Does anyone surf launch ?

[catchy_fishy]

It has dawned on me that all I hear about on ausfish wrt launches is this ramp and that ramp.

Is it common place for boaties to do surf operated launches, but ramps are just easier. Is it prohibited, perhaps from launching through the surf ?

In SA there are some ramps but most launches for Sports and Recreational ski boating is via direct surf launches, into the waves ?

Anyone got any feedback What gives in Aus ?

Mike.

[blaze]

most of the pro's (abalone divers) do surf launches on the west coast of tassie, extended drawbars and back down into the waves, someone in the boat and someone driving the 4x4 or tractor.
cheers
blaze

[JEWIENEWIE]

I do a bit of surf launching when at my favourouite camp spot :-X. I find getting her of the trailer is when i am more likely to get my rig stuck. Retrieve is easy as all i do is reverse my trailer down towards boat on waters edge, attach a snatch strap or something simailar to the bow eye and back of trailer and just pull her up the beach a bit out of harms way the just winch her straight onto the trailer. this process is definatly easier with a tilt trailer, depending on size of boat.
Jewie

[catchy_fishy]

Ok so the assumption is not wrong - just a preference for ramps.

Do you need to be able to surf launch for your skipper's licence, or is at an optional extra so to speak ?

I ask coz I still have to do my pracs which involves 90 surf launches in 3 days and I'm wanting to talk to fellow surf launchers.

Mike

[blaze]

most states in aust, the lincence test is the most basic thing, dont think you even need to know the front and back of a boat.
cheers
blaze

[catchy_fishy]

Gotcha :(

[Smithy]

Yes we do surf launch. Mostly on the north side of headlands as our predominate swell is from the SE. Our beaches are more gently sloping with gutters in them than the steeper beaches I have seen you African guys launch into. In Qld beach launching locally takes place at North Stradbroke Island, Double Island Point, Indian Head, Waddy Point and Ngalka Rocks. With a bit of land breeze which in our case is westerly it is possible on any surf beach with a good gutter. Some commercial net fishermen over here are set up for launching straight into the surf with jet boats and tractors and they target things like Mullet and Tailor (Elf to you or Bluefish to Yanks). Each year around this time there is a big fishing competition held on Fraser Island where around 300 boats a day beach launch. You will find some talk about it throughout this site and if you Googled the Toyota Fishing Expo I am sure you would find some info on it. Fraser Island also supports a band of pro line fishermen that beach launch. A lot have tractors for this. Extension draw bars on the trailers and low air pressure in the tyres are the tricks.

As for licences, the recrational boating ones are for life. A Coxswains Ticket which is the first level of a commercial licence is for life but any of the Masters qualifications need more than 365 days of logged sea time in any 3 year period. Is your ticket a commercial one than that you need to practice i.e. are you taking paying customers out?

[Reefmaster]

Here's a pic of beach launching from Double Island Point. :D ::)

Cheers Greg

[rojac]

Bit off topic but what design/type of trailers do you use to beach launch??

cheers

rojac

[catchy_fishy]

#beaches are more gently sloping with gutters in them than the steeper beaches I have seen you African guys launch into and they target things like Mullet and Tailor (Elf to you or Bluefish to Yanks). #

............#Extension draw bars on the trailers and low air pressure in the tyres are the tricks.

..................#Is your ticket a commercial one than that you need to practice i.e. are you taking paying customers out?

Smithy - why have I never seen you around - pleased to meet you.

Sounds like you've been across to SA before and done a bit of fishing. You are right seems the gutters here are steepr, and this probably causes the additional waves - normally three sets to clear before past the backline.

Commercial fishing for Elf who would have said ?

Extension draw bars on trailers - could that also be called a break neck trailer - it has a pin so the trailer tilts up and lets the trailer do the work of launching ?

Low air pressure - 1.0bar and 0.8bar if really in trouble is what I've found on beach driving - should one go even lower during the water entry stage.

Nope not a commercial ticket - normal S+R (Sports and recreation) Legal requirement is 12 launches in 3 days - but no school will allow you to qualify until you've done 30 launces per day in 3 days. Oh and yes it's also for life once attained.

I need to practice because I've never taken a boat out to sea and I'm terrified I flip the school's boat

But hey we shall see.

Thanks for responding - glad to see there are those that also go out through the surf, although Reefmaster's pic shows it to be more like Mozambique - smooth and easy stuff compared to some of our local launches -Sodwana and Shelley for example (if you know them

Mike

[Smithy]

Mike,

Aussie through and through and never been over there. Just seen pictures and video of you guys and how you go about fishing over there. Also lot of ex Africans over there like Flick Flack, Tim (Damon Olsen's Decky) and a guy on the Sunny Coast, Peter Matthews. You guys like your cats. There was a brand of cat which tried to get established here called King Cats. A mate of mine that was not SA'n but who was a bit of a catophile pointed out all the features of the King Cats that made them good for beach launching. None of our launcing is done straight onto open surf beaches other than the commercial guys or if a big Wester has been blowing knocking out the swell.

[wessel]

Mike

No school worth their salt will put a student at risk. Those that do normally go under, literally.
You have an instructor standing next to you all the time. Before you can even think of doing something stupid, the instructor will stop you.

Dont get target fixation. Look at everything all the time and know the state of your equipment.
That will include the basics such as bung plugs, rods tied down, tanks secured, your GSM phone, cigarettes and car keyes stowed away etc. All these things will be drilled into you until it becomes second nature. Amateurs practise until they get it right, professionals practise until they cant get it wrong...... if that makes sense to you.

You will do fine mate, but you will be exhausted at the end of it. The biggest problem is to dodge the guys on their surf boards on your way out ;) Keep in mind that you have an oversized food blender behind you ;D

Wess

[Thebuffalo]

Tell the instructor exactly what your concerns are, if he's worth is salt he wil give you the necessary feed back, if it is an assesment it may be a different story.

I saw a guy in Vic with a cray boat about 30 foot. It had a jet in it. Tractor backed the trailer down, drove straight on and then pushed the tractor out with the boat. It was a beutiful sight. Some blokes are experts, heaps of practice helps. Use a mates car as the salt will kill yours :).

The day in question was as rough as hell, he timed it between a set of breakers and literraly befor ethe next set he was on the trailer and out. Trailer was a true drive on.

Good luck, have considered it myself but the car is a bit too good.

cheers

[wayne_cook]

have done it many times at seals.
pick your lulls.
make sure your motor goes first kick.
be prepared to get wet.
get past break asap.
we usually run up the beach on the wash of a wave pin must be disconnected from donk to do this.
get out of break asap. don,t muck around.

[catchy_fishy]

make sure your motor goes first kick.

getting there

Cheers

Mike

[saurian]

Catchy , 15 odd years of beach surf launching.
Not so much waves but tides, sometimes waves.
extendable drawbar is handy , better still drop down spare wheel at front of drawbar, swing her down push boat trailer out into deeper water
then when boat is on snatch strap her out onto hard sound , hook tow vehicle on.
We used to gun it in reverse then slam brakes on to launch, person in boat takes over.( make sure motor up high enough and water is deep enough) Basic knowledge of sets/ wave conditions helps most guys
more than they realize. Remember power of little waves is huge, boats
get shunted and it can go pear shape reel quick , I have nearly lost 4wd once , helped many others as well. good luck ...

[catchy_fishy]

when I get there I'll post many pics - the missus hopefully will be able to get time off to sit and spectate