what boat

[michael the hopefull]

Hi, I am moving down to exmouth, and would like to know what would be the best type of small boat to use on the estuary, my casting is rubbish.
would a 12 to 14 open dory do with a small outboard. anyone use a small boat and have any working knowhow on this.
I have a 23 foot morebass in france but its a bit big at times for one man to man, so looking for ideas on what is best.
please let me know, thanks terry

[duncan]

big question has to be where are you going to keep it/moor it/launch it etc - more than what do you want to do with it really in those sheltered waters.

with the answers to those questions the advice can be a little more focused. However I would have thought if you are concerned about being single handed you are better off on a mooring (than launch and recovery) ; and back to your 22ft'er which sounds ideal all round.

hope this makes sense.......

[michael the hopefull]

hi
The thing is the 22 foot boat is great, but is a heavy boat to play with at times. also the space I have with the new house is not that great, and her indoors has put her foot down on the 22 footer coming back to the uk. Also a 115 bhp engine is a little large for playing around on the estary.
I want a trailer boat, easy to handle, I can use my aux engine 25bhp. I was thinking of an open dory type thing or just a small open row boat type thing that will take the outboard.
Nothing over 15 foot, thats all the space I have to play with.

[duncan]

understood - absolute optimum sounds like it would be an aluminium boat of the dimensions you indicate. really, really light and OK to pull up on beach etc

25 will be excellent match for it.

finding one s/h might be a bit of a problem but there will be some around somewhere. GRP dory will be heavy - but fine for the area.

[michael the hopefull]

thanks for that, I have seen a few aluminium ones for sale, but they are a lot lot more cash then the grp dorys. From looking around exmouth there are two slipways I can use so Think I will start looking for a dory type boat, or learn to cast out better ;-)
thanks michael

[tommy a]

Michael,

Hi mate - I dont think using a small dory with a small outboard will do very well in Exmouth. The current runs at over four knots and is really really strong in and around the channel and docks. Where the estuary goes out to sea it can get rough which you need to hammer through before the calm of the open ocean.

We have a 17ft Warrior with a 60 horse moored in the estuary and this copes no problems.

If you are after a mooring let me know - you cant lay your own anymore much cause it rammed full BUT I do have the number of a bloke who looks after the deep / shallow water moorings. When we started there a few years ago he was renting them out for £ 250 for the season - April - October. If you want his number let me know mate.

Other than that - just be aware of the current - I cant stress that enough.

Cheers

Tommy

[michael the hopefull]

Thanks for that, may need to bring my moorbass back from france in that case. will have a closer look when down there again and take a better look at the slipway. her indoors will not like it, but what the hell, you can,t live by the sea and not use the boat.
thanks michael

[tommy a]

One other thing Mike - using the steep slipway just past the docks is fraught with hassle and danger.

Launching off there on an incoming tide is wicked - Id did it 2 years ago - the engine cut out and I drifted straight towards the dock walls - just where the rocks are both visible and under the water !! Only just managed to get the anchor out to stop the boat getting trashed !!

Anyway - if you have a trailorable boat you can drive onto the beach at low water off Shelley Beach and launch very easily on the beach into the channel !!

Cheers mate

[pingu]

not a boat guy but will stress what tommy says about tide, regulary see boats at an absolute standstill trying to get in/out against it, really gets busy at high tide with boats as all come in/out then
i'll ask arround on moorings as well,
dave

[michael the hopefull]

Thanks to you both, I have seen the slip way by the docks and yes it looks a bit much even with the 4x4. There is a second slipway at exmouth showing what is that like to use.
where is shelley beach, and can excess to this area be made ok. I have taken notice that parking is a bit hot and miss around exmouth, is it ok near the beach??
This is O so at odds with france, the slips are easy and the parking free, also the waters never busy. I fill that I am going to fine it hard going here.
terry