The Deckie Experience

[Jarrah Jack]

I've been lucky recently to experience both sides of being a deckie. As a few of you probably know I towed my boat over 5000 k's to get to the M&G only to spend most of my time on other peoples boats.

The reason for that was because the deckie I had lined up couldn't make it and didn't bother to inform me until it was too late to make alternative arrangements.

It wasn't a bad thing as it turned out. I learn't a hell of a lot from the various skippers I went out with. More than I could ever learn by going out in my own boat. Thanks to the generosity of Lucky Phil, Marvin, Mr and Mrs Boat Hog and Uripper I've also experienced a number of different boats and set ups. If only I had a pocket GPS I would also have a lot more marks to explore next year.:)

I think anyone who has a good deckie who pays their way and works as a team with the skipper should never take their deckie for granted. I noticed a few teams up at Agnes that seemed to work very well together and they also managed to catch a lot of fish. I don't think it was a coincidence. Its not easy to find someone you can be totally compatable with on a small boat.












7G

[Boab Bribie]

Fully agree there Jarah Jack it is defiantly team work and then the results follow

[Muddy Toes]

Hey Tex............glad to see you made it home safe and well.

To say I wasn't a little upset and peeved off when I heard of your plight when I first got up there would be a lie.

As a fellow boat owner I fully understand the process one goes through before the drive north actually begins. Whilst most of us on here are boat owners ourselves the people we invite out aren't always in the same position and sometimes don't fully understand the gravity of what towing a boat 5000kms is like. The prepping of the tow vehicle, motor, transmission, tyres all have to be 100% before leaving home....boat, motor and trailer need to be in nothing less than perfect condition, once again more money and more time. Services, repairs, upgrades and last minute maintenance is the order of the day. For the misinformed or inexperienced when a boat rocks up at a holiday destination and is ready to, and is expected to perform flawlessly none stop for a week or two it's not by chance nor by fluke. Many many hours of prep work and many thousand of dollars are usually the norm when considering towing a boat a long way for a holiday if the owner doesn't have the pleasure for always making such a pilgrimage and that's just getting the bloody thing there. Fishing gear, bait, safety equipment and the serviceability of everything on board isn't a game of luck...........stuff works because the boat owner has taken the time, money and inclination to ensure this is the case.
I fully understand that unforeseen circumstances do pop up preventing deckies/friends/crew to attend such trips and in some cases these circumstances are far more important than some fishing trip and in these cases this little rant fails in comparison to some peoples real problems but when the excuse is due to lack of planning, lack of interest or down right lack of respect for the boat owner to just not rock up forgetting the effort and money the skipper has already poured in to such a trip is unacceptable in my books.
This isn't a rant specifically targeting any one scenario but in the last week I've heard stories of skippers being left high and dry without a crew, guys renting houses for a week that have been fully paid for only to move in to another house to have a bit of company and leave their fully paid up house sitting there for a week because people have backed out and stories of guys unwilling to help clean, prep and organise the boat for the next day whilst instead choosing to drink and watch the boat owner do it all.

You're right Terry, it is a team effort and far too often some people either forget about or have no real idea of what it takes to pull off a trip such as a two week holiday away from home with a boat. Paying a bit of fuel money doesn't magically turn it in to a fully serviced charter for the day............if you cringe at coughing up a bit of fuel money then for gods sake don't ever buy a boat!!!!

That's the end of my rant for the night, I consider myself pretty lucky for the guys I get to fish with and I think they appreciate the effort I go to as well.

[Scalem]

Yep can't agree more, many deckies I regard as smarter than the average bear. Don't underestimate them, I often have named them as skipper for the day, I just supply the boat and let them go.

Learn heaps this way. Bonus marks in my gps that I didn't put in there, they mysteriously found their way into my system!
Scalem

[Mattya]

I took a chick out on Friday fishing & reef hopping and it turns out we were very compatible. Ended up being one of the best days on the water so far... I'm looking forward to next time. Just sayin... lol

[cobiaman]

I don't get why it is so hard to find a deckie. Im in a position atm where I cant afford my own boat and wouldn't be able to do any offshore fishing without the generosity of the guys that I fish with and I fully appreciate it.

What I don't understand is why there isn't more people on here begging to do whatever it takes to get out there.

I've been fortunate enough to fish beautiful places like 1770 and Fraser and have caught some awesome fish and if it wasn't for guys like madmackrel, muddy toes and bull none of that would have ever happened.

[Shark Poker]

I should probably offer to be a deckie for someone.
If you took the approach of being supportive and helpful in every operation of the trip, plus helping to properly clean up after the trip and put the gear away. And Help with maintenance and those little repairs between trips. Help plan trips...
Well if you took that approach you would be a real asset to the owner of the boat.

Some guys are not proper crew, they are just "rod holders"
Pauly

[trymyluck]

Terry, my hat off to you for dragging the boat all the way and then the circumstances that occurred and still being able to smile. Sometimes it seems like it would be easier just to be a deckie but end of the day I enjoy the position of being able to have final say over what I'm doing, although most of the time its a coordinated decision. The other factor is the size of my boat, quite capable of handling it on my own should I find myself without a deckie. Not so easy with some of the battleships you guys own.
Anyway I guess the message is if your a deckie then appreciate the expense it has taken to enable you to be fishing where your fishing and if your a skipper then appreciate the deckie that is up before you preparing food, getting gear ready and making a cup of coffee for you. Thanks Steve.



Mark

[Crunchy]

That's pretty much why I don't make it to these trips, I only know unreliable deckies :-?

[Nslfishing]

I could use a good deckie! I done a solo mission on Sunday and left a pilchard in the live bait tank. I climbed into the boat last night and was greeted with a god awful stink, upon some further investigating I found said offender. If I had a deckie to blame for leavin it in there I'd feel I little better lol :) all applications considered ;)

[Apollo]

Well said Muddy. I know as a deckie, I fully appreciate and am grateful for the invites I get. I try to help out where I can and respect the skipper and their boat. I fish with trymyluck a far bit and we have done so for years. We have fished on both of our boats and it is always good. I will never take for granted that I get invited by Mark to do the 1770 M&G on his boat or any other one the refined country gentlemen attend.

I remember a few years ago, a mate took us on his big boat off 1770, we tried to keep the boat clean throughout the day and on anchouring up for the night, we assist with the anchouring, cleaned and washed down the boat, stored gear, ensured bait was stowed, packed fished away, set up nibblies and poured the skipper his drink by the time he had logged off, shutdown and came down from the flybridge. That sort of respect for the skipper and his boat got us invited back and gained us a lot of respect as deckies.

As a boat owner, I am more and more fishing by myself as I am sick of the BS of dealing with ungrateful or unhelpful deckies. I have a handful of blokes that have been on my boat that are welcome every time as they are great.

As far as team work is concerned, every fish that is caught on 2 deep is a 'boat' fish as far as I am concerned. If it wasn't for the team work or the discussion that happened prior to that fish, it would probably be still swimming.

I think it is very evident at the ramp, which boats have a good team of skipper and deckie(s). Things run smoothly, quickly and with minimal disruption to others.

Terry, great to hear you had a great time and buggar that you were put in that situation in the first place, but good on you for making that best of it.

