zmk1962

The warm water is making it happen for sure. Top report Gordo ... glad you got out there. Sam and I were out as well. Probs trolled straight past you - why didn’t you wave?? Cheers Zoran

You’re an absolute kingfish star Pickles ! I’ve let fish swim off with jewelry (lures) but thankfully I am yet to donate a full rig. I dare say blue fish point is going to get a dredging now. cheers Zoran

Yup. That’s a reasonable number to aim for. Bear in mind there is variations between compression test kits, so if yours hasn’t been calibrated in a while you may read higher or lower, the important thing to look for upfront is that you have similar pressure across all cylinders. cheers Z

As a welder I’m a fantastic grinder ! But I get by. But welding thin wall ss tube I can see lots of heartache.

Hahaha. Jacket??? Previous Blue Eye PB. cheers Z

Just thought I'd report back and close out on this topic if anyone else starts looking at this. Prior to installing the gas instant hot water, the gas ran some of our heating and most of our cooking - this load accounted for 2 x 45kg gas bottles per year. We added the gas instant hot water in May2020. So have now experienced the extremes: some months in winter and now summer. With hot water added, we are now getting 7weeks out of a bottle in winter and 9weeks in summer. So on an 8week average, that means we are using 6.5gas bottles per year. An increase of 4.5 gas bottles due to the hot water. At current gas cyl prices and electricity offpeak prices this represents a 25% saving on our hot water running costs. Thanks again Dieter ( @61 crusher) for a top installation job. Cheers Zoran

With older motors like that .... one of your key considerations should be how readily available are spare parts and if you can still get them. If you have the make and serial number, you should be able to narrow down the year and parts availability. Search around on sites like this one: https://www.crowleymarine.com/ It is US based but offers great exploded view diagrams and part numbers. Once you have a part number for say the annual consumables (thermostat, impeller, and for others such as pump housing, low pressure fuel pump etc) .. call some local parts dealers and see if they have any in stock or how long it would take them to get the part. Things will break ... you will need to fix them. No dealer parts => no wrecker parts => you'll be selling the motor for parts or use it as an anchor. Cheers Zoran

Hey Sam, Fill spray bottle with water and add 3% hydrogen peroxide solution (H2O2). Spray the leaves. You may also spray around the soil and let some soak into root system to kill mould spores there. Google hydrogen peroxide and plants. Cheers Zoran

Hahaha KC. I’ve seen this vid. I've just about seen them all I think. 2 issues with the OutOnTheReed - crooked pilothouse approach compared to mine: It’s not a curved foredeck he mounted it on a flat part which I don't have and also I have not found one retailer in Oz that sells king board or whatever he called it. I'm pretty sure I will have to cut the bow rail as New Signing said, especially if I decide to go auto deploy. ... and if I do, then I might as well have the leccy mount made out of the bow rail ss tube. Something like the cruise craft solution, but I'd prefer the mount to be much lower to foredeck so that I do not have to go to an 80in shaft.... and ofcourse for the leccy to clear the hatch when at rest. https://www.teamcruisecraft.com.au/cruise-craft-watertesting-the-first-factory-fit-minn-koto-electric-bow-mount-motor cheers and thanks Zoran

Thanks Dave. The compound curves that make fglass great for boat building certainly add major complication when you want to bolt something on. I need to settle on a design first hence why I’m after ideas. The modified bow rail mounts look simplest but they add shaft length. I’ll keep searching. cheers Zoran

Thanks Fab ! ... I didn't realise I had left my inspiration in the picture ... sadly 1 bottle was not enough to solve this. I have done a fair bit of internet research - but a lot of solutions and materials are USA ... so looking for some local inspiration hopefully from folks that have done it already. Thanks Rebel, the two I have spoken to just want to palm me off to a fabricator "who can do anything I want ". That path has not been that helpful at this stage. --------- Here's some things I have found: USA ..and the Australian cruise craft factory fit approach - And one guy documented his fglass approach But I'd really love to talk to any Raider that has it fitted on a hull similar to mine. Cheers Zoran

...ahh yes I recall .... but you didn't even hint at just how much better it was ! ... BTW, please don't mention bait too much otherwise Yowie will get all excited. Cheers Z

What an awesome report and photos. Congratulations on a very successful trip and top job reporting on it Brendo ! 🤙 I know of at least one raider that's going "to need an ocean of calamine lotion" for his itch after reading this 🤣 Thanks for posting. Cheers Zoran

G'day Raiders, I've got the spot lock electric motor bug but before I make a decision or purchase I'd really like to narrow down how to install the motor on my fibreglass half cabin with curved foredeck. The electronics look pretty straight forward, but the physical mounting of the motor has me scratching my head. I would really appreciate if any raiders could post or PM pictures of how theirs is mounted on a hull shape similar to mine. Also is anyone aware of any off the shelf brackets or mounts that are out there? Here's a pick of barrycuda's foredeck (with a 72" pole leaning against the hull representing the leccy shaft I'm considering). Cheers and Many thanks.... Zoran

Excellent result..... congrats on a session of “Tight” Lines Out. Happy for ya. cheers Zoran

That's one for Sam to answer ... we were running his lures.

