A Costly Lesson
For those of you who know or don’t know I am a Skipper with VMR at Southport and over my 25 years I have seen many things happen on the Broadwater that makes you sit back and think how could these be avoided. What education could be done for the boaties and fisherman on safety and care advert getting into difficulty.
This is one case, on Friday arvo the 30/12 I arrived at crew and was told that a boat was on the North wall. The situation arose that during the day a bloke was drift fishing the North wall of the Seaway, when he realised he was getting to close to the wall, he went to start his motor however the starter motor wouldn’t engage and start his outboard.
With all his attempts he had no luck and before he knew it he was on the rocks. His boat was washed over the ledge and ended up wedged against the wall. Ropes were put out front and back to hold her. He was picked up by either Boating & Fisheries or Water Police boats I am not sure. They bought him back to our base and he went home but had left message for the crew that he would phone later and was going to come down to help us get it off the wall. After discussing the dilemma this boat was in with Al Curtis the Duty Skipper we decided to ring the Guy and tell him we would go and have a look at the boat and ring him back.
After looking at the vessel and its position there was no way we could get it off especially as his outboard was wedged in rocks.
He was advised this and told to come in next morning and we would take him up and he could get his valuables off boat.
As at today the 06/01 the boat is still on rocks slowly breaking up, the motor has gone and the hull is coming away from the sides. The photos show its progression in its demise.
The guys story was that he had just purchased it was his first trip out in it, he had just spent $2000 on electronics. It was a costly first trip as the rig was not insured. He did manage when we took him back in the morning to get some valuables including his Electronics off it however was resigned to the fact that his boat was not going to come home again and if you are like me and love your boat then it would be heartbreaking.
As a fisherman myself I know that to get to where the fish are you have get as close as you can and as one very experienced Tournament Fisherman once said to me and my son Nathan if you are not loosing gear you are not where the fish are.
In saying this we discussed the safety aspects to do which I have listed below.
– If fishing close to shore i.e. Beach or Rock wall and you have no electric motor keep your motor going.
– If you have an Electric do not take it out of water before you have started your drive motor.
– If anchored start your motor before raising the anchor.
– Boat & Engine Maintenance is paramount especially in the saltwater environment we fish in as its corrosive ability is amazing. This is one of the major causes of engine failure. A good spray of CRC or any other such product is a necessity after each trip.
(My family are sure I have shares in WD40 I use it that much)
You have to have faith in your boat when you are out there because if you do get in to trouble not only is it you put and your passengers but also outsiders such as the general public and the Rescuers who get involved.
We have a wonderful Piscatorial Paradise here on the Gold Coast and anywhere else you go out on the water in Australia and when you are out there you should be enjoying it not worrying are you going to get out and back.
Bruce Andersen
