Reply With QuoteCongratulations!! A great looking boat, and wlecome home!! Very jealous of such a great looking rig.
G'day all,
well, as you would have all heard at some time or another, we have just launched our new boat. It has been the most anticipated boat launch in history, with the hopes of my two mad keen daughters Chloe and Natasha pinned upon my return from Timor and our first fishing trip. We picked her up on Saturday morning and after the paperwork and stuff, we were off to Lucinda. In the face of a building cyclone (bit of a fizzer really) we wanted to try her out in the calm of the Hinchinbrook Channel in some familiar territory.
We had about 3 hours of fun on Saturday, with Chloe adding the first scales to the kill tank with a nice salmon from near "the Bluff". He went really well with some salad and chips for tea!! Also ran into Levinge and a couple of others who were having a bit of a M&G, but I was doing the family thing after being away for a while so only said a quick g'day. Saturday was very calm with what was to come on Sunday.
We launced at about 9am on Sunday and were immediately exposed to the full brunt of a 20 knot south easterly across the front of Lucinda on the way across the top of the channel. Running with about 1.5 ft chop, I gave her a quick squirt of full throttle, and she leapt up on top and out to 60 km/hr without even blinking. Really nice and smooth ride - very dry hull also which was a plus. We fished for a bit up around Haycock Island trying to avoid the wind, catching only undersize grunter and cod. The trip home was straight into about 30 knots which was really whipping up a good swell and chop across to Lucinda in the channel. The boat felt very safe and stable with no shortage of power to push through the mess. All in all, more than happy with the whole package and hopefully there will be many more scales to come. Had a bit of a play with the Lowrance HDS sounder and GPS - very happy with the quality and clarity of the display. Lose the bottom on the sounder at speeds over about 40 km/hr, so may need to muck around with the transducer height a little to fix that. I put the Navionics chart in the GPS and opened up a whole new world..... pretty awesome. Still need a trip or two just to play and sus it all out.
She tows really well on the dual axle dunbier trailer with the Territory not found wanting for power. I will need to stiffen up the rear coil springs I think to stop the rear end from sagging a bit. Not sure wether to go with a set of King springs or a set of poly air bags? Happy to hear advice on either of these.
Cheers
Wal
Congratulations!! A great looking boat, and wlecome home!! Very jealous of such a great looking rig.
Hi WalFish good to here that you have finally got her in the water and even better that some scales were brought up on your first trip.
I too work in a Fi/Fo situation and I picked my new boat up xmas eve. I had no time to take her out as I went back to work on the 29th so when I got home 19th Jan it was time to run her in.
Dad and I took her out for the first run no keepers were caught but I mainly went out to see how she handled and get accustomed to the set up which I can say I like very much. Whilst I played with the HDS-5 most of the time dad managed to raise a few (just) undersized Squire and Grassies to keep him busy.
The HDS-5 held the bottom all morning and according to the GPS we were doing 30- 35mph once I had the motor run in and opened it up a bit I still haven’t ran it at top speed yet I will try that on the next outing.
We put three hours on her that day and two days later I took the missues out the weather report got it wrong and we went through some nasty stuff to get over to the reef (Harries).
Thankfully after an hour or so the weather came good whilst we couldn’t get a keeper on the reef the missues caught plenty of nice Whitting back at the front of Green Island (I was still playing with the HDS-5) topped of with a few sandies that were in the pots.
That was the first feed brought home hopefully there will be many more. The motor has five hours on it now and I am back at work but when I get home next look out fishes because I am coming.
Cheers Axl
Good to see she is everything you thought it would be...
Just have to look at your options relocating that white light, after your first night trip it might be a little job in the book, it was a discussion point between the guys at the M&G..
Now all you have to do is invite me to have a run in her (especially if its out wide)...I will get some marks out of my GPS for you shortly
Fillet and Release Squad
that is one sweet boat Wal . I saw it at Lucinda at the meet and greet . it is good to hear she has already been blooded
Stuie
IF IT CAN'T EAT A WHOLE PILLY I DON'T WANT IT
Great Rig Wal, certainly looks like a beast and I love the name! Hope you and the family have many happy days on the water in her.
Australia Day also seems an appropriate time to say THANKS for everything you (and your mates) do OS for our great country.
Cheers Rob
She sure does look the business Wal...very nice boat...looking forward to many more reports from you. Cheers for the pic and report
Mrs Benno1
Sunny
Air bags over heavier spring for towing situations, you can adjust air bags at will
cheers - Craig
Thats great Wal,good to read that you finally got to use her after those months of long distance planning. Does your motor interface with the HDS and give you all the fuel flow info etc?
Hi Walfish, that is one awesome looking boat. Great to see you have finally got to take it out on the water, I have been keeping a close eye on the other thread you had.
I am still trying to convince my old man that we need a bigger baot and I like to Formosa tomahawks. Just wondering what the top speed of the boat is, what HP do you have on the back and is it underpowered or not and do you roughly know what the weight of it is when towing?
Enjoy the boat mate.
Thanks Brock
Walfish, definately go the poly air bags, easy to change pressure dependant on load. greta looking boat. cheers Lee
Thanks to all the replies. It is a sweet looking rig and I have to keep reminding myself it is my boat parked beside the house
Jack, I haven't done the motor interface thingy with the HDS - may look into it in the future.
Brute, not too sure on the all up towing weight. All I know is that the Territory sags in the back end, is happy to tow at 100 km/hr in 5th (6 speed auto) and suck down ULP at an alarming rate. As for WOT speed, not too sure as yet. Only 3 hours on the clock, not to keen to give her the berries yet.
Cheers
Wal
wal
I have a territory that I tow my boat with and no problems with sag. 1st maybe check the towball weight may have to move the axles...hope not. the other thing to try is the leveler bar things that you can get. I got the ford heavy duty bar and it came with all the gear but have not used it. do you have the heavy duty bar?
my the way nice boat
G'day,Originally Posted by krazyfisher
Ditto that. I'm looking at the picture of the BMT and thinking the trailer axles are too far back - therefore too much weight on towball.
Make sure the Territory has the 2100 or 2300kg tow pack. If it does and the BMT comes in under that the Territory should not need modification.
If the BMT is under 2-tonne it probably has over-ride brakes. If is an electrically braked trailer you might be over-weight behind the Territory.
Let us know.
Regards,
White Pointer
Yep, I have had the heavy duty bar fitted by ARB here in Townsville. With the 6 speed auto, I can tow up to 2300kg without the need for transmission coolers etc. As I said, no shortage of power - very impressed with dragging her out of the water - just a bit of a sag in the soft rear end. I put a set of heavy duty pedders springs in the back end tonight so the proof will be in the pudding as they say.
I have already loosened the U-shackles on the axles to move them forward about 3 inches as well. Will be very easy to do as the axles are mounted on a "sled" style setup that is anchored to the ladder frame of the trailer with two U-shackles on each side. Loosen the shackles and the whole assembly can be slid forwards or backwards. I have about 4 inches room to play within front of the axles before they start to interfere with the roller brackets etc, so I'll give 3 inches a go and see how she rides.
I will let you all know how we go after I have made the adjustments.
Cheers
Wal
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