MegaByte home

[MegaByte]

Brought MegaByte home for a good clean Antifoul and engine service.

Hope to get out a lot more this year.

[Saintly Fish]

Have you treated her to anymore rod holders??

[MegaByte]

1 hour ago, Saintly Fish said:

Have you treated her to anymore rod holders??

Not yet 🤣🤣

[JDP]

So why not keep it home on the trailer ? are there no decent launch ramps in your area.

 

[JonC]

11 hours ago, JDP said:

So why not keep it home on the trailer ? are there no decent launch ramps in your area.

 

He probably doesn’t want to spend his life towing it around and launching it in freezing cold water, then doing the same thing at the end of the day. So much easier to step out the car, walk down the pontoon and just go. 
A lot of marinas don’t even open until 8.30-9am so by the time you’ve launched it’s getting on for mid morning. 

[mick]

Even though Poole is one of the largest natural harbours in the world it only has 1 public slip,

summer launching is a pain place is full of jetskies.

[JDP]

52 minutes ago, mick said:

Even though Poole is one of the largest natural harbours in the world it only has 1 public slip,

summer launching is a pain place is full of jetskies.

When you say one slip, how wide is it ? Many of ours even in small coastal towns are 6 lanes wide with floating pontoons to tie up to while you park the vehicle. We also don't get in the water for launching or retrieving, so winter temps mean nothing to boat launching.

Our small coastal town has a population of 8000 people and we have 12 boat launch ramps, most just double lanes though. I would hate having to remove all my valuables from the boat every time I leave it on a mooring or pontoon and the whole scrubbing and painting would put me off owning a boat, let alone locked to one location.

Do you know if local councils have been approached in regards to more ramps ? obviously if there are lots of jetski owners, there's a demand for launch sites.

[JonC]

We had a slipway in our village, it got abused by people, mainly the Romford navy. Trailers left everywhere etc and general shit behaviour. The council put a gate on it that villagers were able to get a key for. Just after the big lockdown they demolished the ramp and put a set of stairs there. Now the parking is a lot worse because there’s no effort to keep it clear and nobody can use it. It happened overnight with no public consultation or planning notices. Amazing what they can do quickly when they want to . 

[MegaByte]

When I first had MegaByte I towed and launched each time, became a PITA waiting to get on the slip.
There’s only one public slipway in Poole, which is very shallow and quite narrow.

I keep it in a marina which is only 5 minutes from home. I can walk along the pontoon get onboard and go. Saves at least an hour each end of the day.

[Saintly Fish]

1 hour ago, MegaByte said:

When I first had MegaByte I towed and launched each time, became a PITA waiting to get on the slip.
There’s only one public slipway in Poole, which is very shallow and quite narrow.

I keep it in a marina which is only 5 minutes from home. I can walk along the pontoon get onboard and go. Saves at least an hour each end of the day.

And less physical work Brian!

[JDP]

Our ramps are busy, I recon anyone taking more that 1 minute either launching or retrieving would be up for a fair amount of abuse over here. We have areas where you stop and remove straps and put bungs in before getting in front of the ramp lanes. Its then a case of backing in and releasing the one strap, clip, shackle or quick release. Putting boats back on trailers is mostly done by driving straight onto the trailers with a slightly tilted engine. Boat trailers are normally designed with v berths to help instantly align the boats as you drive on. From our harbour we will get up around 300 boats launch on first light during holiday times mostly from one double lane ramp. 

The next even smaller coastal town 30 mins south of us will get around the same amount of boats launch but have two three lane ramps. These figures are calculated by the boats that log on with marine rescue before heading offshore.

The small trailer boat building industry is huge here, as is the $ these trailer boat owners bring to coastal towns in terms of tourism dollars. We think nothing of driving to various ramps around the country if thats where the fish are.

Totally agree though, if I was taking an hour each side of the day at launch ramps I wouldn't even own a boat, just like having to carry all the gear needed on a boat for a day when on a pontoon, not to mention having to get them out and clean them and leaving them exposed to the elements etc.

 

Edited March 13, 2023 by JDP

[MegaByte]

The problem with the slipway at baiter (can’t call it a ramp, it’s almost level), you have to release the trailer and push it a long way to launch and retrieve.

There’s also the problem with the jetskiers, they don’t wait their turn then they block the slip and stand around talking.

I prefer being on the pontoon, it’s hassle free and no parking problems.

Edited March 13, 2023 by MegaByte

[JonC]

@JDPwhat are the marina facilities generally like for those that them? Are there plenty of them for people that like to use them, or for people with boats that aren’t of trailer size?A lot of people like to use the marinas here socially, some almost like a floating caravan- is that a thing there? 

