Hello from Gold Coast

neil2903 · 03-21-2014, 11:47 PM

Hi, I'm Neil and live on the Gold Coast, Australia and new to this site.

Our DREAM was to own a boat and 5 years ago we invested in a Bow Rider - loved it. Fast & fun. Made lost of mistakes: many nearly ended in divorce!!!

We upgraded a few months back to a Four Winns V285. We bought it from T & S Boat Sales at Horizon Shores and I can't recommend them highly enough - they have been fantastic to deal with.

Its great to stay our on the water over night and not have to rush back to get the boat on the trailer.

We've stayed out at Tiplers a few nights - still don't have the confidence to go to sleep though and I'm up every 20 mins to make sure we're not half way to NZ!!!

We can't get the anchor right at all. Last weekend at Tiplers we moved about 40m during the night and we were dangerously close to our neighbour who was extremely miffed with us!

Not sure what we are doing wrong - the water was 3m deep so we put out 20m of chain - we reversed slowly as the chain dropped but still it didn't hold - any advice?

We are thinking of going to Tangalooma over Easter. I'm really scared about the current and weather and not sure at all if we should go. I had heard that it is better to anchor behind the wrecks - is this right?

I bought a generator on eBay - total disaster. It was a cheap one from DREAMRIDER ONLINE - it worked once! Anyone know where I can get a good generator at a good price.

Thanks and look forward to any advice you can give me!

Cheers

Neil.

**Peter B** · 03-22-2014, 07:38 AM

Hi Neil. Welcome aboard the board.

Actually, it's a small world. I might be moored quite close to you. I am on J11, Horizon Shores, where are you..? There is a 4Winns moored not far from me - might even be yours.
I suspect your anchoring issue might be because, (I'd put money on it), the anchor is a CQR, plough type. These do not really do well in our bay here, I can vouch for that. However, I don't want to start another anchor wrangle, so I suggest you PM me, and I can make some suggestions. If you dragged at Tipplers, which is very sheltered, I would not venture over to Tangalooma to overnight with that anchor, as clearly it is a size or two too light anyway if it dragged with 20m chain out at Tipplers, as it is much more exposed at Tangalooma. In fact in behind the wrecks is not much of a choice at any time, because the wrecks are…well…quite wrecked, and no longer provide much protection from the swells which come in from the open ocean around the tip of Moreton Island, so even in fairly calm weather it is pretty rocky, and by that I mean the motion, not the bottom. But a fair old current tends to honk through between the wrecks and the beach as well, which certainly caused out CQR to drag. If you do go over there, down South at the Sandhills, as it is called, is a better bet for a quieter night.

Actually, I'll be down at Lotus tomorrow (Sunday am) in case you might be down there also. If so look me up. Lotus on J11. Then you can check out the anchor I settled on and am very happy with.

Hendo78 · 03-23-2014, 03:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neil2903

. We've stayed out at Tiplers a few nights - still don't have the confidence to go to sleep though and I'm up every 20 mins to make sure we're not half way to NZ!!! We can't get the anchor right at all. Last weekend at Tiplers we moved about 40m during the night and we were dangerously close to our neighbour who was extremely miffed with us!

It's not you, it's your anchor. Get a Super SARCA or SARCA Excel and Hi from Perth. Sent from iPad using Trawler App

**Peter B** · 03-23-2014, 04:44 AM

Hendo…you just stole my thunder my friend…..he he...

Hendo78 · 03-23-2014, 06:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter B

Hendo…you just stole my thunder my friend…..he he...

Don't go there Pete

... No-one other than the great man himself (Rex) will beat me on SARCA recommendations

Tidahapah · 03-23-2014, 11:11 AM

Ah but boys I have ridden with mine through rough and smooth and give full recommendations.

Aquabelle · 03-23-2014, 05:58 PM

Neil: welcome to another Aussie. Are you using rope or chain with your anchor? If chain, and you are anchoring in water 3m deep....what was the tide doing? If still coming in you need to add extra for how deep it will be at full tide (when you are asleep likely) AND then add a metre or so for the distance from your bowsprit to the water surface. Off Tipplers and staying overnight you should then x7 or x9 to get a conservative estimate of how much chain to put out. If you are using rope not chain....change to chain for the first 20m at least if you want to sleep. Try this first if you don't want to change to a SARCA at once (I have one and agree they are superior)

BruceK · 03-23-2014, 07:09 PM

Welcome aboard Neil. You are already getting good help with your issues.
With the portable "suitcase" style generators, most Chinese "no name" copies of Honda and Yamaha look good but are not, hard to start, and much noisier than claimed. Honda is the "Rolls Royce", the Honda faithful copy "Kipor" out of China is ok, there is a Ryobi too, I suggest you visit a Bunnings store, my local one stocks these from 700W up to 2 KW, and they`ll warrant it properly too.
As to anchoring, hopefully PeterB has fixed your issues already. I`m another Super Sarca devotee, you need at least some chain to help it take and accept the wear rope can`t. Reverse slowly while paying out rode, once it digs in apply moderate reverse power to check the set and dig well in, so the engine pulls but you don`t move, check landmark points around you to see if you are holding. Author Nigel Calder says, after anchoring settle down, make a cup of tea or coffee, watch and check the set. And oh yes, a Sarca is a huge advance over a CQR, be amazed.

Hendo78 · 03-24-2014, 03:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tidahapah

Ah but boys I have ridden with mine through rough and smooth and give full recommendations.

HAHA touché

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