Ski-Boat September 2020 by Angler Publications

CONTENTS

September/October 2020 Volume 36 Number 5 COVER: BIG BEAUTIFUL ’BEK Protea bottomfish angler Allen Ford with a 10.5kg geelbek caught off East London during the sardine run in July 2020. Photo by Evan Bosse. See pg 15.

FEATURES

Down to the Wire Catching Natal snoek on wireline — by Jono Booysen

’Bek on the Boat Recreational geelbek fishing off the east coast — by Francois Beukes

Boss of the Ocean Boat Review: Sea Cat 800 — by Erwin Bursik

Wind it Up Getting your winch in working order — by Peter Symons

Cancelled by Covid-19 Memories of previous Shelly Beach Ski-Boat Festivals

Getting Inked False Bay squid fishing — by Donavan Cole

Fire Roasted Chokka Curry Recipes from the chef — by Ryan Cole

The Thrill is in the Experience Suzuki unveils the ultimate DF-140 with drive-by-wire

Shad Ahoy Surprise recapture of tagged fish in deep water — by Erwin Bursik

Understanding Your Boat... Part 3: Bringing it all together — by Rob Naysmith

Getting Legal VHF radio requirements on small vessels — by Dale Evans

DEPARTMENTS 8 46 49 51 58

Editorial — by Erwin Bursik SADSAA News Subscribe and WIN! Kingfisher Awards Reel Kids

61 63 64 65 66

Mercury Junior Anglers Marketplace Ad Index Business Classifieds & Directory Rapala Lip — Last Word from the Ladies

The official magazine of the South African Deep Sea Angling Association

DO YOU PREFER AN EZINE? FIND US FOR FREE ON WWW.ISSUU.COM

Publisher: Erwin Bursik Editor: Sheena Carnie Advertising Executive: Mark Wilson

EDITORIAL

RELEASED FROM HOUSE ARREST

Editorial Assistant: Vahini Pillay Boat Tests: Heinrich Kleyn Contributors: Francois Beukes, Jono Booysen, Erwin Bursik, Donavan Cole, Ryan Cole, Dale Evans, Bruce Mann and Rob Naysmith. ADVERTISING – NATIONAL SALES: Angler Publications Mark Wilson cell: 073 748 6107 ADVERTISING – Gauteng & Mpumalanga: Lyn Adams — 083 588 0217 Publishers: Angler Publications cc PO Box 20545, Durban North 4016 Telephone: (031) 572-2280/89/97/98 Fax: (031) 572-7891 e-mail: angler@mags.co.za Subscriptions to SKI-BOAT: R180 per annum (six issues). New subscriptions and renewals: SKI-BOAT Subscriptions Department, PO Box 20545, Durban North 4016. Telephone: (031) 572-2280/89/97/98 Fax: (031) 572-7891 • e-mail: angler@mags.co.za • Through www.anglerpublications.co.za, or E-zine through <www.issuu.com> Reproduction: Hirt & Carter, Durban Printer: Robprint (Pty) Ltd, Durban Full production is done in-house by Angler Publications & Promotions on Apple Macintosh software and hardware for output directly to plate. SKI-BOAT Magazine, ISSN 0258-7297, is published six times a year by Angler Publications & Promotions cc, Reg. No. CK 88/05863/23, and is distributed by On the Dot, as well as directly by the publishers to retail stores throughout South Africa. • Copyright of all material is expressly reserved and nothing may be reproduced in part or whole without the permission of the publishers. • While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the contents of this magazine, the publishers do not accept responsibility for omissions or errors or their consequences. Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers, the managing editor, editor, editorial staff or the South African Deep Sea Angling Association.

8 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2020

RIDAY 5 June 2020 must have been the most “longed for” date in the history of offshore ski-boating in South Africa. This was the date Minister Barbara Creecy, Minister of Forestry and Fisheries and Environmental Affairs, announced the reopening of recreational boating after the initial hard Covid-19 lockdown. It was the day the proclamation was gazetted, and the day so many coastal skippers had been longing, dreaming and preparing their craft for. Erwin Bursik This was not a gunshot blast start, though, as Publisher other bureaucracies had to have a say. SAMSA had to release a marine notice, the National Ports Authority had to add their consent and, finally, the many municipalities from whose beaches our craft launch had the final say. Saturday 6 June saw a few craft head to sea, but it was really on Sunday 7 June that skippers the full length of our vast coastline opened throttles in earnest, not only to go fishing, but also to feel the thrill of having their craft climbing onto the plane and to drink in the smell, sound and feel of once again being on the ocean. With 80-odd boats launching off Durban Ski-Boat Club and a further 20-plus exiting the harbour, the excitement was positively palpable and reminiscent of the start of the annual DSBC ’Cuda Classic. After two months of being locked down, to many a proverbial lifeline, the offshore recreational ski-boating fraternity of South Africa had returned to life. One has to sympathise with our fellow ski-boaters who live beyond the provincial boundaries of the coastal provinces and who are still, at the time of writing, unable to tow their craft to their favourite launch sites and experience the thrill many of us had as we embraced the ocean after the sustained abstinence. I sincerely hope that by the time you guys read this editorial the provincial borders have been opened and you to can tow your craft to the sea. Through the ramblings and prognostication contained in the editorial I wrote in the July/August 2020 issue of SKI-BOAT I tried to engender hope and patience as I shared what I personally felt going through forced abstinence from fishing. Hopefully nothing will ever again induce the over-riding feeling of being precluded from taking part in the sport we love — a pastime that has been shown to be so very important to those of us who love being out on the ocean and attempting to catch fish. At 23h59 on 31 December 1999 I waited with anticipation for the dawning of the new millennium, but to me waiting for the 06h00 official launch time to get my boat back on the ocean on 7 June 2020 was far more intense and exciting. Let’s hope that this Covid-19 plague will soon pass us by like the nightmare it has been, and as we awaken to our freedom please let us remember in the years to come, as we enjoy the ocean and the opportunities it provides, just how extremely fortunate we are to be able to go out to sea fishing. Till the next tide

Erwin Bursik

TACTICS

By Jono Booysen

are. This meant that it was perfect to use for lures such as Clark spoons and drones. In the mid-1980s to ’90s wirelines became NYBODY who has fished in a tournavery popular among anglers in the St Lucia ment under IGFA regulations will and Mapelane area when targeting snoek be familiar with the rule “no in the backline. The sheer numbers of wireline is permitted”. Today, fish caught using this method was most people will just glance over it unreal, so much so that it became thinking “Why would anyone ever taboo and, according to Gar y use wireline?”. Heath, their use was met with the The practise of trolling with same disgust as someone caught wireline has been around for moving their golf ball on a many decades and, if used corgreen. rectly, can produce unpreceAs a result, most of the once dented results, especially when “go-to” wireline outfits were targeting Natal snoek. stowed in the roof and forgotThe idea of using wirelines ten. I know of only a small handcame about when anglers ful of anglers that still have these encountered trouble with fish in wireline rigs that they use. Every deep water and strong current. now and then, when the snoek are They wanted to get their lines acting, well, like snoek do, it’s time down deeper without using downto break out the old gear, wipe off the riggers or weights. The solution was dust and put them to work. to make the line itself heavier. The reels that one should use are not Wire line was heavier and thinner your typical state of the art setups that most than equivalent breaking strain nylon or serious anglers are currently using. Instead the mono lines and thus has less resistance in the A spool of wireline. old school Penn Senator and Penn 49, both with water. As a result, it sank faster. One of the added steel spools, are better suited for this application. benefits was that it was not prone to twisting like other lines

10 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2020

A wireline setup in action.

The reason for this is that whenever two types of noncompatible metals come into contact, especially in the presence of saltwater, there is a reaction which causes corrosion. This damages the spool as well as the wireline. To overcome this, I use a Daiwa 450 filled with 50 lb mono backing and attach the wireline topshot using an Albright knot. I try to spool the wire so that it does not come into contact with the sides of the spool.This, combined with regular use of anti-corrosion spray made for fishing tackle prevents any major corrosive issues. When it comes to rods, there are specialised rods available in the United States that are designed with fancy guides to handle the punishment that wireline puts on them.The most important feature of a wireline rod is that the tip needs to be on the soft side. Obviously wire does not have any stretch, and the soft tip helps cushion the fast jerks from a fish and keep the hook in place.With a soft tip the action of the lure is also magnified, making it easy to see if there are any snags. I suggest buying an old solid fibreglass rod and putting steel ring guides on it. I also prefer having a roller tip on the rod. Trolling wire is a bit pricier than braid and hard to come by in South Africa. It comes in a stainless steel or monel nickel-copper alloy option in breaking strains from 6kg to 45kg. If you do decide to give this type of fishing a try, I can suggest using the AFW stainless steel in 70 lb breaking strain. It is strong enough for most applications and there are 300 yards on the spools but bulk spools are also available.

