kingfishbig

Well buying another boat is a solution. If you really want to keep the boat then why not just get a more substantial bimini with front and side clears? You can hang it off a rocket launcher. It would provide more protection from the elements than what you have now. A hard top or cabin on that boat is really overkill and as others have pointed out quite risky.

The new Mercury 4 strokes have good torque because they have a large displacement. No doubt this was done to compensate for the well documented deficit of 4 strokes in this respect (due to them having less power strokes per cycle). So you can't assume that other 4 strokes an the market will perform as well. PS: I haven't experienced those sort of problems with my carby two strokes - just abundant torque and power through the commonly used rev ranges. Anyway it's hardly a fair comparison ie the latest 4 stroke (with a large displacement) vs an old tech 4 stroke which you cant buy anymore.

It already has a bimini and clears - I am at a bit of a loss as to how much more protection you would need, other than side clears.

I always tie a bimini in my braid then use a double uni knot to the mono leader. The bimini is a 100% knot (even in braid) and this greatly increases the strength of your braid to mono knot too. Just make sure you use at least 40 turns in the bimini when using braid. That said I am not sure of the basis of your question as you said you are already using a braid to mono connection. Most people are aware that braid cuts easily. So that leaves using a heavier mono leader. Too heavy can have drawbacks such as bulky knots, impaired lure action, putting fish off. It would help if you gave some more details. And by swivel do you mean snap swivel?

You shouldn't be tying to something with a thinner diammeter than your leader. Ie I think you have answered your own question.

Why not use Thermo-Lite? It's an established boat building material used by some of the big brands.

You can get multiple trackers as part of the package deal.

I caught a kingfish on one a the 3rd runway, Botany Bay. Also had a kingfish follow the lure right up to the boat at the container wall. Usually the kingies at these spots are very fussy and will only look at fresh squid or livebait.

I have probably added 20 km per hour to my serve, though most of that is due to improving my technique. Ie getting a proper power loop or deep drop instead of bringing the racquet straight back. You don't really need a court to practice. It can even be an advantage as you are not distracted by the result of whether the ball is going in or not - you just focus on the mechanics. It's been a good little lockdown exercise.

A bit - but I more so with a resistance band. I do it to get me an edge in tennis.

It's a marketing thing and a concession to the environment. If the motor has needle bearings it can run at 100:1. But the motor will probably last longer run on 50:1.

Yes you can run 50:1. It's probably a good idea if you run at full throttle a lot and if you want the motor to last.

I might sell quickly at that price. . As to hours on the engine a few hundred is OK but up towards a thousand could spell trouble down the track - does he have a rough idea? It should go like the clappers with a 115 hp. As others have said check for rotten transom, floor and stringers. Don't neglect the age of tyres (over 6 years wouldn't trust), correct inflation and condition of bearings. Generally I wouldn't say an old plate aluminium boat is any safer or a better proposition than a fiberglass one. Aluminium corrodes and fatigues with age and can let go without warning. It is unusual for plate boats to have level floatation. They just rely on air chambers under the floor. But a cracked weld can compromise the floatation. There is an article on the net about a plate boat that went down at the Peak. One of the crew didn't even have time to get his life jacket. And they actually had the boat professionally restored with welding work to remove corrosion.

You can do it on the cheap with a tiller steer motor which costs a few hundred. Just reverse the handle and use a tiller extension attachment. I got an aluminium welder to make up a bracket for under $100 and did the wiring myself. Ie it's a bow mount but I have to steer by hand. It's hard to do without an electric for some types of lure fishing.

Snapper fishermen liked the ABU 9000C. I could never afford one when they were new. I picked one up at an auction for $45 a couple of years ago in almost perfect condition. It's nice just to have it.

Just an example I picked. And a new Parsun is similar in price to a second hand so called name brand (especially with the 2 stroke run out deals), so it is a valid comparison.

I'd trust a new Parsun with warranty more than a 10 or 15 year old so called 'name' brand.

You would have to be lucky to land a 35 lb kingfish on the rocks on 18 lb line. Even with 50 lb braid it's no guarantee. And lighter braid is hard on fingers and easily cut on rocks. It's hard to extert enough pressure even with a 9 ft rod and given their strength and dirty fishting. Remember ANSA and sportfishing was all the craze back then and a lot of people were after line class records, this worked better with tuna. And there is more catch and release today so getting them in quickly is not a bad thing. Also sharks taking your catch is a big problem on the North Coast. As to rod length it depends on the ledge. The southern LBG ledges are often quite high and drop down into deep water. It's like fishing off a wharf and there is no problem getting near the edge. Also livebaiting rods were always short as far as I recall. And threadlines work quite well with shorter rod whereas overheads were more the go in the old days.

Yes and a good point about injectors verses carbies. Actually the bread and butter of many repair shops is water damage. Being able to get back in is an important consideration also. It's a real weak point of injected motors which dealers don't tell you about. When I raised this once the dealer told me to 'get out of boating'!

Another option is to contact the manufacturer. Sometimes they will re- rate the boat.

Probably not worth the risk of potential insurance or legal problems. The limit is also there for a reason, the boat might become unstable or handle poorly. Is the Parsun a 2 stroke or 4 stroke? Does the boat have a motor weight rating as well? I wouldn't say motors are lighter these days as 4 strokes weren't prevalent when older boats were built and rated. And 4 strokes are substantially heavier. As to Parsun motors they seem all right with many sold here. I have a Parsun 90 hp myself and it performs well.

Sure they weren't spotted mackerel? They turn up from time to time in Sydney. I have never heard of Spanish mackerel though.

Are you fishing alone? You could take on a lot of water if the wind gets up. The Bay is shallow and a strong wind will generate a nasty chop. Investing in a bilge pump will be a good idea. A frightened man with a bailer does a good job too but is not an option on your own. The boat is underpowered too so it will be hard to outrun bad weather. That said it looks like you are not venturing too far so you will be either going with a northerly wind or you will be getting some lee effect from a southerly.

Sounds like a case of bad knots if the line is breaking below breaking strain. I use a double uni knot to connect the leader but double the braid using a bimini twist. Inread of the usual 20 turns I use 40 plus in the bimini. This seems to be close to 100% strength as when breaking off on snags the line breaks somewhere other than the leader knot or the hook straightens. As to casting or wind knots having the reel slightly underfilled and closing the bail manually seem to help.

I used 20 - 25lb mono when I used to fish for them. It depends a bit on the terrain and the average size. Maybe try 20lb to start. Alveys work well with their direct wind. Remember they are extremely dirty fighters. Yes they are good eating. It's best to remove the skin like blackfish.