G/day folks

Viking 11 arrived in Cairns 18th August, 3 punters did the trip with crew and myself, and enjoyed some great bottom fishing and sport fishing, taking home enough fillets of red emperor, coral trout, red throat emperor, and of cause the mighty Spanish mackerel, to keep their fish appetites satisfied for months. The new QSM11 CUMMINS ran a treat and the fuel economy was unbelievable, I cannot recommend these motors high enough. All ready their are large numbers of small marlin showing up inside the reefs, after the big wet that was experienced up north this year, this is a great sign for things to come, and I am more than confidient of a red hot season. I will be keeping you all informed so keep in touch.Â

Hello folks

Viking 11 is now back at her berth in front of our home in Runaway bay, the engine room refit is complete and I am more than happy with how it looks. The QSM11’s Cummins look like they were made to live there.  We have repositioned the generator and other items, making huge improvements in the layout and access. We have not as yet done proper sea trials but a quick squirt down the bay took us to just a little below 30knots into a 20knot head wind. I have posted some pics now so check them out below.

Also now that the Viking II is almost ready to head north for the Cairns Giant Black Marlin Season anyone interested in jumping on for the trip from the Gold Coast to Cairns (or Hamilton whichever is suitable) for a week of fish and fun we are offering the trip at next to nothing!  Contact Kim on 0438183159 or Bill on 0427183159 for further details.

 

 

Hello folks

Sorry for delay in keeping you up to date. Working hard and very tied at nights might have something to do with it. But I am pleased to advise that the Viking 11is back in the water. Friday 27th of June at lunchtime she was towed around to a berth for the final completion.

The new QSMII Cummins look magnificent in the newly painted 2 pack engine room, and with the top sides having a new gleaming coat of Glasirite she looks a treat.

We have achieved a lot in the month, engine refit, cleaning, wiring, plumbing, painting, fabricating, It is always a big job especially when you are trying to do as much as possible yourself, otherwise financially it would not be possible. I will be posting some great progress shots soon. I have had some great help from regular crew Peter Macray, and Mistress Captain Brett Alty.

I will be very excited towards the end of the week when the QSM11 Cummings are flashed up for the first time.

Stay tuned for pictues and more progress reports.

   

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Hello folks.

Installing new wiring for cummins QSM11 almost 75% finished, new bearings for rudders installed, engine room ready for repaint, new engine supports 75% completed, gearboxes with new engine couplings installed on engines, and painted, Genset repainted, drive pullies for auxillary equipment installed on new engines, transom painted by yours truly on spray Gun, not to bad. Rebuilding steering rams and steering arms and tie rods. Thats all for now folks.

 

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Hello folks

Viking 11 got lifted out of the water on Monday 26th of may 1300 for the start of new engine installation and refit. We have had a good week and achieved allot, Both old MTU are out of boat and so is generator, we have degreasedand washed engine room and started detailing, old MTU wiring has been removed, and engine room will soon be painted with Awlgrip 2000 ready for new engine mountings, rudders and shafts have been removed, and all bearings will be replaced. We have sanded transom and starboard side of vessel   ready for repaint. I have regular crew Peter Mcgray helping me, as well as Brett Alty from Mistress   Â

Hello again folks

We now offer 3 day share charter packages with accommodation for Port Stephens and Gold Coast, starting December this year. Go to the site for all details.

Well I have a bit of news, and to be honest after 25 years af being a sport and game fishing boat Captain I was thinking about a change, But I can’t do it, I love it to much. I have recently come out of Hospital, sorting out some health issues, and very happy to say all is good, and  that I am feeling very motivated. I have decided to repower the mighty Viking 11 with new engines and give her a big birthday. Told you I was feeling Motivated, and set my goals for another 10 years at least in the industry. The re-power will not only give the Viking 11 a new lease on life, but myself included.

I have decided on Cummings QSM11 Engines at 600hp which should give her a 25kt cruise, and a much better fuel burn with the common rail engineering. It is all starting after the Sanctuary Cove Boat show.

