GPSguru

Salt away definitely works, but it used to be not easy or quick to get, but I see that screwfix and toolstation sell it now, and I assume it is the same stuff. White vinegar also definitely works, IIRC something like a cup full to a gallon of water. The 5% acetic acid of the vinegar assists the water in breaking down the salt. Salt is a stable inorganic compound but does dissolve in vinegar which is an organic compound, but there is no direct chemical reaction, just the grateful assistance of the acetic acid.

Hmmm.............. Unless you are regularly going to venture out in conditions of poor visibility, then radar is just an expensive toy, and this comment applies to the majority of small fishing boats for recreational use. Personally, I don't go out if the visibility is less than 1nm, or forecast to be 1nm or less, I am recreational, I don't need the hassle, it can wait until a better day. If you understand weather forecasting, then you will never get caught in fog or sea mist. FFS, the CG gives regular weather forecasts on ch63 (usually) and imminent means within 6 hours, so you have plenty of time to feck'off home. Those on here that have said it is good for night navigation are not going to pass any advanced RYA seamanship practical exam's by using radar. Navigation on a night passage must be done by understanding ALL lights and their meanings / identification. Most skippers fail miserably in the identification of various types of vessel and their orientation 🙄. Also, no pleasure boat skipper who understands 'responsibility', would not purposely venture out on a night passage of poor visibility. Also, it is worth noting that AIS has its downsides, in that the GC can see your location and ask you to assist another boat by calling you using DSC. It has happened to me 4 or 5 times in the last 4 years. AIS also gives your fishing position away, unless you have a transit inhibit switch fitted. I can set AIS transmit to 'off' but still receive all AIS traffic at the flick of a switch. AIS is also good for when you are at anchor. It clearly transmits your MMSI and the relevant info, i.e. speed =0, Course=0, update time every 6 or 8 minutes, An upside of AIS is that unlike radar, it can effectively 'see' around corners, I use this to good advantage when steaming close inshore past areas like Berry Head, where there could be hidden traffic coming out to sea on my port side from Brixham, however, all these 'aids' are exactly that and a focussed lookout watch must be maintained at all times.

Most of the radars will be the same performance as nearly all of the use the same high definition narrow band technology. Garmin has always served me well, and the only time I would change is if I went to a much, much larger tub (talking 12m plus here), and then I would use a stand alone PC coupled to multiple 22” monitors, and blackbox sidescan sonar ! Simrad is good kit, and they do make some very nice ‘high end’ kit which is more for professional use. From a personal point of view, I tend to avoid lowrance as it just doesn't seem up to the job and also it is not robust. I have heard folk moan about Garmin tech help and service, but TBH I have found them to be first class in both response and knowledge.

I have multiple GPS sources, so a lot would need to go wrong before I lost mine.

If you network it with nmea200 and then activate AIS on the plotter, then the plotter accepts the AIS 800 info, which updates dependent on the speed you are going.

Provided that you simrad has a nmea2000 port, then yes, it should network ok. I have 2x garmin 95 plotters, garmin livescope panoptix sonar, AIS 800, mercury engine management, and mercury active trim, all joined together on a nmea 2000 network.

Yes, the splitter is built into the Garmin AIS800, so I just have one VHF antenna.

Not fishing boats, other commercial users, yes, but I think it depends on boat size.

I use AIS as it is more useful to me than radar, because I never go out in fog or visibility of less than 1nm. Also I sometimes fish in the shipping lanes. I use the Garmin AIS 800, which is B+, however most transponders are now B+. My boat is 45knts , but I mostly cruise at 28 - 30knts. Just a glance at the plotter shows me all the commercial marine traffic nearby, and their course / speed. Here in South Devon a lot of pleasure boats also use AIS.

