Geoff

Connecting the positive to the ACC switch is OK. There should be a terminal block or post under the dash where all the negatives are connected. Connect the neg to this post. Interferance may or may not be a problem. Turn your sonar on , at home , then turn on the pump & hold it next to the tranducer. Check the screen to see if there is any change. If not , mount the pump then to confirm , test again in the water. If there is interferance then , move the pump sideways with you hand , away from the transducer until the interferance stops. This will determins the distance. In respect to the pump , unless there is some sort of pick up not shown in the photo's the pump , if mounted in the position indicated , will only pick up water when the boat is at rest , ie , it will not pick up water when on the plane. Pumps are normally mounted on a bracket with a pick up like shown in this photo. Geoff

There are two jetties at Little Beach , one at each end. Either or both are worth a try. The other popular spot is the break wall near the marina at Nelson Bay. It's best fished at the top or bottom of the tide as the water tends to rip past the wall when the tide is coming in or out. Geoff

Mick Check the map as most of the area East of Yacaada head & the area around Cabbage Tree is marine park. Geoff

Sam There is no problem connecting to the existing battery as the pump draws very little power. Electrics should be set up via a switch on the switch pannel. If there are no spare switches on the pannel then a single switch needs to be fitted. It is not a big job but if your not aware of how to do it then seek outside assistance. The plumbing is another aspect & there can be more to it than meets the eye , eg , pump size , pump position , inlet position , outlet position & size , draining facilities. Geoff

Jim The main ramp near all the trawlers & charter boats tie up can be very busy. I prefer the ramp near the bridge ,normally easier access & ample parking & good facilities. As to fishing the river it tends to be rather shallow once past the bridge ramp especially at low tide & not very productive. There is a servo accross from the bridge ramp & the guys are a wealth of information , it's worth having a chat. There is no bar at Bermagui so even small boats can get out & in safety to off shore locations. Just avoid coming back at low tide with a strong N/E as the entrance can be rather choppy. This may be of interest http://www.fishraider.com.au/Invision/index.php?showtopic=22256 Geoff

Mick. A lot of the PS area is Marine Park so pick up a map from one of the tackle stores. If launching from Little Beach read the Council sign in the preperation area , it may save you some $$$ As to locations , areas around Broughton Island have a good reputation for Reds or try the reef area on the Northern side of Little Island. Trolling South from Tomaree head towards Fingle is worth a try. Geoff

Kel. If it's any comfort we fished outside BB yesterday in various spots from the clifs out to 50 mt , other than loosing gear to the Jackets out wide , the action was very slow with no keepers. Tried Watts Reef with a good burley trail only to produce a few Yakka. A few drifts across the bay , one small throw back red. From what I could see , other boats were not doing much better ,so it appears to have been a poor day all round. Will just have to go back & try again. Geoff

Elect motors can be fitted to most boats the first thing to check is the strength & access to the prefered mounting point. The size would not be less than 80lb which means a 2 X 12V (24V) batteries. Determin where they will be located as they are heavy & can take up a lot of space.. Check the shaft lengths available to ensure it is sufficient to get good water coverage of the prop. For a boat of your size , is a small outboard , around 4 - 5 HP , an option Geoff

2nite. The first thing is to determine if you have Holden or Ford bearings. Remove one of the outer bearings , there will be a number stamped on the side. Ring around to some of the bearing companies like CBC or SKF & quoting the No., ask if they are H or F. If something else , that may be a problem depending on the internal diamater , ie , the hole size that slides over the stub axle. Once you have that information can then move forward New hubs , complete with bearings , seals etc are available from most large marine outlets. Cost around $70 a pair Before rushing out to purchase the hubs , source the rims ensuring the stud pattern is compatable. Wreckers are an option but with steel rims , rust will be a problem or look at Sunraysia rims. They tend to be competitivly priced. Purchasing a complete set , hubs ,bearings & rims from a trailer supplier may be an easier option. The other thing to check is the size / space under the guards. The last thing you need is to discover the new wheels do not fit under the guards.. There is a bit envolved but is mainly homework before spending the $$$$. Your not far from me so if you need a hand , send a PM Geoff

