gilbo

With this thread I must admit to getting very spooked when I am out alone Kayaking. It is mad and crazy I know because the odds are still better to be hurt in the house or on the road but I do worry. A kayak is like a big floating seal and we are out there away from the surf zone and over deeper water. Shark bait for sure and I do reckon them Great Whites are here and about. Go on tell me I am a plonker!

Hello and Welcome to you - all sounds very good and the major purchases all seem in hand. I managed to get hold of some 20mm webbing and some 8mm (i think) bungee, some webbing buckles and some stainless steel snap buckles. Had endless fun sewing up all sorts of straps and safety lines for rods reels etc. Can be very satisfying. you cant have enough straps and items like this! Dont forget some of these: Flares, Dry bags, small net, rod holders, compass, GPS, crate, boots, first aid kit and it goes on and on. Managed to reach the point were there are a few "I would likes" but dont have to get items. I am sure you will get into this and look forward to your catch reports. Will we be seeing some Skate?

New Zealand versions are usually labelled Johnson Outdoors New Zealand, the new Zealand frenzy i have has this as a moulded in transfer. A lot of them have straps where there are usually bungees.

I would be tempted to buy a second hatch cover (front or 6" mid hatch" and run the outlet through this. This could let you swap for situations when you arent in need of the bilge pump. Still wondering why you need one?

Have one and use it but also bought a net bass bag for keepng fish. The bass bag is bigger and less trouble getting a load of mackerel into.

I think you would be missed and would be sorry to see you go.

Welcome and looking forward to you outrigging posts - please show us some photos of what you have achieved.

Very intersted in this idea but how much water are you getting in your kayak? Not knowing exactly why you are fitting this? I have never had more than a couple of cup fulls inside mine but do know when afloat the centre 6" screw in hatch will gulp water when I open it. I tend not to use it and just have it really for access inside the hull for fitting things. Let me know more.

These are the lures in blue and black back and chrome body!

I have arranged to pick up some bait so anyone who needs some needs to let Chris or myself know by the end of this week so it can be booked. I can get Lug, rag and peeler crab. Could make a seperate trip to see if any live eel can be sourced. Let us know by Friday 11th May if you can.

Welcome Ian and thanks for the message - you will be able to send Private Messages shortly when you have made a few more posts. The Storm Jointed Thundersticks are all paid for and on the way over from America. I will bring some in as soon as they arrive. Cant believe I got them so cheap! For the Bank Holiday Weekend at the end of May I will be picking up some worm and crabs for a load of Kayakers who are having a meet at Gorran Haven in Cornwall. This could be a 2 to 3 lb of worm and so will book with you early. Not been out in my Kayak for a few weeks and fishing has been off as I have a back injury (never known pain like it). Took my boy to a Carp Fishery yesterday and had some good Crucian and King Carps. He caught his first fishes and was delighted. Get em hooked young and they will remember that first ever fish! He will be an angler of the future and at five sais his hobbies are fishing and kayaking! Nice to see you on here mate!

I have read the documents and understand them, done the training and bought the t shirt also applied for and registered my radio set for which I have the license. A base station CSR's is on land and can be difined as a portable piece of radio equipment. Its use has to be controlled and its location, frequency of use recorded. When used on land the VHF has a potential to cause interference to other equipment and that is why controls are in place. The need for a CSR licence covers Portables/ handhelds and major equipment with seperate antennas. So you are agreeing that to transmit from a kayak you need a radio license and the appropriate Operators License? To transmit from land you also need a Coastal Radio License and the user should have an Operators License? Its well worth noting that a fine of up to £5000 can be applied for anyone breaking the rules. In the earlier posts it was stated that it is alright to buy a wife /girlfriend a second VHF for chat from sea to shore. Yes they can as long as the wife / girlfriend has an operators license and a license for a CSR is also in place for that handset. This is a public Forum and hence should not indicate that the above can be ignored. It seems that there is a belief that you can do what ever with a VHF. Note - anyone who transmits and sends a message to their onshore partner could potentially block an Emergency Message being sent. It use must be kept to a minimum and the first post mentioned something like " sending messages onshore so the tea could be put on"! If it was so simple as to buy a VHF and talk to whoever you want from land to sea, sea to land and land to land then hey no more phone bills! This is exactly why VHF licenses and competency is required. If any kayaker feels that a VHF is an important peice of safety equipment then get the training and ensure you have the correct license in place. I am in no doubt of your own use and training in VHF but cannot agree with you first post.

