March - may are usually the calmer weather months as long as there isn't a cyclone in the direct area . I presume you'll launch at Fortesque so just keep your eye on the tides and you should be fine
That big high that was parked over the continent meant it was blowing it's **se off the E-NE week before we got here. Dropped the day we headed out, well to 20 knots, anyway. Mostly good while we were there, tthen blew up for the trip home.
I'll see your speared trout, and raise you a stickbaited one
Lots of different ways to catch trevally--popping, jigging, trolling.
The trip home took over three hours, had to keep stopping and wait for the little 615 BC, 20-25 knots east, they were absolutely stuffed and soaked by the time we got near Fortescue Island and the relative shelter of Cape Preston.
I'm starting a Sticky for Monties travel. I just need to get some hard tide levels off my plotter, and we can have an easy place for people to access with all the usual questions answered about access, weather, moorings, camping, etc.
Making wild places easier for the nuffies to get to since inception.
JMO, but it's a wild place that takes a bit of effort to get to. I like the fact that when I make the effort to go there it's not gonna be like a floating carpark.
Some things don't need to be published for the whole world to see, let people do their own leg work.
just me, or maybe the pain in my hands, they hurt a lot, nowadays. Thank christ we bought, at my wifes' urging, one of those massive Berkely rubbermesh landing nets. Getting harder to tail a big fish. My wife, on the other hand, is always smiling in pics.
Just lightening up the mood a little here Ive got a foot on both sides of the line here, helped plenty of people out but Ive also seen mud maps Ive drawn and given to select people turn up elsewhere which I feel is somewhat discourteous.
And there is a valid point for someone to be able to plan and calculate their own trip logistics.
Sometimes I get grumpy (old man syndrome haha) at people asking for info, no wonder you cant find any info if you cant even friggin spell it!
In one case someone I helped (not from here) rolled up to the ramp with all the safety gear still in plastic bags, outboard misfiring and wouldnt plane and no chart card in the plotter.
While we were running around outside the marina trying to sort his outboard issue, he asked for the course to the islands from Gero.
"which ones?"
"Dunno, any of them"
The boat was a US import and Im pretty sure had never been off the trailer here, as the winch post had been moved right forward for shipping, leaving the ute dragging its ass and not able to get over the top of the ramp.
Suddenly, I was feeling responsible for making sure he got home in one piece so I told him our plans had changed and we werent going the next day and he shouldnt either.
I know a lot of you go there a lot, and don't talk about it much, want to "keep it to yourselves" but the questions just keep on getting asked. I'll bet someone helped you with info when you first went, or did you invent the trip all by yourself? I'd like to push home just how harsh the trip across can be , and to be prepared, or to just give it a miss. You'll get those on here who say they've been over heaps of times in a 5 metre boat, piece of cake. This is dangerously misleading. Just a matter of being "tough enough" ? Mate had a 5.5 metre Genesis, took him NINE HOURS to get back once.
Or would you rather see people just give it a go, no idea, underprepared. And we'll have a dozen "how can I get to the Monties" threads a year anyway, and people will get their info from them.
Bit of both, but I cut my teeth in 4m tinnies off Exmouth, then progressed to overnighters on Long Island, the Berkley River etc when I live in the Kimberley.
I've asked people discreetly, got some great info in confidence and then kept quiet.
Nothing wrong with helping people, its admirable and I've also given people plenty of advice, but some things don't need to be broadcast for the whole world to see. The challenge of doing trips like that is doing most of the leg work yourself IMO.
Ranmar I sort of see your point, but how could information have prevented your mate from a 9 hour trip home? Information sharing for the Monties has been adequately covered to death - what tide for Fortescue, should I leave from Dampier/Onslow/40 mile, which bays are the best to stay in with an XYZ wind - thats all people need.
All the other info required like tides over there, weather and nautical charts is all available on the internet mixed with a bit of common sense - otherwise they shouldnt be going here in the first place.
Lets not forget, its supposed to be an adventure.
Exactly! Took a punt into the deeper water at Gnaraloo with no marks and with a prayer. It paid off, pretty good feeling when it comes off like that. I now have my own marks out there without any help.
It's all about safety, sharing knowledge gained from experience is appreciated by all. We can all look up Google maps and charts however, those who have been can always add some points that they have gained through experience that can make some ones experience a most enjoyable one, or a hell of a night mare. No one is seeking fishing spot info, what ever happened to "be careful of blah blah blah mate".