Steve

[Lancair]

I have become so used to fishing with either or both of the same 2 guys for a few years now, I get nervous about going to sea with someone new, without one of these guys on board my boat. Some of you will remember my "How to be a good Deckie" thread and will understand why one of these guys gets an auto invite 100% of every time I'm planning on going out, unless he's in FNQ catching marlin again. (actually they both get invited every time)

[morphias]

Terry,

I didn't know about your plight until I read your post. I am utterly dumbfounded... :(

I would kill for an opportunity like that, but a combination of work, family and a lack of dollars would stop me from taking part in a 1770 M&G.

I work part time as a professional deckie on a charter boat to help make ends meet, so I know EXACTLY what goes in to making a good deckie - they are worth their weight in gold. If you aren't any good, you won't be back on that charter boat again; or any other for that matter - they all talk to each other. For the 8hrs we have the punters out on the water, there is almost that amount of my time again spent doing the prep and post trip clean-up with the clean-up being the biggest part.

From the time the punters step on the boat, it is non-stop work and you hardly get two seconds to sit down - you are making up spare rigs, cutting up bait, making sure everything is good to go when you get to the spot, keeping the client's entertained, etc, on the way to the mark. Once you're out there, it is non-stop assisting the clients, giving tips and coaching, keeping them fed and watered all day, pulling fish off, sorting out tangles, replacing rigs, making sure spare rigs are ready to go, etc. All of this while keeping an eye on what 8-10 people are doing, communicating non-stop with the skipper and keeping an eye on the conditions, other boats, etc. Sometimes, if I am lucky, I get to drop a line.

On the way back, you are cleaning the boat, packing up, gutting and gilling the catch, etc, irrespective of the conditions. I have gutted and gilled in some pretty bloody atrocious weather, but always manage to have everything sorted by the time the clients step off.

Then, you spend the next 2-3hrs properly washing the boat, cleaning the gear, getting the rods re-rigged with all new terminal hardware for the next day, making sure the spools are full, sorting out the rubbish.

When I work out what I am paid per hour, I could probably make more money flipping burgers, but I would much rather be out on the water. :)

I would love the opportunity to come along as a deckie for someone so I can actually have a fish myself. I am happy to help with maintenance, pre-trip planning and prep, post trip clean-up, chip in for fuel, supply lunch/drinks/snacks and even provide the tow vehicle if the tow weight is 2t or less. Like I said, dollars are tight, so I can't afford to go out on something that burns $20+ an hour in fuel, but I'll help where I can. I'm hoping that early in the new year, the financial situation will change and may be able to afford a small boat myself.

Ben.

[JEWIENEWIE]

I do have my own boat although be it small, 4.25 runabout, but am lucky enough to have a good mate that takes me out every now and then offshore. I feel its a obligation not an option to do everything you can before, during and after the trip. I have developed a little game over the years called where will i hide the money this time. My mate never accepts money from me for expenses, says i do enough in helping him prep, lauch, maintain, and clean but feel this is the minimum requirement. I know have to stash some money, some where in his boat, car, takcle box as to pay my way. I remember being at the pub one night with him and he went into a story saying he thinks he is losing it as he keeps finding money in weird places that he never remembers putting it. I let him go for a while, a long while before i came clean........
JN

[bigjudge]

Fellas,I recon the best deckies are the ones that chip in for fuel,help clean the fish and boat,are willing to explore new grounds,and most of all are prepared to help when weather is bad to do some maintenance.I am probably one of the lucky ones,I have been married to my deckie for 22yrs,good fisherwoman as well.
CHEERS AND BEERS

[WalrusLike]

Ben you are a credit to the Deckie profession. I don't need deckies in my little boat, but I do hope someone else is able to offer you some trips.


(Using Tapatalk on iPhone so can't easily 'thank' or 'like')

[Pazz01]

Good deckies are very hard to find. Even harder to find people who are willing to pay a reasonable amount to just cover costs.

Years ago we used to regularly take at least 1-2 blokes extra out on our boat. These were back in the days when fuel was 80cents per litre and we would use no more than 100L and come home with at least 20 trout a trip. The blokes we took were good fisherman, happy to pay $70-$80 and got a decent feed for their efforts. They always stayed behind and helped cleaned the boat,but never once did they offer any assistance to service or maintain. When the fuel bill started to go up these blokes all started whinging about the price and would purposely only bring $80 cash to pay and say they couldn't afford any more but would still expect their proportion of fish. Now it is costing like now it costs around $180 to fuel the boat, not including bait etc. Dad was never trying to make a profit on these blokes, merely just trying to cover costs as much as possible so we could go fishing more often. The fishing is getting harder and harder now and blokes that do want to come reckon they are getting ripped off just paying for fuel if they don't get at least 5-8 decent fish to take home, yet they are happy to pay $250 for a charter up here and be lucky to take home 2 fish.

The biggest gripe I have though is when it blows 20 knots up here in Cairns for a solid 3-6 months straight, all these blokes have tinny's so they would head up the creek and never once ask the old man fishing, yet they would always be chasing the old man to get out the reef. Even when they upgraded to their own big boats to head out the reef they never asked the old man fishing when he was without a boat. Yet they would ask him for marks when they go out.

We've now got to the stage that we'd rather go out just our family, do everything yourself, pay for everything yourself, help as much as you can with R&M and not have to put up with the so called "friends" that want to go fishing with you.

Don't get me wrong, I am sure there are some really good deckies out there.. but the few experiences I've had, it's turned me off wanting to ask anyone else in our boat.

Pazz

[Zippidy]

I've never gone fishing with someone that's not a close mate (apart from a charter I went on this weekend) however am willing to put my hand up as a deckie.

I'm not the most experienced fisherman, with most of my trips going just offshore off Straddie, however I understand the costs and what's required in order to go fishing and am more than happy to pay my way.

I'm currently restoring an old boat but had my own prior to that and have taken mates boats out many times. A lot of the time they get me to skipper simply because I'm a bit more experienced. On a recent trip, my mates brother in law was on the boat and he'd never caught a fish and he also gets seasick. I did everything I could in order to get him onto fish and make sure he wasn't sick. That meant that I re-baited him and re-rigged him the whole trip so that way he wasn't looking down tying knots etc. I didn't fish myself however had a great time knowing he was catching fish and had a good time.

Please don't hesitate to contact me to get me onto your boat. The best bit is that I don't really like eating fish so never want to take any of them home :-)

[liltuffy]

Geez, seems the problem runs deeper than I thought. Aside from long term mates I've taken a few Ausfish blokes out over time and had varying degrees of enjoyment, some have been good fishos some still developing.

Between them wanting me to pick them up from their home or meeting them at the ramp (don't have to clean up eh), supplying bait, tackle etc I'm generally over it, and yeah most bitch about half the fuel cost.

These days if you see a 19 foot Tournament with a fat bloke fishing solo or said fat bloke and my 10 year old son on board it's probably me :)

No offense against prospecting deckies on here but to be truthful you probaly look just the same as your average axe murderer, maybe why some of us are reluctant to broadcast deckie positions available.

Guess that's why they have M&G's, try before you buy, but most M&G's you need a boat to be involved.

