[dachshund]

There is a small (9ft?) rowing boat with a seagull outboard at the cottage where I stay each summer. Last year my brother and I took it out on a nice afternoon and caught wrasse and coley over rocky ground. We wore life jackets, took oars in case of engine probs, made sure it was a sunny, calm day, and never ventured more than 150yds offshore ( a distance we could swim fully clothed, in case of disaster.) We are going to the same cottage next week, and may do the same thing.

Any tips for either tactics (rough ground, over kelp up to 150yds out,) and, especially, safety? Anything else we should consider, or need to be aware of?
I could imagine coastguards being unhappy with inexpeienced people taking a small boat any distance out, but it seems at least as safe, if not safer than, kayak fishing. Opinions?

 

[blueskip]

"Who Dares Wins"

 

[Stronsay]

Don't forget your anchor.

Bob

 

[dachshund]

Cheers Bob.

 

[blueskip]

Buy a couple of small personal flares, they are only small but will be mega noticable when the "150" yards becomes the 1/2 mile it will INEVITABLY end up as! Been there, done it, got the tee shirt, enjoy it but take care, (& the anchor is a must)!
blueskip

 

[fergal]

bring a mobile phone and dont wear wellies, waders or chest waders. and tell someone on land that your going out

 

[Stronsay]

As an add on to my anchor suggestion. Make sure if you have enough rope on the anchor to make it work. No point in having an anchor with 60ft of rope in a 100ft of water.

On a small boat like that you will always be able to row but think of a situation where by you have an accident and can't row or loose an oar just as the tide or wind starts pushing you off shore. Within a few minutes you are half a mile off and moving fast. If you have an anchor and enough rope you can always put the brakes on.

Here is an example of how not to do it:

On Tuesday my mate launched his 22ft wooden boat that he bought a few months ago and had just finished painting her. I had missed the launch and maiden voyage. He called me up and said "Come down the Pier and see if she is taking in water and see how she is sitting etc".

We wandered down and it was a nice evening so he says "Lets give here a little run". So off we set. We left the main harbour but we were still in the natural harbour and the engine cut out.

I said "Anchor". He replied "No". So I said "Secondary means of propulsion" He answered "No". I said "Communications" he replied "Bugger I knew I should have picked up my mobile phone".

OK. He did have a VHF but as we were still in the natural harbour and we were perfectly safe so we didn't want to call the coastguard. Luckily we had some sash weights on board acting as ballast so I made a temporary anchor and stopped us drifting in the current.

After half an hour we got the engine going and headed back in. We had only intended going around the harbour buoys but being a nice night we could easily have gone further and got in real trouble.

Believe it or not, this person is an experienced sailor who used to be a sailing instructor (Not used to boats without sails). And I must shoulder some blame for assuming he had made his boat safe when he went out earlier in the day.

He is a little embarrassed about the incident that was being watched by the fishermen and other boat owners of our village, who were just about ready to come out and rescue us and hopefully he will be a bit more careful next time he goes out.

Bob

 

[blueskip]

"Oh Lord! Its hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way", done almost the self same thing myself with a friend! Knowing him as the "loose cannon" of the unit, I should have known he would get it wrong! We ended up in a little more "hairy" situation, but we got out of it by some logical thinking & the help of a beautiful calm, balmy night! I still punched his face when we got back the folowing day! I had relied on him in the past! & he was capable of letting us down!!
blueskip

 

[MikeEchoPapa]

A VHF hand held would be v.useful but a mobile is better than nothing.

Let someone know when you are going and when you expect to be back.

Brian

 

[paul 1234]

or after you read all that, sit down and think is it worth the trouble
if yes then go for it have fun but be safe

 

[dachshund]

Cheers lads, took it out once, but weather was abominable the rest of the week. Took a small coley, and a wrasse of maybe 4lbs.