Safety equipment improvements include:

• Extending the list of designated coastal bars requiring everyone on board to wear a personal flotation device when in an open boat under 4.8 metres in length. This applies to recreational, commercial and fishing ships.

To improve marine safety and reduce injuries from collisions involving personal watercraft (PWC) the following changes will be made:

• PWC driver to maintain a distance of 30 metres from other moving boats when travelling at more than 10 knots unless the PWC is involved in an official aquatic event.
• PWC licence holder to wear the kill switch safety lanyard when the PWC is being driven by a learner driver.
• A learner PWC driver can not carry passengers other than the supervising PWC licence holder.
• Additional safety equipment requirements for PWCs similar to that required for other recreational boats. Refer Maritime Safety Queensland website at www.msq.qld.gov.au for full details.

Other changes include:

• Introducing enhanced night and electronic navigation training in the existing BoatSafe course.

• The owner of a recreational boat must verify that a person who is to be the master of the boat holds an appropriate licence to operate that boat.

• Recognition of particular types of international boating licences (a list to be published on the Maritime Safety Queensland website).
• The Australian Maritime Safety Authority issued registration sticker for an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) must be affixed to the EPIRB.
• A recreational boat registered in another state or territory that is on an interstate voyage does not require Queenslandregistration while in Queenslandwaters.
• New stowage requirements for safety equipment to enable immediate access in the event of an emergency.

From January 2013, if you are a new boat licence applicant wanting to operate a boat 12 metres or over, you will need to obtain an advanced marine driver licence endorsement. Requirements to obtain an advanced licence will be:

• holding a recreational marine driver licence or equivalent from another Australian state or territory for at least one year
• minimum age of 18 years
• the completion under the supervision of an advanced recreational marine licence holder or equivalent of a range or boating tasks required in an advanced BoatSafe workbook
• the completion of an advanced BoatSafe training course focussing on specific knowledge required to operate larger recreational boats.

Holders of a recreational marine driver licence issued prior to 1 January 2013 and those with a master’s certificate for a commercial or fishing ship will be able to operate recreational vessels of any size without further requirements.

Find more information on the Maritime Safety Queensland website at www.msq.qld.gov.au or by contacting the Gold Coast regional office on 5539 7300.

$220.00 Team Entry Fee includes Subway lunch & Soft drinks ($10 per head)

60 % of Prize Pool will go back to the anglers so the bigger the field the bigger the payout. 1 Prize Pool 2 categories paying 1st-3rd.

When: July 1st

Where: TBC either our clubhouse of Southport VMR Base The Spit.

Come one come all tinnies or tournie boats this event is for you!

This is one case, on Friday arvo the 30/12 I arrived at crew and was told that a boat was on the North wall. The situation arose that during the day a bloke was drift fishing the North wall of the Seaway, when he realised he was getting to close to the wall, he went to start his motor however the starter motor wouldn’t engage and start his outboard.

With all his attempts he had no luck and before he knew it he was on the rocks. His boat was washed over the ledge and ended up wedged against the wall. Ropes were put out front and back to hold her.  He was picked up by either Boating & Fisheries or Water Police boats I am not sure. They bought him back to our base and he went home but had left message for the crew that he would phone later and was going to come down to help us get it off the wall. After discussing the dilemma this boat was in with Al Curtis the Duty Skipper we decided to ring the Guy and tell him we would go and have a look at the boat and ring him back.

After looking at the vessel and its position there was no way we could get it off especially as his outboard was wedged in rocks.

He was advised this and told to come in next morning and we would take him up and he could get his valuables off boat.

As at today the 06/01 the boat is still on rocks slowly breaking up, the motor has gone and the hull is coming away from the sides. The photos show its progression in its demise.

The guys story was that he had just purchased it was his first trip out in it, he had just spent $2000 on electronics. It was a costly first trip as the rig was not insured. He did manage when we took him back in the morning to get some valuables including his Electronics off it however was resigned to the fact that his boat was not going to come home again and if you are like me and love your boat then it would be heartbreaking.

As a fisherman myself I know that to get to where the fish are you have get as close as you can and as one very experienced Tournament Fisherman once said to me and my son Nathan if you are not loosing gear you are not where the fish are.

 In saying this we discussed the safety aspects to do which I have listed below.

-      If fishing close to shore i.e. Beach or Rock wall and you have no electric motor keep your motor going.

-      If you have an Electric do not take it out of water before you have started your drive motor.

-      If anchored start your motor before raising the anchor.

-      Boat & Engine Maintenance is paramount especially in the saltwater environment we fish in as its corrosive ability is amazing. This is one of the major causes of engine failure. A good spray of CRC or any other such product is a necessity after each trip.

