First time offshore as skipper

[Derny Driver]

2 hours ago, riveRecon said:

..... I also keep my EPIRB on a hip belt as I boat alone and always want to be able to alert for help if separated from my boat.  I hope that helps.... 

This was actually something I was wondering about, Im so glad you mentioned it.

I will be alone on many occasions so this is an excellent idea.

Thank you!

[antonywardle]

6 hours ago, Derny Driver said:

Some of us work

Although as a teacher I get school holidays so I can do week days then. I will keep your offer in mind mate.

Thanks

I work too,

 

I just love a mid-week break. My wife is a teacher and i know how hard it is for her to take a day off.

The other thing you might want to do, is come offshore with me when i go. I'm up Gosford way.

 

cheers

[JustJames]

2 hours ago, Derny Driver said:

This was actually something I was wondering about, Im so glad you mentioned it.

I will be alone on many occasions so this is an excellent idea.

Thank you!

You can make an extension to the kill switch lanyard using the curly loopy plastic from key tag thingies from the big blue stationery store, which will let you get around a boat's deck area quite easily.

 

Also: One hand for you, and one for the boat!

[Derny Driver]

On 8/16/2023 at 7:37 PM, Chillin Out said:

.... You don't specifically mention the size of vessel you have purchased....

I've been in negotiations but I can now announce that I have put a downpayment on a 4.9 Webster Twinfisher belonging to a former Fishraider forum member Geoff. Geoff bought this boat new in 2003 and kept it until he passed away after a long battle with cancer in 2020. I know Geoff raved about the boat so im looking forward to getting it back out on the water again.

[Hoods]

Great news mate - you're keeping both dreams alive.

[big Neil]

35 minutes ago, Derny Driver said:

I've been in negotiations but I can now announce that I have put a downpayment on a 4.9 Webster Twinfisher belonging to a former Fishraider forum member Geoff. Geoff bought this boat new in 2003 and kept it until he passed away after a long battle with cancer in 2020. I know Geoff raved about the boat so im looking forward to getting it back out on the water again.

Good onya  DD and I hope you have many years of safe use of your new vessel. If I could just add one bit of cautionary advice... anticipate a worst-case scenario as ALWAYS being a possibility. At best weather info is prone to inaccuracies. Stick to your plan and familiarise yourself with the vessel before heading offshore. Plenty of good fish to be caught in JB. Venture out when you are confidently handling the vessel and with an experienced skipper. Bar crossings (if applicable) are a learning curve unto themselves, each time presenting differing conditions...SO BE CAREFUL. Good luck, we will all look forward to reading your reports, wherever you fish.

bn

[frankS]

2 hours ago, Derny Driver said:

I've been in negotiations but I can now announce that I have put a downpayment on a 4.9 Webster Twinfisher belonging to a former Fishraider forum member Geoff. Geoff bought this boat new in 2003 and kept it until he passed away after a long battle with cancer in 2020. I know Geoff raved about the boat so im looking forward to getting it back out on the water again.

DD. I knew Geoff, He lived close by to me. I was not aware of his passing.

He used to drop in from time to time for a chat . 

I am saddened to learn of his passing.

Frank

[Derny Driver]

8 minutes ago, frankS said:

DD. I knew Geoff, He lived close by to me. I was not aware of his passing.

He used to drop in from time to time for a chat . 

I am saddened to learn of his passing.

Frank

Very sad Frank. I never knew him but he seemed like quite a character.  His nephew was showing me all the clever little modifications he did. He did his own servicing and was quite handy with the tools. And I don't think he advertised how sick he was ... tough old school guy. Glad you got to know him a bit.

[Derny Driver]

2 hours ago, big Neil said:

Good onya  DD and I hope you have many years of safe use of your new vessel. If I could just add one bit of cautionary advice... anticipate a worst-case scenario as ALWAYS being a possibility. At best weather info is prone to inaccuracies. Stick to your plan and familiarise yourself with the vessel before heading offshore. Plenty of good fish to be caught in JB. Venture out when you are confidently handling the vessel and with an experienced skipper. Bar crossings (if applicable) are a learning curve unto themselves, each time presenting differing conditions...SO BE CAREFUL. Good luck, we will all look forward to reading your reports, wherever you fish.

bn

Thanks Neil I will remember all that. 

Cheers

[mrsswordfisherman]

5 hours ago, Derny Driver said:

I've been in negotiations but I can now announce that I have put a downpayment on a 4.9 Webster Twinfisher belonging to a former Fishraider forum member Geoff. Geoff bought this boat new in 2003 and kept it until he passed away after a long battle with cancer in 2020. I know Geoff raved about the boat so im looking forward to getting it back out on the water again.

@Derny Driver many of the members would have known Geoff.

We met him at socials that we held at Botany Bay and at boat shows. He was a lovely man.

He was very helpful to members and took newbies out fishing. He answered most questions in the Boating sub forum. He was very knowledgeable. 
 

Thanks for letting us know. He will now be moved into our special group Eternal Members.

Please pass on our regards to his family. They may like to read some of his 1500 odd posts. 

 RIP Geoff 

[lancer]

Hi Denny

Geoff and I used to chat over Webster Twinfishers as I have one.  He was a very knowledgeable guy and you could ask him anything.

I can guarantee that you are getting one of the best twinfishers ever built and he treated it was his baby.

