Geoff

As reef anchors catch on or lock into a crevase or hole in the rocks , depending on sea conditions , 2 time is normally enough. Sand being softer & the need for the anchor to remain flat , longer rope is better so the rope / chain act as a shock absorber as the boat moves up & down but the anchor is not being disturbed. Geoff

The rule of thumb is 3 times the depth. This can vary depending on the conditions , on calm days 2 times may be sufficent but 2 - 3 is the normal practice. 6.0mt of chain is heaps so suggest this is not increased. I have a 4.9mt boat with a 10lb anchor with only 1.0mt of chain but use the 3 times rule & never have a problem. Geoff Geoff

According to the book , 10lb is the recomonded size for your boat along with a meter or so of chain but if you want some safety margin then go with Fab 1 suggestion. Geoff

Berleyguts. I agree with Paikea , don't worry about the berley. If there is any interference it will only be minor showing on the surface. Starboard side is your only option. When mounting , have the bottom of the pot a few mm above the bottom of boat. It's also a good idea to mount it with wing nuts rather than standard nuts. This allows easy removal at the pot at the end of the day for cleaning. On mine , I undo the wing nuts , place a plastic bag over the top then invert the pot , contents into the bag & into the freezer for the next trip. A quick hose down , pot all clean , time for a beer. Geoff

There are only a few companies in the world that actualy make batteries , many are similar , they just change the name on the case. If you stick with the better known brands you can't go wrong. Check this web site out , there is lots of information which , from a technical aspect , may be of interest. http://www.firststartbatteries.com.au/whyagmbattery.html Geoff

If you Google "anchor winches" there are heaps around in different configerations & sizes depending on the size of boat & the weight it is required to lift.It is perhaps better to stay with the better know brands. On that note , South Pacific should definatly be on your shopping list. Geoff

Suggest you use the "search" function or scroll through the Boat section as the question has been covered on a number of occasions previously. As to your comment of needing to run the motor every few weeks. I think you have another problem other than fuel evaperation. I have a 70hp oil injected 2s Yammie. On the occusions when the boat is not used for several months (3-4)I hook on the rabbit ears & give the motor a run. Never had any problem with starting or oil residure in the carbys. Geoff

As others have said , it's a life style decision , not financial. I'm in my 60's & have been around boats , in one form or another , most of my life In 2003 it was time to upgrade from my 4.3mt Quinnie (a great little boat) to something bigger. I wanted Aluminium partly due to durability but also weight for easier towing but was concerned with the problem most alloy boats have , "tinny bang" Searched around & found a Webster 4.6mt twin hull. It ticked all the boxes , especially the tinny bang problem. Back in 2003 they cost new , around $28k. Today boats of that vintage , in good condition , are bringing around $25k. A loss of $3k over 10 years I think is more than acceptable. As I have not come across any thing in the 4.6 - 4.9mt Aluminium range that comes near the Webster there is no need to change. With the possible exception of health reasons , it's highly unlikely the boat will be sold in the foreseable future. Geoff

Am I correct in saying the holes are at or near the bottom of the tank?? If so , have you considered sealing them off & installing a fitting at the top of the tank or through the filler hole with a hose that goes from the fitting to the bottom of the tank. Or , instaling a breather fitting to the top of the tank to relieve the pressure Bias / Whitworths have a range of fuel fitting available which could be worth checking out. Also , check out the locktite range of products , they may have a suitable sealer Geoff

Greg As previously requested , a few photos will be of great assistance. The larger boating places like Bias , Whitworth have a large range of fittings , one of which may do the job. Bunnings also have a large range in their gardening section at a fraction of the price charged by the boating outlets, If you find a suitable elbow , chamfer the leading edge so it will pick up the water when under way. Geoff

It sounds like you have an inboard pump , ie the pump is inside the hull. Thats OK provided they have installed a suitable pipe (scoop) that picks up the water when on the plane. If it is simply a hole in the bottom of the transom then you will only pick up water when at rest which is rather useless if traveling long distances on the plane. Geoff

Provided the boat is traveling at a sufficent speed , like on the plane then , yes. Geoff

Kyngfish Can you post a photo of the pump & how it is set up. Trying to explain & understand the problem in words is rather difficult. I don't think the weather conditions have any bearing on your problem. As others have said , if the pump is setup correctly then water will flow into the tank without the pump being on when , on or near to being on the plane. The on then off electrical problem could be a loose or corroded wire but if your running the pump & it becoms dry then overheating wil occur that may cease the bearings . When it cools down the bearings contract & the pump works again. To test this , run the pump when the boat is on the trailer , if it becoms hot & stops then suggest a new pump is fitted & don't run it in a dry state. Geoff