Cheers

Craig

[Gon Fishun]

I have to agree with a lot of the comments about lazy ?? deckies, but, there are a lot of new guys on the block, and are blissfully ignorant of how much they are required to give in return. Maybe a new post "Headed" what is required of a deckie. :P

[Zippidy]

I quite like cleaning a boat after a fishing trip whilst sipping on a couple of coldies :-)

[2IC]

will have to say I agree with a lot of the comments , I have just returned from a week at 1770 & my 2 deckies up there D1 Bruce D2 Dave are top blokes anything that needed to be done either before a trip or out on the water was done then when we got back in they looked after the fish while I cleaned the boat. even got me cold beers while I cleaned the boat. I guess it helps when both your deckies own boats as well, as they tend to understand the process a lot better,

[Bull]

I used to take mates out fishing then I joined Ausfish and the only guys I take out now are mates I've made from Ausfish.
I prefer to take guys who know how to fish and have their own gear and appreciate whats involved in doing offshore trips. We always split the cost of the fuel and catch evenly.
A good example of a great deckie was on Sunday. We had cleaned the boat and filleted fish before we left 1770 on Saturday. Horse said he would come over to have a look at a few things on my boat. I rang him and told him not to bother coming and he just said he was on his way and would pick up some saltaway on his way over to clean the engine.

[Dignity]

Sorry to hear JJ that you had that problem especially considering you had such a long way to travel but it seems that you did the dignified thing and learned far more in the process. Yep, good deckies are hard to come by, my current deckie for the last few years was a guy I met on Fraser when I was stuck with a number of boozers who didn't bother going out fishing for the two weeks we were there (this was land based Fraser comp). He noticed my dilemma as well as another angler in a similar situation and took us both out with him for the last couple of nights in his tiny short wheel based tojo. We both enjoyed it so much that we teamed together for the next couple of years with a couple of upgrades in the vehicle dept and even managed to snag a couple of major prizes over the intervening years. Turns out he lived not too far from me and I got him to deckie for me a couple of times, he was awesome and he always supplied the bait, ice, cleaned the boat down while I filleted, and was always very accommodating. He is currently out of work but he is still my deckie and I am happy to carry all costs until he gets back on his feet unlike a few very old friends whom I have previously taken who think a $50 note for the pair of them will cover everything including the maint, fuel, bait, clean up, filleting etc. yep, they are hard to find but worth hanging on. I would like to get to a M& G soon but since I have retired I have been busier than ever and even as I speak that bathroom job will have to wait just a bit longer as another mate who used to be my deckie until he bought his own boat has offered a trip to 1770 this weekend. Don't know where I had the time to go to work :)

[shy guys]

Hey Tex............glad to see you made it home safe and well.

To say I wasn't a little upset and peeved off when I heard of your plight when I first got up there would be a lie.

As a fellow boat owner I fully understand the process one goes through before the drive north actually begins. Whilst most of us on here are boat owners ourselves the people we invite out aren't always in the same position and sometimes don't fully understand the gravity of what towing a boat 5000kms is like. The prepping of the tow vehicle, motor, transmission, tyres all have to be 100% before leaving home....boat, motor and trailer need to be in nothing less than perfect condition, once again more money and more time. Services, repairs, upgrades and last minute maintenance is the order of the day. For the misinformed or inexperienced when a boat rocks up at a holiday destination and is ready to, and is expected to perform flawlessly none stop for a week or two it's not by chance nor by fluke. Many many hours of prep work and many thousand of dollars are usually the norm when considering towing a boat a long way for a holiday if the owner doesn't have the pleasure for always making such a pilgrimage and that's just getting the bloody thing there. Fishing gear, bait, safety equipment and the serviceability of everything on board isn't a game of luck...........stuff works because the boat owner has taken the time, money and inclination to ensure this is the case.
I fully understand that unforeseen circumstances do pop up preventing deckies/friends/crew to attend such trips and in some cases these circumstances are far more important than some fishing trip and in these cases this little rant fails in comparison to some peoples real problems but when the excuse is due to lack of planning, lack of interest or down right lack of respect for the boat owner to just not rock up forgetting the effort and money the skipper has already poured in to such a trip is unacceptable in my books.
This isn't a rant specifically targeting any one scenario but in the last week I've heard stories of skippers being left high and dry without a crew, guys renting houses for a week that have been fully paid for only to move in to another house to have a bit of company and leave their fully paid up house sitting there for a week because people have backed out and stories of guys unwilling to help clean, prep and organise the boat for the next day whilst instead choosing to drink and watch the boat owner do it all.

You're right Terry, it is a team effort and far too often some people either forget about or have no real idea of what it takes to pull off a trip such as a two week holiday away from home with a boat. Paying a bit of fuel money doesn't magically turn it in to a fully serviced charter for the day............if you cringe at coughing up a bit of fuel money then for gods sake don't ever buy a boat!!!!

That's the end of my rant for the night, I consider myself pretty lucky for the guys I get to fish with and I think they appreciate the effort I go to as well.

Well said Anthony so true

Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk 2

[tropicrows]

What Bill 2ic says is very true, the better deckies own boats and know what goes into getting any boat into the water. As a deckie, its my job to ensure the skipper gets as much fishing time as everyone else. The captain supplies the boat and generally drives it, its the deckies job to do what ever the skipper needs. If that means baiting his hooks or tying a new rig while they drives the boat, then that's the least I can do.
Before I take anyone new on my boat I make it very clear what is expected on and off the water. If they don't like it, don't come. Good deckies are hard to find, but so are good skippers, and I have been very fortunate to have been on a number of boats with good skippers.

[Shark Poker]

While it is indeed rare that we can learn anything positive from our Yotty cousins, this might be an idea:
Some Yacht Clubs have a 'Crew Register' in their monthly newsletter and it's layout is like this:


Name and Age, Posting Date, Phone Number, Experience and Preferences

Greg Mac## 20th Aug , lots race experience
Adrian Re##(43)19 Sep , 20yrs sailing both inshore and offshore racing, prefer multihull

Looking for Crew:
Im looking for reliable, team oriented crew for club racing and local off shore events on a Cavalier 35.
My contact details are Stewart: 0428 608 ###


This is pretty common in Yacht Clubs.
Notice that it mentions how many years and type of experience.
Ausfish could have such a register in place.
But I would insist upon a meeting between the skipper and crew days prior to any trip rather than meet at the ramp.

[Aussie123]

Every boat owner has different expectations from their crew that they take out.
For me,no way will I ever expect any money or charge anyone for maintenance or fixing any of my boats.
That is something as a boat owner I feel I should do myself.
That is akin to charging someone maintenance on your car for running them somewhere or even your house when people drop over for a chat all the time.
Things wear out when being used and some things run out of date but that is my responsibility only.
What I do like though is the daily costs split between everyone on the boat.
Bait,fuel,ice and fishing gear if used and lost by other crew members but that is it for me.
I take people out for an enjoyable days fishing and not to profit from them.
I do not expect them to come home and help clean the boat as often they are from the other side of town so its quicker and easier to meet at the ramp.
Any catch is always split evenly and I usually get in and do the filleting if needed as I can rip through a box of fish pretty quickly.

[the gecko]

Good deckies come back to good communication by the skipper. First thing I do is a safety briefing, heres the lifejackets, epirb, man overboard procedure. Then I tell what I expect of a deckie, pull the anchor, bait your own hooks, sit where the weight is balanced out, etc.

Amazing how many will do whatever you ask them. A good attitude is all I look for. You can teach the rest.

[Lancair]

http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?192119-The-perfect-deckie.

Above is the thread I started some time ago.