We only went out once together in our boats and it looked great having two twinfishers on the water.

Regards

Lancer

 

 

 

 

 

[Derny Driver]

On 8/20/2023 at 11:14 PM, mrsswordfisherman said:

@Derny Driver 

Thanks for letting us know. He will now be moved into our special group Eternal Members.

Please pass on our regards to his family. They may like to read some of his 1500 odd posts. 

 RIP Geoff 

Thank you Donna. I will do that.

[Derny Driver]

22 hours ago, lancer said:

Hi Derny

Geoff and I used to chat over Webster Twinfishers as I have one.  He was a very knowledgeable guy and you could ask him anything.

I can guarantee that you are getting one of the best twinfishers ever built and he treated it was his baby.

We only went out once together in our boats and it looked great having two twinfishers on the water.

Regards

Lancer

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you Lancer.

Good to know. 

Maybe one day we can have a twinfisher picnic day on Botany Bay or something. That would be cool.

[fragmeister]

Some great advice from members here and this may have already been covered.

I tend to look to the predicted swell  and wave duration not just on the day but a couple of days either side.

I will go outside off Sydney this Friday

The swell forecast looks like this ... pretty flat 1 day either side.

Very little chance of the late Wednesday swells hanging around, and also very little swell well into the weekend.

Cheers

 

Jim

 

 

 

 

[Derny Driver]

2 hours ago, fragmeister said:

 

I will go outside off Sydney this Friday

The swell forecast looks like this ... pretty flat 1 day either side.

Very little chance of the late Wednesday swells hanging around, and also very little swell well into the weekend.

Cheers

 

Jim

I can see that Jim, Friday is the best day. I have Willy Weather and am used to checking wind and tides on it for estuary fishing. I guess tides are not as critical outside but I will be all over the swell size, swell period and wind for outside trips. As well as the boating forecasts.

Thanks so much mate   good reminder, appreciated

DD

[lancer]

Sounds like a good idea and we see how many Webster's we can get.  Lol Geoff was good at Organising that.

 

 

 

[Derny Driver]

So I picked up my new / 20 year old twinfisher last weekend. So far I have done :

Full service on the 70 hp Yamaha including new bearing and recondition of the lower leg

New bearings, brakes, springs and coupling on the trailer

Replaced the VHF radio with a new digital Uniden unit

Added a GME mobile VHF radio with DSC messaging and man overboard function

Replaced the fire extinguisher and flares

Bought a new lifejacket to add to the ones already have

Installed extra rod holders

Installed a second battery with associated switching

Installed a phone charger

Replaced the 2 anchor lights

Replaced one bilge pump which was not working

I am on 2 weeks holiday from this Friday so Im keen to get out on the water. Ive got my boat licence and am halfway through my VHF radio course. Hopefully as the weather warms, the fish will cooperate. The weather and wind is looking not too bad on the forecast at this stage. Fingers crossed.

Edited September 21, 2023 by Derny Driver
spelling

[Chillin Out]

Good stuff and Congratulations on the purchase mate,

Seems like your well on track with the requirements and safety elements. There's nothing more important out there and really glad you are thinking about all of it as some may just neglect it until they need it and find its not working when they really need it.

You'll have a lot of fun fishing out there I'm sure.
 

[big Neil]

I was reading through the posts of your journey into boat ownership DD and wondered how things are going with the boat ownership. Trust that your plans are coming together and you haven't had too many issues to overcome. Be nice to hear how you're progressing with it all.

Good luck, bn

[Derny Driver]

Okay so I finally bit the bullet and went outside. Solo.

Im up at Forster on holidays and after 3 days out on the lake catching flathead and flounder , the weather looked promising for today so I decided to venture out.

Yesterday morning I did some recon work, drove an hour north to Crowdy Head where I know there is a great 4 lane boat ramp into a harbour... I watched all the boats come in and out and chatted to all the fishos about the conditions.  There was a lot of guys on their own, and some in relatively small boats, including a 4.5m open tinny with a 30hp. I watched the launching procedures and listened to the Marine rescue on my hand held radio. Went home convinced I can do it. Bought some squid and pilchards and set up the big rods.

Woke at 4am this morning and drove to Crowdy.  It was so still there was fog.  Everything went to plan, I launched,  radioed in to Marine rescue and headed out. Bit of swell but the Twinfisher is like a brick, so solid and safe.  Motor performed flawlessly.  Think my paternoster rigs need some fine tuning. Interestingly on one rod I used a rig someone on here talked about, with basically the hooks set well up off the bottom ... I caught 3 snapper on that, one 28cm went back  one 31cm I kept, abd one got off halfway to the surface. Plus 2 baby flathead and 2 yakka, all on that rig, all on squid.

I basically drifted around aimlessly not knowing what I was doing, tried a lot of spots including close to Mermaid reef, not much action but I had fun, I was nervous last night amd couldn't sleep, but today I feel satisfied.  Everything went exactly to plan. No problems at all. And I am so impressed with the boat. So solid and safe.

Tomorrow I'll be back chasing flatties in the lake, then back home. Confident I can handle Jervis Bay in January. 

And again, thanks to everyone on this forum for your excellent advice. Noel I may need to wander down to your place some time and get you to show me how to set up a decent rig for outside fishing. 

Cheers 

DD