Advice needed for boat fishing

Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2011 12:37 pm

Hi,

I am returning to boat fishing after a 20 year break and would appreciate some general advice from the members. I will be fishing in a friend's small boat - previously I only have experience of charter boats.

I have a 20 year old one piece 'Mainstream Atlantic' flotation suit which is in very good condition, but it is only suitable for the cold weather - in other seasons it makes me sweat buckets. Would it be better to buy a lightweight fishing suit for the warmer months or a 2 piece flotation suit where the jacket can be removed if it gets warm?

If I buy a suit, what size should it be? I am normally an XL (extra large) size for clothing, but does a fishing suit need to be a size larger - i.e. XXL? I ask because I have increased in girth over the years and, whilst my existing flotation suit is very generous for leg and sleeve length, it is (sadly)a tightish fit around my body!

For beach fishing I carry all my tackle in a large Shakespeare plastic tackle box. But I suspect that this would take up too much room in a smaller boat. Would something like a Shakespear Salt Rucksack be more practical - or can you suggest better alternatives?

Any other boat fishing advice would be welcome.

Thanks,

Geoff happy

Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2011 12:55 pm

Hi mate, There is a lot of misconception about floatation suits.
They are basically to insulate you from the cold water of the sea.
More folk die from hypothermia than drowning

They are designed to allow water into them so that this water heats up from your body temp and forms a barrier between yourself and the cold sea water.

These suits are not designed to swim in but rather remain still in the water so that you are not pushing or pulling water into them as this defeats the object of what they are designed for.

You should invest in a good lifejacket preferably one of the self inflating ones that can be worn with you floatation suit.

If you really do need a floatation suit then I would go for a 2 piece every time, as you said you can always remove the top if you get too warm and still wear your lifejacket.
Hope this is of some help
Cheers
keith big grin

Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2011 1:49 pm

Thanks Keith, the friend that I will be going with has full safety equipment, including lifejackets - he also has had his boat checked out by the local RNLI.

Cheers, Geoff happy


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