michaelrdoyle@gmail.com

Hey dude Not an expert, however, I've noticed a lot depends a lot on the boat you have. How stable it is, how high the sides are, how wide it is. A downside of the centre console is if a wave breaks over the bow, you can take on a lot of water quickly. Mike

Mate - I hope you find a ride. It's awesome taking kids out fishing, introducing them to awesome fun, hanging out-doors. Watching their little $15 rods almost break in two as they wrestle the huge 12cm bream or flathead into the boat. I love taking my nieces and nephews out for a fish - and recently my own son (now 17 months) - he's just worked out how to wind a reel, and that when the end of the rod bends, there's something on the end. He hasn't quite joined all the dots - but he's getting there. I'm normally down JB way (which is where the boat is) - so I can't help. But good luck finding someone. Mike

If I remember correctly, if it's a software issue, if you hold down the "pages" button when turning on your sounder, it resets the software (keeps your marks, but resets all units, settings etc to default). That may fix it (has happened a couple of times to me). But it's a long shot - sounds like a hardware issue. Mike

thanks Dave - great info. A couple of extra questions (cause you have inspired me to do it myself)..... - What size is the bait tank? (like - litres?) - What's the type/model number of the bait board and the tank? - Does the bait tank have a lid (does it come with it?)? - Can you email me higher res pics? (I'll PM you my email address if you're happy) I reckon I can give it a go on my quintrex. Will set up the bait board to go into the rod holders on the quintrex. Not as strong - though I did replace them a few years ago with tough ones (it had silly plastic ones as standard that soon broke). thanks again Mike

Thanks for the heads up Jason. The bayhunter has a removeable bait board attached to two rodholders over the back of the boat - very similar to Dave's one (check his photos). Another pic of what it looks like is (not my boat, found on the web): Mike

Very very nice..... how much did you do yourself? How much did you pay? how did you do it? I've been trying to work out how to get a live baittank in my Quintrex Bayhunter, and that looks like the perfect solution (and similar to what I was thinking).... I would love all the gory details..... Mike

BTW - plenty of squid around at the moment - the usual spots (PM me if you want two of the most popular) Mike

Jervis Bay. Upside: Lots of fish, lots of options, lots of squid. Wide variety of fishing environments, from sportsfish, to standard estuary fish. Downside: Lots of Sanctuary zones - though I think that helps the fishing. Bay can get rough in very bad weather. Crookhaven: Upside: Flatheads, bream, jewfish, all weather. Downside: I think it's overfished, making you work hard for fish. I holiday down on the Crookhaven river several times a year. Just got back then - spent a couple of mornings fishing (or squidding actually) with kids - caught over 40 over about 5 hours total (two days). Didn't go in at Crookhaven, or try the ocean. So I would pick Jervis - but both are good. Mike

Yep - I agree with the helm. I felt the cog teeth give when I was turning the wheel too hard (and I was turning it pretty hard). So whilst I have now unstuck the steering - I have a jolt in the helm - every half turn it skips. Very confident it will work fine today on the trip - though happy to hand steer it back if need be. Not going far. Any idea how much a new helm will cost? Mike

thanks guys - appreciate the help. the great news - I've managed to unstuck it, and pull it out, and fix it. It's now all working again - but way too stiff. Which suggests I should put in a new set of cables. I'm "half handy" - not to bad on stuff I've done before, but not great. Tossing up getting a dealer to do it - or doing it myself. On a related note - I think I striped a gear in the steering column when trying to unstuck it - it now jolts every half turn. What's the fix for this? Good news is I can still go fishing tomorrow. Mike

Hey All Just wondering - how much labour should I be expecting to pay a mechanic to replace a steering cable? Will (likely) take longer then usual as the steering arm on the motor is stuck, so will take a bit of effort to take that out... thanks (just working out if this guy has given me a good quote, or if I should check elsewhere) Mike

thanks guys. Looks like I will need a new steering cable - but need to check a few things. Plus, will source one locally (Am down the south coast), cause I wanna fix this ASAP. Down here the rest of the week, hoping to head out fishing at some point. Could someone answer me this: Where the cable is attached into the arm, is that a permanent connection? Can I detach the cable, and pull the whole mechanism out of the motor, so I can work on it on the bench? Or is the arm part of the cable? The reason I ask is that I seem to be able to move the mechanism through the motor, but the cable is restricting movement. It is hard to move. BTW - I'm not talking about the whole tube (sorry for lack of correct terminology) that goes through the motor, which the motor pivots vertically on, which is held on by two big black nuts, one on each side. That is NOT the tube I am talking about! thanks for the help. Mike

wow!

