by The Captain | Mar 21, 2017 | Articles, Captain's ships
In their day, these belligerent battle boats ruled the waves. The Captain rates his top 10 warships. 1.BISMARCK At 251m in length with a top speed over 30 knots the Bismarck was the largest and fastest battleship of its day, posing a massive threat to...
by The Captain | Mar 21, 2017 | Articles, The craftsman
They’re old, slow, heavy andrequire constant tinkering to keep them ticking over. No, I’m not talking about the Captain’s Land Rover. These things make the Landy look like a lean-burn four-stroke. I’m talking about putt-putt marine engines. These cast-iron,...
by The Captain | Mar 21, 2017 | Articles, Captain's ships
Snapper slayer Tony McLeod is contemplating his next 6m rig. A call from the captain to test a Tournament 2000 Bluewater came at just the right time. CREW CALL Mick and I are your typical southern fishermen. We work in semi-important blue-collar jobs, drive Land...
by The Captain | Mar 14, 2017 | Articles, Captain's ships
The Captain storms Port Phillip Bay in a Stabicraft 2400 Supecab. The Target: King George Whiting. The rain was pissing down sideways, the wind was well over 20 knots and thick cloud cover cloaked the night sky. We were almost ready to call it quits, but then a rod...
by The Captain | Mar 14, 2017 | Articles, How to
The Captain’s “Seven Ways to Drop a Plop” guide – for when you’re far, far out at sea. You won’t read about this slippery subject in any coxswain course. Not even Al McGlashan has covered the “brown business” in any of his 736,586 useful fishing and boating articles....
by The Captain | Mar 14, 2017 | Articles, Project boat
The Captain’s crew takes two steps forward and 445 steps backward on the project boat rebuild. Nathan Laidlaw, master craftsman at Boat Box, seen below chopping like an ’80s rock star, gave The Captain’s crew a crash course in filling and fairing holes...
by The Captain | Mar 14, 2017 | Adventures, Articles
In the past five to 10 years, Australian saltwater fly fishing has enjoyed a bit of a renaissance. More and more, trout-only fly guys like me, as well as conventional anglers, are exploring the country’s many saltwater options. I was a slow starter in saltwater fly...
by The Captain | Mar 14, 2017 | Articles, The craftsman
The Seafarer Vagabond 6.2 was launched in 1996 following the success of the twin-rigged Seafarer Victory 5.9 (in production 1992-97). The early 6.2m hulls were initially put out in a centre-console configuration and granted the tough-guy moniker Venom 6.2....
by The Captain | Mar 14, 2017 | Articles, Captain's ships
Six-metre twin outboard rigs are The Captain’s kryptonite. So when we heard Mark Stav from JV Marine had bought himself a Seafarer Vagabond with twin 140 Suzukis, we almost lost our superpowers. Bluefin tuna fishing was the goal – and The Captain’s crew tried various...
by The Captain | Mar 14, 2017 | Articles, Tried and tested
Ever wondered who would win if a fisherman took on a freediver in a battle of skill, strength and endurance? Well we did. So we hooked up Paul and battled it out. It all started over a beer with Paul Miller, The Captain’s spearo. Would an angler with rod and reel be...
by The Captain | Feb 28, 2017 | Adventures, Articles, Captain's ships
Why we do it. This is the test the public demanded. More so than the manufacturers, anyway. Which is why we never told them about it. Any of them. To prove our point, when the first Facebook post dropped, The Captain’s mobile lit up with phone calls with a Victorian...
by The Captain | Feb 10, 2017 | Articles, How to
LURE TALK WITH PETER PAKULA “Not having the ultimate fish attracting boat and engine combination is not a disadvantage. With the aid of teasers, you can match all-comers in a competitive atmosphere.” Anything you tow behind your boat will do the job of attracting...
by The Captain | Feb 10, 2017 | Articles, How to
Unfortunately, that blow-up lilo the kids bought you last Xmas just won’t do. Your diving rig needs to be as stable as a landing barge, turn like a tank, be waterproof as a submarine, fly like a fighter and transport you and your gear like a troop carrier. Paul Miller...
by The Captain | Feb 10, 2017 | Adventures, How to
Because I can flick a fly more than 100 feet, some people think I was born a saltwater samurai. Not true. Catching fish does take some natural talents (like patience, awareness and keen eyesight) but largely it’s because I’m an information vacuum cleaner, trawling...
by The Captain | Feb 10, 2017 | Articles, How to
PHASE ONE- STABILITY Losing a huge fish near the side of the boat is a feeling no angler can ever really forget. Rods – and friendships – have been broken because of it. The Captain’s crew is no exception – once dropping not one but two ‘fish of a lifetime’ on the...
