pelican

Unless you have a large deck and a very stable boat and only run deisel don't put a camping gas heater on a boat ever. They are a naked flame and too easy to tip over and can provide so much locaklized heat they can directly scorch and harden glass boats. Gas is heavier than air so any leak or if the flame goes out you end up with a bilge full of flamable gas. If GF means girlfriend not grandfather I'm sure more clothes , thermals or a thicker rug are a better option or even think of those pocket warmers from camping stores. Webasto and a few others do proper heaters for boats and many others are availiable via the USA. Last option is if you run a inboard as we used to we had a pipe off the manifold (glind make them for 4WD camping) and then a hose from it and nothing was nicer in the wetsuit than warm water. Not as relevant now with drysuits but always amazed us how even holding the hose warmed you upa few degrees. Do a search "Some Warm Winter Gear For The Hairtail Social" as one of the sponsors is doing 20% off. He also sells gas heaters but I would only use them on land. Cuddle with one arm and leave the other free for the rod!!!

This is not financial advice I'll spell it out Get up to date independent advice from several sources and get it in writing before you go any further. All books you read will soon be out of date as tax rates change etc etc. It is a changing investment landscape for the next couple of years with tax thresholds changing. 15 years ago property investment was a great tax advantaged investment as banks would only lend against property to any Jo Blow based on negative gearing and a 48.5 threshold at $50000. Threashold in 2007-8 will be over $125000 so if you aren't earning that think twice. Stamp duty, insurance and management fees all make property a uphill unless you pick or develop a property with very high capital growth. Tax office is coming down on allowable expenses. Now banks will lend to anyone and allow a wider range of security such as shares. I feel history won't repeat in regards to property investment. Everyone thinks they know property!!!! How can I lose?? Mate I live in one I know it all to well in this area then the stupid plods go buy a Queensland property off the plan that their accountant put em on to and got a fee for??? Shares aren't foolproof but they are definately lower taxed, no insurance fee, don't wear out, lower fees and more liquid if you are required to sell and you can start investing through a fund with a low start up amount. Later if you enjoy it you could decide to take some of the investment decisons on yourself but you never have to if you don't have the interest skill or motivation. Basically if anyone can explain why property curently would be a good investment when in comparison you can do shares with no stamp duty, benefit of franking and trade smaller amounts and manage your risk I'll be surprised. At some point as as always happens with over exhuberance in any market the banks will have to reign in their lending practices and up their credit hurdles. I'd rather be holding easy to sell shares than a lump of property that incurrs stamp duty etc etc and may take months to sell. Of course if you can ride it out if you have the cashflow and assetts but many will not in the next down turn. Best investment is paying down debt on your own house. Next best is Super Property investment is a business so make sure you approach it as a business and the books will change their view on property investment in the next 18 months I'm sure. Pelican

Only the big freshwater ones have ever had right of way (carry the diamond) the others have no more rights than you or me and are bound to avoid a collision and follow normal rules on water. Hillarious because like you I have spent ages running up and down the harbour in all manner or craft and most of the proffessional tour captians should have their tickets confiscated for the manner in which they conduct themselves around small craft. Maritime should be stopping them and issueing penalties day and night and police as well let alone the noise pollution with outward facing commentary speakers. Instead sometimes rarely we hear on the radio a call asking them politely to stand off a little further next time. Guess it is not so easy to pull over and question a commercial operator face to face??? How many fines have the police or Maratime ever issued directly to a commercial operator while on the water or even in the mail not related directly to a accident???. Honestly they must ride round with their eyes closed or have no incentive to do it!!!! Some of the commercial guys are good and I have rarely had an issue with any of the dive or larger fishing charter guys but the tour operators are forever in my black book. I'd just like one of them to get done for charging around within 30 meters of us at speed when we are anchored trying to have a quiet fish or relax. That goes for the jet boat operators as well. I know it is a thrill going fast near a fixed object like a pylon just not the one I'm fishing at please. They can pay to have their own special ones put in just like the yachties do with all the yellow YA (Yachting Australia ) marks. The other one of course is the obvious sailboats who fail to keep 30 meters off when we are anchored. I know they are racing but rules are rules and although they don't have a license you can protest them to the race commitee and have them forfeit their precious points. One avid sailor on Sydharbour has purchased a paintball gun with and effective range of under 30m and used it against a tourist cruise boat on it's side. After a complaint all was dropped as it was realised cruise boat was too close. Hmmmm Maybe we should all do that with some indellible dye to mark the ignorant idiots commercial or not. Perhaps it might take a bazooka might warn them off!!!!!! Harbour looked great this afternoon, water still a little dirty and a fair few boats out but most I saw weren't pulling in any fish of note but was several whales only 1 mile out the heads cruising along. Doing the family thing so didn't even wet a line. Pelican

