noelm

The only motor manufacturer there was Mercury, Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Tohatsu did not attend.

Didn't look specifically at them, but I did see a few there, upstairs, pretty easy to see, there is one up high with a model/robot pedalling it.

There's a bit to consider, first running steering and control cables, you will need to cut the floor up to do that. Then there is the console itself, as Frank said, you can make it yourself, but the finish will take some work. Next is strength, see if the cabin structure forms part of the structural integrity of the hull. It certainly can be done with a bit of care and moderate skill, I personally wouldn't cut it to bits, then take it to a professional, get them to do the lot (and it won't be cheap) or buy another centre console boat.

The walk from the light rail station is probably a good 10 minutes I guess, but we (had my 16 year old grandson) stopped for some early lunch before we went in, I used to park in the big multi storey car park but the pulled it down (somI was told) didn't look to see if was there.

Yep, saw the Mercury 600HP, I asked a couple of exhibitors if they knew where Deckee was and they said no, I didn't open the magazine they gave you, turns out it has a map in it......caught the train up, light rail to Haymarket, it all went easy enough, the light rail is pretty slow and clunky, but saved trying to park. Is there a parking station close by these days?

Just got back from the show, couldn't find the "deckee" stand, looked for ages. The show was pretty small, not much to see really, a few big American boats that were impressive, but other than that....nah.

I will be there Friday, if the times OK, I will locate the "deckee" stand at 12.

Yes, some do, most say they are a copy of a Yamaha, but that's only partially the case, lots of parts don't interchange.

Probably first stop would be a Telwater dealer, Vortex were at one time used by them, don't know for how long though, failing that, I think you're doomed to looking for one that fits off something else, what brand is anyone's guess.

I will see if I can get there Friday, should be OK I think.

Just to add, almost all bleachers are curved, so, usually one end will be protected from swell and wind, making it "calm" unless you're there early before the wind comes up, then rough conditions are just a fact of life.

All beaches are the same, yet different, some are steep, some are very flat a long way out, some have coarse sand, some have fine sand, some have lots of gutters and rips, some are just the same the entire length of the beach. Then we get a big swell and it all changes.....For Worms, I prefer fine sand, not gritty coarse sand, and a flat section of beach at low tide.

Yeah it is, lived there all my life, bought the family home many years ago, could never afford to live there otherwise, very expensive real estate now. That lake entrance is a very popular spot for families during summer, the beach fishing is OK, rock fishing is good and diving/spear fishing is great too. My grandkids love having a "sleepover" during the summer, they swim and fossick around all day.

Almost any beach is worth fishing, species changes with the seasons, dictating how you fish and what you fish for, summer is Whiting time, most gutters (even with swimmers close by) will see Whiting around, long shank hooks and Beach Worms for bait, about 6-9lb line is plenty. Winter is Tailor and Salmon time, bigger baits and ganged hooks are the go, right on dawn or dusk, I prefer a low tide, but sometimes tides don't fit in with your schedule.

The changing ocean "moods" Whales in the bay on a calm day

Another recent big swell from my house.

My son and his kids on the beach across the road

Australia Day from my balcony

Sunrise and huge swell, didn't take those, but they are in front of my place

A good ice slurry will see crabs go dead/unconscious/stunned/asleep in less than 10 seconds, long before they can nip each other.

Yep, it's amazing how many times I have seen people with a few crabs, dead in a bucket, who knows for how long?

For my crabbing ice, I make salt water blocks, then add salt water to form a slurry, crabs put in the esky are "dead" in seconds.

I have used them when beach fishing, mind you, most of my beach fishing trips are pretty short, but a couple of those plastic freezer "brick" things work a treat for a few Whiting.

Yep agree, it makes a huge difference to the texture of the flesh and the taste, fish like (say) Kingfish and Tuna benefit greatly from icing ASAP, more common table fish like Flathead, Bream and Snapper return a much firmer flesh than ones just left in a bucket, cleaning and so on is also easier.

Freezing plastic bottles of water is a good idea, they don't melt and make a mess, and there's always the possibility of emergency drinking water. I just use square ice cream containers, or square buckets to make ice, when crabbing, a 10l bucket of ice, plus a bag from the servo keeps crabs fresh until the boat is washed and put away and the cooker is ready to go, the crabs are ready to cook being in the ice. You only have to look at photos to see fish sitting in a no ice esky, or a bucket of sea water on the deck.