Huxstang

Crikey I would have just about crapped my pants if that happened to me. Glad you got back safe.

Consider an Oceans Legacy Cloud 9 for the @ 7 foot or Dream Cast if you want something in the 9 foot range which would be perfect for spinning off the beach or rocks around WA for some australian salmon. They make really nice 2 piece rods. Oceans Legacy is a West Aus based company so have a look on Facebook Marketplace when you settle in as there was plenty of OCeans Legacy rods listed when I was last over there. I agree, stick with a spin rod and suggest looking at Digitaka in Japan for a superceded Stradic 4000 (@AUD$220)

Heading up to Cooktown on the 21/10 for the barra comp and as you would expect the missing piece of the jigsaw - the new Garmin Kraken electric will not get to the dealer before 6/11 so should be at home waiting for me. Anyone ever heard of a company that hires out electrics?

Exciting times. Hope you get a decent weather window when it arrives. I got new boat and then new van arrived like 3 weeks later. I thought retirement was supposed to be relaxing, so damn busy lately. Hoping my new Garmin trolling motor arrives before I need to leave to head up to Cooktown for barra comp at end of the month

So this popped up on FB feed. I dont currently do any impoundment fishing but that doesnt me I wouldnt at some time. https://www.getinvolved.qld.gov.au/gi/consultation/10553/view.html 6 knots, low emissions - it’s a bloody big dam to get around at 6 knots!

I’m with Bob. If you look at barra fishing, most bait casting reels are max 6kg drag and the old standard barra rod was a 6kg 6 foot rod now days of course probably more a 6-8kg rod of 7 foot. You would never lock up the reel - maybe thumb burn it - but you can still muscle a 5-10kg barra out of a snag without needing 10kg of drag. So don’t overthink the drag, it needs to be smooth and sustainable (hence why a top end reel is so expensive). I always think that if I was a 100kg and someone put 50kg on a rope and told me to run with it then yep I can do it but I will get tired pretty quick. So a 10kg fish with 5kg of drag will do the same…just not as quickly because they are fitter, but being cold blooded they will deoxygenate (ie why the jew and threadies die if fought for a long time) and hence you can land them.

Believe it or not - one just appeared on FB marketplace in brisbane

You dont actually lose weight, the gas from the cabbage makes you float

Yes found that myself, I thought it was just me, was trying to tie some 8lb FC onto 16lb braid. Might be its limitation. Hardest thing for me is actually seeing 8lb FC in less than full light. I just do a double uni.

Yes, just need to understand what the engine gauges do with NMEA and how it ties in with actual engine data. Dont want to be bumping up engine hours just because its connected to power when the NMEA is powered up ie all the time except when main is switched off.

I just asked at TMR if I could request my own and the lady said she would ask her supervisor. I wrote down what I wanted and her supervisor came back with a letter advising it was allocated to me. TMR staff were really good.

Have a look at the SC knot. I have been using it for the past year or so. You dont have to finish it with the restretto (spelling) but with half hitches around main and leader and then around main. Try googling a couple of videos on it. I like it because I dont need my mouth and 4 hands to tie it like an FG actually I can tie it in a boat when its rough and windy. If I could post a pic I would video how I do it for you. Its actually simple once you work out the line pulling back on itself

Have a look at the SC knot. I have been using it for the past year or so. You dont have to finish it with the restretto (spelling) but with half hitches around main and leader and then around main. Try googling a couple of videos on it. I like it because I dont need my mouth and 4 hands to tie it like an FG actually I can tie it in a boat when its rough and windy.

OK, here is a link to pics from today. https://photos.app.goo.gl/xgiSKzPjLEh8q7HD6 Also a pic of the boat as I picked it up on Tuesday. Last night did the NMEA layout on the floor to make sure I had it how I wanted. 12 fuse block with positive and negative busses - and the Garmin power leads labelled up. Will probably rewire the supplied wiring into the single 12 fuse block as I am not overly happy with it for being able to easily check fuses etc. Taped up the console,- drew on the master lines and then lined up the templates and used an engineers punch to get my master holes. Cutting a brand new console is not fun - neither is cleaning up all the swarf even when you have cloth down to catch it. Mounted the Garmin GPS24xd puck which has a heading sensor - handy when you are trying to get back onto a mark. Mounted the NMEA 2000 backbone in place- bit of a bugger, there is already a NMEA backbone in play for the engine gauge which also has its own GPS puck. Unfortunately its wires into the ignition switching so turn off engine and you lose power to the network, so I will have two networks - one dedicated to the Garmin setup the other the engine. Downside is not being able to view engine data on the plotters but the suzuki gauge is pretty good - this may need a revisit at some point. Did some boring stuff like running 16mm wire to console and NMEA cable to console. Tomorrow will be mounting the 16” up front on the RAM mount and work out where the GLS10 will mount. Should also get the transom transducers and power to the main fuse panel and should have power to the plotters if things go a little smoothly.