When spooling the reel I put half a spool on a reel, then you can at least have two outfits to use. It is very important to maintain the wire in a good condition.After each day’s fishing, pull all the wire off and wind it back on through a cloth soaked with tackle cleaner. If you don’t do that you run the risk of having the wire break on the spool while you are letting the lure out — a rather costly experience. Wireline setup for Natal snoek

SKI-BOAT September/October 2020 • 11

So now you have a reel spooled with wireline on an appropriate rod, but what’s next? This is really the easy part. All that is left to do is attach a section of mono leader onto the wireline using an Albright knot and then tie on your lure of choice. There is not much room for finesse in wireline fishing, so leader size is not all that important and comes down to personal preference. Many of the old salts believed that a 2m section of pink commercial bottomfishing line was fine to use. I tend to go with a short section of clear 50 lb leader. This leader adds some stretch to the rig and allows the lure to have a better action. Not to mention the fish would probably not bite anything attached directly to thick shiny wireline. Some days I will tie this One of the leader directly to the lure and author’s other days I use a section of wire, favourite it all depends on how lucky I feel. drones to use The lure I prefer to use on on wireline. wireline is a good old Huntington drone size 2 1⁄2 (4 1⁄4 inches long). Drones have been around for over a century and still work today. They are available in different sizes from just over an inch to around 8 inches and catch pretty much anything that swims. The action of these lures when trolled on a wireline is so aggressive that the whole setup rattles.The soft tip on the rod really promotes this erratic action.Trolling speeds are roughly 3- to 4 knots, but the easiest way to ensure optimum lure action is to pull the lure alongside the boat and see which speed you get the best action at and then troll at that speed, bearing in mind that trolling too fast will cause more drag on the line and reduce the depth of the lure. As far as lure spread is concerned, if you are trolling wirelines try to stick to only wirelines. A combination of conventional nylon rigs and wirelines is a recipe for massive tangles. Pulling four lines is the preferred spread, with two small drones or Clarkspoons and two medium drones. Let the entire length of wireline out and only keep a few turns on the reel. When you get a strike on this unorthodox heavy trolling gear, you can’t play the fish as you would on standard tackle; this is a no nonsense,“bugger the ethics” kind of fishing.You want to get the fish into the boat asap. Keep the boat at the same speed and either wind the reel in the holder or keep the rod tip as high as possible to get the fish’s head out the water and its body on the plane where you can skip it in towards the boat. When it’s on the leader I find it safer to just lift it in by the leader. If you wait for the fish to present itself for a gaff shot, more often than not, the thrashing fish shakes the hook free as there is a big hole around the hook from the heavy pressure. Wireline fishing is a very unique style of fishing that is steeped in history. It is unique in that it is a really heavy, in your face, no finesse fishing technique that works brilliantly for one of the most finnicky species that swims along our coast. Hopefullythis method is not forgotten during this year’s snoek run, as it still produces excellent results especially when everything else has failed and you find yourself getting down to the wire. 12 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2020

Drone lures used on wirelines.

A wireline-caught Natal snoek.

TACTICS Dennis Ford with an 8.1kg geelbek caught off East London in July 2020.

’BEK

Recreational geelbek fishing off the east coast of Africa By Francois Beukes

APE salmon (atractoscion aequidens) or geelbek, as it is commonly known along the east and west coast of Africa, is one of the most sought-after fish targeted by recreational ski-boat fishermen along our coast. Its features are a dead give-away when boated and it can be identified almost immediately. Although it resembles the common kob, the geelbek’s body is bluish to copper in colour above the lateral line with a white belly below.The name speaks for itself and, as you can imagine, the fish is further identified by the yellow colouring in the mouth and the inner surface of the

gill covers, hence the name geelbek. Although they are sometimes caught from the beach by rock and surf anglers, in the winter months they tend to be more abundant in deeper water from False Bay to the southern border of Moçambique.They are usually associated with the sardine run in winter but have been known to be caught almost all year round in some areas. Although they tend to be more prolific feeders at night, they are also regularly caught during the day. Geelbek are not unique to South Africa, and I have personally caught them on two previous trips to the Queensland coast of Australia. There they are called teraglen and are often

referred to as trag or trag jewfish, but they are identical and also seem to be more abundant in the winter months. The daily bag limit in South Africa is two fish per angler, with a minimum size of 60cm in length. HOW AND WHEN With current Covid-19 restrictions, including a curfew from 9pm to 4am, we recreational fishermen are limited to fishing out of those times and therefore should look at targeting geelbek at first light in the morning or in the dying light in the late afternoon. When they are around they can generally be caught during the day as well. My tackle of choice when fishing SKI-BOAT September/October 2020 • 15

between a size 6.0 and 9.0. It depends on personal preference, but either a J hook or a circle hook will get the job done.

The author’s typical geelbek trace.

for them is a Poseidon Geelbek ski rod with a 9-inch KP Scarborough reel and 100- to 120 lb braid of your choice. I attach about 5- to 10 metres of 1.0mm leader line (monofilament) to my braid using the old tried and tested GT knot which is then attached to your top swivel of the geelbek trace. The bite is usually fast and aggressive, and anglers should be prepared at all times when dropping their bait to the bottom. When I feel the bite I start reeling quite fast to set the hook and, if I’m successful with the hook up, I then proceed to reel in the fish in a gradual motion because they have soft mouths and often the loss of a geelbek is a direct result of the angler reeling in too aggressively. Multiple hook ups on a two hook trace are usually quite common when you locate a shoal. Once a shoal is located on your fish finder it’s a good idea to put an anchor down and fish the spot. Always remember to stick to the legal limit of two per person because Allen Ford with a 9kg geelbek caught off East London during the 2020 sardine run.

16 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2020

when a shoal is located and they are feeding it is very easy to catch your quota quickly. They are extremely good fun to catch as they often put up a fight from the time they are hooked up to the time they reach the surface. RECOMMENDED TRACE The geelbek trace I prefer to use is a standard two hook paternoster trace. (as illustrated above). It is advisable to use anything from .60mm to 1.0mm diameter line for both your hook snoot lines as well as the line between your swivels and sinker. On one of the two hooks I like using a green glow bead inserted into a green live glow skirt which is pulled down to the eye of the hook.The other hook I leave bare. The thinking here is to see which of the two variations has a better hook up rate and then possibly change your trace to either two hooks with glow beads and skirts or just two bare hooks. The hooks I use var y in size

BAIT We generally use a whole sardine as bait, and insert the hook through the lower jaw between the eyes and out through the top of head; this is extremely successful when targeting geelbek. You can also thread the hook through the eyes of the sardine and bury it into the body about a third of the way down. I also sometimes use livebait such as mackerel or maasbanker which increase the hook up rate when the sardines or other soft baits like strips of fish fillets and chokka are not working. The livebait is usually rigged up by inserting the hook into its open mouth and out through the top part of the head between the eyes. Geelbek can sometimes be stubborn feeders, and when all else fails a flapper bait or a pilchard turned inside out and tied onto the hook with cotton could attract them and entice a bite. COOKING Geelbek are excellent eating fish once cleaned and prepared. I like mine fried in f lour and egg batter, but it’s also good eating on the braai or in the oven wrapped in tinfoil with garlic, fish spices and a choice of sliced onion and tomato and served with freshly cut lemon. Bon apetit!

BOAT REVIEW

20 â&#x20AC;¢ SKI-BOAT September/October 2020

Reviewed by Erwin Bursik

HIS, the latest, the biggest and the best Sea Cat in the range was conceived before the 2020 lockdown and finally completed and fitted out once the boating industry had been given the go ahead to begin building boats again. Durban Yamaha’s Ryan Hansen and Grantley Read of Sea Cat Boats were like anxious parents waiting for the Sea Cat 800 in full cabin format to finally take to the ocean.The popularity of the Sea Cat 800 forward console and centre console models had proved to them it was the full cabin Sea Cat 800 that would thrust this craft into the “big boat league”. Prior to Basjan’s handover Ryan Hansen got permission from her new owner for me to take her to sea for this formal review. A craft of this size that will finally be fully rigged for marlin fishing off the northern KwaZulu-Natal coast has to take a leap of faith that she’ll be welcomed into the “Big Boat Club” and can run shoulder to shoulder with the formidable array of seasoned marlin craft that annually fish these waters for the crème de la crème of fish, marlin. My task was not to just review the niceties of hull, deck and cabin finishes, but also to judge her ride in rough waters and how she would stabilise her ride during the long hours she will spend trolling marlin lures in a full range of sea conditions. Watching her stability while photographing her, and the way her hull worked the water in an ocean full of holes from the strong north-easterly of the previous few days and the prevailing strong northerly wind that was blowing a good 10 knots during the time we were at sea was very informative. Her attack on a rolling swell and the way she landed gave me a lot of confidence that I could look forward to an enjoyable time putting her through her paces when I eventually took control of this Sea Cat 800. As I have just stated, the sea was far from flat. From years of experience marlin fishing off Sodwana Bay and Richards Bay I know this is the type of sea that we have to contend with 80% of the time while targeting marlin and would prove a good test for the Sea Cat 800.

Basjan, all nearly four tons of her, arrived at Natal Deep Sea Rod & Reel Club on her extremely sturdily built double axle trailer which is also manufactured by Sea Cat Boats. I was told it was an easy tow behind Ryan’s Toyota Land Cruiser. Towing a craft this size on a purpose-built trailer is always going to be a big task, but with the right combination of vehicle and the perfect trailer, it can be accomplished reasonably comfortably. As stunning as Basjan looked both on land as well as on the water, it was to an extent cosmetic, for only when I had her helm and throttles firmly under my control and felt her hull “working” the ocean was I able to get to know her sufficiently to put my conclusions on paper. The Sea Cat 800 I tested was powered by twin Yamaha 200hp 4-stroke motors swinging counter rotating 17 pitch stainless steel cupped propellers.

SKI-BOAT September/October 2020 • 21

This combination, when powered into action, all had to come together to provide the performance one needs from a craft of this size. My first action after starting the motors was to trim both down as far as possible so that, when I powered her forward, I could judge her forward stance as she glided onto a plane before then trimming her bow up to attain what I considered to be her sweet attack on the sea as I headed north towards Umhlanga Rocks. The long planing surface of these bigger ski-boats in the 7to 9 metre class generally enables them to get onto the plane relatively easily provided there is sufficient thrust. In other words, unlike smaller ski-boats that have to power themselves up out the hole before getting onto a plane, the bigger boats seem to slide onto the plane. Logical if one thinks about it. It requires an inordinate amount of torque from the motors to, as in this case, lift the bow 8 metres in front of them upwards to the extent that they can climb out the hole as a smaller boat would do. As I thrust the throttle forward I watched the RPM climb as the increased momentum got her to start sliding forward and get on the plane.At 2500 RPM she was starting her plane and at 3200 RPM she was riding beautifully at 20 knots. I had trimmed her marginally bow up with a tad higher trim on the starboard motor to hold her stable in what amounted to an aft beam sea with a port bow chop. At 20 knots we travelled very comfortably for many kilometres, allowing Grantley and I to discuss the various ride characteristics of his new creation. On turning into the swell as I was intending to run a reciprocal course back towards Durban, I had to come off the throttle to run almost directly into the reasonably big swell before I came about and ran the reciprocal at 20 knots.Whilst they were very different sea conditions, only minor lateral trimming was required to ensure a very pleasant ride back. On a marlin boat the vast majority of one’s day at sea is spent “pulling plastic”.To ensure that one would get the best lure performance possible, I put Basjan into large figure-ofeight turns at speeds ranging from 5- to 8 knots, judging what sort of water spread this hull produced and to determine where I would place the two short rigger lures. Even when we went over 7 knots, especially on the starboard side that generally closes up at that speed, a pocket of clear water was available to run that short lure.