[MegaByte]

There are a few marinas in Poole, I'm in Cobb's Quay which has good facilities. Including a bar/restaurant, dry stack, several marine companies (engineers, sales, training etc.).

There are people who have boats but just use them a weekend floating ,ver leave the berth.

[JonC]

11 minutes ago, MegaByte said:

 

There are people who have boats but just use them a weekend floating ,ver leave the berth.

That sounds like that suave old devil Martin @Maverickthat you are describing there, just likes mincing about in his smoking jacket and moccasins. 

[Saintly Fish]

30 minutes ago, JonC said:

That sounds like that suave old devil Martin @Maverickthat you are describing there, just likes mincing about in his smoking jacket and moccasins. 

Not for long. He's up for sale!!

[JonC]

32 minutes ago, Saintly Fish said:

Not for long. He's up for sale!!

Is he on the game?  I thought he made a good living in the heating game, maybe he just gets a kick out of it. 

[JDP]

8 hours ago, JonC said:

@JDPwhat are the marina facilities generally like for those that them? Are there plenty of them for people that like to use them, or for people with boats that aren’t of trailer size?A lot of people like to use the marinas here socially, some almost like a floating caravan- is that a thing there? 

Yes there are those but generally a marina will have big game charter boats in the 40-60ft size, even these tend to not be moored to any one marina. A game boat just like the trailer boats will often follow the fish, so a boat that's here on the south coast targeting a certain species now will often be doing another season hundreds, even thousands of km up or down the coast. There are boats which will be fishing part of the year in New Zealand then part of the year in Queensland several thousand km away.

The marinas tend to have gift shops, ice creameries, wine bars, fish and chip shops and restaurants etc and open to anyone, not just club members.

Most marinas have public well maintained public boat ramps with boat wash down facilities public toilets and fish cleaning tables etc, much of which is funded by our recreational fishing licences.

 

Edited March 14, 2023 by JDP

[JDP]

At the ramp now, the first boat back in due to poor weather is this white pointer which a friend down the coast builds. Drive on bunks, auto hitch boat latch, literally under one minute on trailer and over to the 5 minute wash zone.
 

[JonC]

Still sounds like a pain, waiting to launch, parking up car etc and be awkward single handed. It would certainly rule out the spate of the moment short after school sessions for me as the process would take up too large a portion of the time. When I come home and see that the Flattys are busting up I want to get straight out there. 

[JDP]

1 hour ago, JonC said:

Still sounds like a pain, waiting to launch, parking up car etc and be awkward single handed. It would certainly rule out the spate of the moment short after school sessions for me as the process would take up too large a portion of the time. When I come home and see that the Flattys are busting up I want to get straight out there. 

Those are the exact reasons I have a trailer boat. After school spur of the moment decision and on the water within 10 mins of leaving my drive way. Boat filled up with fuel from what ever petrol station I choose and all my gear permanently left onboard. Ive never had to wait more than a minute or two even at the busy times of the morning at a ramp, there always seems to be a lane free when I arrive and  my boat is ready to drop in the water from leaving home. I also like tinkering with the boat at home with it out of the water, even getting to know the sounder tweaks is easier while out of the water.  I had boats on moorings and pontoons when I lived in the UK and feel the way I do things now far easier. I also had several boats full of rot which had been kept on moorings (transoms and stringers etc).

I can understand it with poor ramps, poor trailer reversing and boat driving skills many would be put off. Also badly setup trailers where it takes two people to launch and retrieve would be a pain. Each of my boats have had a step at the winch post so I can drive straight on, auto latch grabs the boat and I step off the bow down the winch post from the bow. Of course a jetty next to the ramp saves dropping the anchor onto the shore while parking up. It's funny that most of the fast response rescue craft on the IOW were kept out of the water, yet where I live here they are on the water. I was with marine rescue for several years and found the delays unlocking the gates to the private jetty, sinking the floating pontoon and getting the rescue boat into action was incredible time consuming. A recent incident on the local bar crossing took 45mins to get the rescue boat into action by which time the person had been rescued by surfers!!!!....a passenger on the boat my daughter was skippering.

Like you say though Jon, sounds like a pain but not something you have perhaps done.

Edited March 14, 2023 by JDP

[Saintly Fish]

I don't think my family would enjoy the summer boating all weekend if the boat was on a trailer on the drive. 
Kind of defeats the object of a relaxing weekend away from home! 

[JonC]

2 hours ago, JDP said:

Those are the exact reasons I have a trailer boat. After school spur of the moment decision and on the water within 10 mins of leaving my drive way. Boat filled up with fuel from what ever petrol station I choose and all my gear permanently left onboard. Ive never had to wait more than a minute or two even at the busy times of the morning at a ramp, there always seems to be a lane free when I arrive and  my boat is ready to drop in the water from leaving home. I also like tinkering with the boat at home with it out of the water, even getting to know the sounder tweaks is easier while out of the water.  I had boats on moorings and pontoons when I lived in the UK and feel the way I do things now far easier. I also had several boats full of rot which had been kept on moorings (transoms and stringers etc).

