Moreton Bay newbie

[Bluevien]

Took delivery of my new boat last week - a 4.2 Blue Fin Discovery runabout which means it's time to explore more than just the little creeks and rivers of the Pine. She's got a 40hp on the back and I know she's a bit small for too much but would love to hit Mud Island and even Tangalooma with the family on a good day which brings me to my question.

What would you say would be a "good day" to hit the bay for my size boat? I have all the safety equipment, VHF radio, charts, GPS etc but I do have very limited experience in partially smooth water. I plan to take someone with experience with me to start with but what are the types of weather conditions I should look for before I even consider it? For example, wind speed, wind direction swell, tide, wave height, wave direction and peak wave period? From what I have read here and other forums, anything over 10-15 knots is dicey and that northerly winds can be the worst. I don't want to put anyone at risk, least of all my family, so all advise would be welcome.

[Feral]

Tomorrow would be a perfect day.

[Rocket75]

congrats on the new vessel! what happened to the good old faithful tub?

rod

[Bluevien]

I wish Feral, if it wasn't for work this w/end I would have arranged an experienced decky for sure. So what you are saying is take note of tomorrow's forcast for future planning? Anything I should avoid even with light to mod winds?

Thanks Rocket. I passed her on to someone who will enjoy her as much as I did. As you can tell she helped the boating bug to bite me big time.

Rob

[noname]

if you go to moreton in a real 10-15 knotter, your nuts, better if it's under 10 kts full stop.

you want wind and tide in the same directions, and this is where it can be tricky at times.

summer is prob the worst time to get to know the bay and how to understand it.

but here's a shot ok

summer, you normally get light winds inshore early, as the land hasn't heated up yet, this you will learn in time, summer you also get unpredictable weather patterns, storms that form from nothing,and if you ever get caught in 1, look at sheltered waters such as tangalooma wrecks, beach it if you have to.

in the afternoon you will generally get a ne seabreeze and you really don't want that with an out going tide, especially in a rig that size much over 10 kts. if leaving from fishermans say, after you pass mud island on your way to tangalooma, it will normally get a lil choppy and flatten out as you get closer to moreton. also the time to think about heading back in would be 11 am and 1 pm, depending on tides, as this is roughly when these ne winds start to show their heads, it's not scary, but rather common sence, remember baby steps. as moreton bay is no place for any 1 with little experience with boats when it turns nasty, believe me, you will shit!

rob

[dhess]

Rob said exactly what I was going to say.

If you rely on seabreeze, with a bit of caution you will be fine on most days with a forecast of 0-10 knots. In summer forget about it. 9 out of ten days seabreeze will have a forecast of 5-10 knots in the afternoon but when the seabreezes kick in it will blow over 20 from lunchtie onwards. If its an amazingly good forecast you will be right to get over to moreton in summer provided you get back no later then about 10 or 11am.

Believe me the bay especially the northern end of it is no place you want to be in a 4.2m tinnie in anything over 10knots let alone 25 knots. You would be safer ducking out of the seaway or mooloolaba on a good day.

[Bluevien]

Thanks guys, that's the type of info I was after. When I get a few more hours in the new boat under my belt I will holler out for an experienced deckie to tackle a cross bay trip.

Safe boating all.

[Eug]

nice work on the discovery, they are a great boat!

i've had mine out at the mouth of the river with a 20 knot north easterly and 1 m swells and damn it was scary but the boat loaded with a whole bunch of gear and four people it was capable of getting us back in safely.

[scotty1978]

gday bud try going with another boat so if u get into trouble u have a back up good boat choice mate get amongst it

[Beejay]

I been fishing the bay for 8 years down around the Thorneside, Lota, Wynnum, Manly area.

I bought a new tinny around about then, it was a 4.2 meter stacer with 30horse Yamaha and I still have it.

I rememeber going out the mouth of Manly boat harbour for the first time and it was a really choppy day about 15- 20 knots NE from memory and I also remeber getting to about the 2nd set of channel markers out from The Boat Harbour and shitting myself because the bay felt so strong and powerful.

On that day (my first trip out in my new stacer, I turned around and came back in because I was a bit un nerved and was inexpereinced like yourself.

It has taken me a long time to learn the bay and its ways and im still learning everytime I go out fishing, and im always very wary of how quick beautiful Moreton Bay can turn into ugly mary.

The best advice I could give is always check the bureau of meteorology or sea breeze dot com before you go out, check weather, wind and tides and get yourself into a habit of checking the weather even if you arent going out.

Use common sense when out on the water, and because your boat is new and you are new to boating, forget Moreton Island for now and explore the closer islands that wont take you as long to get back, such as Green Island, King Island...etc

The southern part of the bay is probably the best place for you at the moment, Manly boat Harbour has a great ramp and Green, King and St Helena are short trips virtually straight out.

