Geoff

As to my fishing which will next on the immediate agenda, my good friend Geoff aka Geoff on Fishraider has almost finished the electrics for the 82lb Motorguide, the charger and the 24volt battery system plus adding a few other nicies to my Savage side console, so we will try and find time over the weekend to try everything out including the new fish mustering waterfall/burley system... Things are moving a bit slower than first thought , mainly due to waiting for the paint to dry on the new components , battery box etc. Should be close to finishing late Friday or early Saturday. We can then give the boat a run either late Saturday or Sunday Geoff

Baz A few years ago I had a boat similar to yours. Launching was reasonably easy , retreiving , as you have mentioned , is another thing . Two tips that may be of assistance when retreiving. Trailer depth Having the trailer at the right depth into the water can make a lot of difference. Not fare enough places a lot of strain on all components. Too fare in & the boat floats all over the place. On mine , having the rear roller just above water leval was about right. Keeping the boat lined up & the bow hard against the rear roller after clipping on the cable then moving to the winch handle is , as you have pointed out, rather difficult. I used a rope running from the bow through a small pully mounted onto the center draw bar , about 1 mt from the rear roller. Holding the rope tight whilst moving to the winch kept the boat in place untill there was tension on the winch cable. Let the rope go & winch on Geoff

I understand that Sydney Ports Authority are aware of issues with the ramp & there is to be a meeting , at the ramp , this week , to dicuss what can be changed to improve the facility Geoff

There are 2 sizes of bungs , small (standard) & large. The small would be best suited for your boat. The problem will be , the dia of the bung housing will be larger than the holes currently for the rubber bungs & therefore the hole needs to be increased. A hole saw is the normal tool to use but as there is no "center" for the drill bit , a hole saw would be very difficult to hold in place. Perhaps inserting the rubber bung & by drilling through the center may do the trick to hold the saw in place. Check with your hardware store , there may be a drill bit type item that cuts sideways , so to speak. ie , like using a file to increase the size. The other alternative , mark the hole size required & using a small drill , 1/8" drill a series of holes as close as possible around the circle to create the larger hole. Use a suitable sealer around the hole to prevent leakage Screwing the housing to the hull is preferable to using pop rivets Geoff

Correct , the pipe controls the water level. The pipe , which is a piece of electrical condute , has a taper on the end & is a press fit. To empty the tank , the pipe just pulls out. I have two pipes , a short one as shown in the photo & a longer one. I normally use the short pipe as the LDT doubles as a holder for dead baits so , livies swiming around in the tank & other baits in the buckets Geoff

Cut-loose. I agree with Boomer's comments regarding comfort. Good quality cushions are available from the large marine shops. They range from $25.00 to 115.00 depending on thickness & length. I would recomend the thicker one's , (50 mm) Making your own is an alternative worth considering. Portable (removeable) bait storage & cutting board would be next on my list. These may be of interest. A plastic tub for anchor & rope. Horizantal rod holders along the sides. A fire extinguisher A sounder is a good idea but this now means , a 12V battery & wireing both for the electrics & the tranducer. Just something to be consious of & planned prior to purchasing the sounder. Having a cover to keep it dry is also important. Geoff

Gary Similiar experience as mentioned by Arman. Some years back , when camping , I had a small problem with water coming through the stiching of the tent & used a spray on silicon product Cannot recall the product name. Check with camping equipment stores Geoff

Manimal Correct , it is a Webster. I had the plumbing & electrics done by the dealer when I purchased the boat however , the plumbing & electrics shown in the photo of the mono hull I did for on a friends boat. It is not difficult but it can take a bit of time especially feeding the cable & connecting the electrics. The water feeds in from the top of the tank using the using the hose connection which is welded onto the tank. The over flow & drain is via the bottom of the tank. The pump is a Rule 360 For interest , the pump also provides water for the deck wash Here are some more pic's Geoff

Click on the link at the top of the forum page , " BOM Oceanography" for info on water temp. Geoff

Yes , I agree , the list is not as simple as it first apears, The other point that has been omitted , the check list advises "Water , 2lt" which suggests 2lt in total. In fact it is 2lt per head. Geoff

