Paikea Posted July 3, 2023 Share Posted July 3, 2023 I have not posted for quite a while due to medical issues including deterioration of three knee replacements (2xL,1xR) which at 84yo have me using a walking stick. Hate it with a passion! The last trip in the 4.6M X-Treme Stessl on Port Hacking was a disaster as son in law and I struck the mother of all Southerly storms that came out of nowhere and whipped up huge waves with spume flying off their top. Caught in the channel at Lillie Pillie we had to run back to the ramp at Gunnamatta Bay which was very hairy. And getting the boat onto the trailer in that storm was an experience that I do not want to repeat.The day was such a disaster that my son in law told my wife never to let me out in a boat again, he was that concerned at the events of the storm and my limited ability to handle the boat. At this time I also hated the limited freeboard of the Stessl which felt quite insecure. All of this led to my selling the Stessl that was supposed to be my last boat plus the 3.6M lightweight lake boat that I used to fish Burrill Lake. Happy wife who insisted no more boats, you are too old to handle them and having retired in 2021 I was rapidly getting boat withdrawal symptoms. 18 months on without a boat I was bored Sh%$^&s and feeling my age. Not a good feeling. Then out of the blue we were driving down to our shack at Burrill Lake and there at Ulladulla Harbor were the usual vehicles lined up for sale plus a Brooker 410 Fisherman. I kept quite but after dropping the boss off I drove back to look at the boat. Although dirty and unkempt I was very impressed with the depth and large internal volume of this boat. (1.85 wide x .550 deep and a flat floor right out to the sides of the hull). The motor is a 30 HP Yammie 2 stroke. Known as a solid workhorse favored by small barge owners and oyster farmers for their ruggedness and simple construction the price was right so I persuaded the boss to part with some of our savings pointing out that I had sold the Stessl and the Little boat for approx 8 x the price of the Brooker so we were way way in front. Of course I love pimping my boats and this one presented great opportunities to make improvements. The pics show the work in progress, 1728 & 1731 show the boat for sale at Ulladulla. 1790 & 1764 the boat stripped ready for cleaning and mods. 1840 & 1869 new wide gunwales and welded in rod holders. 1864 & 1863 the new boarding platform and ladder that my wife insisted I fit in case I fall overboard. The high handrail is to help me get up and steady myself when getting in. Should be good to hang onto when standing up fishing from the back. 1846 is a new splash well. The transom cutout is so large/deep that I feel more comfortable with a well. 1866 is where I will mount the battery. Having that weight up in the bow should help keep the bow down and avoid the need for fitting a plate to the motor. 1862 shows a panel that will be used to mount switches, radio etc, being a tiller steer wont need much room. Finally, the last pics are of the Stessl and the Little Gem that I sold. All in all. I am happy too be back mucking about with boats and looking forward to getting the new Paikea (I kept the name) finished by spring ready to fish Burrill Lake and maybe the odd trip out of Ulladulla. Cheers Paikea 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XD351 Posted July 3, 2023 Share Posted July 3, 2023 Looks great ! Jeez you have done some welding on her ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zmk1962 Posted July 3, 2023 Share Posted July 3, 2023 Well done excellent decision .... and progress! I can't imagine life without a boat either .... and funnily enough I can now imagine needing some knee work in the future (self inflicted) ... Cheers Zoran Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmck Posted July 3, 2023 Share Posted July 3, 2023 Ah... the challenge of advancing years.. I've had hip-it-itus.... and I'm a future candidate for Knee-monia.... .. but its the thought of getting dick-theria that really terrifies me.... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmck Posted July 3, 2023 Share Posted July 3, 2023 (edited) Hey.. Paikea..... tell us and show us the old car in your rack!! Looks very interesting. Edited July 3, 2023 by dmck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yowie Posted July 3, 2023 Share Posted July 3, 2023 Looks the goods. Now need some fish to be kicking about in the boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackfish Posted July 3, 2023 Share Posted July 3, 2023 Now that’s some pimping, great job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paikea Posted July 3, 2023 Author Share Posted July 3, 2023 59 minutes ago, XD351 said: Looks great ! Jeez you have done some welding on her ! I have to confess, found a guy in Ulladulla to do the mods for me, best welding I have ever seen and pricing well below what I was quoted in Sydney. I am waiting for the floor to be done. 17 mm top grade form ply. I am hoping to get some dollar pattern rubber matting to lay in loose. That way I wont have problems drying carpet out or water seeping in to the ply, particularly the screw holes. Quickest way to rot a floor. Cheers 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big Neil Posted July 3, 2023 Share Posted July 3, 2023 Though not quite your age, I know exactly where you're coming from Paikea. Good luck with her and hopefully "her indoors" will be able to relax a bit when you head out fishing. Keep yourself doing whatever you can that you enjoy. Hope you get lots of fish for the table and heaps of fun. Onya mate, bn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paikea Posted July 3, 2023 Author Share Posted July 3, 2023 1 hour ago, zmk1962 said: Well done excellent decision .... and progress! I can't imagine life without a boat either .... and funnily enough I can now imagine needing some knee work in the future (self inflicted) ... Cheers Zoran Be careful with a knee job. My left knee has been replaced twice. The last time the surgeon stuffed up and failed to position the patella so that the button on the patella runs in the groove of the lower part of the titanium prosthesis. As a result if I bend my knees more than about 10 degrees the knee collapses inward. The surgeon is known as a Figjam. (F@#! I'm good, just ask me!) Been to 4 different surgeons but no one can or wants to touch it. Hence waliking with a cane and painfull. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paikea Posted July 3, 2023 Author Share Posted July 3, 2023 2 minutes ago, big Neil said: Though not quite your age, I know exactly where you're coming from Paikea. Good luck with her and hopefully "her indoors" will be able to relax a bit when you head out fishing. Keep yourself doing whatever you can that you enjoy. Hope you get lots of fish for the table and heaps of fun. Onya mate, bn Thanks big fella, good to be back on the site. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paikea Posted July 3, 2023 Author Share Posted July 3, 2023 42 minutes ago, Blackfish said: Now that’s some pimping, great job. Thank you, I will post the finished job in due course. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paikea Posted July 3, 2023 Author Share Posted July 3, 2023 1 hour ago, Yowie said: Looks the goods. Now need some fish to be kicking about in the boat. Hi Yowie, good to see you still on the site, I missed my regular visits but hopefully will get back into it now. You still fishing the Port? Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paikea Posted July 3, 2023 Author Share Posted July 3, 2023 1 hour ago, dmck said: Hey.. Paikea..... tell us and show us the old car in your rack!! Looks very interesting. I believe it is an A Model Ford. I will get details next time I go to Ulladulla. Meanwhile following is a more detailed pis incl the cabin. Cheers Paikea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yowie Posted July 3, 2023 Share Posted July 3, 2023 3 hours ago, Paikea said: Hi Yowie, good to see you still on the site, I missed my regular visits but hopefully will get back into it now. You still fishing the Port? Cheers Still here on the site. Not much fishing inside the Hacking of recent times, more so fishing outside. The Hacking water is clear at present. Out the front of my mothers place in Gunnamatta Bay is almost devoid of fish - the occasional blackfish, and flattie skeletons sitting on the bottom for a couple of days before disappearing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankS Posted July 3, 2023 Share Posted July 3, 2023 (edited) That is a very nice looking boat with some very worthwhile modifications. Nice wide gunnell mods that look like they are well done, looks like you have turned it into a side console, some more photos would be nice . I have a 4.3 Quintrex that I will be doing very similar mods to once I get a few household chores out of the way. I will probably do a step by step thread as I progress with the build OR PIMP as you have put it. Frank Edit. On reading again I take note that the red boat is a different boat. Edited July 3, 2023 by frankS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paikea Posted January 3 Author Share Posted January 3 Hi All I have not posted for some time nor worked on pimping my Brooker 410. Reason being my being diagnosed with Stomach Cancer and undergoing Chemotherapy. Not a fun way to spend time and not how I expected to spent my retirement years. But hey, there are worse forms of the big C so I live in hope of a cure. In the meantime I have been building a Billie cart for my grand-kids. Ready for the Bangalow downhill race in May. Sometimes we need to experience adversity in any shape or form to appreciate just what good things happen to us every day.. Every day where I live on this earth and who I am so blessed to live with is a precious gift that has no bounds. as per the Maori mantra. THE BIRDS CALL, THE DAY BEGINS AND i AM ALIVE. Thank you to the Magpie that sings his song in our backyard with such joy and the noisy, paired for life Plovers at Burrill Lake You are a part of my life that I will value for all time. Cheers all, I will hopefully be able to finish pimping the Brooker but it may take some time. Paikea 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big Neil Posted January 3 Share Posted January 3 I see that you too suffer from insomnia, as do I. Your post is inspiring Paikea. It is indeed beautiful to live in harmony with nature and to appreciate its role in our lives. So many people live without the experience of being at one with the songs of the Magpie and the other sounds of the natural world. Thank you for sharing your Maori mantra... bn 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsswordfisherman Posted January 3 Share Posted January 3 4 hours ago, Paikea said: Hi All I have not posted for some time nor worked on pimping my Brooker 410. Reason being my being diagnosed with Stomach Cancer and undergoing Chemotherapy. Not a fun way to spend time and not how I expected to spent my retirement years. But hey, there are worse forms of the big C so I live in hope of a cure. In the meantime I have been building a Billie cart for my grand-kids. Ready for the Bangalow downhill race in May. Sometimes we need to experience adversity in any shape or form to appreciate just what good things happen to us every day.. Every day where I live on this earth and who I am so blessed to live with is a precious gift that has no bounds. as per the Maori mantra. THE BIRDS CALL, THE DAY BEGINS AND i AM ALIVE. Thank you to the Magpie that sings his song in our backyard with such joy and the noisy, paired for life Plovers at Burrill Lake You are a part of my life that I will value for all time. Cheers all, I will hopefully be able to finish pimping the Brooker but it may take some time. Paikea Sorry to hear that health news @Paikea. Hope you are able to keep any pain under control and I am sure you have a great medical team to support you. You are doing what you need to do and your grandkids take priority. They will remember the billy cart. Lets hope they win on that special cart. Donna 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunc333 Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 good luck with your treatment Paikea regards dunc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paikea Posted January 7 Author Share Posted January 7 Thanks Donna & Dunc Cheers Paikea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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