by The Captain | Sep 9, 2022 | Articles, How to
The Captain reckons it’s time to dodge the boat ramp queues and get wet in some undiscovered fishing country. The key to unlocking your inner Malcolm Douglas (for those of you born post-1980, Mal was a bearded, straight-talkin’ fisho and explorer) is being able to...
by The Captain | Sep 9, 2022 | Articles, How to
When it comes to owning a new vessel, The Captain’s creed is: “Love your boat and it’ll love you back.” The marine environment is full of nasty surprises that can wipe the value off your shiny new rig faster than a rat up a drain. Or worse, render it inoperable. The...
by The Captain | Sep 9, 2022 | Articles, How to
The ocean can be a wild and beautiful beast. One minute you can be cruising along on calm, crystal-clear water under a blue sky, the next the sea has turned white and you’re being hammered by waves and gusting winds. Apart from Mother Nature, there are also hazards in...
by The Captain | Mar 3, 2022 | Adventures, Articles
The bite is on, but The Captain’s project boats are laid up in dock (see story on Shark Cat steering fit-up hereabouts). Never mind, there’s always a salty mariner keen to take The Captain for a spin and show off their new vessel. In this case, it’s a highly...
by The Captain | Dec 10, 2021 | Articles, How to
Boat ramps come in all different shapes and sizes — big ones, small ones, long ones, skinny ones. Some are nothing more than a nondescript strip leading onto a deserted sandy beach and others are like busy concrete highways. No matter the ramp, they all come with...
by The Captain | Oct 12, 2021 | Articles, Project boat
The Captain’s Shark Cat Julie Anne gets a soft touch. She’s gone from basic to bling, decked out with new EVA flooring from Deck Armour and new retro-style seat coverings handcrafted by Matt Robinson from Maroochy Marine Covers. THE DECK When it came to picking...
by Alli Ficarra | Oct 12, 2021 | Adventures, Articles
It might be his Italian background, or maybe it’s because he grew up in a remote coastal town like Marlo. Kyle Dicecco has a unique ability to make the simple look beautiful. While most of us are striving to strip back the layers, he’s already camped there. Need a...
by The Captain | Oct 12, 2021 | Articles
Reaching out across the Pacific to Miami, Florida, The Captain gets the lowdown on the wild life and times of legendary Cigarette builder Don Aronow. Don Aronow was a dead set legend. He designed, built and raced the famous Magnum Marine, Cary, Cigarette, Donzi and...
by The Captain | Oct 12, 2021 | Articles, How to
With a fully fuelled Whittley 2380 as his trusty steed, The Captain shares his best tips for cruising and camping. The Destination? Myall Lakes on the NSW Mid-North Coast. When it comes to touring, a wise man once said, “The more you know, the less you’ll take.” This...
by The Captain | Oct 12, 2021 | Articles, Captain's ships
Sometimes you’ve got to knock your head against a brick wall a few times before you realise you’ll get a lot more out of life — and fishing — if you chill out and take time to enjoy the ride. The Captain meets an experienced sea dog who now makes his living passing on...
by The Captain | Oct 12, 2021 | Adventures, Articles
The Captain is back in Coffs Harbour, blasting around the spectacular Solitary Islands Marine Park, chasing kingies and getting acquainted with Sam Gilchrist and his deadly 520 Sea Devil centre console. Having been to the home of the Big Banana on the NSW Central...
by The Captain | Oct 12, 2021 | Articles, Captain's ships
Grady-White has been building consoles for more than 40 years, but the model delivered by Short Marine — which they kindly permitted The Captain to abuse, er, test drive on Sydney Harbour — boasts several 21st-century smarts, including a Seakeeper 1 gyroscopic...
by The Captain | Oct 12, 2021 | Adventures, Articles
Brock Harmer is a former bream fisherman, but don’t hold that against him. He and his son Braxy patrol the high seas in their tricked-out Sea Fox 236. Equipped with enough fishing tackle to sink a small tinny, we head up the Mid North Coast to do battle with...
by The Captain | Oct 12, 2021 | Articles, How to
Maybe it’s a sign I’m getting older and more cautious in my late 30s. Maybe this thought process got triggered when I sat through months of courses doing my commercial skipper’s ticket. We talked about the possibilities for boat failure at sea — and how best to...
by Alli Ficarra | Oct 8, 2021 | Articles, Captain's ships
Things are moving quickly down in Mallacoota. Mark The Russian has turned over his whole line-up in less than five years. His previous beastie — the Bad Boy — is now considered a “family boat” and his new plaything is capable of a lazy 84mph. Blink and you’ll miss it!...
