JDP Posted March 17, 2023 Share Posted March 17, 2023 1 hour ago, Andy135 said: I can see both sides of this. On one hand, walking along the pontoon and onto the boat is hard to beat for convenience. Anti-foul and winter haul outs were not an issue for me on a dry stack, so this really did offer all the upsides of a marina berth and few downsides (cost aside, coming back into the dry-stack pontoons at 4pm on a summer Saturday would usually see boats rafted up or queuing afloat to await a free space alongside, which was a bit of a pain). On the other hand, when I had Apache I always wanted to trailer her to the West Country for a long weekend's fishing but just never got round to it. Not having a tow vehicle for the last couple of years of ownership was a bit of a show-stopper for this to be fair, and I never really felt good about towing anyway, but this could have been solved by more experience towing. What I will say though is that I quickly got bored of beach launching off the trailer single-handedly. There was no pontoon to tie up alongside when I had her, so if I wanted a solo trip I would have to walk the anchor up the beach then stow the trailer and tractor before getting afloat. Just a chore at the best of times, let alone when I'm wondering if she had come adrift and was floating out of Langstone Harbour on a 6kt flood. I'm considering a trailer boat for my next one (along with a vehicle to tow it) and maybe tow it down to Devon for the summer, then over-winter it back on my drive or maybe on a dry-stack on the S. coast for the cod season. Not sure yet, but given that I don't live 5 mins from a marina, I may as well get the benefit of being mobile and therefore more flexible in where I fish. If I have to drive 90 mins to the coast, then if I have a trailer boat I can pick and choose the direction I spend those 90 mins travelling in, rather than going to the same old ground chasing the same old dogfish. Anyone who hopes that the tuna fishing will open up to being legally able to do from their own boat will do better with something they can launch where the fish are, same goes for sharking really. Some of the heavy tackle needed is quite an investment, so hoping the fish will simply turn up in range of your dock every weekend would be extremely unlikely and the investment wasted. Getting out and exploring the many wrecks around the coast is a no brainer, the trailer boat would have far more options for a variety of species. Weekends away with the family exploring new waterways and restaurants in the evening might appeal to the other half too, even if he or she doesn't fish during the day. However if I didn't have the room to keep a boat at home I would consider a more permanent place to keep it but having had several boats kept on swinging moorings and pontoons I personally found it to be restrictive, time consuming and expensive, not to mention I lost one of my boats on a swing mooring to a storm. Out of my last five boating trips, only one has been from my local area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odyssey Posted March 17, 2023 Share Posted March 17, 2023 1 hour ago, JDP said: Anyone who hopes that the tuna fishing will open up to being legally able to do from their own boat will do better with something they can launch where the fish are, same goes for sharking really. Some of the heavy tackle needed is quite an investment, so hoping the fish will simply turn up in range of your dock every weekend would be extremely unlikely and the investment wasted. Getting out and exploring the many wrecks around the coast is a no brainer, the trailer boat would have far more options for a variety of species. Weekends away with the family exploring new waterways and restaurants in the evening might appeal to the other half too, even if he or she doesn't fish during the day. However if I didn't have the room to keep a boat at home I would consider a more permanent place to keep it but having had several boats kept on swinging moorings and pontoons I personally found it to be restrictive, time consuming and expensive, not to mention I lost one of my boats on a swing mooring to a storm. Out of my last five boating trips, only one has been from my local area. I completely agree…. I’m based in Milford. If I was hunting Tuna or sharks on a smaller boat I’d want to be mobile…. Just a shame that there are not that many really good places to launch… in Bristol Channel we are fortunate to have quite a few but given size of tides they are limited by tides (except Cardiff and perhaps Milford haven). A trailer boat is tempting…. A nice RIB I can code, use for teaching and a few trips in summer and then drag it down south for the big stuff while keeping main boat for 80% of my fishing but funds don’t allow for 2 sadly…. So I guess I’ll just have to drag Emma to Australia and move out there instwsd 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPSguru Posted March 17, 2023 Share Posted March 17, 2023 7 minutes ago, Odyssey said: So I guess I’ll just have to drag Emma to Australia and move out there instwsd 🤣🤣🤣🤣 I spent a few years there, near Brisbane. It is worth the effort. I vividly remember our barramundi trips up to Northern QLD, and walking in the shallow water of the whit sunday islands with 100 - 200lb stingers swimming around your feet ! It was the family responsibilities that brought us back, together with a move up the employment ladder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odyssey Posted March 17, 2023 Share Posted March 17, 2023 1 hour ago, GPSguru said: I spent a few years there, near Brisbane. It is worth the effort. I vividly remember our barramundi trips up to Northern QLD, and walking in the shallow water of the whit sunday islands with 100 - 200lb stingers swimming around your feet ! It was the family responsibilities that brought us back, together with a move up the employment ladder. If I were to live out there it’d be as divorcee, Em ain’t moving Aus so I’d best stay home 🙂 GPSguru 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MegaByte Posted March 17, 2023 Author Share Posted March 17, 2023 1 hour ago, JonC said: I wonder how @MegaByte is getting on with his annual maintenance? Coming along nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPSguru Posted March 17, 2023 Share Posted March 17, 2023 2 hours ago, JonC said: Unfortunately the usual people turned this post into a tuna fishing glory hole. Unfortunately not. Once you had lost the argument and the plot, you then returned to your childishness and locked the thread, which only demonstrates negativity to all those non members that may read it 🙄. You can only reap what you sow 🤷♂️ Andy135 and JDP 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odyssey Posted March 18, 2023 Share Posted March 18, 2023 @MegaByte is this your fine vessel stealing the show on the “Small boats fishing” facebook page? 🙂 Geoff, daio web and Saintly Fish 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPSguru Posted March 18, 2023 Share Posted March 18, 2023 11 hours ago, JonC said: Any more backchat from you and I will use my official super powers. It really surprises me how you manage to get through each day without tripping over your ego or stupidity, which in your case, both are a significant handicap 🙄 JDP, Saintly Fish and Andy135 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MegaByte Posted March 18, 2023 Author Share Posted March 18, 2023 9 hours ago, Odyssey said: @MegaByte is this your fine vessel stealing the show on the “Small boats fishing” facebook page? 🙂 Yes, daughter son in law and granddaughter borrowed it for a day. Geoff and JonC 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPSguru Posted March 18, 2023 Share Posted March 18, 2023 1 hour ago, JonC said: Ok you’ve asked for this. Wot, are you going to wave your fairy wand and turn kenny into a pumpkin 🙄 Andy135 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted March 18, 2023 Share Posted March 18, 2023 2 hours ago, JonC said: One more word moustache. A tenner says @GPSguru replies with just one word... "moustache" 🤣🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPSguru Posted March 18, 2023 Share Posted March 18, 2023 37 minutes ago, JonC said: I think this little uprising has been suppressed. He’s learnt his lesson. I was going to reply with just a 🖕 But, TBH, taking the piss out of your baboon ego is like shooting fish in a barrel 🙄 Anyway, I am too busy right now doing other important stuff, like loading reels, tying on top shots, and fitting wind-on leaders. Odyssey 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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