Blog Entries

Just watched the end of the line...fishing boat for sale one careful owner two weeks old

quentin knights

Our tuna is the 'albacore tuna' which we catch sustainably by hook and line, and legally with the correct licence and quota. I should know cos its been hard enough to get.

Thought it was the end of the line when we got our first insurance quote for the boat (£13,000 for the season). You got to be having a laugh, I didnt want to bloody buy the insurance company! We got it way down in the end but that was the first spanner in the works.

The C [...]

The old girl is high and dry at the minute

quentin knights

The Ben Loyal is going to be high and dry on the slip for a week or two.

Now comes the hard part waiting for funding ,as no work can be done until we have a letter of agreement from the funding people. Lets pray the boat ticks all the boxes. As a person I have always struggled to tick all the boxes lets hope the old Ben Loyal has better luck.

Our contract from the man from Del Monte, is bloody hard work as well would have been good to have had the contrac [...]

i have a degree in spending money,could do with one in spelling

quentin knights

been a hard day today for kevin,just spent a load of his money was quite enjoyable for me ,he had his head in his hands a few times,we reckon my list came to 50k is easy spending it bit harder earning it.

felt a bit of a twinge in my left arse cheek today now thats either the thought of the work my back has to do or feeling a bit of preasure got a appointment to see neville he can always rebuild me.

patched things up with maria,had a pint with a few mates,they said shes to intelig [...]

Thats it dried crackers and mouldy cheese for tea for awhile.

quentin knights

today was busy,the money for boat was transfered today skint again,but made sure fridge was full first,bought plenty of jacobs crackers should last me awhile,and shot 3 pigeons for tea so will survive,am the proud owner of a 20m fishing boat what have i done no only joking looking forward to the challenge,this blog might improve my spelling also.

boat was put on the slip today for work to be done like cleaning the bottom, anoides,paint,prop and the most important to be surveyed and [...]

The 2010 season is here,and i will be there in my own boat

quentin knights

i have got there in the end and have just signed for my own boat for this season what a slogg,have gone into partnership with business man kevin bennetts of consols fuels and this isnt just so i get cheaper fuel,but he is a friend and has given me good advice since the start of fishery.

The vessel we have bought is an old timer built in the 1960,s she has a perfect shape for doing the tuna job and is called BEN LOYAL WK3,she has just gone up on the slip at fowey to be surveyed and [...]

In On Friday

quentin knights

It's Captain Edwards here again....feeling a bit better after reflecting on the good things in life, not just fishing!

We will be in tomorrow with 230 fish. I will see what the weekend brings in the way of news on tuna fishing front and take it from there, as to see if we try another trip or not. It's flat calm at last and it's warm at last, typical as we are going in eh! Nevermind, going home to see the wife and children. I can't wait, nor can the lads! Gotta go and ti [...]

On Way Home

quentin knights

On way home to see Jax, the children and lick my wounds! Getting the boat ready to go wrecking, which will take about a week. Wreck netting does exactly what it says on the tin, we shoot nets alongside wrecks on the sea bed, as fish like ling, cod, pollock congerate around the wreck. See how it goes by reading the skippers blog on the novasperofishing.co.uk website. My Spanish friends are stil going west into the Atlantc, the positon that they gave me today, I estimate that they are about [...]

A Duffer

quentin knights

That's it we have had enough! The news with my Spanish friend is 'bonito finito'. I am absolutely gutted, as I really want this tuna fishery to work, but you have to be realistic if you are running at a loss. The boys aren't earning any wages, then you have to try something else. Unfortunately that's what we are gonna have to do. Just hope and pray that this season is just a one off and next year will be better.

The poxy weather hasn't helped, that much I'm s [...]

Nothing

quentin knights

I've been talking to my Spanish skipper friends, they reckon the season is over! They reckon that the fish have gone deep, south west into the Atlantic, does anybody reading this wants to buy a well maintained, beautiful tiger of a fishing vessel. She can be delivered free of charge. Dunno what else to say really,which for me is a first, especially with the nickname 'Wordsey'. We are 450 miles west of Lands End. I'm darned if I'm going any further west, so w are towing east t [...]

