zmk1962

Beautiful rig! Pod mounted like mine. Looks familiar- I have walked past one in my area! I launch from Melrose if fishing longy or Sydney reefs. Otherwise use too much fuel just getting to heads and back - still running a 2st banger. I used 135L on last trip to Browns/12mile - hmmm may be time to get the calculator out. cheers Zoran

I think we all do it once. Twin bogies, 12ft height = semi with dog trailer- thank you very much$$$$ cheers Zoran

Awesome progress Frank. Well done. cheers Zoran

Pretty sure I gave you a like and a wow 12months ago. Just like I did again. They are smashing catches. But maybe this year I also have a greater appreciation of the whiskas ! cheers Zoran

Bit late to this one @DerekD. Pretty sure I have had these stainless Surecatch 11in pliers for over 10yrs. Fully working today and they probably set me back $20. It's kind of counter intuitive, but the thing to remember with stainless steel is that the CLEANER you keep it the less rust will form. So if you want no rust apply MINIMUM lubricant to just the pivot joint, and keep any lubricant or protective coating off everything else. This is to do with the chemistry and molecular structure at the surface level. Stainless Steel by definition has at least 10% chromium, the rest of the alloy is mostly steel (iron) with traces of other metals. The shiny surface of ss steel is actually Chromium rust (chromium trioxide CrO3) which forms as a thin layer every time you scrape the surface. The molecular structure of Cr03 prevents any further Oxygen atom penetrating and attaching to the surrounding iron atoms to form rust. However, if CrO3 can't be formed, say at an edge, where the plastic handle meets the ss steel, or oil or crap covers part of the surface, than at that edge we only have Cr02 and surrounding iron atoms are exposed and form the rust you see. So the best way to keep your ss steel rust free is to keep it absolutely spotless clean. Think of your ss cutlery in the dishwasher. You only get rust stains on the ones that have bits of unwashed crap. The unwashed crap is acting as a protective coating preventing full CrO3 formation at the surface. My pliers above, get washed in fresh water and are left to dry. I am not as diligent as I should be with the jaw area and this usually has so fish slime crap ... hence the rust. I do occasionally squirt some inox to lubricate the pivot. There is very little you can do to prevent the rust at the handle edge - but you have probably seen that rust line on your favourite knives as well where the plastic handle joins the blade. I have a stainless steel bimini frame. I get rust stains forming where folks have been holding on - especially if they have had suntan lotion on their hands. Quick wipe with soapy water removes the oil film, and stainless wool re-exposes the Chromium to oxygen and all is good. Anyway, hope that helps. Cheers Zoran

I’m spending Easter at home with these Muppets

Hey Raiders, I posted this in another topic, but think it's worth its own space. There is a fairly easy method to test if the fuel you purchased or the fuel in your tank has ethanol: 1. Get a small clear petrol resistant container with a lid eg small clear bottle. Something narrow like one of those condiment bottles is easiest to work with. 2. Put a small amount of pure water in the container and mark the top of the liquid with a line on the outside of the container. 3. Fill the container near to the top with the fuel. Close the container and shake then leave it to sit until the fuel and water separate into different layers. 4. If the water level is higher than the mark you made previously on the side of the container than the fuel contains ethanol. This works because of what ethanol is: The Ethanol molecule has two sides. One side is organic (carbons and hydrogen atoms and this side allows it to mix into oils and fuels, because thats what oils and distillates are - varying length Carbon and Hydrogen chains). The other side of the molecule is basically an Oxygen and Hydrogen atom. This Hydroxyl OH side likes to mix with Water as water (H2O) is basically Hydrogen and Oxygen. This side is more polar than the organic side and hence the ethanol molecule prefers to mix into water, rather then in the fuel. The little bit of water you first added in the container draws out the ethanol from the fuel mixture...and you would see that as increased volume of water in your test. Unless you are as diligent as @Fab1, rarely do people empty or use all of their boat tank fuel. Often the fuel in the tank sits around for some time. In the tank, any water condensation draws out the ethanol and it starts to form a water/ethanol mixture which over time breaks down into basically vinegar (acetic acid). This is the corrosive part that can eat into copper/brass/ally carburettor and other components unless they were designed to cope with that. Cheers Zoran