Another crucial performance aspect of a craft that’s to be used for this high action sport is its ability to back up on a fish. I trimmed the motors up a few bars and then, using forward/reverse on both motors, I was able to manoeuvre and back up reasonably fast without excess water washing up onto the deck through the transom gate area. One also has to accept the limitations when doing this manoeuvre on a boat like this where the motors have had beaching kits fitted. Regardless of this I was able to get very acceptable manoeuvrability while performing these routines. Please note that when trying this you must make sure you trim up both motors, otherwise a fast reverse will have the motors dragging the aft of the craft underwater and a big wave could barrel over the aft deck. Another facet of this craft’s performance I needed to ascertain was how she would react to a surf launch. In most cases on our coast this involves a run to port with the main waves building up on the starboard bow. I judged her take off speed and distance covered in some fairly big swells building up over the Kinmount Bank off Durban’s beachfront and I found she has more than enough acceleration and gets onto the plane very quickly to run a channel if need be. Likewise, to abort and turn to port to get back to the bay was an easy swing. All in all I enjoyed swinging her both to port and starboard feeling not only her ability to turn very quickly but also, more importantly, to get this large craft out of the turn and back onto the plane. These two Yamaha motors really have a lot of torque. Talking of torque, Ryan assured me that on the bay she does 78km at 5800 RPM.That’s not my thing, though; I get my thrills playing at the bottom end of the torque curve in an area that really matters when one is actually fishing at sea. In designing the Sea Cat 800 a huge amount of thought and detail has gone into turning Basjan into the superb craft she was when I boarded her. Apart from her overall lines which are so blatantly obvious in the accompanying photographs, there were many large and small aspects of her finish which I was incredibly impressed with, but I can only cover a few in this review.A craft like this has really got to be physically crawled over to fully appreciate what Grant, Ryan and their teams have incorporated to make her world class. The aft deck area houses both the big batteries for the motors as well as the “house” battery. They are well hidden SKI-BOAT September/October 2020 • 23

but very readily accessible if quick access is required. The raised walkthrough of the transom houses a livebait well which very cleverly acts as a clear water reservoir to feed the double luna tubes situated on each side of the walk through. Each luna tube has a separate pump to keep it filled with a bubble-free flow of water from the livebait hatch. The aft deck water drainage from around the aft fuel holders is channelled through to the aft scuppers. I initially thought it would be great for rainwater or spray, but perhaps not for water coming over the transom, however I was very impressed as virtually none of the heavy water I took over the transom ended up in the fuel hatch. Possibly the most impressive feature on this craft — and the area that will hardly ever be seen — is the wiring of the entire craft’s electrical system. Wired with specially coated cables that are made with marine tinned copper wire and which are extremely neatly installed, this system should not have any electrical malfunctions due to cable corrosion which is so prevalent in ski-boats. 24 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2020

The cabin itself is spacious and well-appointed with a cooler box/storage box under the two bum seats, making for easy access. Opening side windows as well as a roof hatch and an air scoop under the forward cabin roof-eave provided more than sufficient air movement in the cabin. With the current swing in boat building to “no wood” craft, extra effort is needed during manufacturing to ensure that a top quality finish is achieved. A thorough inspection of both the hull above deck and internal finishing enables me to state that an extremely high standard has been achieved on the Sea Cat 800. Basjan will stand on the beach at Sodwana with her head held high among what must be ranked as the finest line up of big ski-boats in South Africa. This craft has already drawn interest from a number of prospective buyers from outside the country and I am positive this model of the Sea Cat 800 will prove very popular here in South Africa.

4x4 SCENE

How an under bonnet winch arrived for survival.

By Peter Symons, AKA Mr Winch

“P

ETE, it’s Tom Jones here. You fitted a winch to my new 4x4 a few years ago and on a recent trip up to Moz I noticed it didn’t seem to have as much power as usual. I’m going to Sodwana in two weeks’ time ... can you look at it for me?” I get literally hundreds of these calls every year, and my stock answer is largely as follows: “Sure Tom. When

26 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2020

was it fitted, what winch is it and what vehicle is it on?” Bear in mind that I fit at least 100 vehicles a year and can’t remember every fitting I have ever undertaken. In addition, most modern 4x4 vehicles used by the ski-boating fraternity have their winches mounted in such a way that they are virtually hidden from view behind the vehicle’s front grille with only the fairlead rollers and winch hook visible. For this reason I first try to establish

when the fitting took place as that’s usually just after the vehicle was purchased. “Ja, Pete, it’s a XXX double cab that I purchased in 2014 so it must have been fitted soon after that. I don’t know what model winch it is … it’s the one you recommended. To be brutally honest I have never even seen the winch and I can’t find the handbook you must have given me. All I see is the hook and the remote toggle and cable to make it work.”

New cable correctly wound onto drum under tension and ready for reinstallation. Note — job card: proving it’s not a new winch.

“Tom, I’m not trying to be funny, but I presume your vehicle gets serviced every 15 000km in line with the manufacturer’s requirements?” “Yes, for sure. And you don’t need to rub it in … I know what your next question is going to be — When did you last have your winch serviced? The answer is never!” Having made my point, we arranged to have Tom’s winch properly serviced to ensure he wouldn’t have any winch problems on his tip to Sodwana Bay.

I would say about 90% of the guys I fit winches for, after deciding on the make and model required, never physically see that winch again. So long as it keeps working they let “sleeping dogs” lie. On average a recreational ski-boater uses his winch about 30 to 40 times a year and for the other 330 days it lies hidden underneath the vehicle’s bonnet but exposed to all the elements — sea sand, salt, desert dust, bush leaves etc. All these play havoc with the electrics

and gears of a winch that has to pull up to 10 000 lb when put to use. So often I see recommendations on how to ser vice your winch, and I recently watched a YouTube video on this. According to this video you just have to pull out the cable, clean it and respool, then put some lubricant spray on the hook and fairlead rollers. Sure, it’s better than nothing, but this is only 10% of what a service should entail. Another big factor is that ski-boaters generally only pull out sufficient cable to reload their craft — about 6- to 8 metres at the most. The rest of the 28 metre cable is left spooled on the drum, gently rusting away unseen and unnoticed. In the old days when a ski-boater’s winch was mounted on a bull bar in front of the vehicle’s front grille the winch itself got a lot more attention. Being fully visible, they were adequately washed down with fresh water after each use and, with a bit of luck, they also got an overall squirt of Q20 or similar lubricant muti. However today most winches are hidden away, stewing in their own juices until something goes wrong and SKI-BOAT September/October 2020 • 27

Drum before cable removed — note the galvanised and salt deterioration on the cable beneath the rusted cable that was in continual use.

Stripped completely for cleaning and servicing to commence.

Reassembled for bench testing. they stop pulling. Then they’re sworn at and called all the names in the skippers’ vocabulary including “the rubbish I was sold”. To clarify what your winch really needs, I’ve set out below all the detail I go to when a winch comes in to me for a service. I largely do these services myself and personally test the winch after the ser vice and again after remounting it in its hiding place within the confines of the 4x4 vehicle. 1. Strip the winch from the vehicle, then inspect all the supporting brackets that allow for what is the anchor point of the winch when 28 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2020

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

exerting 10 000 lb of force during operations. Totally strip the winch down to expose all the components. Clean and check every mechanical part and all the electrical components. Shot blast all areas of corrosion. Respray all the components. Lubricate the parts and reassemble the winch. Bench test the winch. If the cable is worn or rusting normally I suggest the owner replace the cable. Alternatively I soak and relubricate the cable ensuring the

lubrication gets through to the centre of the steel cable, then I rewind it back onto the drum. 9. Remount the winch ensuring that the electrics are perfect and the bolts holding the winch are tightened correctly and coated with rust prevention products. 10. I personally fully test the winch once it is reinstalled on the vehicle. I stand by the guarantee I put on my workmanship which, after 35 years in the business, speaks for itself. If you have any specific queries about your winch give me a call on 031 312 4004.

SKI-BOAT September/October 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ 29

TACTICS

Selection of lead jigs.

34 â&#x20AC;¢ SKI-BOAT September/October 2020

By Donavan Cole

QUID must be my — and many other False Bay fishermen’s — favourite species to target! Not only are they fun to catch, but they are also delicious to eat and one of the best baits to use. I can’t think of a single species of fish we catch in False Bay that would not eat a chokka bait. Our False Bay squid (Loligo reynaudii) are usually called chokka/tjokka by fishermen (this name originated with the old Kalk Bay handline fishermen) but they’re generally called calamari when prepared as a meal. South African-caught chokka is one of the tastiest squid caught anywhere in the world and demand a massive price overseas.There is a large commercial handline squid fishery off Port Elizabeth and Jeffreys Bay where they catching the same species as we catch in False Bay, and most of it is exported. Most of the time when you order calamari locally at a fish-and-chip shop or restaurant you will be eating a cheaper imported trawler-caught squid. It is softer but not as tasty as our local species. The imported squid is also sometimes used by local fishermen as bait, but there is no comparison between the two; our local squid will out-catch the imported squid every time, and many anglers refer to our local chokka as “white gold”. Chokka fishing can be quite a messy affair, though, as a mix of water and slimy black ink will be f lying around when the chokka are lifted from the water, so its always best to wear clothing that you don’t mind getting stained black. WHEN AND WHERE Chokka are commonly caught along the South African coast from False Bay to Port Alfred, but I am going to discuss fishing for them around False Bay. Chokka can be caught pretty much everywhere around the bay, but the best areas are where there’s a softer sandy or shale bottom. The most commonly fished areas are in Buffels Bay towards Cape Point and the area from

Trace setup — please note the yellow line is purely for illustration purposes.