A few wise words that no doubt would be most appreciated by the less experienced I'm sure would be very much appreciated.
To say a mate took 9 hours to get back leaves me to ask the question. What was he thinking, if the wind is blowing its ring out when he starts off then its not going to drop off that much later so why wait and see what tomorrow brings. No life is worth coming back on time when the conditions are not safe to do so
Later 70s,we were anchored up under the lighthouse on the western side of Bernier island off Carnarvon, we were in a 48 foot wetliner, we stayed there for 3 days waiting for screaming easterlies to drop before heading back in to unload, Tied on to our stern was 3 rec boats who got caught by the weather and had no chance of making it back safely. We had radioed that they were safe and we would shadow them in when the wind dropped off.
I went for 10 days with another boat in April, got smashed going across, had 8 1/2 days of medium/strong easterlies, got 1 1/2 good days at the end and then pounded coming back.
We learnt heaps about fishing shallow and found new spots. Found a new anchorage as our preferred one was taken but we also did a lot of google earth research before we went so we had contingency plans.
The biggest thing to be aware of is that you really need to be totally self sufficient. There will always be other boats over there and montes can become suprisingly ‘crowded’ sometimes.
Biggest balancing act is taking everything you need but still being able to get the boat on the plane as it’s loaded up to the top of the windscreen. Think about how long it will take for help and how much a commercial tow will cost to get your boat back to dampier.
it's not about laying out a red carpet, or making it easy. It's about making people realise that this is really well offshore, remote, no local sea search and rescue to save your arse. Making them realise that a forecast 20 knot Nor'Easter on a strong outgoing tide can give you seas you really shouldn't be out there in, particularly loaded down with fuel and gear. More survival than progress forward, in the wrong boat. and the right boat aint your 5.8 m quinnie/ trailcraft/whatever.
it's fine living close to the place, when you can pick a window of a good week, but when you have a fixed period, planned months in advance, pressure is on. People can make bad choices. We were lucky--it was impassable the day we arrived. Got there in the afternoon, two groups from Wickham with a short window off work had tried that day, after lunch when it was meant to be dropping from the forecast NE 17-35knots. It took them over 2 hours just to get to Fortescue island and back, and the seas out there were overhead high. Only, what? nearly 40nm to go from there, and getting worse. You need to know when it's not worth launching.
Look, if it's going to piss people off, I won't bother. No skin off my nose, thought it would be an asset to the forum. As the comparing boating experience, 40 years of making a living on the ocean qualifies me, I think.
you have some damn good info there. safety is number 1 in my books. a bit of good info can go a long way. i can understand what others are saying but some can take it the wrong way.
keep the info comming in my opinion. every little bit helps from those that have been there and done that, years of experience and passed on is better than what you may read in any text book
Wasn't referring to your boating experience Ranmar, just alluding to the fact that people should cut their teeth on the easier stuff first, as opposed to, just got my skippers ticket and first boat, how do I get to the Montes?
..and again,I'd be trying to persuade people without a lot of solid boating experience from doing it, or at least going in company with more experienced people. Anyway, I think Dwayne has probably picked up a few tips from this anyway
Put it this way I've been boating for over 30 years now and I wouldn't attempt the Monties on nothing less than a 6.5m boat. I've researched it a bit and to carry provisions that far andto consider the wind turning even a little bit Gnarly I'd want a decent size hull undewr my feet.
Sure, if you get neap tides and no wind, smaller can do. But wind and tide--well, those warnings on the charts about Tide Rips aren't there for nothing.
Just got back from 9 days at the Montes, we took a 56 game boat and towed a 25 CC. Some of the weather we had over there was glass..and some was properly crap. I work in Karratha so get a pretty good feel for the weather up there. I've come to realise that if I want to plan a trip up there in my own boat then I think the only way would be to book 3 weeks off work, head to Exmouth/Onslow/wherever and wait for a weather window. But be fully prepared to either go for only a couple of days or potentially not at all. Even punching West to some of our fishing spots in the 25 Contender was not at all fun and I'd hate to do it for hours on end. That said, the fishing made it all worthwhile.