[netmaker]

What Bill 2ic says is very true, the better deckies own boats and know what goes into getting any boat into the water. As a deckie, its my job to ensure the skipper gets as much fishing time as everyone else. The captain supplies the boat and generally drives it, its the deckies job to do what ever the skipper needs. If that means baiting his hooks or tying a new rig while they drives the boat, then that's the least I can do.
Before I take anyone new on my boat I make it very clear what is expected on and off the water. If they don't like it, don't come. Good deckies are hard to find, but so are good skippers, and I have been very fortunate to have been on a number of boats with good skippers.

i'll second that. I feel privileged to have been asked to decky for bill alongside bruce. I am still learning the ropes on "big small boats" despite having worked on big boats and owning a small boat. bill and bruce were very helpful in teaching me the procedures and I will have it all down pat before much longer. feeling a little sheepish (no kiwi joke there:-X) that the skipper cleaned the boat but that was his fault as he put us on to too many fish and they wouldn't clean themselves;);D.
thanks again fellas for one of the best fishing weeks I can remember:thumbsup:

[lbger]

Had a mate come out with me a few weeks ago.. Said he would meet me at the ramp... Turned up with no rod, no ice, no money, not even a drink!!
His mrs was at the ramp when we came in and asked me why we were out so long as they had to go to lunch and he had to have a shower etc...
I was so close to losing the plot it wasnt funny.. I would have given my left arm to go out when i didnt have a boat, this season though i am taking out only family and mates who fish and pay.. i need a contract signed prior to boarding, or set an application process for perpective deckies lol

[Zippidy]

this season though i am taking out only family and mates who fish and pay... And Zippidy :-) :-)

Awesome, just let me know when and where.

[BLOOEY]

I don't expect anything from the people I take out fishing. No money, No cleaning and I certainly wouldn't expect nor want them to rig my gear for me. What are you guys on! Ben

[lbger]

I don't expect anything from the people I take out fishing. No money, No cleaning and I certainly wouldn't expect nor want them to rig my gear for me. What are you guys on! Ben

Its a bit tough when you can't expect a bit of common courtesy. Although if i am convincing a mate to come out because i cant find a deckie or had someone cancel last second its something i can cop on the chin.. Its different when you have someone pestering and pestering you to go for a trip and the above happens (my last post)

[Muddy Toes]

I don't expect anything from the people I take out fishing. No money, No cleaning and I certainly wouldn't expect nor want them to rig my gear for me. What are you guys on! Ben

I don't expect anyone to give me money, clean my boat or rig my line for me either. What I do expect though is some sort of offer at least, in the name of common courtesy incase there is something they could help me with. Out of all the guys on here that have come out in my boat I challenge any of them to put their hands up and tell of a time where I have asked for fuel money, asked them to come back to my house to help me clean, asked them to help me fix/maintain something and a time where I didn't fillet all the fish and not take any for myself with exception to maybe a couple of times where I wanted to give some to friends.

The fact that they offer is good enough for me. It shows that their not parasites that are there just to leech off me and that they also have a good understanding of what it takes to pull off even the simplest of trips.
I think this is what this thread was originally about wasn't it? Not what deckies and skippers roles and costs are but more importantly it was about having respect, thinking about others before thinking about yourself and not taking people's good will and generosity for granted.

[BLOOEY]

Yep fair enough on both counts guys. An offer to help with things if it is a new person to the boat is just common courtesty as you say. But regulars who come out must get sick of offering when you say no thanks every time. Ben

[aussiebasser]

If somebody is fishing on your boat and they gave you money for fuel and they hurt themselves in an accident your insurance will not pay. You could find yourself without your house, car and boat paying off legal fees and compensation. If you both go to the servo on the way out, or on the way home and pay 1/2 the fuel bill each to the servo all is OK, if he gives you cash you are operating your vessel as a hire craft and it must be in survey and if you're driving you should have the relevant licenses and insurance coverage.
No I'm not saying your mate will sue you, but if things go really bad and he is left disabled and unable to care for his family he may have to. Check the wording of your insurance policy very carefully.

[Muddy Toes]

Hardly what this whole thread is about Satnav.

[Crunchy]

Had a mate come out with me a few weeks ago.. Said he would meet me at the ramp... Turned up with no rod, no ice, no money, not even a drink!!
His mrs was at the ramp when we came in and asked me why we were out so long as they had to go to lunch and he had to have a shower etc...
I was so close to losing the plot it wasnt funny.. I would have given my left arm to go out when i didnt have a boat, this season though i am taking out only family and mates who fish and pay.. i need a contract signed prior to boarding, or set an application process for perpective deckies lol

At least he turned up I guess, can recall a few times when blokes just haven't bothered to show even though the night before they had practically begged to come fishing - "Yeh yeh I will defnately be there, cant wait"::)

Each circumstance is different, for example recently I met a bloke who wanted to come fishing, been fishing for years he said, I said OK no worries lets have a look at your gear and see what we got, it was pretty evident that his previous fishing experience was confined to catching sprats from the wharf. OK no worries once I understood that it becomes a case of adjusting to the persons experience , "Just bring a hat and some water mate I'll take care of the rest"....."what about my rod"...."She's a beaut mate but I got one you can use that might be a bit more suitable". I don't expect anything from him other than to be good company, enjoy himself and hang around and have a beer or two while I clean up, or perhaps do a few little jobs like rinse out the esky. A lot of inexperienced blokes just don't know how to help and some boat owners are so finicky about the way they like things to be done its just best to stand back. However if some other bloke who's been off-shore fishing his whole life, owns or has owned a boat comes out for a days fishing then I would be bloody pissed if he just buggers off when the hard work is to be done! (You know who you are;))

90% of my fishing is solo anyway, I lost my mojo at sea a few years ago and I've been trying to find it ever since, that's best done on ones own as its bloody boring for a passenger sitting there driving around trying to find lost mojo.:-?

[Gon Fishun]

I was offered a "small" bag of chips once. :stunned:
I fish solo mostly. ;D

[Horse]

If somebody is fishing on your boat and they gave you money for fuel and they hurt themselves in an accident your insurance will not pay. You could find yourself without your house, car and boat paying off legal fees and compensation. If you both go to the servo on the way out, or on the way home and pay 1/2 the fuel bill each to the servo all is OK, if he gives you cash you are operating your vessel as a hire craft and it must be in survey and if you're driving you should have the relevant licenses and insurance coverage.
No I'm not saying your mate will sue you, but if things go really bad and he is left disabled and unable to care for his family he may have to. Check the wording of your insurance policy very carefully.

You are so wrooooong!

Just saying

[Nicko_Cairns]

Hey guys, I think it's important to set the boundaries with your deckie when inviting them, explain them the costs and let them know boats are expensive, tell them any boat rules like sinker management (don't bang the boat with sinkers) and let them know they will be helping you clean the boat. I'm in the unique (strange) position where none of my deckies live in my town so I accept that I'll be cleaning the boat, we also usually split the catch at the ramp or wherever so that's half the fish I don't have to worry about.

[Mister]

Deckie? Very bad terminology as used here .... some need to sell the boat and play golf..

Oh and yes when money changes hands then you better have a solicitor, you better start ensuring you have provided a safe play space, just saying :) people are rather funny these days when there is a wif of compenstation

[Daintreediver]

Good deckies are very hard to find. Even harder to find people who are willing to pay a reasonable amount to just cover costs.

Years ago we used to regularly take at least 1-2 blokes extra out on our boat. These were back in the days when fuel was 80cents per litre and we would use no more than 100L and come home with at least 20 trout a trip. The blokes we took were good fisherman, happy to pay $70-$80 and got a decent feed for their efforts. They always stayed behind and helped cleaned the boat,but never once did they offer any assistance to service or maintain. When the fuel bill started to go up these blokes all started whinging about the price and would purposely only bring $80 cash to pay and say they couldn't afford any more but would still expect their proportion of fish. Now it is costing like now it costs around $180 to fuel the boat, not including bait etc. Dad was never trying to make a profit on these blokes, merely just trying to cover costs as much as possible so we could go fishing more often. The fishing is getting harder and harder now and blokes that do want to come reckon they are getting ripped off just paying for fuel if they don't get at least 5-8 decent fish to take home, yet they are happy to pay $250 for a charter up here and be lucky to take home 2 fish.

