Thanks For All The Fish!

[demarc]

Hello, 

Very pic heavy!

Sorry I've been quiet again. I can't get a break these days. Bloody life issues.

Anywho, been hard at work in the boat to keep me distracted. After pwning boat for 5 years, she is finally maintenance free. Ditto for trailer.

First, the boat, Manko.

Installed a 120watt solar panel and new round anchor light.

Redid all the clear bolts. My old trimmer use bloody pop rivets.

New nav lights. Uaing only black external fixtures now. I found white didn't last.

Full size engine cover. Keep that Stanage dust out.

New VHF mount. Moved from lower side to top of hard top. Hopefully extend range.

Custom boat bra from my new trimmer. Keep rock chips to a minimum.

The stanage slayer boat trailer:

All bearings replaced with quality Jap.

When wheels were off, I took chance to tar the suspension parts I missed. I always use a car stand to ensure if trailer falls off jack it doesn't wreck my day.

6 months of no fishing has finally paid off. 

Leave for Stanage Thursday morning.

Cheers!!

 

[Cobiaaddict]

Good luck with trip mate. Hope all the hard work pays off and the weather and fishing gods give u a great fishing trip

[tugger]

Great job on the boat and trailer bits and good luck up at Stanage it sounds like it will be a top adventure

[demarc]

On the bearing front. Good advice for others maybe? Before I got trailer, bearings were replaced a few months before hand. When I replaced bearings, 3 out of 4 had water ingress. The 3 that had water damage also had loose axle nuts. They were barely hand tight. The 4th that was in as new condition was tight...

Sadly it was cheap China brand so got replaced regardless.

[kmcrosby78]

The changes/additions look great Julian and should serve you well - safe travels and good luck on the fish & crabs mate, have fun!!

[Drop Bear]

My last trailer had an old axle. It didn't matter what bearings I put on it they got rusty after first trip. The problem was that the axle had rusted and I wouldn't seal at the back. 

I am really looking forward to seeing how you go up there mate

[Luke Landrunner]

Boat looks mint Julian !

Have an awesome trip mate. 

[demarc]

Thanks guys. Looking forward to it. Friday we arrive, staying Thursday night at Rocky. First job is to drop the pots. Then offshore Sat - Mon. 

To those smarter then I. What pressure should boat tires be dropped to for corogated roads? I am running them at 50psi currently. Weight will be 2tonne. Truck will have 25psi, down from my normal of 40psi.

[Old Scaley]

@demarc I am definitely not smarter than you nor any more experienced but last trip I had to the Cape with my mate towing his dual axle trailer with a heavily loaded 25 foot longboat we had a bit of a difference of opinion about tyre pressure. The trip before he ran them at 25 and blew 1 tyre and had a bit of equipment failure in the boat from the vibration so he wanted to drop the pressures for this trip. This trip we kept them at 20 which I thought was too low and absolutely shredded 3 tyres on the trailer and 1 on the truck. But those roads and the distances are different to the roads into 1770,so who knows.  

Hope you have a great trip and look forward to the report.

[kmcrosby78]

Perhaps contact Von Ireland at Stanage Bay Marine and get her opinion Julian - she should have the low-down on what the regulars do.

[Drop Bear]

11 hours ago, Old Scaley said:

This trip we kept them at 20 which I thought was too low and absolutely shredded 3 tyres on the trailer and 1 on the truck.

Man that makes for a long trip. Nasty stuff. Did you do a report on the cape trip? I am keen to do that one day. I have only made it as far as Hopevale and Isabella Falls. 

[demarc]

12 hours ago, Old Scaley said:

@demarc I am definitely not smarter than you nor any more experienced but last trip I had to the Cape with my mate towing his dual axle trailer with a heavily loaded 25 foot longboat we had a bit of a difference of opinion about tyre pressure. The trip before he ran them at 25 and blew 1 tyre and had a bit of equipment failure in the boat from the vibration so he wanted to drop the pressures for this trip. This trip we kept them at 20 which I thought was too low and absolutely shredded 3 tyres on the trailer and 1 on the truck. But those roads and the distances are different to the roads into 1770,so who knows.  

Hope you have a great trip and look forward to the report.

Thanks mate. What your mate went through is what I'd like to avoid. I think I'm going to try 40psi first. Can always pump back up if needed. Will pull over aftervthe first 15kms in and check walls of tire etc...

[Stufishing]

Mate, no experience towing a boat that size, but I have towed camping trailer plenty km's on outback tracks. I always drop to 26psi for speeds up to 90km/hr.

And if you cant do that speed or feel like you want/need lower, 20psi up to 50km/hr

[Old Scaley]

12 hours ago, Drop Bear said:

Man that makes for a long trip. Nasty stuff. Did you do a report on the cape trip? I am keen to do that one day. I have only made it as far as Hopevale and Isabella Falls. 

Was lucky enough to have had 2 trips up there. One in 2009 not long after joining this site and I was more of a lurker then, and again in 2012. I think I did do a post then but can’t be sure. But if you get a chance to visit the really remote areas up there make sure you do it. The fishing is insane, especially the west coast rivers and inshore areas between Weipa and the tip. Hard work to get to but mind blowing fishing.

[Drop Bear]

On 5/30/2018 at 7:45 PM, Old Scaley said:

Was lucky enough to have had 2 trips up there. One in 2009 not long after joining this site and I was more of a lurker then, and again in 2012. I think I did do a post then but can’t be sure. But if you get a chance to visit the really remote areas up there make sure you do it. The fishing is insane, especially the west coast rivers and inshore areas between Weipa and the tip. Hard work to get to but mind blowing fishing.

Mate that gets the juices flowing. I need to do this. Top of my bucket list. What is the best time of year? Fishing weather etc?

[Old Scaley]

7 hours ago, Drop Bear said:

Mate that gets the juices flowing. I need to do this. Top of my bucket list. What is the best time of year? Fishing weather etc?

I have only been there in May and June, which is obviously the dry season. It is also when the trade winds are south easterly so travelling long distances up the west coast in small boats is easy if you are not too far out. My mates have been there closer to the end of the wet season and apparently the barra fishing is better then but you run the risk of road closures and getting flooded in or out.  

The distances are amazing.  Before I went there I thought Cairns was far north Qld, but you are still 700km from Weipa and then there is a fair hike to go to the top spots. It is hard yakka and takes a lot of planning and risk assessment to do those trips but it is one of the greatest experiences of my life (once I got over my croc paranoia).

[Drop Bear]

3 hours ago, Old Scaley said:

I have only been there in May and June, which is obviously the dry season. It is also when the trade winds are south easterly so travelling long distances up the west coast in small boats is easy if you are not too far out. My mates have been there closer to the end of the wet season and apparently the barra fishing is better then but you run the risk of road closures and getting flooded in or out.  

The distances are amazing.  Before I went there I thought Cairns was far north Qld, but you are still 700km from Weipa and then there is a fair hike to go to the top spots. It is hard yakka and takes a lot of planning and risk assessment to do those trips but it is one of the greatest experiences of my life (once I got over my croc paranoia).

Awesome. so keen to spend some time on western cape. Black Jewfish are a big bucket list fish for me.