Came Across The Big Boys

quentin knights

Well here we are again, totally pissed off...tha goes for all of us! Came across te big pelagic tawlers today on the search for tuna, in a big way wih their big horsepower, big trawls that scoop through the sea at 6-7 miles an hour, which is towed by two vessels, the mouth of the net is probably the size of 2 or 3 football pitches, which takes no prisioners. They also scare wat fish they don't catch in their net, so what's left won't feed so as for us its just as well we tow our lure [...]

Crap Fishing

quentin knights

Day one looks like a cooked breakfast day! A lash up! Let me explain.....if the fishing is good you haven't got time to do very much, so we call it a pizza day, cause you just chuck it in the oven and grab a slice when you can. If the fishing is crap,then you got time to do a full English! The boys need cheering up.....you would if you were 320 miles from home and your loved ones....for no fish! Anyway lets hope and pray it's a better day tomorrow. Regards Shaun.

Hacked Off

quentin knights

The fishing is crp! The weather is crap! I'm feeling crap! The las are hacked off...I don't blame them! My Spanish friends are going home to change work, which means game over! The fish, what fish there is, are way up North for this time of year and are deep, which means they can not see the lures we are towing, mind you this crap summer we are having certainly isn't helping. On these latitudes it should be daylight by 5.30am, but with this constant low cloud and drizzle and wind it [...]

Homeward Bound

quentin knights

On the way home with 1200 fish. Be in Saturday to land. Big John still out there doing his bit, we will be away again on Tuesday night. John will be on his way in by then, anyways going home to see the wife & kids. Can't wait mate....regards Shaun.

Last Day Horray

quentin knights

It's the last day today! We got a wage I suppose....touchwood! Anyways be home Sunday, a day doing some jobs, a day with the wife & children...then back to sea! It's a short season, so you have to make hay while sun shines! Big John, on the Charisma, joined us today. The boys are talking about their two days off. I wanna see how much my new son has grown. Regards Shaun

Weather Is Poor

quentin knights

It's like the middle of Feb out ere! The weather is piss poor. I've only been back a trip and already peed off! 400 miles from home at min, shifting north west the last couple of days, as that is where the fish migrating. I am hoping to be in for the weekend...Sunday....to see my wife, children and newnorn son....can't wait! The lads also send their love ashore. Regards Shaun

South West Gales

quentin knights

Yet another summer's day! Good day to all! Well what can I say, we had a south west gale yesterday...not good....very big swell, but the darlings chewed their heads off for a couple of hours. Had a couple of hundred fish, but a lot of smaller fish. I think it's because the water temps dropped. The big obes are down deep, so can't see the lures. I will try to move to the north west up along the migratory route, if the weather will let me!

Chased The Rainbow

quentin knights

Found a few pieces of silver...had 300 fish! Captain Edwards is back! A mix of big uns and smaller ones, but absolutley chuffed! Back to reality today, at the moment but kepp believing. A big thanks has got to go to Oliver, my Spainish friend, who is the skipper of a swordfish boat from Burela. He calls me Jon istead of Shaun. Anyway a big kiss to Jax, the kids, will keep intouch Shaun.

Chasing Rainbows

quentin knights

Well ere we are....30 miles from home after a 3 day beating to get ere. Just about to throw the hooks over the side to commence el pescada bonito. My mate Oliver from Burela (funny name for a Spaniard I know) suggests we come another 100 miles south west, as the fishing is bueno. So ere we go again. So starting tomorrow I am chasing rainbows. The rate this season is going Jax, me and the children will have to emigrate to the azores. All the boys send their love to their families. Miss you Jax xx [...]

Third Trip Lucky

quentin knights

Well Good Morning! Here we are agin after the first two trips, barely breaking even, we are hoping~praying for a third time lucky. We have asked the man from Del Monte to review their price plan, as things are looking very bleak at the present time on the old Nova. John on the Charisma, is not joining us just yet, as he is doing ok with the nets. Anyways we hope to start fishing on Thursday, that's about it for the moment. Regards Captain Edwards.

Plenty of steaming

quentin knights

Been doing plenty of moving around to find fish. Now with a fleet of 45 Spanish boats but only managed to catch 32 fish yesterday.....hoping for better luck today 'cos we've got some catching-up to do.