Getting Boat ready for Bar crossings

[mustang5]

Hi guys,

Ok, so I now have to start venturing out a bit more, even though I get a little sh!t scared, as long as I can get the right guidance and have all precautions I should be ok.

I have braved plenty of fierce conditions in Moreton Bay and also up at 1770, but have never decided to tackle a bar. I have been stuck out in the middle of moreton bay in my old boat with a motor failure, and eventually getting caught up in 40knt northerlies whilst we were heading west. Got through unscaved, 2hrs later and travelling at a frantic 8kms/h.

I am looking to tackle the wide bay bar up at Fraser/Inskip over easter. I just want to get away from catching the bream and what not, and go tackle some serious fish up there. I am after some guidance as to how to prepare the boat, what wind/tide and direction to look out for, and basically just some pointers in order to help me boost some confidence. I believe I am very cautious, I have always turned around at the right moment when it just doesnt feel right, so I am not in any frame of mind going to tackle a bar in the wrong conditions or in the wrong way.

My harshest imagination can picture something like the engine shutting down and being side on to a wave, something which given that situation, I need guys with experience to let me know the first thing to do?? What are some safety remedials if a common failure in a bar crossings happen to occur?? At what point do I start swimming?

Now my boat is a 5.5m half cabin with a 115 yamaha 2 stroke. It is an awesome boat which has NEVER let me down over 2 years of almost weekly use (touch wood). The motor has been serviced with new plugs, leads, gear oil, impeller, filters and carbies in sync, and is running like an absolute pearler. It has all the safety gear, jackets, radios and so forth, along with a 110L tank. The sides are pretty high but the transom is a little lower than desired which doesnt help the fears of getting swamped.

I will be installing a bilge pump this week. Is there anything else I should do to prepare?

Thanks heaps in advance gents.

[bennyboy]

If you have never crossed a Bar don't attempt it without someone in the boat who is experienced to show you the ropes. If you aren't experienced at reading waves don't even think about it.
Instead give Bill Coreton a call and do one of his Bar Crossing courses. It isn't cheap but it is probably less than your insurance excess if you lose your boat or life attempring a very dangerous bar such as the wide bay bar.

He will take you for half a day in the class room and a day on the water crossing the bar in different tidal conditions. He has adds in bush and beach and QFM

[Noelm]

doesn't matter how many times you have crossed a bar and how experienced you are, if your motor is dead and you are side on and at the mercy of the elements, you are in trouble experienced or not, there is bugger all you can do about it! but as a general rule, an incoming/high tide is about as good as you get for a bar crossing, as advised, do the course if you are going to be a bar "regular" or take someone with local knowledge with you for a few trips.

[mustang5]

Would teeing up somebody to follow out be a wise choice? Or given that they would be dealing with separate wave sets and different intervals would probably defeat the purpose?

Cheers guys. Definately going to look into that course.

[mull dog]

Definitley get in contact with Bill Corten, he is a wealth of knowledge that will have you headed in the right direction. the wide bay bar is a very long one so best take someone who has tackled it before. I haven't fished out that way myself too often but going on reefmasters reports i would be guessing that 110 litres of fuel might not be enough..... for a two stroke anyway;D
maybe start off down this way first through the tweed and a few others first to get your confidence up first. dont forget that even the best come unstuck so never get complacent ie charter boat that went a over t down at yamba or ballina a couple of weeks ago.

in saying all that nothing beats the feeling you get from sussing out a new spot and coming up trumps with the fish, thats what it is all about. just go about it all the right way and you'll be fine. best of luck and never forget to log on and off with the coastguards!

[TimiBoy]

You MUST give Bill a call, and do the course. 0447233247 or 32863647.

To cross a bar without doing the course is courting disaster.

Cheers,

Tim

[PinHead]

I have crossed that bar a few times now on a charter boat. It is a bloody long bar..first have to traverse the mad mile and then turn for the actual crossing.
Make sure you have the marks first..there is a sector light on the southern end of Fraser.
Make sure your weather ocnditions are perfect..there are a few other members on here that can attest as to what that bar can be like..we had waves over the roof of a 32' cat..and not just spray..waves...bloody big pressure waves.

If I was in your position I would not try it without doing Bill's course first and also seeking out some detailed local info first.

[honda900]

mustang5,

Bills course is highly recommended.

Make sure everything loose is stowed properly.

Yes follow someone you know and trust, through if you can't do the course.

Wear a life jacket anyway.

Be conscious of your fuel consumption, my 5.5 mtr glass boat would use 30 litres from manly to the bar with a 2- 130 yam, then 30 to get home, so think about how how far you will be travelling, once you get to the other side.


Regards
Honda.

[mustang5]

Alright Gents.

5 guys wouldnt be telling me to do the course if it wasnt truly called for, so I will definately organise something for next week if theres a slot open.

Are there any courses which have the option to do some crossings in your own boat? Or is that a silly question?? (just thinking of when i got my license lol)

I would think that would be perfect experience, and would surely build the confidence.

[Vitamin Sea]

Hi

Good advice from all above, especially regarding Bills course, even though I have not done it myself.