If you like the gold coast you could put in at the Broadwater and fish the seaway, its usually pretty well sheltered in there with plent of places to get to quick in case of storms or strong winds.

You could also put your boat in at Cleveland, would only take you 10 minutes over to peel island, horse shoe bay is a nice place to take the family and the main beach is sheltered from the strong summer North winds. From Peel Island its only another 10 minutes over to Dunwich on North Straddy and The rainbow channel is also a nice place to explore.

I guess what im trying to say is that there is plenty of stuff to explore down the southern end of the bay until you get the experience up. As far as taking an experienced guide with you, I never did that, I just sort of taught myself and picked up alot of experience along the way taking advice from other boaties. I think if you bought yourself a new boat you are better of learning it on your own, its the only way to truly learn and get to know your own boat...Cheers and happy boating Beejay

[Bluevien]

Beejay, thanks for the great advise. I think patience for me will be the key.. just wait for the right weather and keep it simpe to start with. It is all very new to me so I really appreciate you and the others sharing your experiences. I do alot of my fishing on my own as I have most of my days off during week days so having the company of someone in the know would be a change and a chance to learn more.

Thanks for the tip about the southern part of the bay. As luck would not have it, I live on the northside so I better study up on some southside ramps.

Cheers again,

Rob

[Bluevien]

Eug/Scotty,

It's a great boat. I took her out the day I got her and apart from a few little things I have to get checked out and put on, she's just about perfect for what I wanted. And with the rain we've had since I got her, she's been undercover so haven't been able to take any photos. I will post them when I do.

[Bluevien]

Apart for some showers predicted tomorrow, the wind conditions don't seem too bad so I'm thinking of taking the new boat to Mud tomorrow. Will launch from Pinkenba nice and early Sunday morning..... and I mean early so we can be back by 10 or 11am. I am also taking a mate who has only ever been a deckie when going there. As my post suggests, this is my first trip out into the bay.

What do you guys think.

[mick fillet]

Iam heading off for a fish today 2;30 (sat) and staying out till sunday some time I too are going to fish mud and work the warves in the mouth of the river dont let the rain put ya off a mate of mine has been fishing mud and cleaning up on squire in all weather conditions.

This arvo I reckon it will hold SW and should be pretty good conditions around mud until midnight then it will blow up a bit then drop off in the morning and should be good conditions in the morning and most likly all day. I dare say if you were keen to go to moreton tomorrow might be ya day.

[straddiebrad]

weather is looking good for you mick should be under 10 knots allnight good luck i will be at the ramp with rob after two to check some pots

[Davo_Dinkum]

even going to peel ,it can blow up in the afternoon .

so the trip across the paddock,form peel to Cleveland .

i have seen get ugly .

it only a short run so that good .

it is a fairly open area .

[ellicat]

Bluevien wrote:

Apart for some showers predicted tomorrow, the wind conditions don't seem too bad so I'm thinking of taking the new boat to Mud tomorrow. Will launch from Pinkenba nice and early Sunday morning..... and I mean early so we can be back by 10 or 11am. I am also taking a mate who has only ever been a deckie when going there. As my post suggests, this is my first trip out into the bay.

What do you guys think.

You know how to pick a good day for the innaugural Mud venture - there's a tsunami forecast for tomorrow morning (true) :ohmy:
/>http://www.australianfishing.com.au/forum/23-going-fishing-noticeboard/250934-tsunami-warning-moreton-bay--serious#250934

PS I assume mick will hear the news on a radio, but if anyone has his mobile number it might be worth checking it with him.

[mick fillet]

cheers ellicat thanks for putting up the shoutout much apreceated. I got the mesage loud and clear via the radio didnt beleve it was a hoax for a second marine weather warnings are never to be taken lightly.

The ocean was good, a bit windy, S-SW winds made good conditions , very wet,ACDC kept us pumped but the good fishing i sadly had to leave behind and for home we headed.

[Bluevien]

ellicat wrote:

Bluevien wrote:

Apart for some showers predicted tomorrow, the wind conditions don't seem too bad so I'm thinking of taking the new boat to Mud tomorrow. Will launch from Pinkenba nice and early Sunday morning..... and I mean early so we can be back by 10 or 11am. I am also taking a mate who has only ever been a deckie when going there. As my post suggests, this is my first trip out into the bay.

What do you guys think.

You know how to pick a good day for the innaugural Mud venture - there's a tsunami forecast for tomorrow morning (true) :ohmy:
/>http://www.australianfishing.com.au/forum/23-going-fishing-noticeboard/250934-tsunami-warning-moreton-bay--serious#250934

PS I assume mick will hear the news on a radio, but if anyone has his mobile number it might be worth checking it with him.

WTF!!!