Donavan Cole with a 53cm mantle length, 1.1kg chokka. SKI-BOAT September/October 2020 • 35

Simonstown to Muizenberg. The area off the Bull Nose (Simonstown Naval Harbour) is a favourite spot as it can usually be fished in most weather conditions and is easily accessible by pretty much anything that floats. Craft fishing here usually launch off Long Beach opposite the Simonstown train station. I’ve found that chokka can be caught right through the year in Buffels Bay and I’ve had some of my best catches in the middle of winter. Simonstown area is usually different, though; the best times there will usually be during the summer months from October to May.The 2020 season, however, proved to be very different and good catches were being made there most days in the middle of winter. Chokka can usually be caught when water temperatures are from 14°C upwards. They will however go off the bite pretty quickly when you have a very rapid drop in temperature and when a big swell and strong sea are running. Along the Simonstown to Muizenberg stretch chokka can be caught anywhere from close inshore to more than 20m of water. In Buffels Bay we will generally fish in water from 15m to as deep as 45m, but usually find the bigger squid in the deeper water. When fishing in Buffels we will usually fish in line with the big white Diaz Cross on the top of the hill above Buffels Bay slipway. I will usually start looking from a depth of around 20m and watch my echo sounder while heading straight out to sea. I’ll check to see where the best markings of chokka are and then either start drifting from there or throw anchor depending on the prevailing wind conditions. Drifting will usually result in the best catches as you will move around covering more ground. You do, however, end up losing more jigs when drifting if they snag on the bottom and it can also be quite challenging keeping your jigs down near the bottom when the wind picks up. Your best times of the day will always be early morning and late afternoon. I prefer to go and anchor or drift on my own, but some days you need to anchor between all the other boats catching because seals can be quite a nuisance. Some days you will lose almost every single chokka that you hook to them, and when you’re situated between all the other boats the seal will eventually move from boat to boat until it has eaten its fill! Our chokka generally live a maximum of 18 to 24 months and the average size caught will be between 10cm and 30cm mantle length (measured from the tip of the body to the base of the body where the head enters). Larger specimens of up to 50cm can

When the chokka are biting it can be really messy business.

Squid marking on the ground below the bait fish.

Squid marking on the echo sounder. SKI-BOAT September/October 2020 • 37

38 â&#x20AC;¢ SKI-BOAT September/October 2020

sometimes be caught. When Cape snoek are being caught in Buffels Bay you might want to think twice about fishing for chokka, as snoek love going for chokka jigs and most of the time you will go tight and get bitten off immediately by their razor sharp teeth. I’ve gone as far as trying a wire trace and didn’t lose any jigs, but the chokka would not come near the jigs with the wire traces. These days we don’t encounter snoek as often as in the past, but we often catch other species like gurnards, mackerel, maasbankers and octopus on the squid jigs. It’s best to wash the boat as you are catching, because the black ink will leave stains all over. The best thing to use for removing the marks that won’t come off is a bathroom mould cleaner, and for the really stubborn stains you can use diluted pool chlorine. TACKLE For squid fishing I will generally not fish with under 20 lb line/braid as you run the risk of losing your expensive jigs if you’re fishing too light and you snag the bottom or a seal takes your catch. I like to fish with a spinning/grinder reel in the 2 500 to 3 500 size loaded with braid. In my experience you will feel far more “bites” and catch far more when using braid than monofilament line.You will, however, lose a lot more chokka without that stretch in the line for a bit of extra give when they jet backwards. I like to use a softer rod that can handle a 1- to 2 oz jig; if the rod is too stiff then you wont feel a lot of the “bites”. When it comes to jigs it’s a case of the more expensive the jig, the better the catches. You will find jigs in every colour under the sun and with different textures, but my favourite colours are pink, blue, white, green and chartreuse/ yellow. Most days they will work but you will find days when you will end up catching most on one specific jig while others get very little interest. I frequently fish before sunrise and after sunset so I always look for jigs that have some sort of glow-in-thedark colouring on them as these will get far more action in the dark. I mostly fish two jigs on a thin fluorocarbon trace with a lead jig (1- to 2 oz depending on depth of water and current) at the bottom and a “floater” (shrimp like floating jig) just above. I drop the jigs down to the bottom and then lift them around 30cm from the bottom and wait for the bite.When the chokka are feeding off the bottom then I’ll use a single floater type jig with a small peanut-size ball sinker and cast it out and let it sink down and work it up slowly. At times you will have a lot of fine

Some of the stranger jigs out there.

Some of the author’s favourite jigs at the moment. SKI-BOAT September/October 2020 • 39

Chef Ryan Cole with a nice chokka.

Tracey Venter with a nice big tube. weed and sea grass on the seabed when fishing in Simonstown, and if your jigs touch the bottom they will get fouled up. A way to prevent this is, when you drop down the first time, lift the jigs off the bottom and then set the line in the line clip on the side of the spool (on a spinning/grinder type reel) so that when you drop down again the jigs don’t touch the bottom because the line stops at the line clip. THE BITE When catching squid there are so many different “bites”, but usually if you feel any movement or bumps on the line that will be a squid taking the jig. The most common “bite” to recognise is where the line will go slightly slack and then heavier than normal and you are usually hooked up. There is no need to strike, you simply start reeling and try not to stop reeling. Don’t pump the rod up and down as the slightest bit of slack in the line will result in you losing your catch. There are also times when you will lose the squid while reeling in and end up finding a single tentacle on the jig hooks; this is usually the case if you’re reeling them in too 40 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2020

Rudolph Terblanche with a double-up in Buffels Bay.

Warren Lock with a nice double up. fast. This also happens frequently when you’re using braided fishing line which has no stretch or give when the squid jets backwards against the jig. I find the easiest way to feel for chokka is to hold the rod and lift the tip every now and then and you will have a good feel for the weight of the jig, so that when you lift the tip of the rod and feel extra weight you then keep the tip raised and start reeling in and you should be hooked up. CATCH RESTRICTIONS In addition to a Post Office-issued Recreational Fishing Permit you will also require a molluscs fishing permit (number 9) to legally catch squid.There is no legal size limit and you have a daily bag limit of 20 squid per person. Currently there is a closed season for catching squid from 12h00 noon on 19 October to 12h00 noon on 30 November of any year (as per the Marine Recreational Activity Information Brochure). Please check your most recent regulations as this could change. Happy squidding.

SKI-BOAT September/October 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ 41

RECIPE

The final product — fire roasted chokka in a curry sauce.

FIRE ROASTED CHOKKA CURRY By Chef Ryan Cole INGREDIENTS: 8 medium sized chokka 1 tin chopped tomatoes 1 tin coconut cream 1 tbsp hot masala 1 onion, peeled and chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 thumb ginger, peeled and chopped 1 tbsp butter 20g coriander, chopped Canola oil Salt Pepper 1 lemon 10g toasted coconut flakes METHOD: 1. Prepare your braai and get the fire going. 2. Clean the chokka as shown. 3. Cut open the tubes lengthways. Score the inside with a sharp knife and rub in 1 tbsp oil and 5g fine salt, 2g hot masala and a squeeze of lemon juice. 4. On a hot braai with the scored side down char the chokka for 1 minute, then flip over for a further 30 seconds. Remove from the fire and set aside. 5. In a hot pan, heat 100ml oil. Fry the chopped garlic and ginger until golden. Add the chopped onion and sweat until it turns translucent. 42 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2020

Remove the chokka’s wings and skin.

The cleaned tube and tentacles.

Split the tube down one side, open up and score the inside flesh with a sharp knife.

Rub salt, spice and lemon into the chokka five minutes before cooking.

Braai the chokka scored-side down over very hot coals.

Slice up the cooked, curried chokka before adding it to the curry sauce. 6. Sprinkle in your curry powder, 1 tbsp butter and 100ml water. Reduce by half. 7. Add the tomatoes and the coconut cream. Cook for 20 minutes on a medium heat. 8. Meanwhile, roll up the chokka and slice into thin strips. 9. Once the curry is done, season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice. 10. Garnish your curry with chopped coriander and coconut flakes. Serve with steamed rice if desired. SKI-BOAT September/October 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ 43

MARKETPLACE

THE

THRILL IS IN THE

Suzuki unveils top class ULTIMATE DF140 with drive-by-wire

UZUKI Motor Corporation has unveiled its new DF140BG outboards, the first 4stroke 140hp outboards in the world* to offer drive-by-wire throttle and

shift. While 140hp outboards are mainly installed on mid-sized pleasure boats, there is a rising need among customers who wish to have the same advanced technologies of high-power outboards installed on large-sized boats. Hence, the DF140BG feaures the driveby-wire throttle and shift control technology called Suzuki Precision Control, which is installed on Suzuki’s larger outboards ranging from 150- to 350hp.This control system replaces the conventional mechanical cable with electrical wires to produce smooth and secure shifting as well as swift and precise throttle control. The reliability and precision control of Suzuki’s drive-by-wire technology has been proven over the years on Suzuki’s popular 150hp through 350hp models. Suzuki is providing simplified rigging for a wide range of boat builders, along with silky smooth shifting, instant throttle response, enhanced performance and superior fuel efficiency. Combined with the Lean Burn Control System, the motors’ fuel efficiency has been enhanced at a wide range of speeds. Enhancements to Suzuki’s new DF140BG go far beyond the integration of drive-by-wire technology. An upgraded compression ratio of 10.6:1 helps these new 2.0-litre displacement outboards achieve better top speeds and acceleration by improving thermal efficiency. Fuel efficiency has also been increased as compared to Suzuki’s existing DF140A models. Tests have demonstrated an improvement of as much as 5% to 7% for the DF140BG across mid-range to high-end cruising speeds. Other improvements include a 40 amp alternator that delivers improved output and better charging performance at low idle speeds which is ideal for today’s power-hungry fishing boats that spend a lot of time trolling. While much has changed under the cowl, some enhancements to the new DF140BG are obvious to the eye. The engine itself features a sporty, streamlined exterior design that looks great on most boats. With 20-inch (L) and 25-inch (X) shaft lengths available, the new DF140BG outboards are an ideal power choice for a wide range of fresh- and saltwater boats. The new outboards boast new graphics and are available in Suzuki Pearl Nebular Black and new-for2021 Super Cool White colour schemes. The redesigned cowl also incorporates a new air intake structure with improved water separation, and a silencer-resonator system to attenuate engine sounds and provide a pleasant boating experience at all engine speeds/RPM.

