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Fitting Out your Boat "A DIY Guide" In the market for a boat, just purchased one or continually adding to your existing craft ? What ever your situation, fitting out your boat correctly makes all the difference. A correctly fitted out boat is not only a safer option but your fishing results will also improve. Setting out your boat is all about preparation, insight and foresight.  Many people have good ideas, just have a look down at your local boat ramp, or boat sales yard to get an idea of how many different fit outs and layouts are available. A Port Phillip Bay Snapper fisherman will want many rocket launcher style rod racks and rod holders positioned around the boat to fish up to eight rods, while a Barramundi fisherman will want casting platforms and possibly electric motors. The species you fish for determine how you set out your fishing boat. Safety Gear All boats should make sure that they carry the required safety gear. Your safety equipment should not only be carried but be reliable and in working order. Remember this is the equipment that will save your life so it has priority over all other equipment. Store your safety equipment in an easily accessible and if possible dry location. The safety equipment that you carry will depend on the locations that you fish and the legal requirements as well as your own precautions. Remember to check out the requirements for your state and location as the regulations differ.\ Motor Selection The motor that you select for your boat depends on firstly the size of your boat and secondly the speed and power that you require. If you’re constantly crossing bars and doing long journeys then you should select a motor in the upper range of your hull’s specifications. This is due to the fact that the larger powered motor gives you more power and speed when you require it. Secondly to obtain the relative cruising speed your higher powered motor will be operation in a lower rev range thus putting less stress on the engine. If you don’t require such a high out put you can select a motor in the lower limits of your hull’s range. This option will save you money not only on purchase but also in operating and maintenance. The world boating industry is now tending towards more efficient and environmentally friendly technology of four stroke engines. They run on far less fuel and also have a great deal less greenhouse gas emissions. For the anglers out there that are capable of purchasing these quieter more efficient options don’t hesitate as they are the future of the boating industry. Lights The lights that you have fitted to your boat, if any depend on the situations and locations that you wish to fish. For starters if you plan on fishing before sun up or after sun down you will require Navigation Lights (Port/red, Starboard/green and Stern/whit). If you venture out on the water often at night you may consider deck and cabin lights. If you navigate extensively in the hours of darkness spot lights start to become an option to aid forward vision. Electronics The amount of electronics on the market today is quite extensive. Radars, depth sounders and GPS units all make fishing and boating easier. But what do you really need? Well for starters the domain of the radar is for your larger more expensive craft that often cruise at night. These systems are fantastic for locating land, objects, obstructions and other vessels on the water and in complete darkness or reduced visibility. Depth Sounders/ Fish Finders Depth sounders are very nearly a mandatory requirement on most boats. Quality sounders are now affordable and very reliable. The frequency that your chosen sounder operates depends on the depth of water that you wish to fish. For shallow water use two hundred KHz and for deeper fishing use fifty KHz. The power of your unit also is a consideration when purchasing your sounder. The more power the better the readings at depths. Today’s sounders have many different functions and features. It’s just a matter of finding the unit with the options that suits your needs. Some options include zoom, split screen, dual frequency, fuel logs, GPS and radar capabilities. GPS Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are now the number one way of marking those secret hot spots. No more do we have to line up this tree with that pole. A GPS unit will put you normally within five meters of your specified location far more accurate and reliable than land marks. Simple units will take you directly to your desired location showing only your marked waypoint on the screen while more technical units with mapping options will show not only your waypoints but everything you would expect to see on a marine chart. These units with mapping options are primarily aimed at the angler that uses the GPS to navigate channels, aid in hydrographical information and find offshore features. GPS with mapping options are don’t have inland hydrographical information (The exception to this rule is ports of Australia.), but track and map charts can be downloaded onto them. GPS units range from simple and cheep hand held units right through to complete navigation systems with integrated Radars and Depth Sounders. All GPS units are as accurate as one another for all practical purposes no matter what the price. Radios There are three types of Marine Radios, 27MHz, VHF and HF. 27MHz transceivers are