The one thing about being out on the water is the freedom and I dislike authority regulating things just because they are not actually dealing with the cause. Seems speed was not the issue but a speed limit has been imposed as an ass covering measure by authouities. Wouldn't matter if doing 10 knots if you aren't attentive on lookout or can't see because of glare. It's horrible and sad to see anyone injured but I think that even at 10 knots this accident would have occurred with similar damage and loss of life yet they want to regulate speed. This is still an in court so won't say too much but seem common sense and visibility seem to be the issue- so if you can't see slow down. Now we will all have to slow down when conditions and vision are perfect regardless at all times of day and night. This is silly and a rule for rules sake not a solution by education of captains. The next recomendations proposed are for all ferries to have right of way not just the freshwater class that does now. The freshwater had them because they are large and not real manourvarable and have a reasonable draft. Frankly some of the Sydney ferries captains have shown real disrespect to other boat users over the last 20 years I've been on the harbour often engaging and travelling far to close to smaller boats etc etc. The whole rivercat debarcle and the wash they put out is dangerous and has made small boats up the river a dangerous hobby let alone sea wall degradtion etc etc The ol' 8 knot zones get me as well. You never get a clear answer. Is it because of degradation of bank? is because of safety or do they really want a no wash zone. The reason I bring it up is that I am often out on a 3 tonne boat that pushes a 1m bow wave at 8 knots displacement but at 16knots on the plane leaves a non destructive smooth wake that doesn't upturn kayakers. No wash is a much more sensible term and more easily enforcable but again is badly defined in law. Both police and Waterways didn't like our 1m wave much when we threw common sense out the window we did our allowable 8 knots!!!!! but that's what they asked for then they both sped off at over 8 knots ????. I say leave the international rules are good enough ( with a few harbour tweaks on no wash and restricted zones) but the education of existing and new boat owners on common sense is pathetic. Commercial operators and Sydney ferries don't deserve any rule that allows them to carve around the harbour any more than they do currently. They already pull size / rank out there now so I can only imagine what they will be like with "diamond " status. They'll play the game of just how close to sow and pigs or other harbour marks regularly fished they can go!!! Next we'll have those jokers helming on commercial cruise boats asking for an exemption and right of way as they are getting huge ships like the size if freshwater and charge around to a schedule just outside the mooring line of moored boats. How are they going to enforce it. We can trim down and nearly hold a plane and produce a bow wave from hell at 8 knots and yet they will be writing a ticket saying we are planing and therefore we are doing over 8 knots???? Signs have to be visible- frankly you just can't see them over that width of water?? We all should know will be the answer!!!! as they couldn't be bothered sending it out in the mail and notifying us. I bet with your next licence renewal you will see nothing about it. And lastly if you think more rules are better than common sense I guess you'll be able to explain the poor bloke in the little laser sail boat who got capsized by the tactical special protection police on Sydney harbour when US dignitries were out here!!!! Pelican PS Harbour closed to private vessels ( not to commercial cruise boats) while conference is on in September equals no fishing- wish they would say waht is open and what is closed!!

If it is on a moored boat make them so they can't be removed easilty without breaking them. Thieves are scum and hell knows where they sell the stuff but they don't seem to bother if it looks like they won't have the complete item in one piece. Sad we even have to consider this. Along the same lines what is the advantage or disadvantage of having them mounted on cabin top as opposed to side of cabin? Angled back how far or is it all about how it looks!!?. If tip height above water is infinately adjustable by a good adjustable bracket would it make any difference or just more convenient to load them? Have seen some great ones on game fishing internet sites on the 50 plus footers with unlimited budgets...gotta be some ideas worth stealing pelican

See this is what happens when selfish people won't say where spot X is - some captians will do anything to fish spot X The new spot X will be where ever this baby becomes a reef. Captians last words- "honest a big YFT Kingy dragegd us in before we could cut the line" "Bloody 4 strokes- no guts never again!!!" "Ok - who didn't tie off the end of the anchor warp" "bloody reef anchors" "Speed 5 - delivering steel to Newcastle" staring captian C Q Anchor Wong "Keaneau" and Sandy "Save my bottom" Bollocks. Out now at a beach near you. First mate "I told ya Captain they was street lights not trailer lights" Kevin Rudd "We will provide a pontoon next to the new breakwall just installed at Nobbys beach for easier launching of trailer boats if you vote for me" Captain to coastal patrol "We have been invited to berth at Nobby Beach wharf to go for a drink at the Sand Bar can you please advise of water depth- we draw 56 feet - Over" Waterways "Mate I don't care who you are it's a $200 fine if if you careen your boat on any sandbar" Waterways " I don't care if it is an emergency you should have a working starboard navigation light" Local Brown Bomber " Mate thats not parallel parking and it's above the high water mark so it's in my juristriction. I'm gonna fine ya regardless and if it ain't moved to the carpark and parked between the lines in 30 minutes when I return I'll fine ya again" Local fisherman" I had been fightin a 50 pound Kingy on the line and nearly beached him when curious captain wanting some sushi and amazed at the size of my Kingy, came in for a closer look and inconsiderately his prop cut my line" Left a couple of quotes for others to fill in below Waterways"..........................................." Coastal Patrol "......................................" Police"............................................" Newcastle tourism" ..........................." Pelican Yes I'm bored

Plenty of work for you on the North Shore today with trees down

These might be too obvious but check that when you imput your BPS points the new GPS was on the same Datum setting as your old GPS. eg Datum WGS84. If it wasn't the GPS runs a correction based on the datum and can put you 200m or more out. There are many datums Check that your input setting / format was the same on the new GPS to the one you got them off in regards to minutes an seconds an 3 decimal place minute and decimal minutes.ie 30 seconds equald 0.5 decimal minutes eg 38° 26.755' S 145° 10.353' E which is Degrees Minutes & Decimal minutes to 3 decimal places. 38° 26' 45.30" S 145° 10' 21.18" E which is Degrees Minutes Seconds which would be (for the example converted like for input with Google earth) How to convert them. Well all I do is change setting in GPS so I input them in the format they came in and then change my settings back to WGS84 and the GPS does it automatically but no doubt there will be a smarty pants web site somewhere.

