frankS

Neil. Glad you had some success with the charter but as far as Melbourne goes You can have that all to yourself.

Mate so sorry about the positive test. Just hope you don't get it as bad as I did. Fair dinkum I used to think this covid thing was just a case of the fly or similar. Mate I gotta tell you it hit me like a ton of bricks and I felt no better than a complete Zombie for best part of a month, in fact I still don't feel all that good and I do believe when you get to our age it hits worse than the younger people OR maybe I just copped the long term thing.

It was that bad I haven't hardly been down in my sheds since before Xmas. I couldn't go to the family dinner at Xmas as It was just about that time when it hit me.

Geeze mate I am a real cheer up society aint I !!!.

Sorry to put the dampers on things mate but just take care of yourself and take all the precautions you can and anything that may make you feel better.

Frank

1 hour ago, big Neil said:

Hi Frank, old buddy. Saddened to hear that you are feeling that life has little to offer. I fully understand where you're coming from, and perfectly aware that we older folk are all in the same boat. As disheartening as it seems to be I would encourage you to contact Donna and look at what options are available. I think you will be surprised to see that our circumstances have been studied and there are options available for us to take. Don't give up!

You have enjoyed a very full and active life. You have contributed to many peoples enjoyment and you are not yet ready for the scrap heap. Your skill and determination have provided many of your friends and acquaintances with positive results to their problems. You are a true and loyal friend and though your list of friends is diminishing, you still have a loving wife by your side.

Sure life has changed and will continue to change, but you can still make the best of what's on offer. If the offer of hospitality is still open I will come up and see you towards the end of May...let me know. I will look forward to seeing you and Val again.

Look forward to hearing from you Frank.

Always your mate, bn

Neil. You know you are more than welcome anytime and although I may not be able to take you fishing , there is always a bed and the jug takes but a few seconds to boil.

Frank

Thanks guys for all your support. I didn't mean it to be all doom and gloom it's just that I have come to the realisation that I just can't do the things I use to be capable of doing. 

Life goes on and once I get my mobility scooter my outlook on life should improve.

Nothing I like more (other than fishing) is being in my shed welding some project Or making something on the lathe etc, next best thing is talking with you guys and getting to know a few of you personally and becoming good friends.

I don't know what I will end up doing with the Pride boat, might get to use it some day.

Stay tuned for things I will be selling, lots of stuff that some of you might want.

Frank

Hi all. Well I think my fishing days are coming to a end . My breathing has got to a point where I can't do much at all.

I have sold the Quintrex 14 footer with trailer and also sold the Savage Scorpion. Have also sold a heap of fishing and boating gear that will never get used by me.

I have bought a new computer and I am happy with the way it is working, sit most of the day behind the screen watching Utube and the rest of the day sitting on the front verandah watching the world go by. I have a golf course at my back fence and a play field in front so lots of activity going on pretty well all day long, I often spend many dark hours sitting on my swing seat on the verandah.

I still have the Pride gazelle a 5.5 glass open boat that I have done some work to but still lots to do, and I don't know if the work needed will ever get done. I have a good mate that loves his fishing and we have been sharing our passion for the past 40 odd years but he has a business to run and has a family which he needs to show attention to so his fishing time is very limited.

I find it hard these days to just go down to my local shops at Berala and in fact I needed my partner Val to come with me to the computer store to carry my old computer.just going to get a hair cut or similar takes planning and a lot of effort for me.

SO I have bought myself a cheap Mobility Scooter to allow me to go places I can't walk to. I bought a electric scooter about 12 months ago thinking that would be a good idea rode it up and down the street twice and decided I looked and felt stupid on it so that has been sitting in my bedroom since, the battery has never been charged only used portion of the charge that was in it when bought.

Anyone want a cheap Scooter ?.

I have a garage full of stuff I need to get rid of so will be putting heaps of items for sale in the very near future.

Thanks for reading.

Frank

thanks, if you see me on tomorrow you will know it worked. Frank

Hi my main power will be cut off tomorrow from 8am to 4pm for schedule maintenance.

I have a 1000 amp hour Inverter and a 150 amp hour battery ( hope fully charged ) .

Will this be enough to run computer &  monitor for the period that the electricity will be cut off.

Frank

Bermagui for me, Karumba probably 2nd choice and Harvey bay 3rd. Anywhere on the coast that has good boat ramps.

Frank

Apart from the Dory those longfin Perch are the sweetest fish you will ever eat. Enjoy

Great days fishing, well done.

Frank

I had a old B S A push bike when I was young for memory it had 3 speed gears. Was as heavy as all get out, black and had mud guards chain guard rear carry rack and lights. I later got a sports Speedwell and the weight difference was enormous.

Frank

Yes ok to eat if that's your thing. I have caught dozens of the bloody things and just let them go . They are a very common pest as far as I m concerned.

I have been eating fish caught from the bay since I was 9 years old, 77 years old now and still kicking and apart from breathing difficulties pretty healthy.

Frank

The words " best and cheap " should never be used in the same sentence.

Sure catch brand from the big snake would be my pick.

Frank

Maybe you would be better heading down to Jindabyne I have a mate down there at the moment and he tells me they are landing Browns to 3kg and Rainbows almost as big.

Frank

PS Be careful if you are driving .Mate tells me he has never seen so many police in the area in his life, they are everywhere for some reason, maybe there are some polititans fishing down that way.

As well as Men's sheds we could include hobbies sheds in this thread.

Over the years I have had many hobbies and collections etc the last fit of hobby fever I encountered was wood turning.