The biggest gripe I have though is when it blows 20 knots up here in Cairns for a solid 3-6 months straight, all these blokes have tinny's so they would head up the creek and never once ask the old man fishing, yet they would always be chasing the old man to get out the reef. Even when they upgraded to their own big boats to head out the reef they never asked the old man fishing when he was without a boat. Yet they would ask him for marks when they go out.

We've now got to the stage that we'd rather go out just our family, do everything yourself, pay for everything yourself, help as much as you can with R&M and not have to put up with the so called "friends" that want to go fishing with you.

Don't get me wrong, I am sure there are some really good deckies out there.. but the few experiences I've had, it's turned me off wanting to ask anyone else in our boat.

Pazz

Pretty much my thoughts as well. I usually only go out with family these days and only during desperate times ie mid week when I can't get family do I look elsewhere. I've had some absolute shockers in my boat I don't care so much about splitting fuel costs etc but look after my boat because we are diving I've seen all sorts of damage from weight belts on gel coat damage from spearguns etc.

[cobiaman]

Deckie? Very bad terminology as used here .... some need to sell the boat and play golf..

Oh and yes when money changes hands then you better have a solicitor, you better start ensuring you have a save provided a safe play space, just saying :)

What a load of crap! Just sayin....

[Jarrah Jack]

Do you take people out in your tub Sat Nav ?

You and Mister would get on well together I reckon.

[Shark Poker]

May I also please say, that in my opinion, as shown here tonight, that Muddy Toes is a natural-born-fisherman.

[lucee81]

All you blokes are wrong I would happily take sat nav and mister for a trip on my boat. Reckon it would be a laugh a minute, just let me check my safety helmet is in date, can't be too safe out there.

[Apollo]

Seriously guys, don't feed the trolls!

[lucee81]

Seriously guys, don't feed the trolls!

where would we then look for entertainment?

[Horse]

Id put my hand up for the challenge of soleman and mister/satnav just for a laugh!


"You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din!”

[theoldlegend]

Well, to get back on track, let me offer the following comments. After reading some of the posts, I'm feeling quite deflated. I'm a deckie, or rather, I'd like to think I'm one. I go out when I'm asked. I don't have a boat, nor is there any possibility of me getting one at this stage. Why? Well, time is of the essence. I believe you just cant get a boat and go out into the bay without years of experience. And I don't have the time.

So, I've been blessed with members asking me out from time to time, which is an opportunity I jump at. I've been very fortunate to get experience watching and learning how the experts do it in various parts of the bay targeting different species at different locations. And that is something that I'm very grateful for.

Now, these people have picked me up at home en route to the launching pad or have arranged to meet me at the boat ramp. What should I do when it comes to washing down the boat etc? They say "I'll do it when I get home".

To me, paying my way is paramount. It's just something you have to do. Fuel, bait and whatever is something that I simply must kick in for, because that's the way it is. Now, some of these people say they're going out anyway, and don't worry about it, but in my view, that's beside the point.

I've always thought that you took your own sangas or whatever, water, tea, coffee and looked after yourself, and that the skipper would do the same. Some comments have alluded to the fact that the skipper should be fed by the deckie while he's punching out the mark.

If nothing comes over the side into the box, then I don't care. I've had a good day out on the water and a lot of fun and banter.

So, you can see, I'm feeling rather insecure at the moment, after reading the comments about what some skippers expect.

I just felt that I should put this up. Of course, being a Saturday after afternoon, the demon drink has kicked in, so whatever I might have posted is not my fault.

I'm exhausted.

TOL

[Muddy Toes]

You're thinking about it too much dad. Some people draw this imaginary line in the sand and define themselves as 'skippers' and to that title shall the peasants hail. What a load of crap......


You're a man of experience, manners and respect so as soon as you, Ian and Tangles organise some good weather when I'm home we'll go out and natter about the sate of the US fiscal situation until the sun is low in the sky.

[jtpython]

Top Mates make great deckies
It s all about being on the water living life and catching a fish and enjoying it
Love it

[WalrusLike]

TOL I reckon any boat would be improved by your presence. The collective wisdom on board would have at least doubled.....


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[cobiaman]

TOL I reckon any boat would be improved by your presence. The collective wisdom on board would have at least doubled.....


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

I reckon any boat would be improved by the cakes he would bring......

[cobiaman]

Top Mates make great deckies
It s all about being on the water living life and catching a fish and enjoying it
Love it

Yep, nailed it!

[theoldlegend]

TOL I reckon any boat would be improved by your presence. The collective wisdom on board would have at least doubled.....


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


Aaaah, somehow I don't think so WL. So long as people don't get me going by spruiking all this glass ceiling crap, housewives in their SUV's etc etc I'll be OK.


TOL

[mod2]

Stay on subject and stop the attacks on other members please.

[Muddy Toes]

What's the go with the missing posts?

Did you ever think that some of these digs are in fact friendly jibes between friends? You know..........not personal attacks on other members but posts to lighten the feeling in the room.
But I guess if all the overseers we're like LP and actually knew when people were having a laugh between mates instead of just regulating fun in a vocational sense behind their faceless personas then how would some of us get our big hero ego fixes.

[Jarrah Jack]

Na Needed cleaning up I reckon Muddy man. Its grown into an interesting thread and doesn't need the disruption caused by a certain member.

[Muddy Toes]

What.....the post I made at Apollo?

That's what I mean about being able to differentiate between trolls and having a laugh instead of all just getting thrown in to the 'i better police this' bin.

[Crunchy]

Stay on subject and stop the attacks on other members please.

Except Satnav & Mister surely?

[Jarrah Jack]

What.....the post I made at Apollo?

That's what I mean about being able to differentiate between trolls and having a laugh instead of all just getting thrown in to the 'i better police this' bin.

Not talking about that mate. Just Sat Nav's posts, yours are pure. ;D

[mod2]

What's the go with the missing posts?

Did you ever think that some of these digs are in fact friendly jibes between friends? You know..........not personal attacks on other members but posts to lighten the feeling in the room.
But I guess if all the overseers we're like LP and actually knew when people were having a laugh between mates instead of just regulating fun in a vocational sense behind their faceless personas then how would some of us get our big hero ego fixes.

am certainly not faceless as many members know me. Just stick to the rules and no posts would have to be deleted. End of discussion.

[Muddy Toes]

I realise you want this put to bed but there are a lot of people on here that wonder why posts and threads get deleted for no reason i.e. For things that arent in breach of the rules and everytime someone asks about it it's either deleted or we get told to 'follow the rules and the decision is final'.
Fair enough if that's the case but it's not in every instant that someone is breaking the rules........it's got a lot to do with one's interpretation of what was said and whether there is any malice behind it.

But carry on......im sure you all have jobs to do.

Cheers.

[jtpython]

Some Deckies are knobs for sure I take out but I always take Booney out again "When He's Allowed "

[WalrusLike]

I like deckieing for my Bro-in-law. We are mates so even though he is a man of few words and I frequently misunderstand his intent, we both enjoy the outing.

So he puts up with my incompetence and I put up with it too. :)

If I was on anyone else's boat I would be uncomfortable but I know we cut each other any amount of slack needed.