Hi All Just a reminder to check your EPIRB every month (use the self-test button). No good to you if it doesn't work. I bought a new one in January this year, and installed it, decided to check it a week later - and it didn't pass the self test. The strobe would flash once, but no beep. The company that makes it swapped it happily. So just make sure you test yours. Check the instructions so you know what to expect. And check it out. Mike

Took the wife and boy out fishing this morning. Dropped the boat in. Engine started first go. Sweet. Steering stuck. Bugger. So day stuffed, and can't seem to fix it. Any suggestions? A mobile mechanic I called (I'm down south at Crookhaven) reckon we would have to pull the whole lot out, new tube, and new steering cable. Which of course will take time. I wanna go fishing. I've tried juggling the engine and the steering wheel - no good. Soaked it in inox, still no movement. Used a hammer and wood on the arm to knock it a few times. I can get it to move in a little bit, but can't get it to move out. The arm is fully inside the socket (motor was at full left turn), so there wasn't any place for it to move, and I can't get it to pull out. Any suggestions? Brilliant ideas? thanks Mike PS Quintrex boat, dirty Merc 60hp engine, cable steer, left in garage for a few months.

That looks great dude. In fact - better then great! Wish I had the skills (and time) to do something like that. Just a question - have you thought about underfloor floatation? Mike

4 kg?????? Like 9lb????? Are they insane?????? How long does it take to fight a 30kg fish on 4kg? a few days? How much line did they have on the spool? Several km???? Well done fellas! A well deserved record!

good to know - thanks. Mike

My grandfather use to go down to the Hawkesbury when he had time to watch people drop their boats in and pick them up again. Hours and hours of entertainment. He tells of one time watching a young couple drop the tinny in, and head off up the river. As they put the boat in and head off - she was laying into her partner big time. Went on and on and on and on. Everything he did was wrong. And she wasn't happy. Never gave the guy a break. Obviously these guys had "issues". Several hours later my grandfather spied them coming back. This time she was sitting on the bow of the boat, guiding him in. And still giving him heaps. As they approached the jetty, she screeched at him "STOP NOW". Being an obedient fellow, and knowing full well what he was doing, he flip the outboard into reverse. And plop - into the water she went. One of of the funniest things he ever saw. Mike

If you're looking for someone to take your boat out regularly, I think we can help you. Mike

Hey dude Is the line breaking, or is the knot coming undone? How can you tell (i hear you ask...) - often if it breaks, the line is frayed, or a clean cut (bitten off often). If the knot came undone, the line is often crimped or curled - it's not straight. The Uni knot (tied correctly) is a good knot for braid. So it should work. So here's my suggestions: 1) Check it's not breaking. Cheap braid may be the problem. 2) Check you're tying the knot properly. There are some good online guides. 3) Practise practise practise. Check your knot by pulling hard on the line, and seeing if it is coming undone. Good luck :-) Mike

I'm not sure anything will deter those things! But I think it may distract them from the hook - they end up biting the trace and swivel rather then where you want them to bite. Mike

Leather Jackets can be a real shocker. When in plague proportions, they will bite on anything they see - including beads, swivels, and coloured line. Which may explain why you're losing gear. And yes - they taste great (at least the bigger ones do). I reckon one of the best tasting fish. Gut, Skin, de-head them. Wrap in Aluminium foil with a bit of butter and lemon and cook (don't overcook). Either BBQ, hot plate, or even oven. The flesh just peels off the bones - yum yum yum. How to best catch them? I'm not an expert - but long shank small sized hooks are a good start. I'm not sure if I would go a metal trace, or just go a totally clean, clear nylon line with no trace, beads or swivels, and a running sinker (which would go all the way to the hook). Mike

Yep - leather jackets. They will do that to hooks - especially the cheaper/smaller ones. Mike

See a doc now. Mike