Northerly Westernport

[johnnycjay]

Hey is there anywhere safe I can luanch and fish in a Northerly tomorrow in WPB?

Was hoping hastings or Warneet possibly?

14ft boat.

[CarlG]

Hey is there anywhere safe I can luanch and fish in a Northerly tomorrow in WPB?

Was hoping hastings or Warneet possibly?

14ft boat.

Warneet would be the go I guess, but if it's a really big tide, just take care.

[rb85]

It's forecast to be pretty windy.

[Scraglor]

If you are looking at heading out this weekend, and have to ask that question, I would stay at home, unless you want to end up on the hastings VMR facebook page. 15-20knt winds forecast, there will be some fishable pockets, but if you arent supremely confidant with your boat, your abilities and how the wind, tide and area react to said forecast, I would stay out of it, ESPECIALLY in a 14ft boat. remember, if you tip over you are also putting the people who have to rescue you at risk.

As a reference, I have a 5.3mtr quintrex, fish off hastings every weekend conditions allow, year around, (probably 200 trips out of hastings at least) and my boat is staying in the shed. In fact, I am planning on doing a little work on it that I have been meaning to do for a while.

Its not worth risking your life for a fish, there will be plenty more weekends to go out, but not if you do something silly. Unfortunately it is just part of our great sport.

[Blueyed1]

If you are looking at heading out this weekend, and have to ask that question, I would stay at home, unless you want to end up on the hastings VMR facebook page. 15-20knt winds forecast, there will be some fishable pockets, but if you arent supremely confidant with your boat, your abilities and how the wind, tide and area react to said forecast, I would stay out of it, ESPECIALLY in a 14ft boat. remember, if you tip over you are also putting the people who have to rescue you at risk.

As a reference, I have a 5.3mtr quintrex, fish off hastings every weekend conditions allow, year around, (probably 200 trips out of hastings at least) and my boat is staying in the shed. In fact, I am planning on doing a little work on it that I have been meaning to do for a while.

Its not worth risking your life for a fish, there will be plenty more weekends to go out, but not if you do something silly. Unfortunately it is just part of our great sport.

Well said Scraglor..... Us fisherman need to take care in bad weather....

I recall a day I was off Portland in 25 knot winds and a fair 4 meter swell and it was raining. My neighbour had been out with his best mate that morning and they were heading back at 9am in their 6 metre Haines Hunter having caught 2 tuna not liking the washing machine they were in. We actually crossed paths on the way out to the shoe! I pressed on in my then 5.85m Streaker Tournament. Now the Tournament has a fairly low front bow and my outrigger bases were in the walk-around gunnels so water running from the bow would was flow down those holes and into the boat. I ran my bilge pump to pump the water out.

In the chop, rain and wind we did good. We found the birds, found the tuna and albacore and landed a total of 12 fish. As we bled and cleaned them the blood was washed off the deck with the hose and into the bilge. We soon realised the bilge pump had failed and the water was not being pumped away. Water was coming in over the deck and my mates had to start bailing water manually - kneeling in the boat and scooping water out. At one point, one of them turned to the other and quietly said "this is no longer FUN".
We decided to head back with a hull sloshing with water and the boat struggling to plane. We made it back safely but the weather was truly cr@p. We could not bail all the water out. As the design of the boat alowed it to gravitate towards the front where it was not accesible unless the bow lifted.

I guess the lesson we learnt that day is yes fishing is great fun and so it should be - but pick your days and enjoy them. Don't risk your boat in bad weather even if you have good free board as things can go wrong. We went again the following Saturday and had such a great day on the water in calm conditions and what a contrast, Following that trip, we decided to stay home in the future with bad weather conditions...and stay safe.

Joe

[johnnycjay]

Done.

Appreciate the feedback. I thought due to the forecast being under 1 metre I might be ok.

I'll head down to Gunnamatta and see if any sambos appear.

[ante552]

As i dont know much in boats.
But my prime work focus is on safety.
And from what i read the guys have given the correct information.

Use this when in dobut.
Take 5 min
Ask yourself the questions
Am i at risk
Can i get hurt
Will anyone else get hurt.
So on so on.
You will give yourself the answer.
Hope that helps

[cobby]

Certainly fishable, be a wet punch in either direction from Hastings to get away from the wind.

But as Scraglor said, if you have to ask the question then it's not worth the risk in going

[crumpet_avenger]

As i dont know much in boats.
But my prime work focus is on safety.
And from what i read the guys have given the correct information.

Use this when in dobut.
Take 5 min
Ask yourself the questions
Am i at risk
Can i get hurt
Will anyone else get hurt.
So on so on.
You will give yourself the answer.
Hope that helps

Dont wanna rain on your parade but those questions are relevant to every trip.
In fact you could use those questions crossing the road..

The fact is if someones not confident and have no experience they shouldnt do it. Im sure we have all been caught out by rough seas at some stage but thats entirely different to launching when you know its going to be rough.

[ante552]

As i dont know much in boats.
But my prime work focus is on safety.
And from what i read the guys have given the correct information.

Use this when in dobut.
Take 5 min
Ask yourself the questions
Am i at risk
Can i get hurt
Will anyone else get hurt.
So on so on.
You will give yourself the answer.
Hope that helps

Dont wanna rain on your parade but those questions are relevant to every trip.
In fact you could use those questions crossing the road..

The fact is if someones not confident and have no experience they shouldnt do it. Im sure we have all been caught out by rough seas at some stage but thats entirely different to launching when you know its going to be rough.

Agreed