So I reckon it's true... Mates make the best deckies.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Andy H]

Because my post was deleted, let me just reiterate that I have a big scary looking deckie. He can't tie a knot and he's always late but he's family. One day I'd like to take someone else who knows what they are doing. Also in my boat , everyone's first trip is free, we share the catch (once we caught a fish), give each other shit and have a great time. I'm more likely to be doing all the work but that's probably because I haven't taken the time to show others how to do stuff...

[mod2]

I don't add much these days but there is one glaring thing here..just because someone owns a boat does not make them a master mariner. Pre Ausfish days i have been out with people that I would never be near again in charge of anything floating on the water. So called deckies may not be assured of the so called skippers ability.

[Shark Poker]

Hi mod2, where does that come from? Seems like a bit of a vent.
New boaties are a bit of a worry, we all know that. Kind of like P-platers on the road.
And we all had interesting experiences with different folks on their boats, but I appreciate the memories in most every case.

Thanks for doing your job this morning. Must be a bit like being a deckie on a trawler who every few hours has to wake up and attend to the sorting tray.

Or the wife that comes in uninvited to your man-cave and tries to straighten things up.

Often un-appreciated, but essential.

Cheers,

[mod2]

Fatbuoy..many years back..had a bloke say we would get to Moreton ok..we were flat out getting to St helena with his pathetic boat handlng skills. That was back in the 1970's

[Shark Poker]

And I built my first boat out of alum cans for the Darwin Beer Can Regatta.
This was a team effort and it showed the importance of individual decisions and judgements on the day. Some of our team swam back to the beach and the more determined hangers on were rescued.

Like Muddy said, and looking at your above example, it is better to take a more interactive approach rather than waiting and reacting to other peoples decisions and behaviour.
Like you could have on the St Helena Trip.
A good lesson for us all.
Pauly

[zan0_15]

Fatbuoy..many years back..had a bloke say we would get to Moreton ok..we were flat out getting to St helena with his pathetic boat handlng skills. That was back in the 1970's

hold a grudge much? dont tarr every skipper with the same brush.

[Jarrah Jack]

I don't add much these days but there is one glaring thing here..just because someone owns a boat does not make them a master mariner. Pre Ausfish days i have been out with people that I would never be near again in charge of anything floating on the water. So called deckies may not be assured of the so called skippers ability.

Perhaps an idea for another thread about skippers. I deckied for four different skippers at the M&G and couldn't say a bad word about any of them. One thing I did notice is that because they were all members of the forum, I reckon, their boats were set up very well. Hydraulic steering, trim tabs and efficient electronics, I could go on and on.

[madmackrel]

Hey Tex............glad to see you made it home safe and well.

To say I wasn't a little upset and peeved off when I heard of your plight when I first got up there would be a lie.

As a fellow boat owner I fully understand the process one goes through before the drive north actually begins. Whilst most of us on here are boat owners ourselves the people we invite out aren't always in the same position and sometimes don't fully understand the gravity of what towing a boat 5000kms is like. The prepping of the tow vehicle, motor, transmission, tyres all have to be 100% before leaving home....boat, motor and trailer need to be in nothing less than perfect condition, once again more money and more time. Services, repairs, upgrades and last minute maintenance is the order of the day. For the misinformed or inexperienced when a boat rocks up at a holiday destination and is ready to, and is expected to perform flawlessly none stop for a week or two it's not by chance nor by fluke. Many many hours of prep work and many thousand of dollars are usually the norm when considering towing a boat a long way for a holiday if the owner doesn't have the pleasure for always making such a pilgrimage and that's just getting the bloody thing there. Fishing gear, bait, safety equipment and the serviceability of everything on board isn't a game of luck...........stuff works because the boat owner has taken the time, money and inclination to ensure this is the case.
I fully understand that unforeseen circumstances do pop up preventing deckies/friends/crew to attend such trips and in some cases these circumstances are far more important than some fishing trip and in these cases this little rant fails in comparison to some peoples real problems but when the excuse is due to lack of planning, lack of interest or down right lack of respect for the boat owner to just not rock up forgetting the effort and money the skipper has already poured in to such a trip is unacceptable in my books.
This isn't a rant specifically targeting any one scenario but in the last week I've heard stories of skippers being left high and dry without a crew, guys renting houses for a week that have been fully paid for only to move in to another house to have a bit of company and leave their fully paid up house sitting there for a week because people have backed out and stories of guys unwilling to help clean, prep and organise the boat for the next day whilst instead choosing to drink and watch the boat owner do it all.

You're right Terry, it is a team effort and far too often some people either forget about or have no real idea of what it takes to pull off a trip such as a two week holiday away from home with a boat. Paying a bit of fuel money doesn't magically turn it in to a fully serviced charter for the day............if you cringe at coughing up a bit of fuel money then for gods sake don't ever buy a boat!!!!

That's the end of my rant for the night, I consider myself pretty lucky for the guys I get to fish with and I think they appreciate the effort I go to as well.
Very true and well said Mr Toes

[madmackrel]

And an awesome effort from you JJ well done mate to drive all that way up and back.
Cheers

[Humdinger]

if you wanna hear another deckie rant
the guy i had lined up for hervey bay has just rang me (seemed like a good start )
what do we need for the trip
i tell him not to worry about tackle i'll sort that out just bring your own booze and chuck in for food and fuel .

can anyone see anything wrong with this ?

how much is that gonna be he says
i told him i plan on doing a lot more this year so will be going with 500 litres of petrol will need 100 litres of diesal and what ever food so thinking i am being nice
i tell him just chuck in 300 that'll do
the answer to that was not what i expected
what that much i thought you would only want about 50 bucks . you went by yourself last year so why do you want that much . about another 10 minutes of listening to this crap and i hang up
but what i got from his carry on
1)you own a boat you must be loaded . answer to that is NO I OWN A BOAT
2) if you ask for a 3rd of fuel and food you are just trying to rip your mates off

i actually felt i had to explain myself to him
i built that boat myself cause i couldn't afford to buy what i wanted and i bought that motor cause of what i saved by building the boat myself . has nothing to do with being loaded
didn't bother to tell him i just dropped a shit load on the new seats and there was a 2000 dollar sounder going in
some people just wouldn't be able to appreciate them sorts of things just makes you sound like your bragging

i don't like to ask for money or for help with cleaning the boat . but i also don't think i should have to ask either

like after the 1770 trip the deckie i took up there with me showed his appreciation by walking up to me at the gympie servo and shook my hand said thanks for the trip and i havn't heard from him since .i spent the rest of the weekend cleaning everything up myself
won't go into much more about that one

well anyway there's my rant for this year
my son is coming to hervey bay with me (finally got time off work )
but after hervey bay i will yet again be looking for a good deckie for about the 10th and last time .
i must be a pretty bad skipper or somthing so if there are any good deckies out there that don't mind fishing off a tugboat and can put up with an idiot driving it give me a yell

[cobiaman]

if you wanna hear another deckie rant
the guy i had lined up for hervey bay has just rang me (seemed like a good start )
what do we need for the trip
i tell him not to worry about tackle i'll sort that out just bring your own booze and chuck in for food and fuel .

can anyone see anything wrong with this ?