Awesome stuff ! Well done to you all. Lifetime memories there. Cheers Zoran

@JimC, There is a fairly easy method to test if the fuel you purchased has ethanol: I have moved the bulk of the original post here to its own topic so that it's easier to reference: Having said that, I still think from what you described you may have 2 issues going on. 1. the fuel you are being sold unaware may be ethanol mix - explains the white grainy stuff. Use the above test to check what the servo is giving you, or what is in your tank now. 2. if the boat is unused for a long time, the fuel in the carbies is drying out, leaving a gunky organic resin that is also blocking the carbie passages. Disconnect the fuel line and run the motor until it stalls (ie run carbies dry). Or as @Fab1 does ... start her regularly especially in hot weather. Cheers Zoran

Well then I am either truly screwed or blessed .... as in my case I have a dear wife that is into -- boating fishing, 4x4 and skiing .... so everything has a 2x or more multiplier .... but it works for us ! 🚤🎣🚙✈️⛷️🎿

Floor above tank well is a carpeted panel that can be unscrewed and removed. A glassed in chamber runs down each side bow to stern. The tops of these are carpeted and form the floor on the side of the tank well. Below the tank well is another chamber that runs bow to stern. cheers Z

475lts !!! Nearly double my boat’s capacity. Long range, lots of horses or both. Nice! What craft if you don’t me asking? Yup sounds like 97+45 in the cruiser. cheers Zoran

Hahaha ... but I think your hairy faciatis was prior to LD so makes you an observer and evaluator or new symptom developers !

Do you have a backup plan?

Yup great feedback! I was worried about drop back until I did the driveway test. My observation was that the rod rigger didn't release until the rod rigger tip almost touched the rod - that was a pleasant surprise ! It implied the rod rigger managed the hook up and handed over to the rod with about 30cm drop back. I'm hopeful it worked out just right - but the ultimate test is the blue water hookup. I'll report back positive or negative. Worst case it's kept me busy and consumed in my hobby for a few hours in lockdown - how bad can that be? Cheers Z

Baz, are you sure fartus tobesureus is a symptom .... it sounds more like a preventative measure ?

Maria has a partial solution with her hairdresser - who prepared the correct colouring formulation, packaged it in a brown bag and left it at her front doorstep - for my wife to pickup as essential supplies. All payments were cashless and contactless. We have a daughter at home who is proficient in applying said formulation. I was asked to, but quickly rejected as I could only vouch for my capability with Dulux products.

... sadly not going anywhere in lockdown 😪

Hey Raiders, I believe I have discovered a so far undocumented new symptom of COVID - I think the offical name for this symptom would be "hairy faciatis" ... but it would most popularly be known as "virus whiskas" ... I have observed that this symptom occurs during lock down and when significant time is spent in the man cave /workshop ! So far it does not seem to have any ill effect (the mrs is still talking to me and happy to stay close) so I am curious if its contagious and if any other members have experienced the same. I am aware a similar condition existed prior to COVID (eg @rickmarlin62) so perhaps the members that had it prior could assist in rating or classifying the intensity of the symptoms for those of us that are just experiencing this now. Also are there any documented cases of recovery ?!?! Here is a photo of the symptom: Cheers Zoran