Funny ‘ole world. It doesnt seem right to talk about Blacks and spades, but hey, it is absolutely cosha on a fishing bait chat 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣👍

You only get blowlug in sand, dunno about blacks, we don't get them here 😉😇

TBH a pump is a zillion times easier. Make you own from 22mm copper pipe a few fittings and mould a washer seal from silicon. You can make it quite long so it is comfortable to use. However, the best spade I have used is a narrow blade Stainless, but digging is way too much work.

Around here, up to about a mile out, pretty much every medium sized fish bait on the bottom will produce a dog 🙄

There is not a whole lot in the fishing news about it. A change from sustainable to non-sustainable will really only affect the commercials, as quota's will be reduced and MLS could be increased. However, it doesn't mean there are no fish in the sea ! From a personal perspective, I think it is good for the recreational anglers when this sort of stuff happens, as changes to quota's etc will take the pressure off fish stocks. @thejollysinker, I expect our local rag will be full of blame, giving the Eastern Europeans and the look-a-likes a hard time for catching sackfuls of undersize mack 🤣 If the MLS is increased it will not affect us from using undersize fish as bait, or taking undersize fish for making into bait, which is a loop hole that has been in the fisheries act for years. https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/mackerel-sustainable-fish-stocks-uk-atlantic-a8805331.html https://oceans-and-fisheries.ec.europa.eu/news/sustainable-fisheries-eu-reaches-agreement-north-east-atlantic-coastal-states-well-uk-and-norway-2022-12-15_en https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-reaches-agreement-on-key-fish-stocks-for-2023

Are the mack in yet ? 🙄🤣🤣🤣👍👍

I am not saying the article wrong, however, in the past I have seen way too many 'alarmist' articles by marine conservationists, remember the thing they did about Cod in the North sea a few years ago 🙄 All I am saying is, to help me see the bigger picture, I want to see a balanced view point with irrefutable scientific data. We know that the inhabitants in our seas here are changing, like the increase in BFT, species being caught out of season etc, most of the data I have seen has relates it to the changing food source for them, and they chase the food source. I will say that we seem to be in a period of more Bass and better quality Bass, however, is that entirely due to the Bass regulations (flouted by many commercials) or is it just a natural phenomenon and part of the wider fish cycle ?

The article I read was about how the mack food, which eats a particular type of zoo plankton was taking a different route north, as due to an average increase in sea temp, the prevailing currents had changed. However, I seem to catch enough, got about 200 in the bait freezer, but yes, the shoals seem smaller than 10 yrs ago, and the season has changed a little, but TBH we can catch mack here all year round, if not sometimes a little difficult to find during the depths of winter, and early spring.

TBF we want measured scientific evidence, not the opinion of some headline grabbing tart. The last compelling scientific evidence I read, it was concluded that the dense shoals of mack were moving more toward Iceland because of changes in the water temp (global warming ?), meant that they were following the changes in their food source.

Looking good Josh, I am quite partial to Pollock fillets. With both Bass and Pollock, it is best to bleed them once caught, by cutting the gill rakers, as it gives you loverly white meat, but you probably know that already. However, bleeding them makes a f'off mess in the fish cool box, so I tend to bleed them for 30 mins on the deck first 👍

Trying to stay with 2 stroke tech is what put the nail in the coffin for evinrude (BRP). At the time ALL the other big players were investing heavily to produce super reliable and efficient 4 stroke engines. This article really tells it as it is https://www.speedonthewater.com/what-really-killed-evinrude/amp/

Sorry Steve, I sold it locally for £100 👍

Have you had your medication today yet ?

They definitely are a marmite engine. However, regardless of its issues whilst in production, it is no longer made and the spares availability is getting tighter by the day, with super high pricing.

True, but I can hold 10lb with one hand 😉, which is better than your usual contribution of mini pout, straps, and pin whiting.

Excellent sea keeping RIB's but sadly no longer made, and I certainly wouldn't want an ETEC on the back. On RIB's, ETEC engines had a bad habit of cracking the clamshell mounting brackets, as well as endless woes of blown ECU's,and faulty injectors.