....🤔... re-watching that, I wonder if the missed gaff shot was payback ???

Just finished a video of the day ... we got the marlin strike footage ! .... Cheers Zoran

Mate. Sounds like the deep drop itch is still so much there! +1 for Sash weights (thanks Deiter @61 crusher) or reo bars. +100 blue eye fillets. Can’t beat them. BTW, Sam has a Marlin itch a mile wide .... dare I say he is looking at switch baiting next!!!! Leave it at that ...... cheers Zoran

....especially when lumo SPs are added to the hook. Just look at the rig and the result !!!! 😂😂😂

If fuel and spark are ok check compression on all cylinders. cheers Zoran

Hey Fab ... I'll comment based on my experience with an aluminium foil fitted to a 225 Yammie. That's how I bought my rig. The problem the foil was supposed to fix was to get the stern up on a plane quicker. The Haines was stern heavy. It did that. The problems it created were: 1. if the motor was trimmed out a bit and the foil bit hard it gave me some inconsistent turning experiences especially riding down the face of a wave, 2. and more importantly the foil starting to crack the ventilation plate. The Yammie motor ventilation plate was not designed to carry the forces this thing was exerting when under way. So I took it off. When I spoke to my mechanic his comment was the cracking was to be expected he'd seen it before, he also said a couple of other things which made sense to me: 1. the motor mounts on the transom were also not designed to carry the weight of the hull riding on them ... they were designed to carry the weight of the motor hanging down and pivoting, not carry an upward load. 2. if a foil was the answer to these problems and created a better ride all around, then all manufacturers would be producing motors with larger ventilation plates as standard .. and competing on that design basis. But the reality is having a large flat plate running through the water often causes other undesirable hydro dynamic effects in addition to the extra drag. These experiences could all be due to the size and weight of the haines .... but that's what I experienced. I eventually solved my stern heavy problem largely by better balancing the boat. Also using the power tilt/trim to tuck the motor in during holeshot (which pushed the stern up) and then leveling the motor out once I started to plane. Not sure if any of these approaches are suitable to your craft ...sorry can't remember if your motor is a power tilt/trim model ? So by and large I'm with Noel on my opinion regarding foils .... Cheers Zoran

Great report KC ... stay away from the front end of a wobbie for sure. Its pretty much the first thing we were taught diving years ago .... coz they can actually reach around and grab their own tail and many a hand has been crushed in those jaws. Good on you for stopping to help that twat ... but seriously what a looser. Like others I have had a similar experience ... coming in to broken bay late from a long offshore day, spot a guy waving me down at west head. Turns out he's run out of fuel and asks if I have spare fuel (nope its all sub floor and there is not much left even if we could get to it) and then can I tow him up into brisbane waters. I do some quick math ... I could get him there, but then chances are I'd run dry trying to reach Parsley bay... So I offer to wait with him and call marine rescue. He blurts out no don't do that ... coz they'd charge me for fuel. I said that's news to me ... but then it dawned on my ... this was not this guys first rodeo - he was a regular abuser of fellow boaties and maritime - they'd probably given him a warning. Long story short, I stayed with him, I called marine rescue, but anchored out of earshot as he just wouldn't shut up. 😁 Maybe next time just offer to make a call on their behalf. BTW the skutes remind me of the lead head feather lures we used to troll many years ago ... they worked. Think they were overtaken by plastic skirts coz the plastic was more durable, came in more colours and was much easier to manufacture. But they worked. Keep going with it for sure. Cheers Zoran

Thanks Pickles, couldn't agree more. As fisherman we are blessed on many fronts. Thanks Peter ! Yup comes down to a plan - Plan A marlin and we did some 155km on the water, but since we had invested time to be out there Plan B was a deep drop. Thanks for the kind words Adrian ... hahaha but we still had a great day out that day ... happy to report zero gear loss on this trip ! Thanks Jeff .... yes ... now that you mention it Sam has a knack ... or is Sam the lucky rabbit's foot that got us our fish 🤔 ???? Sam who are you going out with next we have a theory to debunk ? Thanks Yowie .... it's freaking amazing what happens when you add some SPs to your hooks !!!! 🤣 Hey Dunc ... really ! .... did you wave ?? I think we must have been doing about 50-60 past there racing to the ramp. Thanks Dave, I know a few blokes do use them, and there is camera footage on Youtube of the Brown's mountain and you can clearly see house bricks on the bottom!. But I would think bricks are just not dense enough to drop vertically and increase water drag, you'd have a lot of line out at an angle - increasing the chance of snagging and decreasing bite sensitivity .... Thanks for your comments @Rebel and @Miketheadventurer ... it really was a great day.

