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Thank you Viking thats a great idea I will to when i replace my wallet. Sorry if i sound a bit vauge about where she went down guys but i dont want to get to specific over the net. ]

G Day Wombat and all, firstly wombat i was a good couple k out getting towards near the the wave riders of bluefish so a daunting swim. I have been out serching for her all this weekend. Including having three seperate dives by a team of salvege divers in the area she went down, they havent found a thing. Its virtually as if sally never exsisted except for a photograph, no debrie, no rods nothing the ocean has just swallowed her up. Im not sure what that means now in terms of assesing the boat for insurance by one things for sure they dont have no boat to asses.

Ian I have no doubt that a grab bag would of helped its a great idea I would also never store my jackets in that way again i.e. in a hatch. I have aranged to hunt it out tommorrow so ill let you all know how it goes and if I find her. Thanks again for all the kind words

Thanks guys for your thoughts, its very funny how fishos think. After the wash up and when Id gotton over the shock thta was exactly what I thought to i.e. I have to remember this spot so I came return triumphant, sound out sally and have my own little snapper fad, all to myself that way sally will give back for years to come. Jocool I thought mine were too, I stored them in exactly the way you describe but like I said earlier 15 seconds worry about the water comming in 5 seconds to worry about the blokes 10 seconds to get off, sunk. When i get a little more organised Ill post some pics of her and also keep you all up to date about the insurance. Thanks for all the feedback and the offers I know with a bit of luck ill be in sally 2 back amongst it

GIO ken, what makes my problem worse is the fact that 3 weeks ago I had my car broken into and all my tackle stolen I logged a claim for this, which to GIO's credit was paid promptly I had just replaced most of the gear when the ship went down. I havent had a good run latley I wont bore you with all my worries but prior to that my father in law died and we lost a baby I geusse some people have all the luck eh. I know it sounds unbeliveable but Im not kidding.

Yeah thanks Allen lucky there made of plastic these days eh. The good ol Girl was a Carrabiean Baron, she had been a labour of love for me for the last four years after finding her in a lot at mona vale. I had replaced all the timber teak and varnished it a thousand times, spray painted it so it was crisp and new, re done all the electrics including new lights and gauges, accesriesd every thing that could be thats why it hurts that the insurance companys quistioned my integrity. I loved my ship and got a lot of pride out of the hard work id invested in it. I know they have procedures they need to follow but some of the comments from the assesor have borded on down right rude.

Not sure bluecod, I have loddged a claim and because ive only been insured since November they want to investigate, that kinda hurts a bit but hay what can I do Id much rather have my boat back. The assesor reacons he wants to send salvage divers down, personally I think its probably a bit of a lost cause, a lot of money for little return but thats their choice, Ill be cooperating fully. I also have mates that are salvage divers who are willing to give it a go, my concern is getting a boat back that sank the way it did let alone being emersed in salt water for a week

Thanks guys, let me tell you in the time you have its not easy at all. I never expected the boat to go so unexpectanly or quickly. I geusse I thought it would maybe capsize or dunk the motor in and bob around like a weighted bobby cork for a few hours, but she just went. Im not sure if the becon went off or not the guys who picked us up called triple 000 and a few minutes later the chopper flew over head, but your right, they may have been responding to the epirb. I recon youd be mad to venture off the heads with out one. Ive been out to browns a couple of times in the same boat and a chill goes through me when I think about it happening out there

A tale of a faitfull trip, went out on Sunday with two mates and started a lesurily troll about 300m of bluefish. The fishing was excellent in a couple of hours we had relased 10 rats including double hookups, then went to the secret honey hole and got some ripper tailor and more kings. I was really excited for my two mates as it was their first time on the high seas and to put them onto some great fish gave me a lot of satisfaction. Every thing was going great and we stopped to release another double hook of kings, then I noticed a trickle of water comming in the stern. This is were the shit starts to hit the fan, thinking ive been a spoon and left the bung out I dive over and check the transom while I direct andy to hit the bilge. Every thing looks hunky dory so I jumped back in, but by this time the trickle has turned into a torrent : Within fifteen seconds the boats well and truley in trouble and i tell the boys to jump ship five seconds later she's under. I re surface and despretley look around for the boys, then Andy resurfaces as white as a ghost except for a horrific gash from eyebrow to hairline and one just as bad on the shin where he has had to rip a fish hook 7/0 out of his leg. Wheres Nash? Shit still in the cabin as the boat dips beneth the briny : Totally freaking out for the safety of Nash I peer into the water looking as the boat slips under then suddenly see nash burst through the cabin door and surface. Nash is Indian descent but when he hit the surface he was whiter than Michael Jackson. With Nash in shock and throwing up constantly and Andy in a very bad way with nasty cuts our situation was grim. Suddenly the lord played the crulest trick of all when the dunny floated back up to the surface we all had a good laugh and the jokes about shitting ourselves and who was going to use the toilet for a flotation device came thick and fast. THe shitter couldnt have come up at a better time as it helped calm all of our nerves. We then began Floating along thinking what the ---- are we going to do when our saviour arrived. A guy with his mate and son spotted us and pulled us all on board, thank christ we all made it I thought. As a foot note guys, the bloke who saved us had earlier crossed our trolling lines tangiling the lot, although mildly irratated I kept calm and didnt throw any crap their way, later they helped save me and my mates lives and if they read these post I thank them from the bottom of my heart. Just goes to show that being calm and nice to a stranger, even when you might have cause to get the shits can pay divedends. Ive lost evrything and im feeling pretty glum wallet, phone, every bit of tackle I own, rods, reels, my beloved boat sally that id just spent four years of blood, sweat and tears into restoring : . But, most importantly ive still got too great mates and I didnt have to go home and tell their wives that they wernt with me. Guys let me tell you unless youve been through what ive just been through you wouldnt belive how quick a boat can sink. I dont know what caused it and it was over that quick that I didnt get to use life jackets, make a radio call, use my epirb, nothing. Every body when the shit hits the fan you better have your saftey drill down pat beacuse about 30 seconds is all the time youll get to try and save a life or two. Please guys for me go out this week and just run through a drill of what you would do in an emergancey, my tip is before you think about saving your boat get your saftey gear and people on board sorted out first. :