launching on the mersey

[Mike T]

been a long time since I have been on aa lol,

does anyone know where we can launch our boat onto the Mersey and how much is it, fancy a trip onto the Mersey on a cod hunt lol,

what are the best tides.

any info greatly appreciated

[robo]

The only place you can launch is at newbrighton you will need a launch permit last time I applied for one it was £160 this was before a 50% discount if you where a member of a local fishing club either Wirral small boat club of sefton sea anglers ,you also need a letter of your car insurance company stating you are insured to drive across the foreshore and rnli level 2. contact safe water training for more up to date info ,you can launch at Liverpool Marian I'm not sure on the cost but you are then stuck with the lock times

[tarmacduck]

Who remembers NABAC ?

[wavelength]

Well I should do Barry.. Founded NABAC (National Association of Boat Angling Clubs) when I was chairman of Wyre Boat Angling Club, back in 91 after various boating accidents along this coast.
It still exists, and for my sins in forming it I am the president, and a couple of times a year the reps from the local clubs meet up to ensure the clubs all still talk to each other and share information on issues that may affect them.
I ran RYA courses for NABAC in the beginning but insurance issues and the personal liabilities involved with being the training centre principal of an organisation running courses around the country (not to mention the travelling) made me decide to cease training under the NABAC banner. So I now run the RYA courses under my own training centre name.

[tarmacduck]

I am pleased to hear NABAC is still going, I attended several meetings at Chorely when I was chairman at KESBAC. Then work and children took over. Didn't Brian go down the road as your self ? Also wasn't there a deal going where visiting members of NABAC affiliated clubs would be launched by the home club ?

[robo]

You are right there was an agreement we launched at the top end of Blackpool a few times, I was in the Wirral small boat club at the time we also did our r.why.a. through the club and the v.h.f course, it was a guy from Blackpool who did the examination of some of us on the Mersey but for the life of me I can't remember his name

[wavelength]

yep Barry,
I have spent a lot of time away skippering big fast jet catamarans on windfarms here and on the continent plus delivery trips, and doing a lot of fishing during standby periods (Holland was really good for cod fishing). I got promoted sideways to NABAC President and the late Brian Duffy did the secretary job for several years. Brian sadly died earlier this year. We still have reciprocal launch arrangements with member clubs.
Robo ..that would be me Dave Mallett that did your vhf. still doing it all-(powerboats, vhf radio, yachtmaster, commercial skipper exams etc), well for the moment. Mrs Wavelength has got me to buy her a motorhome now we are back here so I reckon me, her and the wuffit will be doing some travelling. It was that or a cruising boat, but we thought been there, done that in multi engined boats costing millions rather than thousands and with someone else paying the fuel, marina fees and our food and wages. Don't really need to do it again in what we could afford and spending our money instead of someone else's to do the same But it will soon have a towbar on the campervan to drag the training rib to some distant spots!!

[tarmacduck]

Now then Brian Duffy what a lovely bloke he was. We've all heard the stories about painting Blackpool tower (when they got to the top they would start again at the bottom) but he really did paint Blackpool tower.

[wavelength]

yep good bloke knew him from back in our sub aqua days, then he came to the fishing. I took Brian for his powerboat instructor ticket and employed him on courses over a period. He was always good at teaching knots and ropework. Like he said, when you are hanging off a rope on the Tower at around 500ft its not the time to find you hadn't tied the knot quite right.