Hey Jason, Yes conditions were great to start and then just got better.... although the warmest water we found out wide was 23.8 .... we were searching for the temp breaks that some had reported at 25 plus. As to how to prepare blue eye for the table? Not sure if you are asking for a recipe or how I handle the fish from time of capture ... Cooking the blue eye is a treat because it has a delicate flavour with firm flaky flesh. So it's highly regarded on the chew and suitable for many cooking styles making it a premium table fish - Costis has it at $69.99/kg usually. Just google and you'll see heaps of recipes. For our first meal we made the Baja fish tacos - recipe in the kitchen section - I removed nearly 400g from the two wings and head, which I cubed up, dusted with salt pepper and flour and shallow fried in olive oil with a garlic clove. Sam ( @GoingFishing ) sent me some pictures of the feast he prepared, I'll leave it for him to post. Regarding how I prepare the fish. Well think more of butchering instead of fish cleaning. It's basic anatomy is still a fish (guts, gills, head and frame, scales) but everything is just bigger - which makes some parts of the process easier and others harder - eg cutting through thick bones is much harder. I start the preparation process at the time of capture. A quick death (ikijime) stops lactic acid build up. I don't bother scaling the fish as its much easier to skin a big fish with scales on - the skin is really thick and comes off easily. There's a lot of flesh which needs to be kept icy cold for the long trip back and also for the longer time it takes to process the fish, so I like to promptly gut the fish and fill the gut cavity with blocks of ice to drop the core temperature asap. The picture of me holding the fish is after we gutted it. Here's one of Sam holding it just after it came out of the water - noticeably more plump - guts and air bladders intact. So first thing, get rid of the few kilos of warm guts in there, and that's about all you are allowed to do offshore according to fisheries rules. Once back on land, the second decision is on what cuts you want from the fish (the butchering part) - with a big fish like that you can go cutlets or fillets. Since we were going to share the fish , it was much easier to take a fillet off each side. Filleting is easier then a small fish as the frame bones are large and guide the knife more easily. Sam did a top job in taking his fillet on his first attempt. We started the fillet cut from just behind the wing and ran it up and into the back of the skull as deep and as close to the bones as you can get, then along the spine to the tail. We did this at the ramp, on top of the esky. We'd also brought back a 20L bucket of salt water to use as rinse as needed - I don't like to let fresh water onto salt water fish unless I am cooking it immediately - and I definitely don't like the Ermo boat ramp fish cleaning botulism facility. Although this was my PB 20kg blue eye, I had previously caught an 18kg bar cod which I prepped as cutlets. For cutlets, it's pretty much the same process except I'd scale the fish. Then decide on the thickness of the cutlets - it's simplest to follow the rib bones as a guide. Starting at the shoulder cut down to the spine and follow the ribs. Do one side, roll the fish over and do the other. I use a small butcher saw to get through the thick back bone if the cut didn't end up on the vertebra joint to separate the individual cutlets. Anyway, back to the fillets. Once I'd separated my fillet, I skinned it, split the fillet down the middle lengthways, and trimmed the red meat - leaving two firm white fillets. I chunked these into 400g portions (more than enough for a 2 person meal), bagged and labeled ready for freezing and gifting (yes the family is aware we caught a blue eye and the congratulations are coming in). I then separated the wings from the head, removed the fins and skinned the remain part. This allowed me to remove around 300g of flesh with minimal waste from what is normally a very bony part of a fish usually cooked whole. So that left about a 3-4kg of head and frame. Decision time. I value everything that the ocean gives us, so I do not like to waste any usable part of the fish. Maria would usually take the frame for stock and a fish head curry was on the cards, but since it was now around 8.30pm and frankly I was TIRED .... I removed another 100g of fish from the back of the head and cheeks. So with the wings and this we had 400g of cubed fish pieces which was going to be our first meal. Anyway, that's how I prepare it for the table. Hope that was what you were after...otherwise I have just gone way off track. Cheers Zoran