Our First Launch

[pelyma]

Not the exotic or powerful machines that you all seem to have; but after lots of cleaning and polishing we had our first test run from Itchenor. No rods today, but we had fun getting used to launching, navigating, anchoring and recovery. A beautiful few hours on the water, the kids loved it and us adults too!

We are hoping to get back on the water soon, but this time with some rods!!

[waggers]

A very nice trip it looks to sir well done and may you have many a happy hour in her.

Regards
Paul in the Isle of Man

[Canuck]

Well done on your maiden trip, It's an adventure for kids of that age and teaching them as they grow up to fish and handle the boat is one of the most rewarding experiences.

Rich

[Sunny]

That's a cracking boat mate.... don't be humbled by bigger is better. You can fish some great locations with her...and have a real adventure everytime. Perfect for the harbour and on flat days no doubt you can chase the Smuts and Bass inshore.

Easy to launch and recover, thrifty on fuel and high enough sides to be safe if a wash (from the Floating caravan Club) hits you; what more can you ask.

[pelyma]

Cheers chaps. Is there anywhere we are likely to be able to connect with smoothounds? I'd sort of resigned myself that such exotica would be beyond our capability.

[dave phillips]

when there are loads of smoothound about they come into chi harbour after the crabs all the way upto itchenor ,i have fished itchenor for years in dingys at night for the bass and smoothhounds . you will get them from the start of the deep water moorings (leave the slipway and turn left )the best spot i found was if you turn right from the slipway and head down to the pontoons when the trawlers are tide up and tie up to one of the the moorings downtide of the pontoon , one night when i was there when it was really hot i had a 10lb tope which i thougth was a good bass.

[Purple]

She'll get you to lots of spots us mere infantry can't reach - it's not all about distance.

Good luck with her

[Sunny]

Mar 27, 2011 16:27:50 GMT pelyma said:

Cheers chaps. Is there anywhere we are likely to be able to connect with smoothounds? I'd sort of resigned myself that such exotica would be beyond our capability.

Off Hillhead (Lee-on-Solent) from late May..... only need top go about 300 - 400 yards offshore and bingo....amazing fun.

Your boat is perfect; especially on a calm evening.

[pelyma]

Provided the weather holds we are going to do our first fishing trip on Saturday. Launching from Itchenor again we thought ragworm as bait and try some different spots. My daughter is missing this first trip, but my father and son will be coming. Would ragworm be the best bait at the moment and how much are we likely to need.

After years of fluff chucking the bait bit is all confusing to judge how much you need

[backdraft]

those orkneys are very nice boats (and hold there price ) i have a 14 foot boat with a 7.5hp merc and must say i find it as much fun as our 17.6 ft shetland with the very large outboard. and MUCH cheaper. ive had some great fishing including smooth hound from hill head, best to launch in the hamble for this spot.
look at sunny he loves hunting the mullet from his small dingy!!
as for how much ragworm you will need. it depens how many will fish and how long for but i think a 10ers worth would give you a good starting point. i wish you luck and hope you pull a few over the gunnels.

oh and when the smooth hounds do start showing get the kids cathing crabs as these are good bait for em.

baz.

[pelyma]

Cheers We are all getting quite excited, been looking at bigger boats too! The Orkney 520 seems a nice boat that we could all get in. The financial controller says we need to see how we get on this year and then upgrade if we want to.