Yep. Sure makes it easier when you can drop the swags in the boat and be ready to go for a few days because the weather looks ok and you’ve got the week rostered off work.
as dodgy said its easy with a swag and you are not limited with time
You can pick the month a year in advance like we did and pray for nice weather, sometims you get it sometimes you dont, we went to exxy as a back up plan prior as we only had a window of holidays
Went up middle of April, adventure it was, took us 9hrs to get across from fortesque as over loaded,started to lighten the load as soon as we worked out we couldnt get on the plane.
fuel, water,booze, camp gear etc lucky it was flat as a tack,the boat is more than capable for that journey and have done plenty of big missions over the years just not with that amount of weight , if in doubt wouldnt have gone, took just over 2hrs to get back.
Fished 1 day out of 6 as we got smacked in the face but that last big non cyclone low that went past,sat phone would be nice,we were wondering why the clouds were circling
One certain thing you should take is a sat phone, its nice to have that back up and be able to get a weather up date if required.
We chose to go solo, not something i would reccomend if you have never done that sort of thing before, dont launch on the lowest of lows at fortesque either unless there is another car to help, we had a shit your pants moment when the car deceided to keep on rolling towards the water, lucky the boat was already in the water and the rock chocks helped....
Part of the adventure is working it out your self, its a big mission, there is plenty of info you can search up on here,if in doubt send a PM and you might get the answer you are after.
Will i go back........ if you cart my fuel,booze and guarantee lovely weather maybe, i do like the idea of a counter meal a pint or 3 after a days fishing though
615 BarCrusher with a 140 Suzuki , he has struggled getting on the plane in the past with 240 litres of fuel, 40 litres of water, and camping gear on previous trips. He went down in pitch, and no trouble getting on the plane with 300 litres of fuel and all the usual stuff this trip. Speed suffered, of course, but worth the tradeoff. I had no problems with the 150 Merc 4 stroke on the Reefrunner, straight up on the plane with my usual prop--300 litres of fuel, 55 litres in the water bladder, and a rubber ducky and motor. One big advantage of camping on board is that you need less. You have your bed already, and shelter, solar panel on the roof. Stove, cutlery and plates, frypan, tub of stores, fridge.
One thing to think about, which I hadn't considered--everything you don't actually eat or drink will be coming back with you. Beer and other alcohol will be cans only in future, all extra packing on stores will be removed before packing. We had bags of garbage stowed from end of the boat to the other.
Yes long since learnt the value of bringing booze in cans, and one of those junior wheelie bins is handy as you can get alot more rubbish conveniently into a bag in that than
We took 500l fuel, 200in the tank rest jerrys,was planning to stay longer hence the fuel but in the end the weather window said go or get stuck for longer, boat is a 5.8 ally, bit heavier than your normal with a new 150merc 4strke, plenty of grunt and thought it would be fine, dont think prop would have helped to much we just had to much weight, blew 158lt for 46nm,and about 65l coming back,we flogged it back as was flat again took to much water 100l and probably to much beer if thats possible,
Cans are always the go as Rob says, easy for crushing, bin is a good idea but would have needed your normal house bin i think and had no room
Big shout out to IANS WINCHES AGAIN, it dragged it up that ramp at mid tide with ease and pretty much dry dragged off the beach at learmonth,great piece of kit.
We had 300 litres in Jerries each, on top of my 225 l underdeck, and his 140l underdeck. I'm amazed at your fuel consumption, you really were struggling--I used 77 litres going over, Fortescue ramp to Home Lagoon, all loaded up, in an easterly gusting to maybe 20 knots, outgoing tide , with the same 150 Merc 4-stroke.. and I'll bet the Reefie is a bit heavier than your plate boat. Coming back, we left with full tank and 20 litres in a jerry, really shitty conditions, but with 280 litres less of fuel and 50 litres less of water to carry, used 75 litres. What size prop are you running, and what WOT do you get with a normal load on?
As for water, our 60 litres in the bladder and 10 litres of bottled was just enough, woulldn't take bottled again, too much rubbish. Better to throw another freshwater jerry in and offload with the spare fuel. We had hot freshwater shower every afternoon, or my wife did. You can use very little by getting wet, soaping up, rinsing off. I used the deck wash to soap up, with the good old David Grays saltwater liquid soap, rinsed off, then had the tiny bit of warm freshwater left from her shower to rinse the salt off. Doubt if we used more than 5 litres a day for showers.
You can get from some one who has been there and done that is very valuable and I'm sure much appreciated by those planning such a trip.
