zmk1962

Hey Luke, I see you have wood working skills as well. I was thinking you could knock up a plywood base to raise the bait tank so that you could plumb a large hose that goes straight over the side (put mesh or plastic grill over the hose outlet at the tank so the livies don't get jammed there) You could then change the water simply by pouring in fresh water with a bucket - the excess would flow over the side. You would not have to worry about lifting out a basket or net. The raised plywood base would also give you extra room underneath the tank for your feet. Something like this quick sketch. Cheers Zoran

Mate. I heard a fair bit of heavy breathing there ! How does the missus feel about you being in love with the Yammie? .... or are you sleeping with the boat after the safety gear comment? cheers Zoran PS - nicely done. Final 5% effort always makes the difference.

🤣 By that statement you'd conclude that English speaking nationalities just know how to swim and never drown .... BAHAHA. Hmmm, I can think of several non-English speaking people and teams eg waterpolo that have dominated world championships. BUT I do take the point that PARENTS play a huge role in teaching kids water safety. My kids were water safe from 2yrs. I recall being in NY on business - an english speaking part of the world. Maria and our two girls (2 and 6 at the time) accompanied me there. It was November and Maria took them to the hotel indoor pool. While she was setting out the towels she turned her back on the pool, at the same time the girls ran and jumped straight in .. only to be rescued by the other patrons who angrily started to scold Maria for taking her eyes off the kids - BAHAHA. They became the talk of the Hotel - those crazy Oz kids - that could swim ! Cheers Zoran

Rock fishing in my younger days, the first thing I packed was a thermos of coffee. We sipped many a cup watching "our spot" and often that's as far as the days fishing went - a good cuppa watching the surf and sunrise - but we lived to fish another day. Cheers Zoran

Cool 😎 ... the Trollbridge was the very elegant break thru for me ... it simplified the whole 24V dilemma significantly. Cheers Z

Blade... yes sounds like its possible, but if it was me, I'd want the ability to switch to one of the deep cycles to start the motor if the crank battery died. It's probably best you draw a sketch of your wiring diagram. Show the 12V positive and negative paths, the trollbridge and the 24V paths, and any other isolation switches you plan to install. That way you'll be able to visualise where the Motor starting circuit will be connected, as well as the electronics circuit. As an example. I have a 3 battery system on my boat running through 2 isolation switches. I always run with 2 batteries switched online and one battery completely isolated. I rotate between the 3 which one will be offline on any given trip. I start the motor and run all my electronics off the 2 batteries that are online. (I need 2 online as that was the recommendation given by stress free marine for operating my anchor winch - it spreads the high current load across 2 batteries' plates). To create a 24V system for the trolling motor, I plan to keep my existing set up as is and add one 12V trolling battery. The trollbridge24 would connect that 12V battery with the Positive and Negative 100A cables that currently feed my anchor winch (these cables are for all effective purposes the terminals of the 12V battery in their diagram). I will never use the anchor winch and the trolling motor at the same time - they are mutually exclusive. I have run this past Yandina (trolbridge) and they see no issue. They initially did suggest the 12x24 to always preserve the charge in the starting battery, but that is not a major issue for me as I have a 3rd starting battery kept in total isolation. I also monitor the voltage on board (via dash display) and my motor puts out 60A charge at idle if I need to top up the batteries. Cheers Zoran PS: KC That's my understanding as well. Advised if you have just one starter battery, and one Trolling battery. Re: Batteries in parallel - I need to do that to spread the anchor winch load. This makes the batteries last longer overall as you discharge each battery less BUT the drawback is loss of redundancy, as both batteries are in use and you could drain both. Hence you have to cater for that if its a major concern. I have by having a 3rd isolated battery. Sorry KC can't visualise what you've described. To create 24V you need to run two batteries in series. But for charging purposes you need to have the alternator see each battery as a 12V battery. The trollbridge does that for you, so I'm not sure where I'd fit the VSR with what you describe. Maybe a diagram ?