Garmin is awesome, you decide - put in 24v or 36v, will set up at 2 x 12v 100amp lithium for 24v which by all accounts is enough for the 525. If I am not happy it will be a simple add another battery in series. Switch panel is the BlueSeas 6 gang….is it enough, yes for what I want as it has one switch spare which I can use for my under gunnel lights. Pretty sure the dealers will install what you want though. I will be running dedicated power (50amp twin from house batteries to console) for my sounders into a blueseas common buss fuse panel for my electronics fit out. I have my fitout at 6, but will run a 12 fuse block just in case Springers are best prices I can find for Blueseas switches and fuse panels and a lot of other stuff to be honest.

A fair amount of electronics to go in and I will take pics as I go. I am sure I can find some image library to upload to. All Garmin: GPSMAP 1253 and 953xsv flush mount in console; GT51TM and GT56UHD transducers GPSMAP 8416 on a RAM mount at bow Livescope Plus (LVS34) GPS24xd GPS puck with heading sensor full Garmin network and NMEA network. Transducer Poles Australia QD and collapsible livescope pole and the TPA powerpoint for easy detachment of the Livescope. (TPA is in Brisbane (Logan) and highly recommend for anyone after a transducer pole - mine is alloy upper and carbon tube lower - fantastic customer service) Trolling motor is the Garmin Kraken 73” with the built in GT56UHD in it. (not likely to arrive before end of September). North Coast Boating Centre fitted the Zipwakes and the remote head VHF for me. Suzuki engine gauge also has a GPS puck attached.

Got it - still cant add a pic. Sorry

A bit of any update. Mate and I are driving down to Coffs on Monday - stop overnight after spending a couple of hours in MOTACKLE, drink some beer and have a steak and then pick up the new boat Tuesday morning and it will be heading home. Ahh the joys of the recently retired, the luxury of time to take it easy and have a good time along the way. I am doing my own install on the electronics and I am still a month or more away before the new electric arrives so probably another week of doing “stuff” although will get enough electronics fitted to get it wet at least a couple of times just to keep the excitement down. Electronics is a bit over the top but I didnt want to die wondering and I love tech and using tech, so why not. Priority is to get the livescope pole mounted and the bimini made before it does down to Seadeck to get the gunnels and transom steps done. It will be a work in progress for a a couple of weeks that is for sure. Livescope pole is a nice local product (Transducer Poles Australia) who do a detachable and collapsible pole which will be awesome for travelling up north, I have heard good things about Rays Canvas up at Caboolture for custom bimini’s. I have a fairly specific idea in my mind and Ray was pretty decent to talk to. Happy to hear if anyone has any other suggestions on the bayside area? Would upload a photo but something is wrong and I get a server error. Even with file size down to 600k.

Any superglue will do it pretty much. I dont but some use it on their braid to leader knots to improve move through the guides for wind on leader.

Well done, good sized fish. I am never sad about taking a responsible feed of fish. A bit like the new spanish mackeral limit of one per boat - one is a good amount of fish for 2 people on a boat. You cannot eat it in a single sitting

Trout is definitely on my bucket list of fish to catch. But I know zero about trout fishing. Anyone got ideas around Tenterfield - think maybe some cool weather camping and shore based. I like the idea of walking the bank and flicking some light lures in.

Looking awesome. Always amazed at NZ for producing such great boats. Surtees, Extreme, McLay to name a few.

Yes I will be mainly bay and northern rivers. If the weather is good might pop out the front. I have gone overkill GT56 for the HD sidescan and a GT51 for a bit more depth. 51 was the right price otherwise could have gone with a Gt15 for traditional CHIRP. Ohh and the electric has a GT56 on it from factory…definitely overkill. I will have a GPSMAP1253xsv and 953xsv on the console and something else upfront for the LVS34. Bride told me to set up new boat exactly how I wanted from scratch.

I remember hearing Nick Whyte say when he was asked about what type of sounder reply that the proper question should be “what transducer do you need”. I have gone Garmin. I think it’s a bit like Apple or Android, I am not smart enough to cope with mixed brands on the boat.I wont scare people with just how much this new boat of mine will have in electronics but I wanted Livescope and Garmin is the tech leader in that space. Their newer sidescan transducer is getting up there compared with the acknowledged leader in the market. Decision got easier with the release of the new long shaft trolling motor. That said if I was setting up for offshore deep water I would probably be going Furuno with some of their fancy 3D transducers. The best screen resolution is definitely GPSMAP 84xx series, the lower end GPSMAP series 1253 etc is same resolution as the top end of Lowrance and the Hbird. Boat will be at the dealer end of the week or early next week so will start my electronics install sometime toward end of the month. Pics in my own thread when it is underway.