I decided it might be a good past time to play with some wood that I had laying around the back yard, so I bought a cheap wood lathe and turned down a nasty looking bowl of sorts.

This led to gotta get a bigger lathe syndrome so got myself a better yet still affordable lathe , then I needed accessories chisels of all kinds  a special grinder to sharpen the chisels and a couple of chucks for the lathe, next came band saws and planers etc then I decided I needed a dust extractor for the fine wood dust it was creating. 

I set about making bowls of all kinds, heaps of ball point pens egg cups incense holders and pen and pencil holders salt and pepper shakers, all kinds of stuff, even made a couple of wood hand spools for fishing line and spools for my Seamartin reels.

Well the fever lasted about 6 months and I haven't touched the lathe now for the past 12 months or so ( for sale if anyone wants to start a new hobby, lathe with chisels chucks and all sorts of gadgets band saw, timber shaper, and dust collector the lot for $1000.) anyhow to get back to what I was saying.

Here are a few of my early works and all I took photos of.

My first wood lathe $50 if anyone interested no chuck

the reel spools original on left

now original on right

The spool works perfectly on the reel.

Sorry for the blurred photos.

Frank

Zoran. How I wish that I could keep any of my sheds that neat, a place for everything and everything in it's place, it's a credit to you.

I'll put a few photos of what my sheds look like in comparison.

Frank 

Neil Some more creative mastery at work there

I thought I would show some more of Niel's fine craftmanship.

The dog is store bought.

Frank

37 minutes ago, Ryder said:

My father salvaged this from the old Coroners Court and Morgue at The Rocks in Sydney before it moved to Glebe.

Pre refrigeration, bodies were displayed on this Cooling Table. He had plans to restore it and it was going to be a homework desk for us kids. Mum wouldn’t let it inside the house, so it stayed in his shed.

It passed on to me, I have since passed it on to the Powerhouse.

Alternately from donating to a museum is your local Mens shed they would restore it and it may still end up in the museum.

That's where a lot of my stuff is going to end up in my local Men's shed unless someone on here wants it.

Frank

PS would like to  see more photos of what members have laying around doing nothing.

Been thinking about times past when I would go to a mates place (or them to me) and share a couple of brews with them and others in their men's shed, with all sorts of weird and wonderful things hanging from the walls or even ceilings , you might find a couple of poker machines against the wall and there was always that dart board where many hours would be time spent.

Old fishing nets draped over old oars bits and pieces of boats and fishing gear scattered about the place.

Each piece a good talking point which would see the hours pass by quickly.

Your thing might not be about Fishing or boating it can be almost anything.

Who among us here has such memory's?

Who among us has such a shed?

Unfortunately those days for me are a long fading memory but I have several items that may interest those who do indeed possess such an animal.

Please share comments and show photos of their pride and joy!!! the men's shed. (pardon me ladies but that's what they are called) 

Frank

29 minutes ago, mrsswordfisherman said:

@BaitDropper take a look in our old Socials area.

We used to have legendary Hairtail socials up at the Hawkesbury. I miss those times. 

Nothing stopping anyone from organizing another hairtail week end.

Me and a group hired a houseboat for 11 years straight , best times of my life. Nothing I like better than getting away with a group of smelly old fisho's 

Frank

1 hour ago, XD351 said:

Yep I think we gunna have to go deep !

Call into the tackle shop and buy a paravane next best thing to downrigging.

Frank

Wish you told m you were going down. I could have lent you a downrigger and a lead core outfit with some tazzies .

Best way in my opinion to get the big ones

I won't wish you happy times as I know you will have them but good luck .

Frank

Hi Batemans is hit and miss at the best of times and the Clyde river is no exception . There is a deep hole just up past the Nelligen camp ground boat ramp at the first bend that I have caught good Jews in . At high tide the little creek that runs through the camp ground is good for Bream of good size .

Other than that it's just search for any structure and good luck.

Frank

Hi like Camper I am 77 years old and I have major health problems I can't walk to my letter box without a 10 minute break to get my breath back.

My fishing boating days are all but gone . I have 3 boats all set up for drive on/off and set out with all the gadgets but it doesn't help when you can't walk to the boat to use it.

My solution is GET A MATE that's the only way I can get on the water these days and the mate must be understanding about the health restrictions and be tolerant of my slowness to  

get from one place to another.

I am fine once in the boat and I now have an electric reel so I can fish 30 meters or deeper.

If you must fish solo do all the things that Noel suggests + more.

Frank

Never done it . I like you in so many ways.

I have often thought of using my dash camera as it\s cheap and does a good job filming wher you drive on a basic drive. sit it on a tripod at the front of the boat and when needed you can pick it up and scan around with it . Just a thought.

Don't know how you would trandfer the footage on a web site or Utube.

I can't afford a g pro so I thought this may be an option.

Frank

Sounds like a pretty good day\s fishing to me although I don't know about doing 10 hours straight these days.

Frank

27 minutes ago, Muchacho said:

Is there any other options to welding a patch or puttying up the holes? 

this does look like it’s only in the area that was contacting the carpeted skids. 

Otherwise the boat looks perfect. 

Where do you live ? and is the boat off the trailer ? Maybe I could come and have a look at the damage and advise you what steps to take.

I am going down to Bermi fishing on Mon, Tues, Wed, and Thurs next week but any time after that I could come and have a look at the boat for you

Frank

PS the boat should not be resting on the skids they are only to stop the boat from rocking side to site when under way on the trailer. The weight of the boat should be on the keel rollers.