I can understand it with poor ramps, poor trailer reversing and boat driving skills many would be put off. Also badly setup trailers where it takes two people to launch and retrieve would be a pain. Each of my boats have had a step at the winch post so I can drive straight on, auto latch grabs the boat and I step off the bow down the winch post from the bow. Of course a jetty next to the ramp saves dropping the anchor onto the shore while parking up. It's funny that most of the fast response rescue craft on the IOW were kept out of the water, yet where I live here they are on the water. I was with marine rescue for several years and found the delays unlocking the gates to the private jetty, sinking the floating pontoon and getting the rescue boat into action was incredible time consuming. A recent incident on the local bar crossing took 45mins to get the rescue boat into action by which time the person had been rescued by surfers!!!!....a passenger on the boat my daughter was skippering.

Like you say though Jon, sounds like a pain but not something you have perhaps done.

When you launch single handed who do you have driving the truck? Do you just leave it on the ramp until you get back or do you have to park it up? 
I beach launch and retrieve nearly every week at the sailing club with the rib, I guarantee you I can walk down the pontoon and step on my boat faster than you can launch and park your Ute. 🤣

[JDP]

1 hour ago, JonC said:

When you launch single handed who do you have driving the truck? Do you just leave it on the ramp until you get back or do you have to park it up? 
I beach launch and retrieve nearly every week at the sailing club with the rib, I guarantee you I can walk down the pontoon and step on my boat faster than you can launch and park your Ute. 🤣

I back my trailer in the water, climb the step on the front of the trailer into the boat, start motor, engage forward gear, walk to the front of the boat reach over and unclip from trailer and slip off bu putting the boat in neutral. Then either put the nose on the beach or tie to the jetty while I drive 30-50m to park. With two people or more, one simply move the boat away from the jetty and just pulls back in to pick up who ever parked the 4x4.

Or I can back in the trailer, release the boat while holding about 8-10m of rope, walk the boat to the jetty alongside the ramp or pull it to the beach while I then park the vehicle.

The marlin have moved approx 100km north, so tomorrow morning we will drive towing the boat 1hr north before launching at another public boat ramp. When the fish get to far from returning home each day we stay overnight or several nights or even weeks on some trips. This is what anglers who chase pelagic species do here. We will soon start targeting the bluefin approx 800km south of us, so making two or three day trips until they reach our part of the coast. Around August we head north to target warmer water species when the fishing and weather chill out locally. 

When I skipper the urchin and abalone commercial boat we tow the boat to what ever part of the coast suits the weather conditions for a 4 day period (about the max the two divers can do on 12hr days). This can be right on my doorstep or 3-10hrs drive form where I live. Again we stay in motels during this time and work from trailer boats also often travelling 60km by water from the launch ramps. 

Anyway almost midnight and an early start tomorrow. 

[JonC]

1 hour ago, JDP said:

I back my trailer in the water, climb the step on the front of the trailer into the boat, start motor, engage forward gear, walk to the front of the boat reach over and unclip from trailer and slip off bu putting the boat in neutral. Then either put the nose on the beach or tie to the jetty while I drive 30-50m to park. With two people or more, one simply move the boat away from the jetty and just pulls back in to pick up who ever parked the 4x4.

Or I can back in the trailer, release the boat while holding about 8-10m of rope, walk the boat to the jetty alongside the ramp or pull it to the beach while I then park the vehicle.

The marlin have moved approx 100km north, so tomorrow morning we will drive towing the boat 1hr north before launching at another public boat ramp. When the fish get to far from returning home each day we stay overnight or several nights or even weeks on some trips. This is what anglers who chase pelagic species do here. We will soon start targeting the bluefin approx 800km south of us, so making two or three day trips until they reach our part of the coast. Around August we head north to target warmer water species when the fishing and weather chill out locally. 

When I skipper the urchin and abalone commercial boat we tow the boat to what ever part of the coast suits the weather conditions for a 4 day period (about the max the two divers can do on 12hr days). This can be right on my doorstep or 3-10hrs drive form where I live. Again we stay in motels during this time and work from trailer boats also often travelling 60km by water from the launch ramps. 

Anyway almost midnight and an early start tomorrow. 

That’s great, but the bit where you put the boat in the water and finish parking your car and fucking about with ropes is where I’m already at on the pontoon . I understand you prefer to drag your boat about and that’s great but it’s not easier than having it already in the water on a pontoon and just stepping on.