And at the end of the day is it any skin of your nose to help other fishos who wish to undertake such an adventure as you have done.
Feral
Posts: 1508
Date Joined: 01/11/06
March - may are usually the
March - may are usually the calmer weather months as long as there isn't a cyclone in the direct area . I presume you'll launch at Fortesque so just keep your eye on the tides and you should be fine
Vinesh87
Posts: 2751
Date Joined: 02/04/11
We went in April, had 10 days
We went in April, had 10 days of this. It was pretty hard work.
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
We went in May
That big high that was parked over the continent meant it was blowing it's **se off the E-NE week before we got here. Dropped the day we headed out, well to 20 knots, anyway. Mostly good while we were there, tthen blew up for the trip home.
I'll see your speared trout, and raise you a stickbaited one
Lots of different ways to catch trevally--popping, jigging, trolling.
The trip home took over three hours, had to keep stopping and wait for the little 615 BC, 20-25 knots east, they were absolutely stuffed and soaked by the time we got near Fortescue Island and the relative shelter of Cape Preston.
I'm starting a Sticky for Monties travel. I just need to get some hard tide levels off my plotter, and we can have an easy place for people to access with all the usual questions answered about access, weather, moorings, camping, etc.
big john
Posts: 8751
Date Joined: 20/07/06
God bless the internet
Making wild places easier for the nuffies to get to since inception.
JMO, but it's a wild place that takes a bit of effort to get to. I like the fact that when I make the effort to go there it's not gonna be like a floating carpark.
Some things don't need to be published for the whole world to see, let people do their own leg work.
WA based manufacturer and supplier of premium leadhead jigs, fligs, bucktail jigs, 'bulletproof' soft plastic jig heads and XOS bullet jig heads.
Jigs available online in my web store!
Rob H
Posts: 5806
Date Joined: 18/01/12
.
I dunno
I look thru all these photos, and theres only one smiling face amongst them.
Doesnt look like much fun
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
I rarely smile in pics, for some reason
just me, or maybe the pain in my hands, they hurt a lot, nowadays. Thank christ we bought, at my wifes' urging, one of those massive Berkely rubbermesh landing nets. Getting harder to tail a big fish. My wife, on the other hand, is always smiling in pics.
Had a great time, definitely will be back.
Rob H
Posts: 5806
Date Joined: 18/01/12
Just lightening up the mood
Just lightening up the mood a little here
Ive got a foot on both sides of the line here, helped plenty of people out but Ive also seen mud maps Ive drawn and given to select people turn up elsewhere which I feel is somewhat discourteous.
And there is a valid point for someone to be able to plan and calculate their own trip logistics.
Sometimes I get grumpy (old man syndrome haha) at people asking for info, no wonder you cant find any info if you cant even friggin spell it!
In one case someone I helped (not from here) rolled up to the ramp with all the safety gear still in plastic bags, outboard misfiring and wouldnt plane and no chart card in the plotter.
While we were running around outside the marina trying to sort his outboard issue, he asked for the course to the islands from Gero.
"which ones?"
"Dunno, any of them"
The boat was a US import and Im pretty sure had never been off the trailer here, as the winch post had been moved right forward for shipping, leaving the ute dragging its ass and not able to get over the top of the ramp.
Suddenly, I was feeling responsible for making sure he got home in one piece so I told him our plans had changed and we werent going the next day and he shouldnt either.
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
Myk Braders
Posts: 34
Date Joined: 17/01/19
Fishos helping fishos
Love it.
Living in Barradise!
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
Thought I might cop some of that attitude.
I know a lot of you go there a lot, and don't talk about it much, want to "keep it to yourselves" but the questions just keep on getting asked. I'll bet someone helped you with info when you first went, or did you invent the trip all by yourself? I'd like to push home just how harsh the trip across can be , and to be prepared, or to just give it a miss. You'll get those on here who say they've been over heaps of times in a 5 metre boat, piece of cake. This is dangerously misleading. Just a matter of being "tough enough" ? Mate had a 5.5 metre Genesis, took him NINE HOURS to get back once.
Or would you rather see people just give it a go, no idea, underprepared. And we'll have a dozen "how can I get to the Monties" threads a year anyway, and people will get their info from them.
big john
Posts: 8751
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Info
Bit of both, but I cut my teeth in 4m tinnies off Exmouth, then progressed to overnighters on Long Island, the Berkley River etc when I live in the Kimberley.
