Moonyaker

You're right Martin! But it's well written

Sorry to hear of your retirement Bill. Always found your posts of assistance, especially back in those early (halcyon) days Tight lines, whatever your angle! All the best Jules

Sorry Mike, I've not been on here for a few days but looks like Andrew has given you the answer. One swallow may not a summer make but as a sentinel that it's on the way it certainly gives a bit of cheer. Saw a Brimstone butterfly on 30th March......now a few economic green shoots and some mackerel would be welcome too

You're right, it makes no sense at all to set out in rough conditions but you should find that the extra length of the Prowler 13 should make progress a little swifter when wind and tide turn against you (though it is not as good as The Scupper Pro in this regard). P13 is a comfier boat however. The fish should be back soon; first mackerel off Chesil last year for us was 6th April but no doubt the chillier winter will delay things a bit this year. Saw the first Swallow fly by on 8th April down this way last year.

Welcome Tim, There are no clubs as such but there are frequent meets along the East Devon and Dorset Coastline with Kimmeridge, Lulworth and Ladram Bay (Devon) being popular destinations. Blue Anchor (Minehead) has gained in popularity too and depending upon where you are in Wiltshire you should not be much more than an hour and a half from any of these. Whereabouts are you? You can get some good ideas about how folk rig and use their kayaks and the safety gear carried here:- http://www.anglersafloat.co.uk All the best Jules

Mark Crame's probably your man Tom. He lives in Lowestoft and fishes both Sea and Broads and regularly meets up with other folk up your way and beyond (I am sure that he will respond to your post when he's on here next).

Well I never,......good boat Mike!...........but so are the Bics, it was seeing a couple of Bilboa's being used at Kimmeridge that set me on the trail of getting a P13 too. Enjoy

Hi, I have an Ocean Kayak Prowler 13 and Ocean Kayak Scupper Pro TW. I acquired the Prowler 13 first but it was a toss-up as to whether to get this or the Scupper and I ultimately ended up with both. The Prowler is better if you are taking a good volume of gear but if you intend to paddle any distance the Scupper is the one to take but if you are 14 stone plus it may be a tight fit!

Yes, spot on Steve. The RNLI have rescued folk wearing dry suits in the summer who have been suffering from hypothermia because they had insufficient clothing on under the suit and had dressed for the air temperature and not the water temperature. The water temperature is still going to be pretty cool in May and June, yet in October will be much more favourable if you do get immersed in it.

I would given the choice prefer to read a Kayak Fishing magazine that contained articles about Kayak fishing on both sides of The Pond (or the entire globe) in preferance to sporadic pieces about British Kayak Fishing in less specialist magazines over here but that is not to denigrade Simon Everett's articles in BFM, SA etc. at all. The UK kayak fishing fraternity is of such a small size that a glossy hard copy format would never be financially unviable so you are only ever going to get limited UK/Irish coverage in a more specialist International Mag. or less specialist UK Mag. or an E-mag. I think that there is always something to be learned from others and that techniques used elsewhere in the world can frequently be adapted to our environment. I don't suppose that we would be Yak Fishing and Lure fishing over here to the degree that we are if that were not the case..........

Hi again Les, We tend to alternate between Kimmeridge (for the usual quarry) and the Portland end of Chesil as well as some Trooting on a couple of lakes just 20 minutes away (brilliant when you need a fishing fix-though usual problem of Mrs whinging about lack of space in the freezer). I've not fished much in the Bristol Channel though the guy I fish with most has since we have a good mate in Portishead who does a bit of beach fishing for Cod. Whereabouts in Bristol are you? Jules

Hi Les, Whenever my lads have been on the net and visiting sites like Runescape the computers always seem to run very slowly afterwards and sometimes have picked up all sorts of adware and spyware which then needs to be Jettisoned. If your daughter has been surfing too, it may well pay to run a spyware program and see what you find. There are plenty of free programmes that you can download.

