Orkney longliner

any of u men here has one or had one if so what do u think of it how far did u venture out in it what was its capabilties ive got one at the minute just wondering who else has a wee orkney

Used to have one. Loved it, regreted it ever since that I sold it (Living in London, boat in Donegal, didn't think I was using it enough to keep it. Since moved back to Donegal........... :( ) Great boat for puddling about Sheephaven and out to Horn Head.

I think pete has one. He's bound to be along soon.

assuming that your goolies are not the size of watermelons and that you do not have a deathwish. I would say that you will be scared witless in a longliner long before the boat is unable to cope. the rolling about and throwing around you get in a heavy sea will have you running for home long before it gets dangerous. just remember that although comming in with a heavy sea behind you while more pleasant than than going out into it it is probably more dangerous.
being 3 parts chicken myself i find that my fishing can get very restricted remember you fish for amusement NOT punishment!

Hi Alastair,
I have one too, great wee boat, not as flash or as fast as the warriors but you'll still get great fishing out of her. Force 5 touching 6 was the worst I had it out in and she was dead on. Without central steering they can be a bugger to see out of when steaming but they are so light and easy to launch/tow that i'd be reluctant to go for a bigger boat.

hi pete thanx for the reply take it u hav the steering console fitted u think its a good job what size of engine u got on her. It is pretty difficult to see when your sitting at the back the bow rises quite high ive a 15hp fitted seems to push her on at about 9 - 10 knots cant see getting anymore than that. Ive had her out in pretty bad conditions and to my surprise she handled it well, seemed very sturdy and tight. Great boat for drift fishing think the way the keel is designed has a big part to play she always turns herself side on when u stop. For a boat that size (16ft ) she is very capable for the sea ive been on other boats the same size and felt no where near as safe as the wee orkney. The only thing that lets her down is speed but u cant have everything!! :D

I have an orkney lonliner which I use off the west coat of clare which faces the head on atlantic swell. Due to the fact that they are a displacement boat they are slow by nature but have excellent sea keeping abilities. I have the boat three years and it never ceases to amase me how good its seakeeping ability is for the size of it. If you look at the map of west clare you will see an island called mutton island. I usually fish about a half mile out at the back of it .

Hi John,

I know mutton Island well. What is the fishing like off the back of it? I've often been tempted to try get a lift over and camp on it for a few days. :idea:

Kev

This area is only good fished from by boat and is an area that is very dangerous due to the amout of covered rock on the right and left as you leave seafield pier. There are three islands all together lime rock, seal rock and mutton island. The unusual thing here is as you watch the sounder on the way out you are in 28 to 30 feet of water for the first five or six hundred yards and at the start of lime rock it goes to 50ft. Once you pass lime rock you are into deep water as you are passing over a shelf. At the back of seal rock there is deep water where you are guarenteed mackerl pollock ect. As for fishing from mutton island it is shallow water on three sides with very poor fishing. At the back of the island there is a very high cliff leading into deep water but fishing would be very difficult there. I would not camp on the island as there are rats there the size of cats. A few bass are being caught in October on night sessions on a coming tide in clonahinshee beach but few and far between.

I own a longliner and cant bring myself to sell it ....for alot of reasons, the sea keeping is fantastic it feels safe. I have a 9.9 hp 4 stroke yam on mine and have ventured out over 6 miles. A full tank of fuel lasted me two to three times out on the boat....very cheep to run! Believe it or not i know a guy that took his from Millisle to Portpatrick, full tank there and full tank back running a 15hp 2stroke.The boat is easy to tow aswell. The only thing i had to do to mine was replace the keel band to stainless steel. Would definatly recomend the longliner.

Seems that nobody has a bad word to say about the little orkneys ours is running on a 15hp 2 stroke yamaha it is very ecomicial full tank will do me for ages as i do most of the sea fishing around redbay never really ventured out past the two headlands but the next good day think i'll give it a go That guy who went to portpatrick from mileisle he definately was keen. But again im gona say it its the speed that lets her down but other than that a cracking wee boat :D

The boat itself aside, I will critacise a lack of speed. Inshore fishing is fine but when the sea roughs up and there is a propper swell as opposed to waves, all the sea keeping properties in the world will not save you if the boat is incapable of keeping up with the swell. A slow boat with little power will be turned and chucked in a powerful swell. being able to keep up with it, ride it a nd litterally surf the same speed as the crest is essential. I've had this situation many times in three different boats i've owned and each time its scared me to think what it would be like to be doing it running in on an auxillary engine. Having power is important in a boat, even if the boat can not actually really deal with it in normal conditions. I'm sure many boaters would agree?

Ive been there myself dirty fecker and its not a nice feeling limping in with a big swell behind u thats why is always fish inshore or in sheltered waters like the swilly i think it would be mad to take a boat with 15hp off shore but on a good day with good forecast id go that wee bit further. Is it hard to keep up with the waves coming in, the last boat i had she sorta could do it but she had a 20hp. It is an awful feeling when u cant, the boats far harder to control. But usually if i know the weathers to b bad i dont take here out