This may be of interest , a video on fitting the wire & hooks. Geoff

Gorms I fish Narooma from time to time , but like you I stay away from the bar & only fish the lake area. Bermi is my favourie spot , no bar 2 good ramps , parking & facilities. Here is the link to the section on "Boat Ramps" in the main menu. http://fishraider.com.au/Invision/index.php?showtopic=22256 As for the fishing , there is a tackle store / servo opposite the river ramp , near the bridge. They have maps & all the latest info on the off shore seen. Geoff

Tks Byron for your comments. It's been great to help out a fellow raider. We only need to get a half reasonable day to test out the additions & chase some Jews , hopefully this week Geoff

Fisherman The pump & bracket are available at most large marine stores. Unfortunatly they are not cheap , a Rule 360 pump & bracket cost around $70.00 pluss hoses , fittings & electrics. I have seen less expensive units on the auction web sites but not sure what the quality is like. This is a typical pump set up. If you choose this arrangement , there needs to be a 3/8" hole drilled into the blue base to allow the water from the pick up to travel to the pump whilst underway. This photo shows a standard set up , pump , the overflow outlet above & on the right hand side , next to the grey hose , the drain ontlet. There are other options , it depends on the tank & location in the boat Geoff

Steve I'm not familar with the term "flowcoat". Is this a product or a process. Perhaps you could advise Regards Geoff

In addition to Gary's comment , the air pressure also needs to be reduced so the paint " spits " from the nozzle rather than the normal fine spray. There should be 2 knobs on the gun , one to adjust the paint flow & the other , the air. Adjusting the air down & the paint , normally up , depending on how thick the paint should do the job. Geoff

Adding a few more bits & pieces to Byron's boat but did not want to miss the big race. Geoff

Is this a new motor or second hand. If new , check the price of other brands if for no other reason than to have a comparison to work from. If second hand , then $1500 may be correct as retro fitting can be expensive , but shop around , perhaps you can find a second hand unit. Is it worth it ?? , there are a number of factors come into the decision , if the boat has forward controls & the buget will allow , just to name two , then I would spend the money. Lifting a 40hp into shallow drive of out of the water when approaching a beach etc can be difficult , especially if by youself or with the family as it requires a fair bit of mussel Geoff

Kel.... If live bait is around , I normally find it around the Tomaree headland , more so outside rather than inside.. Inside is worth a try for squid I'm heading to PS in the 3rd week of Oct. Geoff

Kingfishercam ... Cartridge style fuel filters start around $45 & can run up to $100. Replacement cartridges cost from $15 to $45 each Small in line filters used on cars are available from the auto stores for $3.00. These are OK to filter fuel but not sure how good they are for water. As billfisher mentioned , " Small motors tend to run off carry tanks which do not to collect water ". This is provided the breather screw is kept closed when the boat is not in use. Geoff

GUDude. Unable to say , did not ask the question , just asked if the show was going to be on tomorrow Checked the web sites , 2KY show podcast as an option , there is no mention of podcast on the 2SM Geoff

Just spoke with 2SM , they confirmed Hi Tide will be on tomorrow morning from 4.00am to 7.00am Geoff

There is not a lot of land based places in the Pt Stephens area that are reliabily productive. For Fingle bay , the front of the Surf club is worth a try & perhaps along the beach North of the club. The most popular spot is is the rock wall just near the fish co-op at Nelson Bay. The tide movement can be a problem so fishing this location an hour before / after the high or low is preferable. Fishing charters are available at reasonable prices. Check out the booking office where all the day cruises are booked at the Nelson Bay Marina. Geoff

How is the charge in the battery. A hydrometer will give an indication. Perhaps have the battery checked by an auto electrician , it's normally a free service. If the battery is OK , check all connections between the battery & the starter to ensure they are both clean (no underlying corrosion) & tight If the problem remains then have the electrician test the load & circuit on the starter motor. There may be a short or some type of resistance. Geoff

Interesting post . I note that the bailer bucket can double for the fire bucket which means only one bucket is necessary. In respect to the map , is the one shown in dicko post considered acceptable as it only covers part of the coast line & seaward for a short distance or are full maritime navagation maps required . I have checked the maritime web site & the only reference I can find is the map as shown in dicko's post Geoff