ARCHIVES:   October 2005
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Combat Rising Fuel Prices

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Filed Under Gear News

By on October 27th, 2005

HondaThe recent rise in fuel price is not only affecting automobile owners, it is also affecting boat owners. In recent years we have seen a shift toward economical cars, but you rarely hear of economical boats. Honda Marine has been a leader in fuel economy for some time however. With the latest technology, todays Honda 4 stroke engines can save you quite a bit on fuel. I spent a week using a fifteen horsepower Honda 4 stroke last spring and I was very impressed.

“After a day on the water, using a Honda four-stroke would have saved the owner significant dollars on a conventional carburettor 2-stroke outboard. Savings of up to 70 per cent can be experienced depending on the rev range the engine is being operated at.”

“Honda’s range of four-stroke engines provide significantly better fuel economy than carburettor two-stroke models and even direct injection two-strokes.”

While initial cost of owning a 4 stroke Honda outboard may be high, the long term savings seem to be well worth it. So if you are sick of the current fuel prices, which don’t seem to be getting any better, Honda looks like a great choice.

via fishnet.com

Australian Minister Bans 4WD Shark Fishing

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Filed Under Australia Fishing News Saltwater Sharks

By on October 27th, 2005

Surfboard with huge shark biteIt’s very disapointing to learn about something, especially when its dangerously fun, just as it’s just being banned. Apparently those crazy Aussies use surfboards to swim salmon baits, some weighing more than 200 grams, out to schools of juvenile Great White Sharks, then reel them in from a chair mounted on the back of a 4WD vehicle.

“I found it quite extraordinary what these individuals were doing, very dangerous to themselves and very dangerous to beachgoers in the area,” he said.

“Great white sharks are highly territorial and attracting them to that area is a danger not only to people doing the practice, but also other members of the community.”

The Minister has a point though, the last thing you want to do is enforce the idea that surfboards equal food to Great White Sharks.

Link

UPDATE:An Australian marine biologist says that 4WD shark fishing highlight an unusual concentration of great whites in the region and could actually trigger new research into juvenile great whites in the area, hopefully opening new avenues of scientific research.

“It raises all sorts of questions as to whether those sharks are there regularly on a seasonal basis,” he said.

“Is it an unusual occurrence with large schools of australian salmon concentrating on these sharks, or are they there every year?

“And it just happens to be that this particular method of fishing has been successful in catching a number of these sharks that would’ve gone unnoticed otherwise.”

Link

But They Just Kept Biting!

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Filed Under Fishing News Perch United States

By on October 27th, 2005

You may have been told that you get wiser as you get older, but that’s not always the case. Four people were fined nearly $3,500, $872 each, for being over the legal limit of perch. 116 fish over the limit!

Those charged were John C. Hansen, 52, and Lucille V. Hansen, 50, both of Whitehall, Wis., and Wallace R. Mortenson, 67, and Marian R. Mortenson, 65, both of Maple Grove.

The incident happened Oct. 16, when State Conservation Officer Dan Perron was following up on a report of poaching. Perron said he saw the two men cleaning fish and saw more fish in a pot and in a freezer.

The Hansens had 196 perch between them, or 116 fish over the limit. The Mortensons had 182 perch, or 102 over the limit. The perch limit in Minnesota is 20 perch daily and 40 in possession per person.

There is no excuse for poaching, but sure enough they’ve got one.

“They said the fish were really biting and they just kept fishing, and they would use all the fish they take and nothing would go to waste,” said Perron. “They all said they were sorry and were wrong to do it.”

Kayak in a Pack

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Filed Under Videos Watercraft

By on October 27th, 2005

Imagine this, a portable kayak that fits in a pack, weighs under 20 pounds, is small and easy to assemble. Sounds too good to be true? Not anymore.

The FirstLight folding kayak range is designed to meet recreational and light touring requirements with folding kayaks in three lengths, 12’ 6” (3.8 meters), 13’ 9” (4.2 meters) and 15’ 9” (4.8 metres).

FirstLight Kayaks of New Zealand have created a range of contemporary folding kayaks for the 21st century. Through innovative design and the use of modern materials, FirstLight Kayaks has redefined the meaning of “light-weight”. Our boats weigh less than 20 lbs and are ideal for recreational and light touring paddling. FirstLight folding kayaks are now being paddled from the tropics to the Arctic, in Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and the US from Texas to Alaska.

Check out the cool videos of the kayak in action.

FirstLight kayak via Gadling and Travelismo