Paikea

Thanks Bretto but this is strictly a DIY project. Not hard at all, just click on and follow the Visio-Cutting details for crab trap drawing. (its a PDF so you do not need Visio software) Cheers Paikea

I fished NZ a few years ago. Fished out of the Coromandel, caught heaps of big Kings and snapper, all on plastics. NZ is a beautiful place, friendly people and it seems that just about everyone fishes or hunts or both. Heaven on a stick! Cheers Paikea Edited by me. Be mindful of site rules please. Jewhunter.

I am looking at putting in some loose PVC or Rubber mats that I can lift out at the end of a fishing session. There are a few good options around. I will post pics when I get them. The method that I am using to remove the glue leaves the surface of the floor like new. No dulling off so will wash down easily. The only problem is fumes from the Acetone. I intend to wear a mask and gloves when I do the rest of the floor. Cheers Paikea

Drop a big burley bomb down to their level (wire the lid closed) and just pull it up. The little suckers will follow it right up to your boat like a big yellow carpet. Then quickly cast your rig out as far away from the boat out as you can. It works most of the time. Cheers Paikea

Ok where are all the pics? Great day today so no excuse for not having gone out. My boat is a Tournament 1800 (5.75M incl Bowsprit or 5.45M without) with a 21 degree dead rise bottom and 160 L of fuel. Plus a !35 HP Merc on the back with only 60 hrs on the clock. Will have a try out wide when I get out of my "moon boot" (5 more weeks) and find another boat to go out with. I have stand up game rods/reels left over from game fishing days (Penn gold 30 and 50W's ) plus an Alvey winch (Queen model?) so should be able to handle Gemmies. never caught one but love to try. Cheers Paikea

How did you go Blue? Any pics? And what size/type boat do you fish from at Browns, only been there in game boats myself but thinking that on a good day it may be possible in a smaller boat? Anyone done that? Cheers Paikea

I used my wife's good vacuum cleaner to clean the last carpet. Put it back in the cupboard, she used it a week later and Kaboom, blew the motor up, tripped the breakers and scared her to death. I tried to keep quiet about it and just pulled it apart but a week with salt in the innards had done the job, total write off. That little experience cost me a new cleaner of the expensive kind and a warning never to go near the cleaner again unless I was doing the housework. So, I am happy to use mats of some sort. Still looking for some matting that is cheap enough. The PVC tubing mats have been quoted at around $500.00. I might give that a miss and look for some alternative. cheers Paikea

The 1800 Tournament is not just a longer boat than the 1750, it is also wider and as far as I am aware it also has a different bottom. Not sure where but the bottom on my 1800 looks fantastic with great chines and 21 degree dead rise. Being out of action since I bought the boat (Damaged Achilles tendon that has me wearing a "moon boot" like Paul Gallen night and day) I have yet to try the boat out in a big sea but confident that it will be A1. I originally tried to get a Seafarer Viking but the ones I looked at were just too dear. Also I had to sell my 5.1 Trailcraft Pro Fish which was taking some time. So when my local boat shop traded the Tournament which had only 60 hours on the motor and used only in Lake Jindabyne and offered me a realistic trade in I jumped and bought the Tournament. Since then one of the sellers of a Seafarer Viking rang me to ask if I was still interested in buying his boat. (I had offered less than what he was asking). too late, you snooze you lose! I am even more happy with the 1800 having just learnt that Haines have purchased Tournament which (seeing that a large part of the value of a boat manufacturer lies with their boat moulds) can only mean that they are impressed with the hulls. Meanwhile, until I can get out on the water I would appreciate feedback from anyone who has an 1800 and taken it out wide in a decent sea. Cheers Paikea

I am still in the process of fitting out my Tournament 1800, not much to go now. Decided to get rid of the carpet floor as it is constantly wet and hard to clean. I started by pulling off one side, no problem came off easy but left ugly glue all over the floor. I tried rubbing the glue with Mineral turps and scrubbing it, that worked after a fashion but very slow. Switched to Acetone, wet a rag with the Acetone and left it on a patch of the floor for 3 - 5 minutes. Then used a scrubbing brush to remove the glue. Works a treat and leaves the gel coated floor clean and shiny.(see Pics) Cheers Paikea

The next two bays East of Henry Head are not to bad, get as close to the shore as you can safely get but watch your drift in a North East wind as it can quickly move you into the shallows where there are some large rocks just below the surface. . Also the weed beds West of the remains of the wreck that is on the Eastern shore of the last bay as you head out of Botany Bay has squid at times but watch the swells coming in.. Good luck! Paikea

Installing angled rod holders in a Tinnie or glass boat requires an oval hole to suit the angled profile of the holder. Most people I know use a hole saw to drill a round hole and then use a file to elongate the ends of the hole to suit the rod holder. If you get a block of wood approx. 90 x 50, then measure the angle of the rod holder tube in relation to the mounting flange and either make a cardboard or ply guide to that angle or better still use an angle guide as shown in the pic you can make a guide that will enable you to drill and oval hole that is a perfect fit for a rod holder. Set the timber up in a vice, then using the hole saw and the angle guide drill a hole right through the timber. If you then clamp the timber onto the gunwale of your boat you can use the hole to guide the hole saw and drill an oval hole in the gunwale. Make sure that you leave the starting drill in the hole saw assembly as this will ensure that the saw will not "grab" when you first put it in the timber guide. That is, the drill guides the initial start of the hole saw. Hope this might help someone to install rod holders with minimum effore. Cheers Paikea