44 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2020

EXPERIENCE To make routine maintenance easier, Suzuki made it possible to replace the oil filter simply by removing the upper engine cover. A new oil spill catcher surrounding the oil filter mount allows one to change the filter without making a mess. Suzuki also added an easy access water detection fuel filter to help protect the engine against contaminated fuel. “We are pleased to bring new technology and performance to this important class of outboard motor,” said Tanja Maes, Sales and Marketing Marine Manager for Suzuki Marine Southern Africa. “These are not only the world’s first 4-stroke outboards in their class to include factory drive-by-wire technology, but they also feature a new design, a new look and enhanced performance for a wide range of boats around the world.” The DF140BG outboards will be produced at the Kosai Plant in Japan from October 2020 and will be available in South Africa in November 2020. Limited stock will be available and South African customers can pre-book their orders now.The suggested retail price is currently estimated at R196 000 (incl. VAT) and includes all genuine rigging accessories. For the foreseeable future, Suzuki Marine will continue to offer the existing DF140A four-cylinder 4-stroke outboards alongside the new models. For more information on this story or about Suzuki’s range of outboards, please visit <www.suzukimarine.co.za>. *Based on Suzuki research as of June 2020. MAIN FEATURES OF DF140BG • First 4-stroke 140hp outboards in the world* to offer drive-by-wire throttle and shift system called the Suzuki Precision Control. • Upgraded compression ratio from tried and tested 2 045cm3 four-cylinder 4-stroke engine of DF140A series to realise enhanced output characteristics and fuel efficiency. • Redesigned cowling which incorporates new air intake structure with enhanced intake performance. • Oil filter position has been reviewed which makes it possible to replace the oil filter simply by removing the upper engine cover for easier maintenance. *Based on Suzuki research as of June 2020.

SKI-BOAT September/October 2020 • 45

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Phillip Marx, SADSAA President S we move into the second half of 2020, the Covid-19 lockdown continues to bring new challenges and frustrations. The opening up of recreational fishing brought some much-needed relief to those of us lucky enough to be able to access the coastline.We are deeply grateful to all those who had a

hand in negotiating on our behalf, especially Andries Maree, President of SASACC, and Hannah Winkler, DA Deputy Shadow Minister of Environmental Affairs (DEFF). It has been a blessing to be able to get out on the sea once again. Well done to all those clubs that put in an enormous effort to bring their launching sites in line with the stipulated regulations in a short space of time. It was not an easy task, but one that was appreciated by all boat owners. Unfortunately our Vice-President, Jaco Lingenfelder, has resigned with immediate effect. Jaco has made it clear that although his heart is still

very much with SADSAA, he has too many business commitments right now to be able to continue in the position.We thank Jaco for his years of service to both SADSAA and the sport of angling. With this in mind we have asked Chris Schorn to step into the VicePresident position and Vikki Bezuidenhout to take on the role of National Secretary, both with immediate effect. This is in line with the results of the recent vote that took place, and it makes sense to announce these positions now. The rest of the council positions, as well as the selectors, will be made known at the AGM in October.

ANOTHER INCREDIBLE CATCH Karla Rautmann caught this 94.9kg yellowfin tuna on 24kg line on 31 May 2020. She was once again fishing aboard Seekat owned by her proud dad, Gus. The fight lasted three hours and 20 minutes. Congratulations, Karla!

SADSAA CONTACTS: Email: <info@sadsaa.co.za> • Website: <www.sadsaa.co.za> 46 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2020

SAMSA

TOURNAMENTS

SAMSA offices have re-opened slowly under level 3, and Lyn Adams in the Benoni Safety Office is once again meeting with her contacts there to try and sort out some of the long-outstanding problems relating the issuing of skippers’ licences. The personal approach has definitely shown benefits when it comes to the new applications being hand-delivered and signed for. We are also most grateful to Lyn for her tenacity when it comes to dealing with the older applications. Training and surveys are also now underway, so you can ensure everything is up to date for your next seaside holiday.

N July 2020, SASACC announced that angling had permission to move forward with a “professional angling league”, and released guidelines regulating the conditions under which these competitions can operate. While these leagues do not operate within deep sea fishing in the same sense as they do within other sporting structure, the SADSAA provincial committees have been looking to see if there is a way to make it work for the anglers. At the very least it is the beginning of a gradual return to competitive angling as we know it. All 2020 SADSAA Interprovincial and National tournaments were postponed to 2021, with the same hosts and venues.

BLAST FROM THE PAST

ACK in the mid 1970s Gold Medal Service Awards for ten years or more service to SASBA were awarded to [front]Graham Winch, Peter Wiid, Hymie Steyn and Piet Jacobs, as well as [back] Stief Rootman and Jimmy Depradines. These were the stalwarts of the sport from the inception of the South African Ski-Boat Association and played a major role not only in its formation, but also in setting deep sea angling on the right course into the future.

READERS’ QUERIES SADSAA’s President, Phillip Marx, has undertaken to answer a limited number of readers’ queries regarding SADSAA in each issue. If you have a question you would like answered, email him on <president@sadsaa.co.za>.

UPCOMING TOURNAMENTS • 8–12 March 2021, Struisbaai SADSAA Bottomfish Nationals, • 15–19 March 2021 Mynmanne, Sodwana Bay • 29 March – 2 April 2021 SADSAA Junior Gamefish Nationals, Point Yacht Club • 24 April – 1 May 2021 GBBAC Offshore Classic, Gordon’s Bay • 26 April – 1 May 2021 Port St Francis Ski Boat Challenge, Port St Francis • 9–14 May 2021 All Inland, Sodwana Bay • 28 June – 2 July 2021 SADSAA Light Tackle Billfish Nationals, Sodwana Bay • 11–15 October 2021 SADSAA Light Tackle Billfish Interprovincial

SKI-BOAT September/October 2020 • 47

SCIENTIFIC

SHAD AHOY Surprise recapture of tagged fish in deep water

N 23 December 2019 the Oceanographic Research Institute (ORI) had the 372nd elf/shad tag recapture for the ORI Tagging Project.This shad was originally tagged on 21 February 2018 by a team of scientists from the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries at Lekkerwater which is part of the De Hoop Marine Protected Area in the Western Cape. At the time it measured 51.1cm fork length. It was recaptured 670 days later by Gary Heath in Richards Bay by which time it had grown to 72cm FL. It had travelled an impressive 1 496km north from the place it was first caught! Considering the time that had lapsed it’s even possible this was the shad’s second visit up the coast in those 670 days. Quite a feat for a small fish. Adult and sub-adult shad generally undertake an annual northward seasonal migration between the Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. The arrival of shad in KZN coincides with the onset of spawning activity.These shad feed primarily on sardines, which also undergo a northward migration during winter. There is an annual, nationwide two-month closed season for this species, from 1 October to 30 November, to protect shad during their peak breeding season. According to Bruce Mann,“The shad recapture was fairly typical of the annual spawning migration of this species. The quality of the tagging and recapture details was good and this type of recapture helps to emphasise why there are specific regulations in place.” Gary Heath is the angler who caught the tagged shad after its incredibly long swim up the east coast of South Africa.A prominent competitive deep sea angler, Gary has spent his life fishing off the

48 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2020

Zululand Coast and attained provincial and national colours for light tackle gamefishing. After a slow day trolling for dorado deep off Richards Bay in December last year Gary decided to head for home, leaving the dorado lures out with the long lines on a bird.Approximately 4km out to sea in around 60m of water in “no man’s land”, he noticed the long line rod bending and something flapping on the water’s surface a good 25m behind the boat. Presuming he had hooked a bit of plastic or debris, Gary maintained his troll speed and retrieved the line with the object still flapping on the surface. To his surprise, as it got closer he realised it was a small fish. When it was boated he was even more surprised to see it was a shad, and a tagged shad at that. The well dragged shad had been properly hooked through the roof of the mouth with the 9/0 and was unfortunately too badly damaged to be revived and released. “This was a very unusual catch in deep water. In fact, in my 40 years of fishing this area I have never caught a

shad on the surface in such deep water,” said Gary (pictured below). This unusual catch reaffirms the scientific value of the entire tagging program as it makes one think about what this small fish has done to travel almost 1 500km up the coast. The Oceanographic Research Institute’s Cooperative Fish Tagging Project (ORI-CFTP) has recently released 15 new instructional tagging videos. These videos provide the background to the ORI-CFTP and what they need from their members; they also offer some important tips on how to be a more aware and responsible angler. The videos cover all aspects of the ORI-CFTP including: why you should tag and release fish; tagging kit contents; priority species they would like tagged; different hook types and preparation; how to measure different species; handling, landing and tagging various species from the shore and on a boat; recording and sending in tag release information; and most importantly reporting a recapture and filling in a tag recapture form. Viewers can also see how to handle a fish that may be suffering from barotrauma, a common occurrence in some species caught in deep water. Included are videos on various hook types, knots and information on debarbing hooks that ensure quick and safe hook removal from your fish. For new and existing members there are tips on kit maintenance. All tagging members are encouraged to watch and share these useful videos. The videos also provide all the information that you need to correctly report tag recapture information. Tag recaptures are one of the most important and exciting aspects of the ORI-CFTP. Recaptured fish allow them to investigate movement patterns, growth rates and population dynamics of the fish species tagged along the southern African coastline and ultimately contribute towards their conservation. It is interesting and exciting to see where a recaptured fish was originally tagged, how far it has travelled, who originally tagged it and how much it has grown. As anyone who is fishing in the sea stands a chance of catching a tagged fish, it is very important to know exactly what information to record and how to send it to ORI. For more information on the tagging project and to watch the tagging videos visit <www.saambr.org.za/ori-tagrelease/>.