by The Captain | Oct 8, 2021 | Articles, Rations and rum
Nothing screams “phallic symbol” louder than a lighthouse — OK, except, perhaps for a rocket. But lighthouses are more than just an opportunity for scenic dick pics and Instagram innuendo. For centuries, they have helped seafarers stay suitably separated from the sea....
by The Captain | Oct 8, 2021 | Articles, How to
By now, you’re probably rocking RipCharts in your fishing arsenal. But it’s more than just a pretty picture of the water currents and temperature breaks. RipCharts guru Chris Fullilove lets me in on some handy hacks used by the pros. As he says, “To get the most out...
by The Captain | Oct 8, 2021 | Articles, Project boat
Now that the Shark Cat was firmly in the clutches of The Captain’s crew, it was time for Trav to do a thorough inspection. No worries. He’d learned his lesson with the Nub Tub — or had he? There was no doubt there’d been a fresh floor laid down on Julie-Anne, but the...
by The Captain | Oct 5, 2021 | Adventures, Articles
The breeze has pushed The Captain’s sails to many weird and wonderful destinations. Here are 21 of our favourites, in no particular order. Captain’s note: these are just the places we’ve been to. We know there are plenty more out there and look forward to your...
by The Captain | Oct 5, 2021 | Articles, Captain's ships
There have been some epic rides and awesome destinations. Here we list 21 of them. There have also been many highs and a few lows. So, grab the popcorn and take a tour through The Captain’s memoirs. Picking favourite boats is like picking your favourite...
by The Captain | Aug 13, 2021 | Articles, How to
Rod Findlay goes back to basics to explain how to get from A to B on the water. The radio was alive with reports of action, but it didn’t take long to realise the weekend warriors were out in full swing, “Can I have those numbers again, mate? I have them all bar the...
by The Captain | Jul 10, 2021 | Articles, Captain's ships
The Captain and Whitepointer face off in an outlandish, highly impractical, shootout that only The Captain would be prepared to publish. May the best cheat win. Erick Hyland agreed to rebuild the Captain’s clapped out Haines Hunter 445F on one condition — that we...
by The Captain | Jul 10, 2021 | Adventures, Articles
With The Captain celebrating his 21st birthday (21 issues released). We thought it’d only be fitting to jump aboard a 2100 Supercab. We head to Jervis Bay to catch up with the Smith Family, who live a nomadic fishing lifestyle – with a tricked out rig. ...
by The Captain | Jun 7, 2021 | Articles, Captain's ships
Bill Hunt stepped out of a Barcrusher 640C into a Veitch 27 Hardtop. That’s the equivalent of stepping out of a Series 1 Land Rover into a Maybach. The Captain catches up with Bill in Mallacoota aboard his citrus orange Nautic-Hunt. Bill Hunt has the...
by The Captain | Jun 7, 2021 | Articles, Captain's ships
The two 565 hulls sitting side by side have caught the attention of Eden local — and father of Edencraft — Ron Doyle. The Captain’s crew gets wind that Ron’s on location, and before long he’s looking down the lens of a large video camera answering questions. ...
by The Captain | May 21, 2021 | Articles, Rations and rum
Outgoing Stabicraft CEO Paul Adams reflects on his time steering the ship. I never did it for the money, the accolades or team awards. I did it because I like to make stuff — just like all those craftsmen in the pages of The Captain. I’ve always had the ability to...
by admin | Feb 2, 2021 | Articles, Captain's ships
Junior Captains Abbey and William jump on the latest Whittley 2380 to show how to have the ultimate family camping trip under the stars. When Dad pulls into the driveway with the latest Whittley, nobody is happier than us. We’re always invited on...
by The Captain | Jul 27, 2019 | Adventures, Articles
Armed with a case of Budweiser, a mask and fins, a couple of fishing rods and a Grady-White Freedom 325, Alli Ficarra goes in search of Sydney’s coolest coves. Sydney Harbour is IMO the best waterway in the world. It takes a lot for me to say that. Ya see, I’m a...
by admin | Jun 8, 2019 | Adventures, Articles
The Captain’s crew head back to the Great Barrier Reef with a new mission: to catch the first giant black marlin of the 2018 season. We’re aboard Hellraiser II and equipped with a new special weapon. This is one of the first game boats to be fitted with a thru-hull...
by admin | Jun 6, 2019 | Articles, Captain's ships
While filming for The Captain, Nick Wood voyages to the edgeof the world, well, Tasmania, in a fleet of seriously specced-out Stabis. Despite encountering his worst seas ever, he is keen to prove his mettle. My first introduction to The Captain and his...
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