Attached are some pics of the crab trap and a drawing showing how to cut and fold a standard sheet of mesh to make the trap. When folding the mesh I clamped the mesh between two pieces of 90 x 45 timber, started the bends by hand then finished them off by hammering the bend against the timber. Worked a treat. I used Aviary clamps to secure the joints of the trap including the ramps in the openings at either end. A bit fiddly but works well. I used Multi pliers to close the clips but you can get a special tool from Bunnings that would make it a little easier. I have not tried the trap as yet, waiting for my next trip North to christen it. I got the idea for the trap from some pictures of professional traps sold up North. They were made from a thinner wire mesh and did not look as though they would last too long. The heavier gauge mesh of my trap should last for years. particularly seeing that is has an anode attached. The entry ramps are not shown as clear as they should be. Basically the sides of the ramp panels are left straight and fastened to the sides of the trap. Then the middle sections of the entry panels are bent to create the opening that the crabs will enter through. The bait holder was bought from the plumbing department at Bunnings. Hope this all makes sense.

I recently made a great crab trap from a single sheet of galvanised mesh bought from Bunnings. Intend to take it up to Byron Bay in the summer where son in law has a tinnie. Mud crabs are the target but I am sure that it will work just as well with Blue Swimmers. If anyone is interested I can post pics and a drawing showing how to cut the mesh etc. Cheers Paikea.

Hi all I am in the process of installing a second battery in my Tournament 1800 using a Blue Seas four position switch. That is; Main battery, second battery, both together or all off. Too easy. Question; does the outboard motor need to be turned off before I switch from the main battery to the second one that runs all the other gear (sounder, lights, radios etc)? Also, what is the best way to use two batteries in a way that keeps them both charged by the alternator? Thanks Paikea

Thank you, yes I would like to have the name of your mechanic. Need to have my Trailer wheel bearings checked/repacked and Bearing Buddies fitted. Better to be safe than sorry. How big was your Blue and line class? Cheers Paikea

Streamline covers are by far the best that I have ever used. Located at Kirrawee they do things that no one else seems to think of. I recently had the existing cover on my new Tournament 1800 modified by them after I fitted a rocket launcher. Not only did they fit it around the Launcher legs but they also fitted fabric "gutters" at the top of the cover where it went around the legs. This largely prevents rain water getting into the boat via the area around the legs. Can not recommend them highly enough. Cheers Paikea

Hi Cardo Go down to the very end of Lillie Pillie Point Road. If you have a wheeled trolley or similar you should be able to wheel the kayak down the grassed area to the left of the end of the road (in front of the White House) and get very close to the water from there. The grassed area is a Council Reserve so no problems with access. If you have Google Earth you will be able to see some spots that should provide reasonable access. All very close to Lillie Pillie. Cheers Paikea

Oops! Found the problem why the Smart Craft gauge did not work. The owner didn't know how to set it up or use it. Son in law who is computer savvy took all of 5 minutes to set it up to read all that I need in the "Favourites" mode and threatened to disown me if I get rid of it. I guess this is a typical example of the generation gap (74 v 34) in terms of intuitive trouble shooting instead of wanting everything to be in logical black and white. All good, now looking forward to finishing the fit out (for fishing) including plumbing the live bait well, fitting a wash down pump and downrigger, extra rod holders and modifying the rear bench seat to enable it to be removed when fishing. Also thinking of replacing the carpet with tubular matting. (hate wet carpet). Already had a fabulous 6 rod rocket launcher installed by Viking Marine at Taren Point, Chris and his team did a great job of both designing and fitting the launcher. The boat came with a high quality cover that had to be modified to go around the launcher legs. Boat covers at Kirrawee did the mods that work really well. I will post some pics when I finally finish "Paikea" and get her in the water. (currently in an ortho boot for 8 weeks with a torn Achilles Tendon) Cheers Paikea

I have checked all of the wiring all AOK for continuity and destination. Not sure I know what you mean by "contact point". What is that? What gauges do you have and would you be prepared to sell them? Also do they need a separate harness? Thanks for replying to the post. Paikea (Whale Rider)

Just bought a used 1800 Tournament with a 135 Mercury Optimax on the back. (60 Hrs only) Great looking outfit, should be good offshore. Having trouble with the Smart Craft gauge in that it is difficult to use, hard to read in direct sunlight and cannot get it to read the fuel or oil tanks. Otherwise its Great! Has anyone else had a similar experience and if so what did you do to fix it. Am thinking of changing over to Analog gauges (Trim, RPM, Fuel, Voltage and Hour meter). Any idea of what that might cost and also if it might be possible to sell SmartCraft Gauge? Cheers