I am sorry but still standby the stetement that you are not permitted to use a marine vhf from land unless you are licensed to do so! In my earlier post I mentioned the Coastguard and Harbour / port authorities being able to do so. I suggest anyone believing they can use a VHF from land reads the Ofcom site and obtains a license for a shore to ship radio set. Like it says on there the use of radio equipment has to be controlled. Some land positions may interfere with hospital / surgery equipment and I remember when I had a CB radio it used to wipe out my neighbours tv set. Please read the follwing and then state it is alright to use one from the shore! DO NOT - "broadcast messages intended for reception onshore (except through a Coastal Radio Station), other than as stipulated in the Ship Radio licence" http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radiocomms/ifi/lic...ation/of19a.pdf http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radiocomms/ifi/lic...ations/of18.pdf Of course the coastgurd can trasmit from shore as they operate and have a Coastal Radio Station License. Lets be clear on this as Kayakers need to be correct and safe!

If its worth buying a VHF then its worth getting the training. It is an offence to use the VHF and transmit from land, You must be on water. This is not limited to Coastguards and Harbour Masters etc but "Jo Public" like us cannot use them on land.

Change the cord on the pots for some heavier stuff and make a slack "v" of it. I had some old 80mm flanges (80mm internal and probably 150mm o/s) these I tied onto the main ropes about 1m from the pot. Gave about 2 to 3 lb of weight. Cut the ropes so that there is enough slack to still be present at high water else pot will be floated by bouy or bouy sunk by pot! In this case they were set at low water and the tide would rise 5m to high. Hence minimum of 5 metres of slack. Most ropes will float. You dont want floating rope as boats could get this caught in their props. I used some weights on the line for the first 6m under the bouy. This was justa couple of 20mm nuts caught into the ropes. Bouys floated and everything went straight down. These pots are light and need a decent weight to keep them anchored in place and out of snags. Something like an old sash weight would also be ideal. Hope this helps.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navigation_light

http://www.whitstablemarine.co.uk/showcate...ategoryID=11789

The light is called and Aqua Signal Bi-Colour/Masthead/Stern Plug In and its around £30. It does come in a white light version also and in varying lengths. Will do a search to see if I can find one - bought it from Ash Marine, Topsham near Exeter.

35l Imax

Excellent choice and will be a good outfit for cleaner ground marks. If you are looking to fish anything heavier then go for the Slosh 30 and maybe an RT Axcellerator 13' 6" 4 to 8oz rod. They are around the same price tag. Best thing to do is go to a few of the big boys and ask for best deals.

Imax bag are excellent and agree with most of the previous posts - dont touch the Mustad ones!!!!!!!!!! I wouldnt send my kids to school with one as a school bag, absolute rubbish they are!!! I have two replacements and they just kept falling apart, zips breaking, seems splitting and the large grab handle fell off aswell. This was each time on their virgin trip each filled to half capacity with gear. I even wrote to Sea Angler raising concerns that they give them away as prizes!!! Says something you know. Cant fault the Imax bag - well worth the money.

How about one of thse which is perfect for a night or early dawn session and is very easy to fit> Red/Green Marine Lamp. When unplugged (just pushes into a recessed socket) the connectors have a waterproof cap. and when it is light, have this wired into a waterproof switch so its no hassle to turn off / on (can be seen on right of photo just on rear of footwell area) This coupled with a decent headlamp for white light and you have all the lighting you need.

Have mine mounted inside the hull with a sealed battery box also. Transducer is stuck down with a big blob of areldite - It surprising though that it can still be removed and isnt as permanent as some believe. The areldite becomes soft after a while when in sea water which gets in every launch ( a couple of cup fulls). The battery box is stuck down with a load of silicone and the duct tape is there just for extra piece of mind. I was told not to use silicone for the sticking down of the transducer as this can result in an air bubble in the silicon. This will show as fish on the fishfinder. I have heard from many also who have used it and they have no problem. Seems trick is to use the tube with no nozzle and and apply one great big blob. The best but very permanent adhesive is Sikaflex®-296 available at most chandlers. This will stick a plate of blamanch'e to a ceiling!!!!!!!!!!!! I am tempted to use this next time but worry how permanent this would be!? I much prefer the fishfinder and all its bits fitted and not floating around or trailing as this is just something else to worry about.

Excellent report and I read it with delight! Excellent tope and must have been a blast to catch. Well done and keep them coming!