WBB is a big bar, PLENTY have come unstuck on it, I probably would not think about it until you have been over it a couple of times with someone in the boat who knows that bar, I have not been game enough to give it a go, yet...

As Honda said, make sure everything is stowed and secured, including the anchor, you do not want the anchor coming out of the hatch or whatever 1/2 way through it.

Incoming tide is always best on any bar.

Personally I would not follow just anyone going out, you would have to know them and there experience level.

If the motor cuts out and it was a incoming tide, I would throw the pick out, outgoing???? Hope for the best:P

Last thing, if you commit to making a run, don't chicken out 1/2 way through a set and then try to turn around, this is how a lot of boat go down.

My 2 bobs from what I have experienced.

Do Bills course.

Cheers

VS

[wags on the water]

With the knowledge gained in the course, you should be able to convert that into experience in your own boat. It all comes down to practice. Follow your marks and be confident behind the wheel. If you second guess your decisions, then you might get into trouble.....Then there's the freak wave that you aren't expecting. So keep your wits about you and don't panic.

Cheers.

[Angla]

I'm with everyone else here. Do Bills course first.

I personally have not done Bill Cortens course but I have felt my way on a few bars including 1770, South Passage and Jumpinpin bars, but only on days where I have been confident of the return trips because that is where you can get unstuck if the weather has turned sour and you want to return at the wrong tidal time.

Confidence is also very important too as you must make the right decisions when crossing bars and watch the waves for at least seven sets before commiting yourself.

Safe boating

Cheers
Chris

[sporty1]

Having done Bill course late last year, I thoroughly recommend it.
He puts his boat and all customers through the mill to ensure you are well prepaired in all tide and wind conditions. I have since tackled the Caloundra Bar, Southport Seaway and Mooloolabah harbour with cautious optimism. The Seaway coming back in 15-20 knt NE and near bottom of the tide was quite interesting and Bill voice in the back of my head was very valuable.
My advice; get all the information you can (Bill Course), watch the Bar in differnet conditions, choose your path and stick to it. Only turn to run if it is the last possible option and even then think long and hard as most boats will punch through even taking on a fair amount of water but few will slide down a face without major problems or breeching.

[walruss]

Apart from all the great advice above, the main thing to consider. If at any time before you start to cross any bar you are unsure whether its too big/hard/or your not confident enough to handle it. DON'T GO!

There is always another day to go fishing if your alive!

Russ

[charleville]

Hey! Why don't I join the chorus as well? :D

Ready? 1 - 2 - 3 ...

"Do Bill Corten's course!"

It will cost you a shilling or two - well, actually, it will cost you a whole lot of shillings. ;D Well, actually, a damn lot of shillings! ;D ;D :)

However, if you don't have the time of your life, driving Bill's boat on the back of waves on the way in and racing up to a wave and backing off the juice and just coasting over the top on the way out, you don't have any red blood in your veins.

'Tis a better day out than any theme park and Bill's tuition is excellent.

For what it is worth, I did Bill's course a few years ago and although my fishing interests are all inside Moreton Bay, the extension of my knowledge obtained from doing Bill's course on bar crossings has made me a more confident boatie in Moreton Bay, where, as we all know, it can get damn hairy very quickly at times.


(Thanks, Bill!) 8-)


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[dreemon]

just wondering if bill uses his boat only . or will he take you out in your own boat?

[gr hilly]

every time you cross a bar you will have to know what you are doing', point of entry and exit point you have to have a power source you can trust,lessons will help find a mate who has done this lots and take him fishing often but remember allway's respect the ocean you only stuff up once and you don't normally get a second chance big seas are one thing crossing bars another good luck take care hilly

[charleville]

just wondering if bill uses his boat only . or will he take you out in your own boat?


His magnificent boat.



.

[seawind8]

I live in Caloundra and go over this bar quite alot (about 30years) My advise on any bar if it looks nasty don't go, wait for a better day, cause there always will be

[finding_time]

Now this is is not having a go at Bill in any way shape or form but how did people cross bars before Bill was running his course and what do boaties in other countries and for that matter other states do , is Bill international????? And another thing that also interests me is, did Bill do Bills course ,or is there another recognized course to do that bill did??? Ah life is full of mysteries!!:-/ :-/ :-/ :-/ :-/

Ian

Ps. if you want to cross the Wide Bay Bar , get the marks from the Tincan Bay Coast Guard only cross on the incomming tide ( either way!!!!) and only go out if there is less that a 1m swell offshore and and all should be fine, but it's not a bar you should take likely and if you cant get the above conditions, DONT ATTEMPT TO CROSS without getting more experience from other who no that bar or experience on less dangerous bars or Do Bills course!!!;)


PPs. make sure your radio works well the wide bay bar is a fair way out to sea and the coast guard is even further, so you need a good radio , vhf

[death_ship]

one thing you will definitely need in your boat is pen and paper to write down the bar entry and exit waypoints that you get over the radio from the coastguard before tackling the bar. its a long way out to the last mark and gets pretty shallow at that point.

[Smithy]

On anything westerly up there with a small <1m swell and an incoming tide go Fisherman's Gutter.