Fishing Victoria Forum

Hi All,

I have a small 4.3M aluminium runabout, I only use it in PPB.

I am always carrying too much stuff on board leaving me with not much room to move around.

I have rocket launchers so I get the rods out of the way, there is a small underfloor storage which just fit flares, torches & bailer.

I have side storage which has the oars, light, net and gaffer

I then take - Large Plano Tackle Box, Medium Esky, Bucket, Toolbox, Jumpstarter,..

Other than getting a bigger boat.... What should I be reducing, or what storage suggestions do you have.

Thanks in advance...

i have a 3.75mtr tinny and i struggle also.
I dont carry any tools (even though i fix outboards for a living)...although i probably should carry some small stuff.
-I have a tub to put all my flares etc in, also my phone.
-I have a tacklebox with everything i need in it (including big sinkers for WP)
-I have a backpack for all my plastics/squidjigs
-I have a storage tub that holds Ice when i go out for bait/fish i catch/i then put drinks in zip lock bags in that to save room (rather than an esky)
-i have a tinny pocket that holds knives and such off the side...
Its fairly squeezy (especially when i take 4-6 rods and nets etc) but i manage...

skouta wrote:Hi All,

I have a small 4.3M aluminium runabout, I only use it in PPB.

I am always carrying too much stuff on board leaving me with not much room to move around.

I have rocket launchers so I get the rods out of the way, there is a small underfloor storage which just fit flares, torches & bailer.

I have side storage which has the oars, light, net and gaffer

I then take - Large Plano Tackle Box, Medium Esky, Bucket, Toolbox, Jumpstarter,..

Other than getting a bigger boat.... What should I be reducing, or what storage suggestions do you have.

Thanks in advance...

Reduce the size of your tool box and tackle box.
Get rid of the jump starter.
It your eski for food or to put fish into?

Obviously keep all of the Safety gear that you must carry, as well as the motor and fuel tank, now look into the storage areas that you have, is "Gear" just chucked in our is it packed in such a way that you cannot fit any more in. Suggest that you:-
1...Remove Oars from storage compartment and strap to side of seat with bungy cords - I got rid of my wooden oars and replaced with shorter aluminium ones
2...Review the content of your Tool Box against what you actually need - Do not be afraid to leave behind unwanted or duplicated tools. Reduce size of toolbox!
3...Leave the Jumper Leads at home and take a motor pull start cord with you. With jumper leads you can be waiting a long time for assistance - with a pull cord you can attempt starting immediately.
4...Dump the gaffer, a large enough net will do - Store net in the rocket launcher.
5...Have your motor serviced regularly to assist reliability as well as improve your confidence.
6...Always carry your mobile phone, fully charged before you leave home - Store in Zip bag where it is easily accessible
7...When you have done the above - Do it all again as you are sure to still find some unwanted items .

Anything you havnt used in the last 2 trips ditch it! Cut down the size of your tackle box to just what you need. If it’s anything like mine it’s 3 times the size of what you need and will cover you for every fish in the ocean not what you are just targeting. I’ll second ditch the gaff. A net will do everything the gaff will do and more. Ditch the jump starter just make sure your battery is charged before you go

For starters get 3700 size Plano trays, sort your gear so each tray is species specific and only take those out you need for your target species. No large heavy box filled mostly with **** you won't use.

Replace bucket with a collapsible camping bucket.

50-60l esky, buy some cheap plastic trays to separate drinks/bait/food from fish in the esky.

Toolbox replace with a wrap, reduce tools to basic essentials (electrical tape, pliers, multigrips, shifter, handful of screwdrivers, crimping pliers, ziplock with some spare crimps and fuses)

Jumpstarter replace with a permanent second battery just large enough capacity to start your motor, no bigger. Or just ditch it and stay single battery. Your motor may come with a rope in the cowl otherwise your docking rope can also be used to pull start if needed.

Unless you regularly chase large sharks or other xxl sized fish ditch the gaff. For the times it's needed you can always make up a tail rope out of your docking rope.

Replace your oars with small collapsible ones.

That's all assuming your boat is one of these types, and not an open boat with full width thwart seats

Thanks for the tips...

Esky is for fish and some cold refreshments.

I start the cull...

Honestly.. before i upgraded from my tinny to a bigger boat, all i use to have onboard were safety equipment (flares etc), oars which i could stash under the seats. Backpack which has all my tackle in compartments in it as well as food and water etc.. and a small esky + a few tools and such.

was very roomy

When pa had the 28 foot swift craft it had a big cabin so didnt worry about space.
Going down to the 5mt run about it was a issue for him lol
He was use to havig everything for just incase but would only use it 1 in every 20 trips.


So i made all his traces up for him and put them on rigs holder so he didnt need to carry so much termanal tackle.
He ended up using a small tackle box that had a mix of stuff that wasnt on the rigs i had made up.
He would take 2 rods with lures on them for salmon and 2 rods with rigs set up.
And 2 sets on rig holders for bottom bashing and gummy rigs.