Hi Blade, As per my other posts I am deep in the analysis phase regarding a Trolling motor. Regarding electronics, I had initially considered going down the path you have outlined above regarding the 24V set up... however, in my research I came across the Trollbridge24 product. It eliminates the charging issues (your existing motor 12V charge circuit will do the job) and automatically combines batteries to creates a 24V circuit as required by the trolling motor. You have the option to do this by adding just one additional battery to your existing set up. My intention is to proceed with the Trollbridge24 when I go ahead with this project. They have other products as well with variations of how much isolation they provide to the starter battery so browse the site. Here's the link https://www.yandina.com/troll24info.htm If you search for Trollbridge there are also several youtube posts. Cheers Zoran

Great report Gordo. That shark fight would have got the adrenaline going and kept the spirits high. Guess that’s fishing. Better luck next time mate. Cheers Zoran

Oh of course.... you mean you had to wait ! .... you’d think you’re a millennial acting like that 🤣

Fab if this is for Marlin Warranty purposes then best to contact them - it’s their product and rego system after all. cheers Zoran

Mate it’s not all about size. What are the specifications for each kHz? Are they dual frequency? cheers Zoran

No stopping you now... look forward to the adventures! cheers Zoran

I don't see it as a big issue - just print off the A4 fold it up and put it in a zip lock bag. Keep it at the bottom of something you always take on board - like your tackle bag or your flare kit. In the past we had to carry a map of the area that we planned to navigate - and it was not allowed to be paper or digital. But with the improvements in digital equipment reliability, that has now been relaxed to allow a digital map. Similarly they are allowing you a digital copy of your rego (picture, email and even text from AMSA)... your choice and you have the option. I'd rather AMSA spent the money they saved on stickers on better safety coverage then printing, posting and administering the stickers. Imagine how many stickers had to be re-issued each year for open vessels where the epirb would get wet and the stickers perished. Cheers Zoran

Great fishing session and absolutely cracking quality videos - congrats Swordie and Peter. Thanks for posting Donna it’s a great way to start the week. cheers Zoran

Top report Gordo, glad you got out and spending quality time with your son on the water is a major bonus. Sounds like you had heaps of fun with the rats ... ... thats discounting the "rat" you mentioned above. I've had my share of issues with charter boats. In my case I was not fishing but whale watching with the family. I'd position us a good 500m ahead of the whales path (making sure not to impede them or other vessels having a sight see) ...while waiting for the whales to surface, we had a charter operator power in within 10m of our boat, place his boat between us and the whale ... not once but 3 times. Seriously. Yes I appreciate it's their lively hood - it's also a lively hood that they chose, just like I chose boating as my recreation - but in the final analysis it cost me the same to put my boat on the water and to get there ... and I do not get any tax write off on the boat, gear or the running cost. I also don't make any money from it. So I don't buy being a charter gives them any additional privilege. A bit of respect and common courtesy is all it takes. Cheers Zoran

Thanks Grantos. This was not meant to take anything away from the elegant Lifecell solution. Hat's off to the developers for the foresight to provide a consolidated safety container. I can see why many new boat packages are coming standard with it especially on rigs where space is limited. However, If you already have all the actual safety gear (flares, V-sheet, etc) like many of us have, the Lifecell is an elegant $345 vacuum formed plastic container. Perhaps as all my safety gear reaches end of life and needs replacement I will reconsider. But by then there will also be Lifecell2.0 and alternatives suppliers for sure. Cheers Zoran

Hi @Pickles, regarding electrics, I fish a Diawa Tanacom Bull 1000 and a Diawa Tanacom 1000 , both spooled with 80lb braid (mono-colour) and 5-6m of 120lb leader. Between you and me, I cannot tell the difference between the Bull 1000 and the 1000 in terms of line capacity, drag and performance. The Bull has a lot more "bling" - nicer gold trim, gold handle lever and round handle with a nicer trim around the display, the 1000 is matt black, with a T-bar handle, identical display. Performance and specification they are identical. I have not had any problems with the Diawa's and have landed some sizeable fish as you saw in the report that Sam put up a few weeks ago "Two Raiders Meet - A day offshore on BARRYCUDA". Anyway, I used to fish with my mates Miya Epoch8 and that was an awesome electric reel but was about 3x the Diawa's in terms of cost. If you are considering going electric, I have made several posts in the Workshop regarding fitting up battery boxes for electrics, and spooling / line calibration (specific to the Diawa Tanacoms) which may be of interest. Just PM me if you have any specific questions about the Tanacoms or deep dropping or if you would like to see my set up (I'm just up Windsor rd from you). Cheers Zoran

As I said previously ..... @Scratchie he's sure got some huge catches to his name. I hear he has a marlin hanging on the wall, and then there's whiskers' brother ... hmmm I wonder if he will now mount 4 smiling spearo's ..... what do you reckon Jeff ... all on one wall .. or spread them around a bit 🤣 ???? Cheers Z

... maybe another job for SP ... aka silicon .... just sayin' ... 😎 Cheers Z

Mate after that I’m not sure if even the dogs will have you 🤣!