Hey Raiders, Ok this post is more for the ones that are into deep dropping and more specifically Diawa Tanacom/Tanacom Bull electric reels. As I discovered from the Fathoms Friday trip losing a significant amount of braid is a real possibility, and that it may happen more frequently then I expected. So this presents two subsequent challenges: 1) creating a convenient set up to top up the reel with braid - you need power to the reel and somewhere solid to fix the relatively heavy rod/reel combo 2) creating a convenient set up to help re-calibrate the reel - so that it can accurately report line out - for depth and retrieve. Most of us have the electric rod and reel connection set up in the boat, which means topping up the spool requires us to work from the boat - all good if the weather is fine and you have a mate to help with providing correct tension on the new line spool - but what happens if the weather is crap and your are in COVID lockdown (and the missus does not want to stand in the rain holding tension - like your best mate would for a beer or two !) Well, you have to get creative ! First thing was to solve power supply! Quickly I realised that my landcruiser has a battery (which could power the reel) and a pretty solid bumper bar to hold a temporary rod mount that could take the strain of the braid being spooled on under load. Also I could nose the cruiser into the garage and work out of the elements in the relative comfort of the garage (which also happens to hold the beer fridge!) So here is what came out of the workshop: And the line spooler .... (a couple of dumbell weights on the base hold it down)....the two levers on the right drive reversed wing-nuts to tension the drag system. They lock against each other to hold at the set tension .... Now for the line calibration ! The Diawa Tanacom line calibration procedure basically requires you to load the spool to full, then peel off exactly 50m, press a button and then peel off another exact 50m - so that the reel knows what has come off is exactly 100m.... then reel the 100m back on and check against the spool reading. Peeling off 50+50m is somewhat easy to measure if you had colour change braid but even then you have the hassle of handling 100m of loose braid. The problem is more compounded with solid colour braid that I prefer to use for deep dropping. Fortunately, many years ago I had previously purchased a cheapo line counter that fitted onto a rod and I had used ONCE to measure how much line went onto my game reel... so using that this is what came out of the workshop: And the final calibration task in process .... which was actually a bit of an anti climax as I was done and dusted with only 1 beer / rod ! Well I hope I never tangle with the bottom again and have to use these but if it happens I am ready ! Hope this inspires others. Cheers Zoran

Catching up. Just another consideration. I had never ending problems with my Aux 4ST 15HP Mariner carbie - float/ float chamber / jets needed constant cleaning. The fuel ran of the same filter that serviced my EFI main motor - which is way more sensitive to clean fuel then the carbie motor - so fuel supply or fuel filter was not the issue in my case. I started to run the carbie motor dry by disconnecting the fuel line during the last phase of wash down and have not had any problems since. This is a good 4+yrs now. The problem for me was the stale fuel left in the carbie and low pressure fuel pump evaporating and leaving behind gunk which would then block the carbie. Just a thought. Cheers Zoran

Yup $400 pays for lots .... I'm going to stick with giving my peg-clip a solid go on the water. It allowed line to be fed in and out in the drive way test. Just need to confirm it will hold the varying load of a skirt or popper making its way through the waves. The peg has two small holes. The lower hole (closest to peg mouth) provides lower tension, the upper provides more tension - so I have some built in adjustment. If that does not prove enough the fallback is to use an elastic band to add to the peg spring tension. Anyway, it's something to play with. BTW, if I get it right, you're welcome to offer me way less the $100 per clip ! Bahahaha .... remember patent pending !!! Tight lines! Zoran

Good job(s)! Yeah a bit of light gauge reo or even chicken wire wouldn’t have hurt but if it’s thick enough and on stable ground and not load bearing will be fine. I love the handprints preserved for posterity! Most of our slabs are marked the same - even with puppies paws. My lockdown home DIY projects weren’t as grand. Eldest daughter had moved out with her beau just prior to lock down. So Maria took the opportunity to convince me to buy paint just before lockdown and to repaint both girls bedrooms - well make one into a sewing room - so I tackled my most hated DIY (painting) with gusto and completed the task. Now I’m still waiting to hear what sound the sewing machine actually makes! - but happy to report Maria now has the sewing room she always wanted. cheers Zoran

When’s the movie coming out ? cheers Zoran