Thanks for that. Glad it is a way off longreef as I didn't want to end up anywhere near the zone. Just love the chartplotters so much better than just the ol' gps pelican

Thanks for the info guys website of buoy manufacturer has a photo http://www.sonacom.com.au/sonacomweb/ brochure http://www.sonacom.com.au/sonacomweb/ Still nobody has told me the water depth- any one know Pelican

I hope you can see them from 500 M away otherwise how would you know??? 500 is a huge distance. Hi wasn't interested in going there was just interested in the water depth as mate had asked after seeing it covered in fishing nets on the TV. If they find it has no bodies in it it may well become a historical dive spot on the sub wreck. Must be respected as a war grave till proven otherwise regardless. Gotta say that it must be some extra special camera to survive out there and not only stay stable enough to take 360 degree photos but also do it through a salt covered lens???? Anyone know anything about makers of the buoy or equipment? Anyone know the depth? pelican

Should have gone for the trifecta - phone water and electricity all run to Shark Island from Point Piper and have signs at both ends on the shore. Signs aren't exactly where the cable is as the rejetted into the bottom the water pipe about 18 months ago. Divers obviously can't swin straight. Pelican

Anyone know what depth of water it is in?. 500 meter zone. Half the bubble heads I know can't swim that far so I hope the get the current right for their drift dive or are they talking about protecting the War memorial and navy divers Pelican

Careful on that ramp. Many boats actually launch trailers off the side of the ramp rather than down it because of it's angle and then drive boats onto the beach on the plane (and I mean at 12 plus knots) to recover their boats rather than try and get a trailer deep enough. Then dry winch on off the sand. Not sure what you drive but is mostly 4wd for medium size boat. Not a steep angle but at different tides it can be slippery as XXXXXXX. Only protection is in a light southerly as and any east or north winds make it a tough ramp hence why people beach retrieve. Even with southerly the swell curls around longy so is rarely totally flat. I suggest you go either with someone who uses it regularly or watch several launches and retrieves so you know what your in for. Closest other ramp would be the one at Manly ( not pretty if a southerly blows up) if you can find parking then the haul out the heads. Haven't seen it since the Mega dollar reno but should be finished now I think I think it is ticket parking as well Pelican

I have several V6 props of different pitches- spares and ones from other motors we had fitted. Can you tell me what pitch and diameter ( general sizes are anywhere fron 14.5 to 15 inch diameter by 15-21 pitch) you currently have and what revs you are at Wide Open Throttle and what revs you cruise at? What speed are you getting at cruise and WOT. Are you running a stainelss prop and is it 3 or 4 bladed? Is it a SST or Raker or what does it have stamped on the prop boss? If you can't find a dealer or prop supplier that will give you a couple of trial props of different pitches I might be able to loan you some of my spares to see what it you need to buy and what performance you will get. Over 4000 revs consumption skyrockets to nearly double . Somewhere I have the Torque and fuel consumption graphs but can't find them. One of the Magazines had similar on a heavy plate boat with graphs as well. Can't find it either but I know they are out there - ask the dealer. Bottom line- check you have , motot height , trim right , it propped right and then check your consumption against manufacturers graph and if you are still way out something is up with the motor. Pelican

Some E-tec's have had an issue with ECU and injectors making them consume two to three times the fuel they should. Tell the dealer and get it checked and fixed. Makse sure onece it's fixed that it has the carbon cleaned out of it before it is run hard again. It amazes me that a motor can still run with so much exess fuel but this is not the only etec that has done this. Out of interest is it useing heaps of oil as well of just fuel? what revs / speed are you getting and what is total weight of rig? It's not a cat with twin 200's on it is it? Good luck

Good to see a winner I've been done at the Rocks a fair while ago and after several letters they finally explained that the "default if not signposted" is always rear to the curb. We all read that one when we did our drivers lic test 40 years ago didn't we!!!??? It was in the center median strip car park so only when solicitor ,in writing, argued where the "curb" and photos of signs and all other cars parked wrong way round was saying it wasn't clear did I get off. After many many months and more cost to me tripple the fine then they replaced signs saying "rear to curb" and "front to curb" at different parts of the same street. Now you have to read signs very carefully as to discover what section your in. With theatre down there and all night shows it is a goldmine I reckon. I park elsewhere and walk as it just irks me every time I go there now. A couple of other boatramp carparks have notices about trailers only on the grass area on those small entry signs as well but not on the damm parking signs. Pelican