Subscribe to

1st July 2020 and 1st October 2020 and win

YOUR NEXT YEAR’S SUBSCRIPTION ABSOLUTELY FREE! Three lucky subscribers will each win a full year’s subscription to SKI-BOAT magazine, valued at the newsstand price of R216. This means, should you subscribe and win, you will receive your next year’s subscription ABSOLUTELY FREE!

DON’T DELAY, SUBSCRIBE TODAY! 1 YEAR — 6 ISSUES

R210 Now R180,00

E V SA 7% 1

All about action!

Yes! Enter my subscription to SKI-BOAT Magazine I save 17% on the newsstand price! 1 Year (6 issues) only R180.00. Save R36.00! New subscriber Existing subscriber

ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN E-ZINE. Get your FREE digital subscription at www.issuu.com

Name .......................................................................................................................................... Address ....................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................Code:............... Telephone .................................................(Home) .................................................. (Work)

All about fishing!

Cell............................................. Foreign subscriptions:

Email Address.................................................................

Airmail • Overseas and African countries add R450 (All bank charges for subscriber’s account) Airmail • Namibia and Swaziland add R250

Subscription to commence with...................................................................................issue Payment options: Direct deposits or EFT MAIL TO: Angler Publications, PO Box 20545, Durban North 4016 BANKING DETAILS FOR DIRECT DEPOSITS OR INTERNET PAYMENTS (eft) A/C Name: Angler Publications • Bank: First National Bank • Branch: Durban North • Branch Code: 220426 • A/C Number: 50790026585

Please email proof of payment and address details to <angler@mags.co.za>

FREE DIGITAL E-ZINE ON WWW.ISSUU.COM SKI-BOAT September/October 2020 • 49

TACTICS

Part 3: Bringing it all together By Rob Naysmith, Down South Marine

HERE is something almost spiritual about feeling the water move beneath your feet, and never has this been more evident than since our release back onto the waters after lockdown. It highlights how much our personal wellbeing depends on owning a boat or having a best friend who owns one. This makes it even more important that we spend some time getting to understand the boat and, despite what others may say, it is never wasted time. I have left some of the most impor-

tant aspects of a boat to the last, hopefully bringing everything together to show how each part mentioned, becomes an intricate part of the whole. So, let’s not waste any more time — we have fish to catch…. LENGTH I’m often asked where the actual length of a boat is measured. The term used is LOA (length overall) and it is a straight line from the tip of the bow to the centre of the transom, excluding any bowsprits, railings, engines, outmounts or anything that may protrude fore or aft; it is only the hull that is measured.

There is another common measurement in boating, although we skiboaters seldom refer to it, and that is the LWL (Loaded Waterline Length). This is the measured length of the boat’s hull at water level, when it is lying, fully loaded, on the water — again, bow to transom in a straight line. BEAM The beam of a boat is measured from outside edge to outside edge of the gunwales at the widest point.The wider the beam of a boat in relation to the LWL, the more stability the boat will have on the water. But remember that there is a SKI-BOAT September/October 2020 • 53

54 â&#x20AC;¢ SKI-BOAT September/October 2020

limit, mostly regulated by the National Road Traffic Act. A trailer may have a maximum width on the road, of 2.5 metres, so the trailered boat may not have a beam wider than 2.5m.

Different height transoms mean you need different shaft length motors, but the mounting-bolt holes make it easy to raise or lower the outboard on the transom.

TRANSOM HEIGHT Another common, and particularly important, question is about transom heights and what shaft length outboard engine is required. Basically, the shaft length required is determined from where your outboard sits on the transom, to where the cavitation plate is in line with, or slightly below the bottom of the hull. The cavitation plate is that big fin that sticks out just above the propeller. A simple rule of thumb is that a transom height of 20 inches requires a Long or Standard shaft engine, a 25-inch transom requires an Extra Long shaft and 30 inches an Ultra Long shaft. However, there are ways to make an engine fit â&#x20AC;&#x201D; e ither raise the engine using its mounting bolt holes, raise the height of the transom or notch out the transom to reduce its height. If you choose to raise or notch a transom, make sure the work is correctly glassed and sealed to avoid any water getting into the transom timber. Also remember that there is only so much you can notch out of a transom before your engine lives under water, so be careful.

SKI-BOAT September/October 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ 55

Outmounts have changed a great deal from the 1980s version shown above left and the 2020 version shown above right, with boat manufacturers coming up with some truly innovative designs.

OUTMOUNTS Occasionally you will find a boat with outmounts and wonder what purpose they serve. Outmounts — also referred to as “hull extensions” — were designed to allow more space in a boat and give one the ability to raise the transom height to that of the gunwales. Outmounts are metal brackets, either stainless steel or aluminium, which are bolted to the transom of a boat, extending the distance of the engines from the back of the boat. There are advantages and disadvantages to fitting outmounts, you just have to figure out whether they will be suitable for your boat. A big advantage of outmounts is that they allow the engines to run in cleaner, less turbulent water. This reduces propeller slippage, increases efficiency and often reduces the horsepower requirements. The downside is that when you add the weight of the outboards the balance is moved further back. In many instances this makes the transom lie deeper in the water at rest, and that results in the deck flooding through the scuppers and the dunking of the engines which is not a good thing. To solve this problem a flotation box is fitted around the outmounts, adding buoyancy which lifts the transom back out the water. However, this again presents another set of issues — the box needs to be shaped shallow enough to allow the boat’s wake to rise uninhibited up to the engines, failing which the whole concept becomes an exercise in futility … rather just go and buy a longer boat. When fitting the engines to the outmounts they must be raised one inch for every one foot they are moved back from the transom. This is because the water compressed by the hull as it passes over it, rises again trying to find its mean sea level. This is known as the wake, and unless the engines are higher than they would be directly on the transom, they will be running too deep in the water.The wake also carries aeration which dissipates substantially before reaching the engines giving them nice clean water to power through. WATERTIGHT COMPARTMENTS The function of a watertight compartment is to keep water out, making them buoyant pockets within the vessel. The most common watertight compartments are found below the deck, with each one an enclosed area separate from the next. Often one incorrectly refers to a compartment for storing various goodies whilst at sea, as being watertight when they are really just splashproof. Anything with a plastic hatch in it, whether round or rectangular, is not watertight, no matter what they say.

56 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2020

BUOYANCY One of the most important aspects of a boat is its ability to stay afloat when everything else has gone wrong.A floating boat means you have a life raft, the vessel and some of its belongings can be recovered, and it gives the search parties something sizable to find. So, let’s first get to understand the difference between buoyancy and flotation and how they work together. Buoyancy is the upward force subjected by the water on an object, and the aim of a boat is to have a positive buoyancy to float. Without becoming too technical, a boat is only able to stay on the surface because of the shape of its hull, and yes, even steel and concrete boats float because of their shape. But fill them with water and they will all sink. A hull floats because it displaces water up to a point where the boat and the amount of water it displaces weigh the same; this is measured as buoyancy and shows as the waterline. Now, when you add more weight to the boat it sinks deeper and the waterline rises as the buoyancy level is once again reached. Keep adding weight and eventually the water comes in over the gunwales and the boat can no longer float bcause it has lost its positive buoyancy. FLOTATION To overcome this sinking feeling we include what we refer to as flotation. How flotation works is that, because it stops the water completely filling the boat, it creates a positively buoyant section (a watertight compartment) within the boat. So even if you fill the boat with water, the positively buoyant section keeps enough water out so that the boat cannot weigh more than the water it displaces. The result of careful calculations and adding sufficient indestructible floatation ensures that the boat will theoretically be unsinkable. The use of watertight bulkheads provides trapped pockets of air as flotation sufficient to keep the boat afloat. These are evident in many of the bigger sportfishing vessels and of course ships, however, a sufficiently powerful bilge pump is mandatory in each of these compartments. The pleasure boats and ski-boats as we know them, add flotation material to these watertight compartments between the bulkheads so there is even less chance of sinking. Although most flotation is secured under the deck, filling the gunwales and sides with foam greatly assists in ensuring the boat floats upright if swamped. Floatation media used in local boats is usually either sealed plastic bottles or polyurethane expanded foam. We repair many boats that come into the shop with compromised or water-filled floatation. Never let anyone

Nowadays most boat hulls are foam-filled to provide the necessary flotation. tell you that foam does not absorb water — it does, and once the water is in it’s almost impossible to remove. How do you know if your boat has water in it, especially when you do not have drain outlets? Some of the first signs are that the boat feels sluggish, it doesn’t respond like it should, steering becomes more difficult and it lies deeper in the water. The negative impact is that your power is reduced while the fuel consumption skyrockets and the boat becomes dangerously unstable, especially in surf and big swells. Here’s a bit of unwelcome news: if you have one of those little round “inspection” hatches in your deck, the type they insist you need for checking that you have flotation, you have water in your hull. I’m not one for bad news, so to cheer you up here’s some good news: flotation can be replaced, cracks, holes and chips can be fixed and boats can be made new again — we do it all the time.