A recent report from one of the locals indicated the fishing was not too productive at presant , however , with the warmer water moving South things should improve. If not aware , part of the Inlet is Marine Park so suggest a visit to the local tackle store to pick up a MP map. There is a guy ( can't recall his name) who does charters in the inlet. As your thinking charter , he may be worth tracking down. Geoff

The power going to the motor is normally on a seperate circuit to the accessories hence the reason the motor works whilst the the accessories are not. There should be a seperate fuse on the positive cable near where the accessories circuit connects to the battery. It's unlikely it's blown but could be corroded or come loose. Check both terminal connections (Neg & Pos.) at both the battery & the buzz bar / terminal block under the dash for tightness & corrosion. Geoff

Yes , but varies from brand to brand & models within brands so you will need to speak with the retailer when making your choice. I agree with Huey , for the $$$ your talking about , the GME G-Series Combo should be on the top of the list followed by the Lowrance Elite-5 DSI Combo. The GME includes the Aust. wide C-Map , the Elite includes the Aust. wide XL9 Gold card. Both cards provide similar information. Geoff

Thanks Craig Geoff

Craig Could you assist with one more question. There appears to be 3 types of SS cable commonly available, 1/19 which is one strand containing 19 wires , It's low stretch but very stiff. 7/7 One strand with 7 sub strands each with 7 wires , semi flexible 7/19 One strand with 7 sub strands each with 19 wires. Very flexible Which one do you use?? Tks Geoff

Craig. Thanks for the information Geoff

Craig In addition to the question from Obey1 is the cable you use standard off the shelf or special pre stretched cable?? Also , have you experienced any issues in my previous comment , The main concern is possible breaking where the cable loops through the brake lever arm. If so , I was thinking of fitting thimbles through the hole in the brake lever arm. Geoff

Over the years I've been using the standard Gal mild steel wire for the brake cable. This is fine , until it rusts & eventually breaks I've been thinking of using SS cable next time but have heard comments regarding problems with stretching , which I'm not to worried about as it can be easily adjusted. The main concern is possible breaking where the cable loops through the brake lever arm. Would be interested to hear pro's & con's from others who have used SS cable Geoff

Depending on the weather , the bay area is generaly OK. The boat ramp , one of the best on the south coast , is in the north western corner of the bay & can become a bit bumpy with wind chop. The chip mill whalf is good in a southerly but exposed to N/E wind. A little further out around the southern headland is also worth a try but again , weather permitting. Geoff

For warranty purposes there should be a date pannel on the top of the battery with the year & month purchased scratched out. As for testing , the correct way is when the battery is under load , ie , when starting the motor but this can require special equipment. However , an easy quick check is to use a multimeter or battery tester like this one. http://www.biasboating.com.au/SearchResults.asp?Search=2999&Submit= A multimeter cost a few $$$ less than the battery tester. Geoff

The large marine stores have them , check out the Bias , Whitworth , BCF web sites. Whitworth look about the best for price. Geoff

Dean Fish. I've seen some Markham's which only have one engine with that engine mounted on the Port side behind the sponson. Is your motor mounted in the center or on the side of the transom. Also , for interest , the fuel consumption mentioned in my post , 19/11/12 is for a 4.9mt twin hull Aluminium boat. Before you throw too much cash at the problem I would be taking the boat to Huey to have the height & prop checked along with a full service. It maybe just a carby adjustment , air filter , fuel pump check to ensure fuel is not leaking directly into the cylinder , timing & a new set of plugs. Geoff

It depends a lot on the RPM , eg , you will consume more running at 5000 rpm than running at 3500 - 4000. Not sure if this is a reasonable comparison but my 2003 70hp 2s Yammie averages one liter per mile (1.6km) but I rarely go over 4000 rpm. This is an average over a days outing so includes both time on the plane & moving at lower rev's from on spot to another Your currently running at 2.9 lt / mile (1.6km) which , at nearly 3 time the consumption , seems excessive Geoff

Rob See your PM's Geoff

Try the N/E - Eastern side of West Head. Geoff

Have sent an E Mail. For some reason I can now add the photo. See my earlier post dated 9/11/2012. Geoff