Top write up mate... glad you got out... and that the Permatrim has done the job ! Happy for ya. Now for some fish ... if only @Yowie started using SP's you might have a chance ... Cheers Zoran

Hey Raiders, So after reading @Scratchie's Port Stephens - Raiders to the Rescue post, it really got me thinking about my safety gear. Although I had all the safety gear onboard, it was located in the cabin and in three separate containers, also the EPIRB was fitted to the hull in the cockpit, so that was 4 things that needed to be grabbed, in addition to the lifejackets and anything else we may need if we had to abandon ship. The Lifecell solution (that Donna @mrsswordfisherman posted) certainly had a lot of appeal... but all it provided over what I had was the simplicity of 1 thing to snatch and jump. So, here's what I have come up with for barrycuda - MySafetyCell : All the existing containers and EPIRB connected together with PVC molding (angle and strip) with ss pop rivets and spliced rope. The container lids cannot be lost as they have lanyards fitted. Containers provide floatation and hold the flares and glove. The safety bag has the LED torch, mirror, air horn, whistles, V-sheet, I've added a safety knife and some rope with plastic snap hooks so the safety cell can be attached to us or the esky.... etc etc. MySafetyCell now lives in the cockpit next to the passenger seat. It now provides the simplicity of 1 thing to snatch and jump - all safety gear in one place. BTW, we have now decided we will be wearing our life jackets while travelling out wide and back, but will have them draped over the seat rests when fishing.... and just like the Port Stephens chaps, we do have a large esky (almost big enough for Maria to sail) ...that was always part of our abandon ship safety gear. Hope this gives other raiders some ideas. Cheers Zoran

Hey Jason, thanks so much - we'll have to sort out a pickup/transfer of goods ... the price of donating sash weights to barrycuda is that you have to go deep dropping ... so be careful if that's not what you wish for 🤙 . I have never used lead for deep dropping so don't have a mold. I think most folks just fill up a coke or V can . From memory @wrxhoon1 mentioned he has used lead weights maybe he can comment. Cheers Zoran

+1 Let's hope the show goes on for everyone's sake .... for work, for recreation, .... and not to mention special leccy prices !!! 🙄 Cheers Zoran

Hey Raiders, This topic has come up a couple of times, and I have written on this previously in different posts - so I thought I'd consolidate the discussion here. Ok in deep dropping, we are fishing waters around 500m deep with essentially paternoster rigs. So if you can drop vertically you will have 500m of line out, a few degrees off vertical and you easily start to have 550 - 600 - 700m of line out. Bite sensitivity drops and the chance of snagging increases. From my experience the ideal weights for my rigs are around 2kg and cylindrical - so that they don't spin too much on the drop and retrieve. Also the more dense the material the smaller the sinker so it imparts less drag in current and drift. Lead is an ideal material but it's expensive. For me, the next best is to use window sash weights which are typically cast iron - usually recovered from demolition and reno building sites. ... and it's excellent if you have a buddy in the building game that's also a fisherman ( Thanks Dieter @61 crusher) Sash weight come in different weights, lengths and diameters. I cut them down to approx 2kg, tie a loop at one end from fencing or coat hanger wire for quick attachment to a snap swivel, and then spray them with a rust inhibitor (retards the flaking rust and keeps the boat cleaner). I also tack weld the off cuts together ... and salvage a few more sinkers... If I can't get my hands on sash weights, I fabricate sinkers from reo -bars. I have heard of people using house bricks, or filling cans with concrete, but although they would eventually get you to the bottom, I think they would not be dense enough to give you a vertical drop and would also contribute to drag. Rectangular or odd shapes would also spin and contribute to line tangles. Here's a screen grab from underwater footage of Browns Mnt which shows a brick on the bottom..ffwd to 7:34. And the full video Cheers Zoran