how much is that gonna be he says
i told him i plan on doing a lot more this year so will be going with 500 litres of petrol will need 100 litres of diesal and what ever food so thinking i am being nice
i tell him just chuck in 300 that'll do
the answer to that was not what i expected
what that much i thought you would only want about 50 bucks . you went by yourself last year so why do you want that much . about another 10 minutes of listening to this crap and i hang up
but what i got from his carry on
1)you own a boat you must be loaded . answer to that is NO I OWN A BOAT
2) if you ask for a 3rd of fuel and food you are just trying to rip your mates off

i actually felt i had to explain myself to him
i built that boat myself cause i couldn't afford to buy what i wanted and i bought that motor cause of what i saved by building the boat myself . has nothing to do with being loaded
didn't bother to tell him i just dropped a shit load on the new seats and there was a 2000 dollar sounder going in
some people just wouldn't be able to appreciate them sorts of things just makes you sound like your bragging

i don't like to ask for money or for help with cleaning the boat . but i also don't think i should have to ask either

like after the 1770 trip the deckie i took up there with me showed his appreciation by walking up to me at the gympie servo and shook my hand said thanks for the trip and i havn't heard from him since .i spent the rest of the weekend cleaning everything up myself
won't go into much more about that one

well anyway there's my rant for this year
my son is coming to hervey bay with me (finally got time off work )
but after hervey bay i will yet again be looking for a good deckie for about the 10th and last time .
i must be a pretty bad skipper or somthing so if there are any good deckies out there that don't mind fishing off a tugboat and can put up with an idiot driving it give me a yell

He obviously didnt realise that you caught more marlin and spaniards than anyone else that trip, thats his loss i guess....

[Humdinger]

yeah thats the way i see it

[Jarrah Jack]

Strange how some people can't appreciate what is being offered. There's a lot of southern fishermen who would give anything to experience that sort of fishing in Northern Oz.

I didn't really expect the thread to go as far as it has but its given a few skippers a chance to say some things that would've gone unsaid otherwise.

Still from what I noticed at the M&G, there are a lot of very good deckies and teams out there.


PS How's the pod going HD? :D

[lucee81]

I must have had a good run of deckies, never had a prob yet.

[Greg P]

You are so wrooooong!

Just saying

Neil - you sure that is completely wrong? You have been on here a while and would remember Pete ((Snappa) .? I am sure he had some dramas with this because of the website he had asking deckies for money. Might be wrong but I think there is some lines that could be crossed that could put you in a bad spot if something went pear shaped.

Interesting subject - would there be a few guys that have boats they could not afford to run without paying deckies?

Cheers

Greg

[lucee81]

Perhaps an idea for another thread about skippers. I deckied for four different skippers at the M&G and couldn't say a bad word about any of them. One thing I did notice is that because they were all members of the forum, I reckon, their boats were set up very well. Hydraulic steering, trim tabs and efficient electronics, I could go on and on.

while it seems like a fantastic idea how many deckies are going to talk of a bad experience without fear of never getting another invite?

[morphias]

WTF Humdinger?! You offer a bargain fishing trip and they spit in your face.

If I had the $300, I would have been there, cleaned the boat and gear daily, kept rigs in order, etc, etc.

If anyone is looking for a GOOD deckie, keep in touch offline - might be able to do the 1770 M&G or Hervey Bay next year - I am dying to do one after reading how much fun you guys have at these meets. 6-12 months will let me put the required $$$ together.

Ben

[netmaker]

if you wanna hear another deckie rant
the guy i had lined up for hervey bay has just rang me (seemed like a good start )
what do we need for the trip
i tell him not to worry about tackle i'll sort that out just bring your own booze and chuck in for food and fuel .

can anyone see anything wrong with this ?

how much is that gonna be he says
i told him i plan on doing a lot more this year so will be going with 500 litres of petrol will need 100 litres of diesal and what ever food so thinking i am being nice
i tell him just chuck in 300 that'll do
the answer to that was not what i expected
what that much i thought you would only want about 50 bucks . you went by yourself last year so why do you want that much . about another 10 minutes of listening to this crap and i hang up
but what i got from his carry on
1)you own a boat you must be loaded . answer to that is NO I OWN A BOAT
2) if you ask for a 3rd of fuel and food you are just trying to rip your mates off

i actually felt i had to explain myself to him
i built that boat myself cause i couldn't afford to buy what i wanted and i bought that motor cause of what i saved by building the boat myself . has nothing to do with being loaded
didn't bother to tell him i just dropped a shit load on the new seats and there was a 2000 dollar sounder going in
some people just wouldn't be able to appreciate them sorts of things just makes you sound like your bragging

i don't like to ask for money or for help with cleaning the boat . but i also don't think i should have to ask either

like after the 1770 trip the deckie i took up there with me showed his appreciation by walking up to me at the gympie servo and shook my hand said thanks for the trip and i havn't heard from him since .i spent the rest of the weekend cleaning everything up myself
won't go into much more about that one

well anyway there's my rant for this year
my son is coming to hervey bay with me (finally got time off work )
but after hervey bay i will yet again be looking for a good deckie for about the 10th and last time .
i must be a pretty bad skipper or somthing so if there are any good deckies out there that don't mind fishing off a tugboat and can put up with an idiot driving it give me a yell

spose he was expecting you to provide all the oak choccy milks too::). no doubt about it - you need to find better quality mates:-?

[Zippidy]

if you wanna hear another deckie rant
the guy i had lined up for hervey bay has just rang me (seemed like a good start )
what do we need for the trip
i tell him not to worry about tackle i'll sort that out just bring your own booze and chuck in for food and fuel .

can anyone see anything wrong with this ?

how much is that gonna be he says
i told him i plan on doing a lot more this year so will be going with 500 litres of petrol will need 100 litres of diesal and what ever food so thinking i am being nice
i tell him just chuck in 300 that'll do
the answer to that was not what i expected
what that much i thought you would only want about 50 bucks . you went by yourself last year so why do you want that much . about another 10 minutes of listening to this crap and i hang up
but what i got from his carry on
1)you own a boat you must be loaded . answer to that is NO I OWN A BOAT
2) if you ask for a 3rd of fuel and food you are just trying to rip your mates off

i actually felt i had to explain myself to him
i built that boat myself cause i couldn't afford to buy what i wanted and i bought that motor cause of what i saved by building the boat myself . has nothing to do with being loaded
didn't bother to tell him i just dropped a shit load on the new seats and there was a 2000 dollar sounder going in
some people just wouldn't be able to appreciate them sorts of things just makes you sound like your bragging

i don't like to ask for money or for help with cleaning the boat . but i also don't think i should have to ask either

like after the 1770 trip the deckie i took up there with me showed his appreciation by walking up to me at the gympie servo and shook my hand said thanks for the trip and i havn't heard from him since .i spent the rest of the weekend cleaning everything up myself
won't go into much more about that one

well anyway there's my rant for this year
my son is coming to hervey bay with me (finally got time off work )
but after hervey bay i will yet again be looking for a good deckie for about the 10th and last time .
i must be a pretty bad skipper or somthing so if there are any good deckies out there that don't mind fishing off a tugboat and can put up with an idiot driving it give me a yell


$300 is nothing.

I'd give my left nut to go on a trip with one of you more experienced fishermen.

I don't get seasick, so can tie knots all day long :-)

[lucee81]

$300 is nothing.

I'd give my left nut to go on a trip with one of you more experienced fishermen.

I don't get seasick, so can tie knots all day long :-)

Your on the wrong thread for experienced fishermen.

