Bill cortens bar coarse completed..

[hooknpull]

There hasnt been one of these reports for a while now so i thought i may as well throw one up. Last Friday I went with bill and two other fellas that were father and son ( Lyell and Steve) on bills boat for a bar crossing coarse. Met at raby bay ramp at 6:10 after running late because no ATMs were working. Shot over to the bar in about 30 mins with bills autopilot ( next on the list with a radar as of Friday) . Greeted by a heap of slop. Tide running in with about 3 meters of swell. Bill drove us out through the southern channel but it was too dangerous for us to be practicing on. Shot over to the northern channel and began practice right away. The three of us taking turns shooting through the bar looking for breaks in swell. Getting shown where sand banks are and how to read them. Had some morning tea which I gotta say his mrs knows how to cook some sick as coconut bread. Back into it we were riding on top of breaking waves coming in getting shown how to follow them and also ride down them. After the tide changed we learnt how to go Through pressure waves. We were the only boat out there and watched a trawler go halfway through the bar only to sit there. Just before the last sand bank and eventually turn around on it and head home. At all times I felt safe and by the end of the day I was totally confident I could do a bar crossing on the spb in my own boat. I also told bill next time I'm up ill be taking my dad and we will do a fishing coarse.

To anyone thinking of it get out and do it, it's money we'll spent and in my eyes a investment in my safety.

If your reading this bill thanks for the top day!

[charleville]

Yup! Excellent course! It is amazing how riding on the back of an incoming wave looks like it may be real challenging but is so easy to do when Bill shows you how.



.

[095rat]

Highly recommended to anyone who skippers a boat.Great present from the wife 6 years ago.
I think a lot of people have learnt plenty off Bill about boating safety
cheers js

[ozscott]

Good to hear mate. It's a great course for sure.

Cheers

[Scalem]

Swell must have been right up there to skip the southern end. It's going to take forever for me to be super confident. That might be a good thing and Bill teaches a healthy respect for the bar.

Awesome day well done to have taken the course.


Scalem

[robtarr]

Another vote for Bill's course...worth every cent
Cheers Rob

[Apollo]

Should be a discount on our insurance premium for doing it, Well worth the coin.

[TimiBoy]

Yep, best thing you could ever do as a Skipper. The fishing course is right up there too. Bill knows his stuff and is an exceptional educator.

If (when?) I get a boat again this year (bet it'll be next year :() I'll be doing the bar course again, can never be too "refreshed!"

[castlemaine]

I know one person that you should never cross a bar with ... ME!

Ask Bill about the bloke who made his boat fly.

Bill's a great person and has an incredible knowledge of the Bars. He offered to take me out again for free to regain my confidence.

Cheers, Ivan

[Apollo]

Don't sweat it Ivan, I got it up there too at one stage.

[castlemaine]

Don't sweat it Ivan, I got it up there too at one stage.

Apparently Bill told me to cut the the motor three times but I didn't hear it. All I was thinking of was to get over that wave. The Bar Crossing Course was a 50th birthday to ourselves between three mates. It's the closest I've come to crippling/killing my mates. Still top of the talk at the table when we get together... and still mates.

[WalrusLike]

So by cut the motor do you mean you were powering into a wave but speed was too high and Bill wanted you to idle back?

Just picturing it... So the boat goes airborne?

[castlemaine]

So by cut the motor do you mean you were powering into a wave but speed was too high and Bill wanted you to idle back?

Just picturing it... So the boat goes airborne?

You got it!

Funny though, at the helm it didn't seem so bad but to my mates behind me, they had their feet in the air whilst they hung on to the canopy.

An esky bounced on one of my mates foot and it swelled up like a puffer-fish. Bill gave him the option of calling the trip off but to his credit he voted we soldier on.

[FishHunter]

How much was the course?

[hooknpull]

$500 fish hunter and although its a little steep. U can't put a price on this kind of knowledge. Also take into account fuel burn has to be high and I would hate to see bills public and liability insurance..

[Mrs Ronnie H]

Hi
I did the fishing bit with Bill and enjoyed every minute of it. It was a Chrissy present from hubby. Bill certainly knows his stuff and would not hesitate to recommend a day out with him on the water either for the fishing or the bar crossing. Although i have not done it I have heard nothing but great reports. Money well spent for the knowledge and advice.

Mrs H

[Apollo]

Apparently Bill told me to cut the the motor three times but I didn't hear it. All I was thinking of was to get over that wave. The Bar Crossing Course was a 50th birthday to ourselves between three mates. It's the closest I've come to crippling/killing my mates. Still top of the talk at the table when we get together... and still mates.

Mine was that it took me a while to get use to a boat that weight near two and half times mine and so carries a lot more momentum and so had to be more agressive on and off the throttle. Have tried the same technique in mine and it is just a matter of adjusting a bit for different boats and engine combinations. I copped a leg injury the night before doing the course so came down to a knee when the boat came down. Boys in the back copped a pretty rough landing. Sorry Andrew!!!!!

[eyeskeenas]

Sounds like a great experiance and i look at the ad in bush and beach every month. just wondering is it $500/person or $500 for the boat for the day and it takes 3 blokes bringing it back to about 170/person.
would love to do it

cheers.

[wags on the water]

$500/person

[michael_mad_fisho]

gotta say bill is the man and can definatley vouch for that coconut bread slice lol, and he even made us cups of coffee on the way out. been out fishing with him twice and wouldnt hesitate to book again. Bill is such a great guy and best wishes to his wife too as she wasn't feeling too good last time we were out but she still managed to put on a great lunch with all the home made goodies! makes me wanna book again just typing this lol and seeing the stonker pearly in my avatar.

[Scalem]

I know one person that you should never cross a bar with ... ME!

Ask Bill about the bloke who made his boat fly.

Bill's a great person and has an incredible knowledge of the Bars. He offered to take me out again for free to regain my confidence.

Cheers, Ivan

My nickname became "the wave magnet" which I don't think i deserved, just because we all got wet has nothing to do with it:o;D

Scalem