I've asked people discreetly, got some great info in confidence and then kept quiet.
Nothing wrong with helping people, its admirable and I've also given people plenty of advice, but some things don't need to be broadcast for the whole world to see. The challenge of doing trips like that is doing most of the leg work yourself IMO.
WA based manufacturer and supplier of premium leadhead jigs, fligs, bucktail jigs, 'bulletproof' soft plastic jig heads and XOS bullet jig heads.
Jigs available online in my web store!
Lastchance
Posts: 1273
Date Joined: 02/02/09
Ranmar I sort of see your
Ranmar I sort of see your point, but how could information have prevented your mate from a 9 hour trip home? Information sharing for the Monties has been adequately covered to death - what tide for Fortescue, should I leave from Dampier/Onslow/40 mile, which bays are the best to stay in with an XYZ wind - thats all people need.
All the other info required like tides over there, weather and nautical charts is all available on the internet mixed with a bit of common sense - otherwise they shouldnt be going here in the first place.
Lets not forget, its supposed to be an adventure.
Billcollector
Posts: 2081
Date Joined: 16/05/09
Well said big john, We have
Well said big john, We have our spots up here that no one gets told about and they aren't like a carpark. Put in the legwork and reap the rewards.
sea-kem
Posts: 15008
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Exactly! Took a punt into
Exactly! Took a punt into the deeper water at Gnaraloo with no marks and with a prayer. It paid off, pretty good feeling when it comes off like that. I now have my own marks out there without any help.
Love the West!
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
None of this was about actual fishing
If you'd really read it, it was about safety, not laying out a red carpet to fishing. Just about logistics, and safety, with strong notes of caution.
meglodon
Posts: 5981
Date Joined: 17/06/10
Well put Ranmar
It's all about safety, sharing knowledge gained from experience is appreciated by all. We can all look up Google maps and charts however, those who have been can always add some points that they have gained through experience that can make some ones experience a most enjoyable one, or a hell of a night mare. No one is seeking fishing spot info, what ever happened to "be careful of blah blah blah mate".
A few wise words that no doubt would be most appreciated by the less experienced I'm sure would be very much appreciated.
carnarvonite
Posts: 8672
Date Joined: 24/07/07
9 Hour Trip
To say a mate took 9 hours to get back leaves me to ask the question. What was he thinking, if the wind is blowing its ring out when he starts off then its not going to drop off that much later so why wait and see what tomorrow brings. No life is worth coming back on time when the conditions are not safe to do so
Later 70s,we were anchored up under the lighthouse on the western side of Bernier island off Carnarvon, we were in a 48 foot wetliner, we stayed there for 3 days waiting for screaming easterlies to drop before heading back in to unload, Tied on to our stern was 3 rec boats who got caught by the weather and had no chance of making it back safely. We had radioed that they were safe and we would shadow them in when the wind dropped off.
big john
Posts: 8751
Date Joined: 20/07/06
April
I went for 10 days with another boat in April, got smashed going across, had 8 1/2 days of medium/strong easterlies, got 1 1/2 good days at the end and then pounded coming back.
We learnt heaps about fishing shallow and found new spots. Found a new anchorage as our preferred one was taken but we also did a lot of google earth research before we went so we had contingency plans.
WA based manufacturer and supplier of premium leadhead jigs, fligs, bucktail jigs, 'bulletproof' soft plastic jig heads and XOS bullet jig heads.
Jigs available online in my web store!
dodgy
Posts: 4578
Date Joined: 01/02/10
The biggest thing to be
The biggest thing to be aware of is that you really need to be totally self sufficient. There will always be other boats over there and montes can become suprisingly ‘crowded’ sometimes.
Biggest balancing act is taking everything you need but still being able to get the boat on the plane as it’s loaded up to the top of the windscreen. Think about how long it will take for help and how much a commercial tow will cost to get your boat back to dampier.
Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
This was the sort of thing I wanted to cover.
it's not about laying out a red carpet, or making it easy. It's about making people realise that this is really well offshore, remote, no local sea search and rescue to save your arse. Making them realise that a forecast 20 knot Nor'Easter on a strong outgoing tide can give you seas you really shouldn't be out there in, particularly loaded down with fuel and gear. More survival than progress forward, in the wrong boat. and the right boat aint your 5.8 m quinnie/ trailcraft/whatever.
it's fine living close to the place, when you can pick a window of a good week, but when you have a fixed period, planned months in advance, pressure is on. People can make bad choices. We were lucky--it was impassable the day we arrived. Got there in the afternoon, two groups from Wickham with a short window off work had tried that day, after lunch when it was meant to be dropping from the forecast NE 17-35knots. It took them over 2 hours just to get to Fortescue island and back, and the seas out there were overhead high. Only, what? nearly 40nm to go from there, and getting worse. You need to know when it's not worth launching.
Look, if it's going to piss people off, I won't bother. No skin off my nose, thought it would be an asset to the forum. As the comparing boating experience, 40 years of making a living on the ocean qualifies me, I think.
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18043
Date Joined: 11/03/08
you have some damn good info
you have some damn good info there. safety is number 1 in my books. a bit of good info can go a long way. i can understand what others are saying but some can take it the wrong way.
keep the info comming in my opinion. every little bit helps from those that have been there and done that, years of experience and passed on is better than what you may read in any text book
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
big john
Posts: 8751
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Experience
Wasn't referring to your boating experience Ranmar, just alluding to the fact that people should cut their teeth on the easier stuff first, as opposed to, just got my skippers ticket and first boat, how do I get to the Montes?
Sorry for the thread hijack Dwayne.
WA based manufacturer and supplier of premium leadhead jigs, fligs, bucktail jigs, 'bulletproof' soft plastic jig heads and XOS bullet jig heads.
Jigs available online in my web store!
Lastchance
Posts: 1273
Date Joined: 02/02/09
I still fail to see what it
I still fail to see what it will achieve that hasn't already been covered previously - Monties or not?
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
Couldn't agree more..
..and again,I'd be trying to persuade people without a lot of solid boating experience from doing it, or at least going in company with more experienced people. Anyway, I think Dwayne has probably picked up a few tips from this anyway
sea-kem
Posts: 15008
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Put it this way I've been
Put it this way I've been boating for over 30 years now and I wouldn't attempt the Monties on nothing less than a 6.5m boat. I've researched it a bit and to carry provisions that far andto consider the wind turning even a little bit Gnarly I'd want a decent size hull undewr my feet.
Love the West!
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
Agreed
Sure, if you get neap tides and no wind, smaller can do. But wind and tide--well, those warnings on the charts about Tide Rips aren't there for nothing.
K_willo
Posts: 167
Date Joined: 07/05/12
Just got back from 9 days at
Just got back from 9 days at the Montes, we took a 56 game boat and towed a 25 CC. Some of the weather we had over there was glass..and some was properly crap.
I work in Karratha so get a pretty good feel for the weather up there. I've come to realise that if I want to plan a trip up there in my own boat then I think the only way would be to book 3 weeks off work, head to Exmouth/Onslow/wherever and wait for a weather window. But be fully prepared to either go for only a couple of days or potentially not at all. Even punching West to some of our fishing spots in the 25 Contender was not at all fun and I'd hate to do it for hours on end.
That said, the fishing made it all worthwhile.
Storyteller with a camera, check out my fishing movies
https://www.youtube.com/user/kwillo89
https://www.instagram.com/kwillo89/
dodgy
Posts: 4578
Date Joined: 01/02/10
Yep. Sure makes it easier
Yep. Sure makes it easier when you can drop the swags in the boat and be ready to go for a few days because the weather looks ok and you’ve got the week rostered off work.
Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
PCracker
Posts: 20
Date Joined: 19/06/16
Dwayne,as dodgy said its
Dwayne,
as dodgy said its easy with a swag and you are not limited with time
You can pick the month a year in advance like we did and pray for nice weather, sometims you get it sometimes you dont, we went to exxy as a back up plan prior as we only had a window of holidays
Went up middle of April, adventure it was, took us 9hrs to get across from fortesque as over loaded,started to lighten the load as soon as we worked out we couldnt get on the plane.
fuel, water,booze, camp gear etc lucky it was flat as a tack,the boat is more than capable for that journey and have done plenty of big missions over the years just not with that amount of weight , if in doubt wouldnt have gone, took just over 2hrs to get back.
Fished 1 day out of 6 as we got smacked in the face but that last big non cyclone low that went past,sat phone would be nice,we were wondering why the clouds were circling
One certain thing you should take is a sat phone, its nice to have that back up and be able to get a weather up date if required.