by The Captain | Feb 10, 2017 | Articles, Captain's ships
Carves her own path on a hunt for monster king george whiting When The Captain’s crew first laid eyes on this neatly decked-out destroyer, we decided a little fishing mission was in order. Instead of following the herds of snapper slayers to the concrete ramps, we...
by The Captain | Jan 4, 2017 | Adventures, Articles
Andy McKinstray goes for a wild ride in PNG, bagging barra, bass and betel nut Words and images by Andy McKinstray Stepping off the plane at Port Moresby, capital of Papua New Guinea, the first thing that hits you in the face is a wave of humidity followed by...
by The Captain | Dec 8, 2016 | Articles, Rations and rum
Miguel loves it when The Captain’s crew tour, because he’s normally on the receiving end of a seafood bounty. This time we’d been to a seafood garden off Eden, New South Wales – Erick Hyland’s mussel farm to be precise. He’s not just handy at knocking up fibreglass...
by The Captain | Dec 8, 2016 | Articles, Tried and tested
Deciding between alloy and steel is the biggest consideration for new trailer buyers. The Captain’s crew donned welding masks and went undercover in the Easytow factory to uncover the pros and cons. THE CASE FOR ALMIGHTY ALLOY Pound for pound,...
by The Captain | Dec 8, 2016 | Articles, How to
SYDNEY, NSW STYLE: I’m part of the Band of Brothers Fishing crew. We’re primarily game-fisherman who mix it up in the off-season chasing reds and kings. Our passion, however, certainly lies in catching billfish. BOAT: I own a Seaswirl Striper 2007 2101...
by The Captain | Dec 8, 2016 | Articles, How to
BRISBANE, QLD STYLE: The fishing that mainly appeals to me is the tournament bream scene. Weeks, months or even years of preparation can come down to a few moments. Sometimes you’ll have to make a call, which can put everything on the line. It’s a make-or-break...
by The Captain | Dec 8, 2016 | Articles, How to
BROOME, WA STYLE: It’s got to be sportsfishing! I’ve been fortunate enough to fish some of the atolls off the coast of my hometown of Broome. We target dogtooth, GTs, red bass, coral trout, wahoo, blue/black marlin and even sailfish. I also like heading into...
by The Captain | Dec 8, 2016 | Articles, Captain's ships
Back in 1977, when Richard Freeman bought his Shark Cat, Elvis Presley was still swinging his hips and Radial Tuned Suspension (RTS) had just found its way into the HZ Holden. Since then, Richard’s Cat has seen 31 pairs of outboards. He’s also bought a house and...
by The Captain | Dec 8, 2016 | Articles, Captain's ships
From the wilds of the Southern Ocean comes a new design that harks back to the classics. As we loaded a variety of rods onto the shiny new Stabicraft 2500 Ultracab, dirty grey clouds descended from the hills surrounding the local boat ramp. Cold, damp and...
by The Captain | Nov 28, 2016 | Articles, Captain's ships
The Captain goes north in search of silver scales and soft riding battleships. Trying to fish a new location is tough at the best of times. Trying to catch a mulloway in one day at a new location is a serious Hail Mary shit. Still, we had the gear and...
by The Captain | Nov 28, 2016 | Articles, Captain's ships
Moda means “style” in Italian, but don’t let the gorgeous lines fool you, this Express model is full of function too, with a 600km range, the ability to sleep five adults and almost $80K of electronic equipment. The Captain: Ahoy Shane, we’ve seen...
by The Captain | Nov 28, 2016 | Adventures, Articles
Word and images by Joshua Hutchins Fly-fishing New Zealand’s scenic South Island is always a challenge – but mostly rewarding for Joshua Hutchins. He shares the inside word on one of his favourite destinations. The South Island of New Zealand is...
by The Captain | Nov 28, 2016 | Adventures, Articles
Every fisho worth his salt has a secret fishing spot where it seems like the fish never stop biting. The sun always sets on glassy waters while pelagics feverishly compete for the evening hatch. The esky is always full and cold, and sleep is only broken by the...
by The Captain | Nov 28, 2016 | Adventures, Articles
The Captain’s crew head north, to the warm waters of the Coral Sea and the Great Barrier Reef. They hunt game fish amidst incredible scenic beauty – and become stranded in a millionaires’ playground. The water transformed from an olive green to a deep...
by The Captain | Nov 16, 2016 | Articles, Captain's ships
Mitchell Burge and his Bad Boy were made for each other… He’s an outspoken lad from Mt Colah with a reputation as a wrecking ball on the sea, having split five boats that The Captain knows of. Now he’s riding in his new Cootacraft – a name synonymous with boats built...
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