Sorry Juggs , but I don't agree. Sure the Bias ones may not be as strong as a SS unit bolted down to the gunnel but I have 8 holders (the normal is 6 , I purchased two extra) & there has never been any concern , as far as holding the rods , over strength. For those into serious game fishing & have a need to hang 6 or so heavy game reels / rods which may cost thousands of $$$$ into their launcher then yes , the additional cost can be justified but for the average weekend boater the less expensive unit will do the job. From a safety aspect , in my boat , people are seated when traveling in rough water , not hanging off the launcher Geoff

That should not be difficult. A thin strip of Aluminium , one end screwed to the bimini frame & the other to the launcher. May be wise to have one end with a bolt through the frame rather than screws, held in place with a wing nut, just in case you want to drop the bimini or launcher at any time with out searching around for a screwdriver. Geoff

I have one of these launchers. They are OK for rod holding but would not use it for trawling as I don't think the mounting fittings to the deck could stand the pressure on a big strike. When assembling , the 6 rod holders can go in one of two directions. Do a rough assembly first & check it out in the boat to see which option is best for access , ie lifting the rods in & out of the holders With the launcher being the highest point I mounted the anchor light on top. Here are a couple of pic's that may be of interest This one was taken prior to the light being fitted. Geoff

Narrabeen Bait and Tackle Geoff

Arrived at G.P ramp this morning around 10.00am to do a bit of land based fishing with my 4 YO grandson to find this. The water was about 8" deep at the top of the ramp A short time after these were taken a guy arrived in a late model Commodore. He had no hesitation driving into the water to launch his boat. The water was lapping cills & about 1" below the bottom of the door. Glad it was not my car. The other classic , a guy arrived with his family, launched his boat , brought it around to the beach area then 2 large gerry cans appeared. My first thought , they were going on a pichic & the cans were full of fresh water . WRONG!! It was petrol. Now we have all seen some strange things at boat ramps but why a guy would launch his boat then proceed to fill up is beyond me. Why not fill up on the way to the ramp or at least whilst the boat was on the trailer especialy when they decided to returned the empty cans to the car which was parked some distance from the ramp. Fishing was very slow but the little bloke hooked onto a nice size Bream . He was stoked & after a few snaps we released it for another day. Geoff

Most well know brands have colour sounders in your price range & from a performance aspect they are all basically similar. Have a look at the Lowrance Elite 4x & the Elite 4x DSI , both are under $300. Hummingbird & Garmin also have colour units for under $300 Geoff

Kurnel is not good when trying to retreive at low tide , especially for larger boats. However , if retrieving around 2/3 hours each side of high tide then it's OK. This photo was taken at dead low tide. Geoff

Here is the correct position for the bracket. Note the position of the pick up pipe. If mounted in this position a bracket to slide the unit up or down is not necessary. If you have some scrap aluminium around & the spout from one of those cartriges like "No More Gaps" make one of these & save $47.00. Geoff

I found the same using 3 hooks.Others have suggested 6 or more is better but if you take into account total turn around time , ie catch , release , untangeling or releasing loose hooks that may get caught on some part of the boat , more time is spent with the line out of the water therefore , using 3 hooks can catch the same or more than 6 hooks over a given period of time. Geoff

There is generally two schools of thought on this subject , those who service the pump every year or every 100 hours & those who keep an eye on the tell tail & if there is a strong jet then leave it for the time being. I tend to be in the second category. Unless the motor has been subjected to sand or mud going through the system I normally change every 200 hours. Keep in mind , E-Tec first service is at 300 hours & even then the pump may not need servicing. Geoff

Talk to Huey , he may be able to advise on a specific problem that occurs with oil injection system on that motor. Also , Huey has a 50 / 50 synthic oil available which I understand creates very little smoke. I've found that different oils , especially "non out board brands" which are technically OK , can produce more smoke than oil recommended by , in this case , Merc. As for the oil in the cowl it sounds like you have a leak somewhere around the oil bottle. Give the motor a good clean down with a can of aersol degreaser then see if you can trace back the source .. Geoff

No , It's the one next to Silverwater Bridge , Eastern side with easy access off Silverwater road Geoff