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first time offshore


jon1234

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Hey all, I've been pottering around the Noosa river for awhile, the bar seems a little hairy sometimes depending on conditions so i've never been game to tackle it myself. I would still like to get out and hit a reef though. Mooloolaba seaway seems alot easier at least if a calm day. I've got a 4.29 stacer seaway w 60hp so its not the biggest boat but i'd like to expand my horizons abit. I might upgrade my sounder and get some better rods and tackle as ive been getting flatties and whiting ok on a 30$ kids combo but its prob abit too light i guess for the reefs. I'm fairly green to all this so just looking to get outside a little with minimum dramas.  

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Welcome to the forum mate. Your boat will get you out there on the good days, obviously just be patient and only go when the weather is VERY good. And obviously have all safety gear. It would be worth talking to some locals at the boat ramp/s you intend to use to try and pick up some local knowledge.

As far as fishing gear goes, if you are on a budget Shimano Sienna and Penn Spinfisher are both good low budget reels that will perform well and last well for you. You could also keep an eye out for Shimano TLD's (10, 15, 20 sizes) for sale second hand as they're pretty bulletproof and good value.

Looking forward to seeing a picture of you holding up a mackerel, cobia or nice reefie 🙂.

Edited by kmcrosby78
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cheers for that, yeh ive got all the epirb, radio safety stuff etc. Also id probably have to get more rope for the anchor though the first few times id probably just drift about. The thing that makes me t most nervous really is turning off the outboard as ive had dramas with it a couple times once after changing the battery and once just after i bought it the thermostat went and it switched into limp mode. I guess just picking a spell where its dead flat/calm is the go. I'll check out that tackle, all the stuff ive used on the river is very light so i guess time to save up for some heavier kit.

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On 28/02/2022 at 1:57 PM, kmcrosby78 said:

I wouldn't advise going out through any sort of bar (including Mooloolaba) if you don't trust your engine. Also I'd ensure you have enough rope to anchor should you need to in an emergency (eg. if your motor died either just inside or just outside the coastal bar). Safety first at all times. 

Agree with @kmcrosby78 I've been out gold coast seaway a few times in my previous boat that had an intermittent coils issue that put the engine in limp mode....you don't want that happening anywhere near a bar cause if a wave catches up to you from behind you're in a world of trouble. Needless to say changed boat quickly even after i changed all the coils, i no longer had trust in the outboard that was getting a bit older.

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Its a new motor only 24hrs on it I bought it 2nd hand though and the guy hadn't done the initial service to keep the 5 year warranty. It was the first time i took it out that it had the thermostat option, took it to the dealer they fixed and serviced it. Next time was when i changed the battery for some reason all the electrics, trim etc worked by the motor wouldnt turn over. Took it back to the dealer again they sorted it and haven't had an issue since. But it still kind of plays on my mind. 

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1 hour ago, jon1234 said:

Its a new motor only 24hrs on it I bought it 2nd hand though and the guy hadn't done the initial service to keep the 5 year warranty. It was the first time i took it out that it had the thermostat option, took it to the dealer they fixed and serviced it. Next time was when i changed the battery for some reason all the electrics, trim etc worked by the motor wouldnt turn over. Took it back to the dealer again they sorted it and haven't had an issue since. But it still kind of plays on my mind. 

Fair enough. 

Sounds like something simple. 

It's not as if you have purchased a no name engine.

 

Get out there... 

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On 04/03/2022 at 4:38 PM, ellicat said:

A couple of hours boating in the river to get the confidence in the motor, would be my suggestion.

Then join the Coastguard or VMR so you have a backup plan if it does play up. It's cheap insurance at around $80 a year.

As @ellicat says just get the hours / time on the water. Ask a few more questions after a dealer looks / fixes and issue so if it happens on the water you may be able to fix as well.

Invest in a service manual for your outboard and have some basic tools on board.

Coastguard or VMR is a no brainer and I would never go boating without it.

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