relatively cheap and available for general use. 27MHz transceivers don’t provide the operational coverage that VHF radios provide. VHF emergency channels are monitored 24 hours a day. All commercial vessels carry and monitor VHF distress frequencies. To operate a VHF radio you require a licence issued by the Australian Communications Authority. The range of VHF radios can be significantly increased with the use of a repeater channel. HF radios are used when travelling long distances from shore. In Queensland HF services cover coastal waters to a minimum of 200 nautical miles off shore. To maximise HF communication efficacy, all HF equipment should be connected directly to the battery. Connecting through patch panels and switch panels will only add unwanted resistance and reduce performance. The battery terminals and all other connections on radio equipment should be checked regularly and cleaned. All crew should be competent in the operation of the radio(s) on board, this includes the knowledge of the appropriate distress and safety channels and the correct phraseologies to be used. Further information about licensing of radios and operators, can be found at the Australian Communications Authority website at www.aca.gov.au Seats The correct seat can make your day boating so much more enjoyable. For tinnies and car toppers there are brackets that give you the option of removing or adding seats. These brackets mount over the thwart seats and suit many anglers as they give you the ability to mount the seat that best suits you as well as being fully adjustable to mount on any thwart seat in the boat. This gives the angler the ability to drive a transom controlled outboard in the comfort of a seat and also use the same seat to fish off the front or middle thwart seats. For those anglers with larger boats the seating options are endless. Gas cushioned pedestals, swivel mounts, adjustable height controls and seats with back supports, what ever you require for your personal convince and comfort you will find a marine seat that fits the bill. Some pedestals can be moved around your vessel with flush mounting systems giving you the ability to freely move your seat to the predetermined position that you require. These flush mounting systems also give you the ability to remove seats without hassles. Centre Consol seats are a popular choice of many anglers with Dory style boats as they give you a comfortable seating position as well as a place to store equipment. Some anglers even transform Eskies such as Eva Kools into seats. This is fantastic idea and serves the dual purpose of a fish box or Eskie as well as a seat. Storage Boat storage options vary depending on the style of boat that you choose. Larger boats will inheritably have more options for storing your vital safety equipment and precious fishing gear. Yet not is all lost for those with smaller craft. In seat storage compartments are available for tinnies, one should remember though that these seats are your boats flotation and structural support, don’t go over board. Many Estuary Punt style boats have underdeck storage. This is of great convenience especially to the lure fisherman who requires the maximum available deck space. This underdeck storage is even greater for those boats with a casting deck. You can purchase and fit storage compartments that hold lures, tackle and even rods can be stored in these units. Also anglers have the ability to have custom made storage compartments fitted to their vessels. Most quality marine outlets will be more than willing to help with your personal requirements. Rails Bow Rails can be a handy addition to your boat. If you stand on the bow and pull an anchor up from a position on the bow a bow rail can provide you with a greater deal of safety. Bow rollers are exceptional for anglers that fish with the aid of an anchor. The bow roller keeps the boats nose pointed in the direction of the anchor line. This feature not only provides safety by keeping your boat perpendicular to waves and current but also saves you bashing your anchor and chain on the boat’s hull. Anchors Anchors are an environmental consideration. Sand Anchors are the most popular of all anchors. Sand Anchors are suitable for use on sand or mud bottoms. Most Sand Anchors are fitted with retrieval eye for ease of removal and stow flat. Plough Anchors are Ideal for sand and mud bottoms. They provide safe and sure anchoring for heavier craft. Reef or Pick Anchors are suited to reef conditions only. If the anchor becomes snagged in the reef, the prongs will straighten with retrieval load. Grapnel Anchors are Ideal for weedy bottoms and are generally used in the colder climates. A dreadnought Anchor is suited to hard, rocky or reef bottoms. All anchors should have a suitable length of chain attached (sometimes up to one and a half times the boat length). The chain acts as the shock absorber in the system and makes anchoring more efficient. The size of your selected anchor should be determined by the size of your boat. Most marine stores have a size chart that enables you to choose the size of anchor that suits you best. It’s always worth going the bigger size if your boat falls between 2 sizes. There is nothing worse than drifting of a location just as it starts to fire. Good luck and remember the 6 p formula. Prior Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance. Good luck and safe boating.