[Stansy]

That's a real shame Brett, old mate will miss a great trip. Luckily i have not had issues like that, guys have paid for fuel and bait, and helped was down boat, just lucky i guess. Maybe old mate does not or has not ever owned a boat so can't really appreciate the real cost associated with running a boat and travelling. Anyway his loss, taking your young bloke will be much more fun, and he will have a ball, after all family is everything. See u up there.
Mark

[Paulio]

I own a boat and yes have had a few tight arsed deckies in my time, got pretty sick of it so in some cases its easier to go out by yourself. If anyone is looking for a deckie I'd be very keen for the experience and dont mind putting in the $$$ and the time as I appreciate exactly where you're coming from.

These deckies in question must be non boat owners


Send me a PM if interested


Paul

[Jarrah Jack]

while it seems like a fantastic idea how many deckies are going to talk of a bad experience without fear of never getting another invite?

What makes you think it would be about bad experiences ?

[theoldlegend]

Well, I've had a bad experience with a skipper.

It was many years ago. Two of us went out with this bloke, not too far out, chasing whiting. At least he told us what he expected for fuel, bait etc, but he didn't tell us that he expected us to catch as many whiting as we could, but as it turned out, the whiting were plentiful that day.

So, after a long day, with plenty of comments about not catching enough, he gave the both of us a few whiting each and kept the rest himself. Heard on the grapevine a few days later that he and his old man used to flog off whiting fillets in one of the pubs of a Friday night. Never again.

As I said, it was a long time ago.


TOL

[lucee81]

What makes you think it would be about bad experiences ?

I dont but it would be more interesting of a read...

[Humdinger]

That's a real shame Brett, old mate will miss a great trip. Luckily i have not had issues like that, guys have paid for fuel and bait, and helped was down boat, just lucky i guess. Maybe old mate does not or has not ever owned a boat so can't really appreciate the real cost associated with running a boat and travelling. Anyway his loss, taking your young bloke will be much more fun, and he will have a ball, after all family is everything. See u up there.
Mark
yeah mark I think Netmaker pinned it
once you straighten yourself up you get to realize how bad the life choices were
sometimes I think I should just go home

[mutineer]

Most of my mates are not very well off , I do expect a red back or two , but don't go all jittery about even share or covering costs ..for just my mates / family. I just love it and sharing what I enjoy with others .but if it was a regular deckie that needs you for his fishing needs then it's even Stevens, split the bill , wash clean and pull that anchor buddy or it may be your last ...no cough up and see ya later , I have not had to many bad ones , as I am clear before we start ...just as jarrah jack was to me .it is a weird feeling being decky for the unknown , I do think mates make the best deckies, skippers on the other hand , well I reckon at least 50% of boat owners would be in trouble past a wake of another boat ...over the years I have seen some crazy stuff , one would hope these people at least are aware of their limit/ lack of ability..

[Humdinger]

Really it's not about the money or the help with washing
But don't you think it would show a bit of appreciation if they atleast offered
A trip like 1770 and Herveybay is expensive . So really if you want to go on these trips there should be atleast an honest offer of help
By the time I got the car and boat and everything else ready for 1770 and the trip itself I had spent 5500 bucks I spent 1850 in agnes 1300 of that was fuel and ice rent for the 2 of us was 500
My deckie gave me 600 and couldn't even offer to come and help unload and clean up .
Now try getting a charter that cheap for a week where you have a bit of say I where you go and what you do
My rant last night was because I invited a so called mate on an expensive fishing trip only to end up being accused of profiting off of him .
This is also a mate that a few years ago I gave him my spare moto x bike probably was worth about 5 or 6 k
Never even thought twice about it . When he sold it I never got offered a cent and never asked for it either
As netmaker said earlier today I need to find better friends
ThAts where this site has been so good I have met and made some good friends . Pretty much the best I,ve made since I left the little island .

[wags on the water]

Why is the term "deckie" used anyway??? Don't you lot take mates fishing like I do? The term deckie is used on charter boats where said deckie does everything. I like to think of it as an outing with mates.

[netmaker]

feel your pain brett. it sucks finding out someone you count as a mate is an ungrateful, lousy leech. I would have been happy to join you had I not already committed (even if you do nudge the occasional container ship:-X). and yes, ausfish is a great place to make great mates - even if you only catch up every couple of months or so;D.
probably due to catch up at perrys for a sunday arvo beer and chili sesh;):jester::dizzy::confused::helpa::freak::beer ::gossip::uhoh::drunk:

[Humdinger]

feel your pain brett. it sucks finding out someone you count as a mate is an ungrateful, lousy leech. I would have been happy to join you had I not already committed (even if you do nudge the occasional container ship:-X). and yes, ausfish is a great place to make great mates - even if you only catch up every couple of months or so;D.
probably due to catch up at perrys for a sunday arvo beer and chili sesh;):jester::dizzy::confused::helpa::freak::beer ::gossip::uhoh::drunk:

Sounds good Dave let's start a Perry's m&g

[Bull]

probably due to catch up at perrys for a sunday arvo beer and chili sesh


Sounds good Dave let's start a Perry's m&g


So what time we meeting at Perrys on Sunday ??

[Humdinger]

I was thinking bout goin there on Sunday so he could help build my lure . Seeing that he can't go

[netmaker]

yep. i have spoken to the merv moed bald bro and it's all go. show up anytime after lunch sunday for beer, beef jerky and lotsa laughs;D

[Muddy Toes]

Perry's on Sunday? I'll bring a bar cod, trevella, a few gem fish an Israeli extremism and cobialess.

Actually probably not.......we won't be coming home until we conquer the deep.......

[lucee81]

Shot conquer the deep should e all done and dusted by 9am.

[cobiaman]

Shot conquer the deep should e all done and dusted by 9am.

Your gonna have sore arms!

[Muddy Toes]

QUESTION. You take a deckie out, the order from leaving home goes poo, poo, spew, poo can't wind his own line in and gets you to do it for him, doesn't offer to pay for fuel, doesn't off to wash boat and makes a dick of himself in front of your mates.

Do you even talk to him again let alone take him out again?

[Gon Fishun]

If it's a relative, yes. If it's a mate , no.

Never forget. " Where there is a will, there is a relative. ::);D

[Lucky_Phill]

No leave Graeme at home !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Giffo65]

I dare say he won't get an invite to play in the big boy sandpit again Muddy !

[Humdinger]

Keep taking him he's good value

[cobiaman]

QUESTION. You take a deckie out, the order from leaving home goes poo, poo, spew, poo can't wind his own line in and gets you to do it for him, doesn't offer to pay for fuel, doesn't off to wash boat and makes a dick of himself in front of your mates.

Do you even talk to him again let alone take him out again?

Nah let him come back if he brings more food and more growing up in darwin storys.....

[trymyluck]

QUESTION. You take a deckie out, the order from leaving home goes poo, poo, spew, poo can't wind his own line in and gets you to do it for him, doesn't offer to pay for fuel, doesn't off to wash boat and makes a dick of himself in front of your mates.

Do you even talk to him again let alone take him out again?

No, sounds like you require a couple of refined country gents, I'll see if I can round you up a couple..........

[Lucky_Phill]

I think he name is Luc-arse , ? is it not ?

[fish'n'chippy]

QUESTION. You take a deckie out, the order from leaving home goes poo, poo, spew, poo can't wind his own line in and gets you to do it for him, doesn't offer to pay for fuel, doesn't off to wash boat and makes a dick of himself in front of your mates.

Do you even talk to him again let alone take him out again?

Would think definitely not, however would need to read a fishing report to make a final decision.

But......when did you get mates???

Just askin'...

G

[cobiaman]

But......when did you get mates???

Just askin'...

G

I think they come with the boat, just like all the servo chicks....