In the past few months’ articles I’ve covered many of the different aspects making up a boat, including the sometimes seemingly irrelevant inclusions. It’s incredible to think that so many of the boat parts that we take for granted were, just a few years ago, not even considered as being beneficial enough to warrant design modification. You now have the knowledge to look differently at your boat and visualise how a few minor changes can enhance her performance and seaworthiness. It’s been a pleasure writing these articles and the tremendously positive response we’ve received has been overwhelming, thank you. If you have any questions or comments please drop me a line at <rob@downsouthmarine.com> or phone 083 235 9550. Watch out for our new boat to be launched in time for this summer; it’s awesome, and remember that everyone needs a second boat ... SKI-BOAT September/October 2020 • 57

WHAT A FISH! by Wynand Smit (16)

N 9 Januar y 2020 my father (Ben), my brother in-law (Jay-Jay Klaasen), my friend (Juandre Basson) and I went fishing off Richards Bay on my father’s skiboat. Waking up in the morning to that fresh smell of saltwater is amazing, especially when you know you are going deep sea fishing! We first went to quickly fill up our live well with some mackerels, pinkies and shad, acting quickly because we wanted to get to the spot.You know the saying “the early bird catches the worm”? That’s us — we wake up at 3am and return only after 3pm. With livebait in the well we went to one of Dad’s secret fishing spots near the Petingo wreck on the 40m mark, looking for rockcod and soldiers. We fished the whole day, slowly catching fish, but then suddenly I saw a very big mark on the fishfinder and decided to drop my live bait setup. Using a 9/0 Eagle Claw circle hook with a 10 oz sinker, I put a live 40cm shad on for bait. The showing had disappeared, but after five minutes I felt a huge tug on my rod. Knowing the fish’s size, I free spooled my TLD20 (30 lb Boss braid 8x with a 35 lb mono leader), giving the fish at least five seconds to eat the bait, then I switched to first gear and the fish started pulling drag; I set the hook and shouted “I’m on!” Everyone else turned around, stopped what they were doing and

looked at how the big fish was pulling. My dad made the call: “Lines up, it’s a BIG FISH!” The fish took lots of line and I fought it for 40 minutes before the poenskop surfaced. We had seen the fish from 10 metres and realised it was really, really big! Once it got close we gaffed the fish and I removed the circle hook which was perfectly hooked in the side of the mouth. The musselcracker was weighed at Richards Bay Ski-boat Club and was a whopping 30.7kg. I now hold the junior club record for the musselcracker division. What an amazing day and the catch of a life time. On 16 March we headed out at 3am to Nhlabane on the 30m mark to catch some scotsman and slinger. The day started slowly but we managed to catch a few fish. I had set up a trapstick with a golden green duster and a whole sardine with a number 7 wire king mackerel rig, hoping a ’cuda would take my bait. Ten minutes after anchoring I had a bite on my trapstick. The fish pulled and then bit off the number 7 wire! I retied the rig with a big eye mackerel we had caught a couple of weeks ago. About 30 minutes passed and the bottom fish stopped biting then we heard my trapstick go off! The fish started with a big run and as soon as I felt the head shakes, tail movement and speed we realised I was on with a big fish I fought the fish for 40 minutes against a strong current and eventually managed to land it. It was my first ’cuda and weighed 16.3kg.What a fish!

LEGALITIES

GETTING LEGAL VHF radio requirements on small vessels

By Dale Evans, Autshumato Maritime Centre N 30 March 2015, in accordance with Marine Notice 6 of 2015, the South African Maritime Authority informed the public of the cessation of the 29Mhz Distress Watch Keeping by Telkom Maritime Services. This meant that the existing analogue shore-based radio equipment would be replaced by digital equipment, and for small vessels to interact with the digital equipment once the system is fully operational a VHF radio with DSC capability will be required. This will also ensure interoperability between all vessels. As the aural watch-keeping by Telkom ceased on 1 January 2016, the installation of the 29Mhz as a safety option in terms of item 18 Annexure 2 of the Merchant Shipping (National Small Vessel Safety) Regulations 2007 will no longer be appropriate. Vessels covered by such regulations had to be equipped with a VHF marine radio to comply with the safety requirements by their first safety survey after 1 January 2016.

NEXT STEP On 27 September 2016, in accordance with Marine Notice 32 of 2016, SAMSA informed the public of the radio equipment required to be carried on small vessels. As the current regulations do not make provision for the carriage of DSC enabled radio equipment, SAMSA undertook to inform the boating public of the phase-in period for the implementation of these requirements. MARINE RADIO OPERATOR CERTIFICATION The current Radio Telephone certificate remains valid for the purpose for which it was issued i.e. the operation of a voiceactivated marine VHF radio only, and is acceptable for use on vessels equipped with marine VHF radios that have not been DSC enabled. The Short Range Certificate (SRC) is required by operators that are operating

DSC enabled VHF radios. SAMSA has encouraged RT certificate holders to do the conversion to the SRC at their earliest convenience so as to be ready once the aural watchkeeping on VHF channel 16 is terminated. LICENSING All marine radio equipment has to be licensed by The Independent Communication Authority of South Africa (ICASA). Before a VHF marine radio is purchased and/or used, a ship station radio licence must be obtained from ICASA. Maritime Mobile Service Identification (MMSI) numbers will only be issued to applicants who are in possesion of an SRC which must be submitted with the application. The MMSI number has to be programmed into the VHF DSC capable radio to enable and use the DSC functions built into the radio. Documentation required to be onboard at all reasonable times: • Operators’ Certificate — e ither Short Range Certificate (SRC) or Radio Telephone (RT) Operator’s Certificate. • Frequency Spectrum Licence issued by ICASA. SUMMARY • All vessels — with the exception of vessels surveyed as Category R — are required to be equipped with a VHF marine (DSC enabled or voice only) radio by the first survey after 1 January 2016. • Radio operators must be in posses-

sion of an SRC for DSC-enabled VHF radios, or an RT certificate for voiceonly operated VHF radios. • The radio equipment is to be licensed by ICASA. • The radio equipment with which the vessel is equipped must be a fixed installation in accordance with the Merchant Shipping (Radio Installation) Regulation, 2002 read with the Merchant Shipping Act 1951 (Act 57 of 1951) Chapter V part 1 — Construction of ships, provision of life-saving appliances and installation of radio. • The use of a portable two-way VHF radio telephone apparatus is only for the following use: • For distress communication between the mother vessel and lifesaving appliances and between lifesaving appliances • For on-board communication between the controlling station and slave stations and between slave stations. • Any vessel can carry a VHF DSC portable/handheld radio. The VHF DSC portable radio cannot, however, be carried in place of the mandatory VHD DSC (fixed) or VHF (fixed) carriage requirements as listed in the Merchant Shipping (Radio Installations) Regulations and Merchant Shipping (National Small Vessel Safety) Regulations. VHF DSC portable radios have on numerous occasions been tested by radio surveyors during annual radio surveys and recently during the at-sea audit of the South African maritime radio coastal infrastructure. The performance of the VHF portable radio is severely limited by the output power, length/height of the antenna and battery power supply, and this type of radio is primarily designed for on-scene SAR radio communications. Certain VHF portable radios do however meet the IMO performance standards for VHF portable radios i.e. the radios meet the performance specifications, are orange in colour, waterproof to a certain depth etc.VHF portable radios are not meant to be used for primary communications purposes.

SKI-BOAT September/October 2020 • 59

SKI-BOAT magazine, in conjunction with Mercury, is proud to offer all junior deep sea anglers the opportunity to win awards for excellence in angling. If you are 16 years old or younger and you submit a photo of yourself and the fish you caught, you will receive a handsome certificate suitably inscribed confirming the catch. And there’s more ... Once a year the names of all junior anglers whos photographs appeared on the Mercury Junior Angler page will be included in a lucky draw and the winner will receive, courtesy of Mercury, a fantastic prize of a 2.5hp outboard motor. All you need to do is send us a photograph of yourself and your catch, together with the following details: • Your name address, telephone number and date of birth • Species and weight of the fish you caught • Line class used • Date and place fish was caught • Boat and skipper’s name All entries should be sent to : Mercury Junior Angler SKI-BOAT magazine PO Box 20545, Durban North 4016 or email your entry to <angler@mags.co.za>. There is no restriction on the number of awards that can be applied for, and SKI-BOAT magazine reserves the right to use the photographs as it sees fit. A selection of five award winners will appear in each issue of SKI-BOAT magazine. Junior anglers, Mercury and SKI-BOAT magazine acknowledge that you hold the future of our sport in your hands. Here’s your chance to show us what you can do!