We chose to go solo, not something i would reccomend if you have never done that sort of thing before, dont launch on the lowest of lows at fortesque either unless there is another car to help, we had a shit your pants moment when the car deceided to keep on rolling towards the water, lucky the boat was already in the water and the rock chocks helped....
Part of the adventure is working it out your self, its a big mission, there is plenty of info you can search up on here,if in doubt send a PM and you might get the answer you are after.
Will i go back........ if you cart my fuel,booze and guarantee lovely weather maybe, i do like the idea of a counter meal a pint or 3 after a days fishing though
Cheers PCracker
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
Mate with the BC re-props for that trip
615 BarCrusher with a 140 Suzuki , he has struggled getting on the plane in the past with 240 litres of fuel, 40 litres of water, and camping gear on previous trips. He went down in pitch, and no trouble getting on the plane with 300 litres of fuel and all the usual stuff this trip. Speed suffered, of course, but worth the tradeoff. I had no problems with the 150 Merc 4 stroke on the Reefrunner, straight up on the plane with my usual prop--300 litres of fuel, 55 litres in the water bladder, and a rubber ducky and motor. One big advantage of camping on board is that you need less. You have your bed already, and shelter, solar panel on the roof. Stove, cutlery and plates, frypan, tub of stores, fridge.
One thing to think about, which I hadn't considered--everything you don't actually eat or drink will be coming back with you. Beer and other alcohol will be cans only in future, all extra packing on stores will be removed before packing. We had bags of garbage stowed from end of the boat to the other.
Rob H
Posts: 5806
Date Joined: 18/01/12
Yes long since learnt the
Yes long since learnt the value of bringing booze in cans, and one of those junior wheelie bins is handy as you can get alot more rubbish conveniently into a bag in that than
in anything else.
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
PCracker
Posts: 20
Date Joined: 19/06/16
We took 500l fuel, 200in the
We took 500l fuel, 200in the tank rest jerrys,was planning to stay longer hence the fuel but in the end the weather window said go or get stuck for longer, boat is a 5.8 ally, bit heavier than your normal with a new 150merc 4strke, plenty of grunt and thought it would be fine, dont think prop would have helped to much we just had to much weight, blew 158lt for 46nm,and about 65l coming back,we flogged it back as was flat again took to much water 100l and probably to much beer if thats possible,
Cans are always the go as Rob says, easy for crushing, bin is a good idea but would have needed your normal house bin i think and had no room
Big shout out to IANS WINCHES AGAIN, it dragged it up that ramp at mid tide with ease and pretty much dry dragged off the beach at learmonth,great piece of kit.
Cheers PCracker
little johnny
Posts: 5360
Date Joined: 04/12/11
Ian’s read
Comment . He’s glad your happy . He has just made one to pull a Whitney 26 footer up ,2 kw starter motor.
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
That ramp will try a winch out.
pretty steep. .I elected to winch out rather than drive on, took everything I had to get it up.
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
Clarification on the fuel,
We had 300 litres in Jerries each, on top of my 225 l underdeck, and his 140l underdeck. I'm amazed at your fuel consumption, you really were struggling--I used 77 litres going over, Fortescue ramp to Home Lagoon, all loaded up, in an easterly gusting to maybe 20 knots, outgoing tide , with the same 150 Merc 4-stroke.. and I'll bet the Reefie is a bit heavier than your plate boat.
Coming back, we left with full tank and 20 litres in a jerry, really shitty conditions, but with 280 litres less of fuel and 50 litres less of water to carry, used 75 litres. What size prop are you running, and what WOT do you get with a normal load on?
As for water, our 60 litres in the bladder and 10 litres of bottled was just enough, woulldn't take bottled again, too much rubbish. Better to throw another freshwater jerry in and offload with the spare fuel. We had hot freshwater shower every afternoon, or my wife did. You can use very little by getting wet, soaping up, rinsing off. I used the deck wash to soap up, with the good old David Grays saltwater liquid soap, rinsed off, then had the tiny bit of warm freshwater left from her shower to rinse the salt off. Doubt if we used more than 5 litres a day for showers.
meglodon
Posts: 5981
Date Joined: 17/06/10
Any bit of info
You can get from some one who has been there and done that is very valuable and I'm sure much appreciated by those planning such a trip.
And at the end of the day is it any skin of your nose to help other fishos who wish to undertake such an adventure as you have done.