Preparing a Boat for Fishing

The time in between trips is equally important as that spent afloat and directly effects the size of the catch. Meticulous preparation of personal and boating equipment is fundamental to the outcome and enjoyment of the day.

This takes on a far more serious note when dinghy fishing. Watch any charter skipper worth his salt and he'll go through the same methodical system check every time he boards his boat at the start of a new day. Alas, those in charge of their own small boats tend to neglect such time consuming matters. Some pay an ultimate price and prematurely meet their maker. The lucky ones are plucked from the sea by the local lifeboat.

A good electrics system is essential

BOAT AND TRAILER
At the end of any trip my boat gets a full clean down inside and out. This includes special attention to the spray dodger which gets coated in salt deposits and to the deck area where dried fish slime, re whetted on the next trip, can turn deck areas into ice rinks. Use a washing up type liquid like Fairy Liquid swilled away with copiousquantities of clean water. The fish boxes get the same treatment.

The auxiliary motor gets a run through with freshwater before being allowed to dry off in the air, then removed and stored away safely in a dry atmosphere. The main motor gets washed through too, has the plugs out, cleaned and replaced. Next comes a visual check over around the motor and wiring including the propeller.

Off comes the battery for a slow charge to full capacity. Compass, radios, GPS, sounder etc, are removed. These can be checked over in the comfort of a shed or spare room. Wipe the compass and sounder over with a damp rag and allow to dry in a warm atmosphere. All connections on electrical equipment should be checked for fraying of the wires, loosening of soldered connections, chafed insulation etc, at this point. Other movable items are removed just in case of theft, like lifejackets, flares, etc and given a cursory glance over.

I've got into the habit of also going round the boat checking that no nuts have loosened and double check the mountings of my aerials and gantry. The anchor rope is carefully viewed for fraying and general wear and tear and carefully re-coiled. And also pay attention that any shackles on the anchor chain are still tightly wired together with copper or soft stainless wire. This period can also be used to note any gel coat damage etc, that may be evident from a previous trip.

The trailer, even though it's galvanised, gets a flush through with fresh water. Check that the keel rollers are in good condition and not grooved, and that they revolve freely. I also go round with a little waterproof grease from time to time, applying this to the spindle area and refitting the roller.

Well looked after trailer

The petrol tanks have their fuel lines and primer bulbs checked for cracking, and any jubilee clips tightened if needed. When intending to get to sea again within a few days the tanks are filled straight away. If more than a week is likely to elapse, then I leave the tanks until nearer the intended trip to maintain freshness of fuel.

CLOTHING
A neglected item that can make or break a day afloat. If you return home with wet clothes, be they coats, waterproofs, jumpers or trousers, put them straight in the wash and get them aired ready for the next time. There's many a wife been asked for a certain coat prior to a fishing trip that's still in a heap on the garage floor from the last time. The same applies to lost buttons etc. Get them fixed straight away.

TACKLE
Tackle gets a similar response. Rods and reels are carefully washed in luke warm water to remove the salt and allowed to dry. I do not spray reels etc, with WD40. This can taint the hands and get onto bait reducing the catch. Bearings and spindles are re-oiled as required, maybe the handles finger grip too so that it revolves freely, but that's it.

I take far less tackle on the dinghy than I do on a charter boat. Just a small box in fact. This has any low items replaced immediately, and at the change over of a season, ie from late winter to spring, has specialised items like plaice spoons, spinners etc, added.

Rig wallets are kept full at all times. I hate wasting time re-tying rigs aboard boats. I carry several rig wallets throughout the year with a variety of rigs carried in them to suit all styles and techniques. Unlike most other anglers I do not tie rigs in front of the TV. I prefer to lock myself away from the family and get the job done quickly and efficiently.

There are two knives aboard at all times. Carry a knife for each person to speed up bait cutting. These are cleaned and re-sharpened with a steel, then proofed against corrosion with a smear of pilchard oil.

WATCH THE WEATHER
I make a habit of watching the weather forecasts on all channels, including the Ceefax and Teletext service, even when not intending to go to sea. The BBC 1 forecast at 21.30 hours is the best visual one, with the Teletext pages 102 to 105 best for a generalised forecast, and pages 107 for the shipping forecast and 108 for the inshore forecast. On Ceefax, look at pages 402 to 405, with 407 giving a 5 day forecast at a glance.

Watch the BBC chart for imminent weather patterns approaching from the eastern American seaboard. Note how tight the isobars are. Wide apart, wind strengths are low, tight together, winds will be strong. Especially at present, the Met Office is not that reliable. Some of their forecasts this past summer have been way out. Bear this in mind. Interpret all the information together to get a clearer picture.

By keeping informed daily on the changing weather sequence you can pick out the potentially best days for boating and organise accordingly. Less trips are lost this way. You also realise if the current forecasts are accurate and if there are localised differences occurring at that time.

GENERAL INFORMATION
This ashore time is also useful for using bush telegraph and telephones to assess what those boats that have been fishing have caught and where the fish are most abundant. You may not wish to fish the same marks, but this helps you compile an idea of what to target when you next leave the land behind.

BAIT
If you're about to venture out after a prolonged blow in the summer, then mackerel will have been dispersed and hard to come by. A reserve of fresh from the fishmonger mackerel may be prudent, but may need ordering the day before. Likewise, fresh lug, rag or crab for that matter from your bait digger or tackle dealer. If you dig your own the problem evaporates, plus this gives you the opportunity to get plenty and store it for future use whilst bad weather keeps you ashore.

All my bait is stored on the boat in a cool box with a couple of ice packs added. You still see most boat anglers taking bait in plastic bag. It quickly goes off like this and you halve your catch. This is compounded in the heat of summer. Get used to using a cool box and you'll see a definite increase in catches. This means having a supply of freezer blocks frozen down at all times.

IMMINENT TRIP PROCEDURE
The day before a trip I re-fit the battery and check that all my navigation lights work and that the radios transmit and receive. I also couple the boat and trailer to the Land Rover and check that the brakes, sidelights and indicator lights work. Car to trailer wiring is always a weak link and needs regular checks. Trailer tyre pressures are re-checked too. Last job is to put the locking chain from the trailer to the Land Rover to make it more difficult to nick.

I do not load my tackle, auxiliary motor, radios, sounders, compass, life jackets and other safety gear aboard until the morning of the trip. Should my unit disappear mysteriously in the night, then at least I haven't lost my tackle etc, as well as the boat. It only takes a few minutes to load anyway. This includes the oars, landing net and boat hook and spare anchor, too.

Always carry 2 good radios

I strongly recommend that you tell not only your family exactly where you intend working, but also inform the Harbour Master or Coastguard via VHF radio or phone of your vessels name, the number of persons on aboard, and an approximate return time. They're happy to do this, but remember to inform them of your arrival ashore when you do safely return home.

The next to last job before leaving the house is to run down a printed check list I carry to see that nothing vital has been overlooked. The final job is to screw in the drain bung.

PRE LAUNCH SEQUENCE
When the hull hits the water I still run a final short check. This is done with the motor ticking over to warm through a little. First the radios are switched on and checked for transmit and receive and the VHF left on channel 16. The navigation lights are switched on and checked, as is the hand held search ligh.