I am going to document  the whole programe on my Blog so keep in tune Their will be plenty to lean for those thinking about a re-power. I will also be letting you all know why have decided on certain products.Â

 

Back from Port Stephens season, and enjoying catching up with my wonderful family. Had some great times at the Port, here are a few highlights.

 

Catching 8 in a day as well as all three species.   Catching blue marlin over 200kg on 15kg, catching 3 blues marlin over 150kg,. Plus consistent multiple fish days.

 

Here is a great little story that was one of my personal highlights.

 

Kim, my wife ,came down for a little 3 day visit, during some time off. I decided to give her a treat and take her for a marlin fish. It was one of those days magic days weather wise, and we headed up to the Gibber, a serious reef structure between Broughton Island and Seal Rocks.  We caught our fresh bait got them out and crewman Wade, Kim, and myself sat back to enjoy the day. I went to the cockpit to have a leak and Wade took over the driving. As always it happened we had our first bite, Kim got hooked up to a nice Black, and I started clearing the gear. Well some how I found myself also hooked up, and for the first time ever Mummy and Daddy had a double header on, of decent black marlin, and personally I could not remember the last time I was hooked up to a marlin. It was a great hour of great fun. Of course I lost mine but Kim got hers. Mission accomplished back to the marina for debriefing and cocktails.

 

The 2008 interclub tournament was won by my good friends on the new Assegai Gorilla who took out the tag and release section! And my other buddies on rampage took out the capture section. Due to bad weather it only turned out to be a 2 day gig.

Well it was bound to happen, after a run of unbelievable fishing seasons, the 2006 Giant Black Marlin season was much slower than usual, but I can’t complain with the amount of big fish action.

We fished most of September which has been excellent in the past but the marlin were sparse, so we spent a substantial part of the day giving the clients great entertainment with large Spanish mackerel, dogtooth tuna, yellow fin tuna, red emperor, and coral trout. Yes we did catch a few marlin in the afternoons but nothing over 300lb.

Early October bought our first Run of nice fish, and the Lizard Island Black Marlin Classic soon rolled around. We had a shocker of a start on day 1 and day 2, but our lucked changed on day 3 when we tagged 4 black marlin up to 750lbt, talk about going from the shithouse to the penthouse. At the end of the 7 day tournament we ended up being one off the pace, and client Brent Morehouse was champion angler. Brent has done 10 seasons with me and caught some great fish, many we have called 950lb, and he was always keen to weigh a 1000lb plus black marlin. On the last day in the last hour Brent hooked the biggest fish he has ever seen, I called it over 1100lbs, Brent elected to tag and release the magnificent fish to put him in front for the champion angler award. You know what they say it’s never over till the fat lady sings.

Another big fish story ended with a not so happy ending, another client wishing to weigh his first big fish hooked a monster off Lena Reef at the bottom end of the ribbons, the fish did some spectacular jumps and than sounded, an hour later we had her close but even with 85lbs of drag could not quite get to her, we felt she was tied, how wrong we were, she again bolted to the depths and stripped 400 meters of line off the big 130H Penn International. This was one of the biggest and most impressive fish that I have seen in my 25 year history. It was all hard yards but we managed to get her close again, I could see the huge fish paddling 25 meters down, than I spotted the brown shapes next to her. I was about to yell cut her off, but it was too late they made there move. We got her on board as quick as we could. The Black Marlin had a huge girth, but the shark eaten tail end left us devastated.

The 3rd of December our last day arrived, it was calm hot and steamy, 16:30 had not seen a fish behind the baits or on the sounder, and starting to count down the minutes to seeing my family, when the fish alarm sounded. I changed my focus from the baits to the sounder, and saw the 3 small boomerangs holding at 50 meters. Might get lucky yet I said to myself, I looked back at the baits just in time to see a big fish engulf the big scaley mackerel. It was than I realised that I had only marked the small fish that were accompanying the big mother.

An hour later we released our 4th fish for the season well over 1000lbs a great way to finish. In the wash up we ended up [with 55 black marlin, 4 over 1000lbs 6 over 900lbs and 9 over 750lb and a sea monster without a tail.