(My family are sure I have shares in WD40 I use it that much)

 You have to have faith in your boat when you are out there because if you do get in to trouble not only is it you put and your passengers but also outsiders such as the general public and the Rescuers who get involved.

 We have a wonderful Piscatorial Paradise here on the Gold Coast and  anywhere else you go out on the water in Australia and when you are out there you should be enjoying it not worrying are you going to get out and back.

 Bruce Andersen

Enjoy and see you next month.

Once again members gathered at the Volunteer Marine Rescue base on the spit for the annual Christmas Party and awards presentation. The weather gods were certainly kind providing a lovely afternoon to enjoy the christmas cheer. Catering by Clancy’s put on a fabulous Christmas lunch and Merv from VMR kept the beers flowing and the cheer coming. It was great to see soem of our juniors out on the lawns for a game of Christmas Cricket and then a swim. The littlies had presents left under the tree from santa and seemed very happy with what he left behind.

It was a great opportunity to get together with fellow club members and enjoy their company, also to acknowledge the efforts of many committed club members including the executive committee and a some other members who have gone above and beyond for the club. The 2011 Presidents award was presented to Danny Sands in acknowledgment for all of the work he has done be for the club not only over the past year but previously. I described Danny asa quiet achiever as many of the things he does for the club go by unnoticed he is well eserving of this award and clubs such as ours would perish if it wasnt for the commitment of such members.

Successful anglers were also rewarded with the winners in the 2010/11 season acknowledged.

Largest species medals were awarded to:

Whiting- Irene Robertson 40.5cm

Flathead – Tom Ryan 89cm

Bream- Dan Folley 41cm

Spanish Mackerel – Tracey Mammen 140cm

Mangrove Jack- Danny Sands 58cm

Mulloway - Aykut Ahmet 123cm

Wahoo – Christian Pulvirenti 123cm

Snapper- Mike Bell 80cm

Mahi Mahi – Rob See 142cm

Spotty Mackerel – Glen Croft 100cm

Trevally – Danny Sands 69cm

Annual Champion trophies were presented to:

Champion Male Angler: Danny Sands

Runner up: Tom Ryan

Champion Female Angler: Christine Hunt

Runner-up: Tracey Mammen

Champion Junior Angler: Jake Neilsen

All in all it was a fantastic afternoon, I would like to thank Vice President Bruce Anderson for organising the event. I would like to take this opportunity of wishing all of our members a safe and happy holiday enjoy the festive season and may you get amongst some fish.

Merry Christmas

Christine Hunt

Club President

 The committee will discuss this at our next meeting and decide on an approach to formally contact the Gold Coast City Council to seek their support for alternative venues etc. We don’t have a lot of answers right now but what is important is for our club to be strong! Strong membership and a good community presence, we need to be seen as an integral offering to the Gold Coast fishing community and thier families as well as the larger contribution we make to tourism etc by bringing vistors to the Gold Coast for the iconic Gold Coast Flathead Classic. What can you do? Promote your club and help us build our membership, attend club events in big numbers!

For more information on the redevlopment of the parklands please see this link:

http://goldcoast2018bid.com/content/homeasp2.asp?name=Home

There was no doubt that the flathead were going to be wide spread with such a big tide and it being later in the season as such anglers found the going tough. However that didn’t stop our top 6 teams who all bought back pics of five fish. Team Bush and Beach are no strangers to chasing lizards in this format having already had a swag of 1^st places in the ABT Flathead comps in 2011.The ‘Brothers Stratford’ made this their fourth win for the year by coming back with the most cms for 5 fish, including Biggest Flathead, Keith and Chris certainly know how to find the fish. Lux Marine.com finished a close second only 10cm behind the leaders. Nik Whyte has supported the club events all year fishing the Easter Bream, Dash for Cash Bream and Flathead and the Flathead Classic and he’s had a good share of success across those tournaments. The 3^rd and 4^th placed teams came down from the Sunshine Coast and with just a quick fish the arvo before they showed a few of the locals how its done.

Whilst some of us found the going tough event organiser Danny Sands hit the water with his son Cooper for a social fish during the day and from my deck I saw him boat a 90cm and a 70cm fish! It was seeing this action that kept a few of us at the mouth of the Pin for so long but unfortunately to no avail oh well that’s fishing!  A great day was enjoyed by all and a few coldies back at the club was well deserved after such a warm day.

We would love to see the format build and be a genuine offering for keen Flathead anglers remember the way this format works is the more teams the more cash! Be sure to check our website for 2012 Dash for Cash events.

A big thanks to Aykut Ahmet from Smash Tackle for his biggest Flathead Prize pack and to the team who put the event together, Danny Sands, Christian Pulvirenti and  their helpers Bruce Anderson, Mike Bell, Dan Folley,and  George Sands. Scroll down for full results.

Results

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