Yes, accessing via broadband and not dial-up and not experiencing any delays. Moonyaker

Here's another link Danno (lest you not have it already). http://www.mesltd.co.uk/index.php?cPath=133_24 Moonyaker

Now I'm kinda glad that someone brought up the subject of horses.............cos there is a saying.............. " You can take a horse to........." ......nah, not that one yer moonyakin fool....

I Normally fish with a Greys GRXi but tried a 9ft G Loomis 7/8 with a matching w/f Michael Evans Line today...........Oh my God!!!!!!! simply awsome....just so smooth and effortless.....G Loomis for me too. Moonyaker

I built a GRP Kit Car many years ago (Silva Striker II) - still have it, and when it came to fitting the bonnet it had sprung hugely over a fairly hot summer to the point that it was 6" too wide at the dashboard end on both sides of the car. I suspended it on dining room chairs over an oil filled radiator and pulled the edges of the bonnet back into shape with tank tape (duck or duct tape), re-tensioning it every few hours and once I had pulled it back to the right profile left it outside to cool; worked a treat! It is less likely now that the cooler weather is upon us that hulls are going to be distorted or deformed but if you do need to warm them up to bring them back into shape at this time of year I would certainly recommend oil filled radiators, fan heaters, hair driers and spare bedrooms to heat up the Yak and soften it so you can bring it back into shape. Indirect heat has to be the key though but you have clearly got to be careful that having softened it up that you do not encourage it to distort still further. I'd take the heat up in stages if you do this and think carefully as to where the loadings are and attend the Yak frequently whilst you are trying to cook it back into shape. This approach will work but clearly you have to be thoughtful. Moonyaker

Huge amount of work there and a great review turned around at lightening pace. I am sure that it will be a real boon to the many who are either looking to buy for the first time or make a change and I look forward to the final installment and the many fishing reports that will follow. Well done! On a lighter note; do you think that you could change the colour in Photoshop to a light turquoisy blue and flog your report to The Admiral?....... or has he changed his hat again..... Keep em coming, your reports are always a good read Moonyaker

Hi Stu, I am currently a similar weight and have not found it to be a problem; they are a wet ride and you do get a puddle around your arse much of the time but that is because you sit lower in the water on the Scupper and that is where you get the better secondary stability from. I do not think that it is your weight that is the issue, that is just the nature of the design. Don't get too dissappointed and write her off just yet, have a word with a few others and I am sure that you will find that nothing is amiss. The Dorado has a wet ride too so the Scupper is in good company in that regard. Moonyaker

Hi Boomphat, I think that they have discontinued the Scupper in the US but that it is still available elsewhere but I could be wrong. Bournemouth Canoes etc are still advertising it on their website. Or are we in possession of collectors items!!? Moonyaker

Hi Lozz, Alternatives to try in addition to the Dorado if I were in your boat would include The New Prowler 15 Trident and Scupper Pro (Tankwell) and the Prowler 13 definately merits a test too. Other than Ocean Kayaks there are the Tarpon 140 and 160 and Perception Freedom. You will find all of these yaks to be a good deal more sprightly than your Big Game and I suspect that they will all feel a bit like sports cars in comparison. Try em! All the best Moonyaker

Here you go:- http://www.marinestore.co.uk Go to Anchors Chain etc and look under grapnel anchors and the 0.7 Kg one is at the top of the list. I cannot seem to provide a direct link to that page as I had intended but I am sure this will get you there. Try this one too, good for the anchor trolley components. http://www.guildfordmarine.co.uk/ Hope this helps. Moonyaker

I don't know anything about the Tarpon but if you are looking for something a bit more portable than the usual fishing kayaks this one seems to be gaining favour and may be worth a look too. http://www.bournemouthcanoes.co.uk/product...yaks/mini-x.htm

That certainly covers the main biggies Stu. Starvin Marvins checklist on Anglersafloat is very useful too and you'll need some appropriate footwear and fleecy stuff under a dry suit. http://www.anglersafloat.co.uk/Kayak%20List.html