Reasons to be cheerful...

[croweater (Richard)]

Hi again Alex. You can buy buoyancy bags that are very effective and not that expensive. Just google it and you'll see them. Maybe they would give you peace of mind. There are all sorts of shapes. Anyway good luck however you decide.
Cheers, Richard

[croweater (Richard)]

Ah this is what I was looking for Alex

[floyd_2 (Dean)]

It has probably already been mentioned mate, as I’m in catch up mode on the forums. Just in case though, in terms of adding flotation you might be able to consider using two part expanding foam mix for buoyancy too. I remember my brother using it for a sea kayak years ago quite successfully. We made aluminum bulkheads and filled them with expanding foam.

[xelasnave]

Originally Posted by croweater

Ah this is what I was looking for Alex

Thank you Richard.

I do like that approach given the effort I put into designing outriggers ...this approach would provide flotation and additional stability.

alex

[xelasnave]

Originally Posted by floyd_2

It has probably already been mentioned mate, as I’m in catch up mode on the forums. Just in case though, in terms of adding flotation you might be able to consider using two part expanding foam mix for buoyancy too. I remember my brother using it for a sea kayak years ago quite successfully. We made aluminum bulkheads and filled them with expanding foam.

Thank you Floyd for your interest and input.

I built a small sailing boat many years ago ( mmm can't be fifty years ago but that seems right) and used that two part stuff ....one needs to be careful as it will expand such that it can cause damage so that's is good to know.

I will look into it given my experience and knowing not to be casual ...many a deck was separated from the hull I recall in ski boats ... so one needs to match material used to volume to be filled.

Thanks again.

alex

[xelasnave]

Another fantastic fishing day...3 am start

I caught and kept 7 good bream and in addition 4 legal but small ones which I let go.
It was so neat the other day making up a fish lunch with veggies from my little garden.


I took four crab traps but by the time I went to put them out they were so tangled that I gave up on the idea.

I got the fish finder working and was very cheerful when I could see both my sinker and bait going down or coming up...still not sure what are fish if indeed any of the signals I get are fish or just stuff floating by.

Found the solution to backing the trailer..just Leave the hatch open so I can see what's going out the back door rather than wait to see a wheel appear in either mirror when it is way past where I want it to be and difficult to correct..with the back open straight down like a pro.

I did not take the sail and as you could expect it was perfect sailing conditions...still I will add floataion before raising the sail for safety reasons.

Maybe even some astro tonight ...although so many times of late it is nice and clear all day but clouds roll in at dusk...I really want to test the Askar on M42.

alex

[Leo.G (Leo)]

It's good you got out and even better you had a great day!
Handy idea opening the hatch, some vehicles don't have the best rear vision for backing trailers.
A late boss was originally a marine engineer and always had boats, along with a property on the water at St George's Basin. He always had a towbar on the front of his trucks (Ford F series) to push the trailers down to launch the boats, it was so easy.


Fish finders are finicky things. I used to go out on a 60' game fishing rig every weekend (early 90s) because the pilot was a good friend and he'd lost his drivers license. I'd pick him up from one suburb over and drive to North Sydney where the boat was moored and spend the day out helping with the paying fishermen (sorry, mostly drunks, great white hunters after a big night out on the turps in Kings Cross).


I always liked going out on the boat, except for when we were heading to Circular Quay to pick up the passengers at 5AM and the pilot would ask me to take the controls and just keep guiding it towards the spot on the screen. I asked "what happens if there's a little tinnie or trailer sailer that cuts/tacks across in front of me and he'd just say "hit it and I'll call the authorities, if they cut in front of this they're stupid".
That always worried me, particularly as I know power gives way to sail. But, even with the side thrust units that 60 foot boat didn't change course easily.

[xelasnave]

A good reason to be cheerful today..I had my chest and neck scanned and happily nothing seems to have grown since the last scan...I am not experiencing pain or discomfort so in my world that is a big deal.

alex

[floyd_2 (Dean)]

That's a massive deal mate. What excellent news. Congratulations!!!

[Startrek (Martin)]

Alex,
I reckon that’s the best news you’ve heard in a long while
Hope you get some clear skies up around Tabby to top it off
Oh and a good catch of fish too

Best always
Martin

[xelasnave]

Thanks Gentlemen.

The last couple of years have been great only because I resolved not to worry about the future and instead of laying around waiting for the end I got stuck into things and fully appreciated what I had each day rather than think the end is near.

And I take this opportunity to wish everyone a wonderful Christmas and holiday break.

alex