday mornings ! Catching something would be a bouns too. Cheers ! Stu

Just as I'm starting to really getting into fishing and getting to grips with the boat, the winter seems only a few weeks away so I was wondering if you all carry on or does it all die off until the spring again ?

It was very busy out by the pier today!!!! I reckon Sat will be manic. Anyone else off out there ? If I win the Euro lottery tonight I'm gonna spend

Just wondered if anyone knew where I could get some upright rod holders for the boat ? Stainless steel would be preferable but plastic would be just as good. I've seen a few on some websites but they all seem to be screw fixed but I'd prefer to have something clip on-able to the rails on the boat. If anyone has any ideas I'd be grateful. Thanks Stu

Didn't know if anyone had seen this http://www.roundbritain.org.uk/ Its clearly a good cause, and I'd defo rather give him a few quid than do it myself ! )

At last, my 20 year fishing jinx has been broken !! Nipped out on the boat just off Branksome beach for an hour with my Dad and my little lad this afternoon and behold ! FISH ! Using nothing more than an old boat rod with a ropey reel plus some very badly tied on shiney plastic feather type things (cost 50p from Inxcess on Ashley Road) and I pulled in five mackrel. Might be small beer to you guys, but its a milestone to me ! LOL !! So having now caught my first fish for 20 years I'm now ready for a summer of quality fishing. sTTu

Well after today all I can say is I'm well chuffed ! So far my "getting back on the water" experience has been brilliant, its been about 20 years since my last boat so I was a bit nervous (and still am once past studland!) but I just had my first 20 hour service on the engine and all is now ready and set to do some fishing. SMB have been great all the way through, Salterns Marina have been so helpful in giving me a great birth, Yellow Penguin were very efficient today and very reasonable on the prices too. The marine industrial seems to much more helpful that the motor trade...I know where my money will be going over the next few years ! I've got my membership form and cheque ready to post to Martin tomorrow so all we need now is some good weather, greedy fish and I need to learn how to tie knots, use a reel, learn about bait, fish, lines, hooks, anchors, marks, ropes, how to use my chart plotter, work out what all those bouys are for and what the sticks in the mud mean in various places around the harbour Hurray ! Roll on the summer ! P.S. Where can I get a 12v water canon from ??? (Tom?)

I saw this on ebay... http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Anchor-line-s-s-eye-...1QQcmdZViewItem Seems like quite a good price for the various lenghts, would anyone know if this is the right type of rope for anchor rope ? I was think that 13mm would be good. Thanks sTTu

I was out "practicing" my driving and harbour navigation this afternoon, what a loverly day ! Keen to get out tomorrow but not sure if the boss is giving me a freedom pass

Hi Chris I spent last year looking around at boats, I ended up buying a Merry Fisher 625 from Tom. I just can't praise the boat enough, okay its not a 100% fishing boat but I wanted an all rounder, but its really really good. I've got a 115hp outboard and even though its got less than 12 hrs on it we're getting about 2 gallons per hour running around the harbour and bay at anything from 5 to 28 knots. I'd gladly show you the boat if you wanted to have a look. Cheers ! Stu