Lost at Sea

I bit the bullet and bought a self steering wind vane to help out since I got some extra cash from this mess. Settled on property on 25th, 5 mins before settlement, solicitors get back to me and tell me (despite paying for searches and not receiving them) that property is 10a and not 1a approved so contacted their solicitor about the misrepresentation and I got the choice to terminate contract or go ahead with a reduction in price. With so little time before I head to boat I chose the reduction since it is a ghost town in bum f**k QLD where the council seems to leave people alone, the solicitors refunded their fees too. Not the end of the world as I contacted a retrospective building mob to ask, since it built well using bluescope, has been up for 5 years and has power and septic, they think I might be able to do a re zone relatively easy.

I am looking at buying a basic 250 DM250 for when I will be solo and under sail, has anyone got anything bad to say before I hit the trigger?

Woman, 73, hit in groin by sailfish while fishing in Florida | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site

jealous

Got out to do a few loads, thought I would be running out of room after all the supplies but surprisingly have plenty more space, didn't get to drop a line in, was really rough most of time and then... it was calm, just as I was leaving.

Couple of pics

Now the question is.... What do you guys think I need to fill tackle box to last the trip? I was worried about buying flash gear with all the salt. I have a ugly stik blue water combo and a penn 340GT combo, looking for any other rod/reel combo you think I might need. I bought 400 suicides, wire, sinkers and braid. Some ****** lures so up for suggestions there.

It has 127 litre diesel tank but have 3 jerries as well, I see this as the only weak point in the set up. I am thinking I might swap out the water tank for another diesel tank as I have water on demand.

I have a 2 burner gas stove with 8kg bottle but bought an evacuated tube solar cooker, a cobb cooker and a 12v marine travel buddy (best oven ever) so if gas runs out (plan to just use for tea), I have the ability to cook regardless.

I also bought a small 12 pod idoo hydro set up to grow fresh greens.

Power is split into 3 parts, start battery, 3 x 120ah AGM in parallel so 360ah @12 and 48v 8kwh lifepo4 (2 x 48v powerplus 4kwh), 2 x 540w panels in series and a 2000w turbine feeding the 48v system, a 540w panel feeding into the 12v. If you mean motor? is a volvo penta 23hp in mint condition, uses about a litre an hour. Has autopilot, am looking at a radar and a forward looking radar. Has all the electronics I need and will get backups in case of failure, ie; second autopilot. my years provisions include 50kg nuts (peanuts, cashews, brazil, pecan and maccas), 50kg dried fruit powder so I can make juices (beetroot, spinach, strawberry, mango, seaweed, carrot, flaxseed meal etc etc). I bought 5kg powdered garlic and 5kg powdered ginger. Vietnamese rice paper rolls, vietnamese noodles, rice... 20kg coconut water powder, 21kg dehydrated mash potato (each 7kg makes 42kg). 5kg mixed herbs (butcher supplies), have dehydrated 20kg peas, 20kg green beans, 20kg carrot, 6 dozen eggs and 10kg onion (am taking the dehydrator with me). I got heaps of tinned goods. I bought oats and enough yoghurt culture to make yoghurt whenever I want. 50 milk powders, 2000 teabags (gone off the coffee) 25 shelf stable cheddar blocks and whatever else I forgot to add. There are two fridges, one built in and one I bought that I will use as a freezer, I will cryovac meat as I need (vacuum sealer with 12m of bags was something stupid like $50 off ebay). Water maker means I don't need to worry about drinking water but I have bought himalayan salt for the minerals taken out from maker.

Telstra has announced that its Next G mobile network has extended its coverage out to sea. The coverage extends between 20 to 70 kilometres out to sea from mobile bases situated near the coast. Coverage includes the Great Barrier Reef, the Sydney to Melbourne coast and the Whitsundays.

I am addicted to sailing vids, I been watching free range sailing before they went to land, it was a catalyst for buying this boat... If the missus will let you, you are welcome to come have a sail and fish.

Grumpy guy yells at ocean, sure to be a hit...

it is 38 foot tassie built cold molded celery top pine, tasmanian blackwood fiddles and oak internals, glassed over. The guy I bought it off had bought a larger adams and his son, by coincidence is a neighbour so he sold it to me for half price, immaculate condition, exceptionally well looked after. Paid pennies at $25k I bought a 48v 2000w turbine, 2 x 540w solar panels, 8kwh powerplus lifepo4 (aus made). I bought a spectra vt200t water maker which does 31 litres an hour @10a on 12v (came with 3 x 120ah agm purchased 21). I bought a coastmaster 4 liferaft, a cel-fi repeater and a victron 48v inverter and mppt. I went silly and bought enough supplies for about a year, been dehydrating a lot of veges as well in preparation. I lived on various yachts in my late 20's and early 30's but really just used them as cheap housing and while I sailed a bit, am ten years off the water now after meeting devil woman and having a child, she stole the farm and daughter on an access visit so it seemed like a good time to do something for me. Will be sailing solo.

I am so pumped for this, been a while in the making... I bought a cel-fi and apparently they get reception up to 40 to 50nm out, will see.

I bought a shed on an acre and a half in a ghost town to store all my possessions, settles on 25th. Was cheap... Then I am full time on boat, will pull out to scrub bottom and have to drill some holes to mount the water maker, want to re do the bimini so I can add a turbine and some bigger solar panels. Then spend a few weeks getting comfortable on the water with it and then I am off.

Hey all, bought a yacht to sail up the reef and head up to NT and beyond to fish my days away and be on the water. Trying to be as self sufficient as can so decked it out and stocked up so I don't have to hit land for at least 6 months, time to do what I want for a change...