60 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2020

MARKETPLACE

Two Oceans Marine launches their largest Magnum Power Catamaran

HE Magnum 46 Power Catamaran Walkaround model is the newest addition to the Magnum Power Catamaran range from Two Oceans Marine Manufacturing. Two Oceans Marine started building the Magnum Power Catamaran range in 1996 with the Magnum 780, and to date the Cape Town-based manufacturer of custom sail and power catamarans has launched an impressive number of these vessels. The current range includes the Magnum 23 Centre Console, the Magnum 2750 Walkaround and Centre Console, the Magnum 32 Walkaround and Full Cabin Sportfisher, the Magnum 36 Walkaround, and now the Magnum 46 Walkaround. These craft are highly customisable for a wide range of commercial and leisure applications and these vessels are very popular for sportfishing and leisure boating. The Magnum 46 Power Catamaran was developed from the highly successful Magnum 36 Power Catamaran and has been re-engineered to allow for a greater waterplane area. This is to primarily allow for an increased load-carrying capability, superior comfort and increased running speeds. The waterline length and the beam have both been increased, and the tunnel entry and exit zones have been modified. In order to reduce overall weight, the method of construction has been altered to incorporate the use of foam sandwich construction for all parts of the vessel above the waterline. The in-house design brief was to improve on the performance and load

carrying capabilities of the 36 foot hull. This has been accomplished and initial calculations and sea trials returned performance figures that are even better than anticipated. The hull is well suited to inboard power and has proven to be fuel efficient, comfortable and fast. The new Magnum 46 Power Catamaran, like its predecessors, is built to endure the Cape of Storms, and the deck layout has been designed specifically to satisfy the needs of the serious fisherman.The walkaround cabin makes it possible to operate safely in a 360 degrees arc. She can accommodate six sport fishermen very comfortably for a night at sea, as she boasts a very comfortable saloon area complete with a galley, two cabins, a large heads and a comfortable

separate shower. The catamaran hull provides excellent stability with a dry and soft ride. Particular emphasis has been placed on following sea performance as the vessels in the Magnum Power Catamaran range typically travel extended distances in open waters. Read more about her at <www.2oceans.co.za>. Specifications and dimensions of the Magnum 46 Power Catamaran Walkaround model: LOA: 14.02m Beam: 4.2m Draft: 0.700m Boat weight [operational, incl power/fuel]: Âą 11000 kg Fuel [standard capacity]: Enough for approximately 250 nautical miles

SKI-BOAT September/October 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ 63

Garmin® expands solar charging technology to popular multisport smartwatches

64 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2020

Advanced Skippers’ Training . . . . . . . 22 Anglers Apparel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

ARMIN International recently announced the expansion of its solar charging technology to its Instinct, fenix 6 and 6S and tactix Delta adventure and multisport smartwatches. Building on the success of Garmin’s first solar charging multisport watch, the fenix 6X Pro Solar, these new solar editions allow customers to “Do What They Love Longer” through significantly increased battery life and new purpose-built functionality including surf, mountain biking and climbing activities. “Garmin’s multisport GPS watches are the choice for athletes and adventurers wanting to push themselves through the next mile or over the next mountain. Using our solar capabilities, the new Instinct, fenix 6 and 6S, and tactix Delta solar watches provide extraordinary battery life and give customers the ability to follow their passion to the sunset and further,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of global consumer sales.“In addition to the solar charging capabilities, these editions are full of updated and unique features.” Representing a milestone for Garmin, Instinct Solar can provide unlimited battery life with sufficient solar exposure in Battery Saver mode. Using Expedition Mode with sufficient solar exposure, Instinct Solar provides increased GPS functionality while still delivering over two months of battery life. The Instinct Solar series also boasts up to 24 days in smartwatch mode indoors and more than 50 days with sufficient solar exposure. Instinct Solar Surf Edition is purpose-built with specialised surf features such as tide data and a dedicated surfing activity to help surfers make the most of every wave. Water-rated to 100 metres, the Instinct Solar Surf Edition is a multisport water-recreation watch. Instinct Solar Tactical Edition is equipped with tactical-specific features such as night-vision goggle compatibility and Stealth mode. In addition to Instinct’s already robust outdoor activity and health tracking, Instinct Solar now also includes Pulse Ox2 to gauge how well an individual’s body is absorbing oxygen and Body Battery to optimise body energy reserves through health monitoring metrics. The fenix 6S Pro Solar and fenix 6 Pro Solar are the newest members of the Garmin f lagship multisport GPS smartwatch line. Featuring Garmin Power Glass™ solar charging lens and a customisable Power Manager mode, fenix 6 Series Solar Editions harness the power of the sun to stay on and remain performance-ready for weeks, so users

AD INDEX

Butt Cat Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Club Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Club Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Down South Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Durban Yamaha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Garmin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Garmin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Graphic Design services. . . . . . . . . . . 43 will have more on-wrist time to enjoy their activities.The fenix 6 and 6S Solar editions come surf, mountain bike and indoor climb-ready. The fenix 6 Series Solar Editions also include Advanced Sleep Monitoring which provides a detailed breakdown of the user’s light, deep and REM sleep stages as well as Pulse Ox and respiration data.This can be viewed on a dedicated widget that includes your stress score and sleep insights. The tactix Delta Solar Edition is the fourth generation of the tactix family, which is developed on the fenix series platform. Built to military standards (MIL-STD-810), the tactix Delta Solar Edition uses solar charging to extend battery life and Power Manager mode to provide up to 21 days indoors and up to 24 days with sufficient solar exposure. Mission-ready features on the tactix Delta Solar Edition include stealth mode, which disables location sharing and wireless connectivity, and a kill switch to wipe all user memory. The rugged, sophisticated design features an always-on 1.4” display, scratch-resistant sapphire lens, black DLC-coated steel bezel, black PVD-coated steel rear cover and all-new military-inspired black tactical nylon QuickFit® band with reinforced stitching and exposed black metal hardware. With specialised tactical features as well as mapping, music, advanced training and the same smart features from the fenix 6 family, the tactix Delta – Solar Edition is built for demanding field use and everyday wear. The Instinct Solar, fenix 6 Series – Solar Editions and tactix Delta Solar Edition represent the continued innovation of Garmin solar technology initiatives and are available now. For more information on these and other Garmin products, visit <www.garmin.com>.

Lowrance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Lowrance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 MDM — Raymarine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 MDM — Raymarine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Mercury — Rutherford Marine . . . . . 14 Mercury — Rutherford Marine . . . . . 60 Mr Winch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Natal Caravans & Marine . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Natal Caravans & Marine . . . . . . . . . . 67 NSRI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Ocean Life Charters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Power Full Marine Cables. . . . . . . . . . 29 Safari Outdoor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Seaport Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Supercat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Suzuki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 The Kingfisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Two Oceans Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Two Oceans Marine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Vanguard Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 X-Boats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Yamaha Evo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Yamaha outboards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

BUSINESS CLASSIFIEDS & DIRECTORY

RAPALA LIP

Last word from the ladies

When you’ve gotta find a new hobby ...

ERMANUS Stoffel Johannes, or “Boetie Hans”, as his relatives called him, is only five feet and seven inches tall. However his friends used to call him “Rooi Gevaar” due to his thick bush of red hair and his extremely short temper. If you dared to call him “kortgat”, you would be sure to see Vesuvius erupt and would be very lucky not to come off second best. Boetie Hans is not much of a fisherman, growing up in the old WesTransvaal as he did, but he used to be an outstanding wrestler. Legend has it Boetie Hans destroyed Klein-Jan Tromp in an unofficial wrestling bout after Klein-Jan called him a kortgat. This was no mean feat, because Klein-Jan was not only the official heavy-weight wrestling champion of the Wes-Transvaal, but rumour had it he had killed a grown male lion with his bare hands. Or so the legend goes. And, so the legend of Boetie Hans grew, and our family has to hear the story, over and over. This is so, because Boetie Hans is Gorgeous George’s father. Each time Boetie Hans tells the story Klein-Jan becomes taller, bigger and more ferocious. At times Boetie Hans would even claim he himself killed the grown male lion with his bare hands — Klein-Jan was never in the picture. Boetie Hans is pleased to be the father of a “gorgeous” George, but he does not share George’s enthusiasm for 66 • SKI-BOAT September/October 2020

fishing and he will not admit it is only because he gets seasick. He will feign interest in the fish George catches because he loves to eat them, but often reminds George he has never killed a lion with his bare hands. Fortunately this does not have the same effect on George as one might expect. Whereas you dare not call Boetie Hans a kortgat you could call George a “dikgat” and still get away with it. You see, George did not inherit Boetie Hans’s short temper — unless George drinks too many Springbokkies (cocktail shooter). For some inexplicable reason, George’s temper becomes exceptionally foul when he indulges in Springbokkies. Polisie-koffie, beer or whisky simply does not have the same effect.After a few Springbokkies George turns into the animal that Boetie Hans perhaps once was, and his friends know to then stay well clear of Vesuvius on steroids. Covid-19 and the resulting lockdown put an end to George’s fishing exploits for a while and he turned to hunting as a means of escaping the mundane reality of life at home. Fortunately one of George’s mates owns a game farm in the Vryheid area. He also farms cattle and regularly complained of a male lion eating his cattle. George saw this as an opportunity to escape our house and, if the story was true, to square off with a lion, perhaps then, finally, winning the admiration of

Boetie Hans. The daily “fishing report” I received of George’s hunting trip was predictable — he was sleeping well, he was eating (very) well and each morning he had to nurse a well-earned hangover. I don’t think he managed to shoot anything. He also reported that, for their last night together, his mate was going to open the pub on his farm and invite a few locals to braai with them. He warned me his friends might force him to drink a few Springbokkies, just for the fun of it, but he promised to behave and be careful. What happened next, is the story of legends. Maybe even better than Boetie Hans’s story. When George arrived home from the hunting trip the next morning I could see he was walking very gingerly and still nursing a hangover. George would not tell me why he was walking so gingerly. “What happens on a hunting-trip stays on the hunting-trip,” he growled, I followed him to the shower. As George removed his clothes, I saw that his entire body was covered in cuts and scrapes and he was quite embarrassed about it. Only when I threatened to spray him with hand-sanitizer did he agree to tell me what had happened. According to George they were having a pleasant braai with a few mates, until someone started pouring shooters. His mates were bored because there was no rugby to watch so they began drinking Springbokkies. George said the last thing he remembers is leaving the pub in a very foul mood and, as he got to his car, one of his mates (with an incredibly rotten breath) jumped on his back and he had to fight him off. And that’s how he got injured. I was nursing George’s injuries when his mate called to hear how George was doing. He said they were worried about George, because they heard a chilling growling noise outside the pub when George left and that morning found a big male lion with a broken neck where they thought George had parked his car. Of course George drew the most obvious conclusion that any hunter would, and now there is no end to his boasting or enthusiasm for the story. When he tells the story to Boetie Hans it has all sorts of creative twists and turns, yet the outcome is consistent: Gorgeous George slayed a vicious male lion, with his bare hands. And even though Boetie Hans does not like fishing, he sports a handsome rapala lip when the story is told.