Boating in Victoria

custom snapper racksI’ve always wanted to go to Victoria but now that we’ve booked our flight down, I’m not sure what we’re going to do. We’ve got two weeks down there and I’m trying to think of ways we can spend out time. I’m thinking that the climate and nature is really different down there so we may as well make the most of it. I’m going to hook up with a friend down there who has a boat. He said that I can borrow it if I pay for some marine fabrications. He wants some snapper racks and rod holders, which is no problem, I’m happy to get them installed.

If I get the marine fabrications for the boat then we can take it out fishing. It’ll be fully pimped out and ready to take out for a river cruise. I love going out on boats, particularly on rivers as opposed to on the ocean. I don’t know why but I like the setting better when I’m on a river. The ocean is so vast, wild and erratic. Rivers can get restless during rainy weather, but for the most part they’re rather tranquil. Plus I prefer the fresh water fish for eating. The rod holder will certainly come in handy for that, especially if we encounter any larger fish.

We’re going to have to go down to Melbourne. I’m not huge on cities but I guess it’s a must-see. I’d definitely like to visit some of the alley ways and dine in some of the Italian or Chinese restaurants. We don’t get much culinary variation in this small town where I’m from. I’d like to also try Thai food which I’ve never had before and maybe Malaysian. I guess we’ll go to all the tourist traps like Federation Square, the Rialto Towers and the famous streets like Chapel Street and Brunswick Street.

Hotted up boats

bow railPeople talk about hotted up cars in the suburbs of Melbourne. Like people get their subwoofers and get the suspension rigged for the bounce effect. They get sleek paint jobs and put novelty dice in the windows. But where I come from, people get their boats “hotted up”.

This is basically the same culture just transferred to the rural areas where fishing is a bigger thing. It’s still a show of pride and often times a kind of a hobby that people spend hours on. It’s much more than just getting marine fabrications like snapper racks, which are useful but not necessarily aesthetic. People really go all-out up here, in the small towns outside of Melbourne.

I’m giving my boat a sweet paint job, with pearly white and silver stripes. She’s a beauty. I’ve got my marine fabrication made out of aluminium which looks great against the white and silver paint. I’m also going to paint over the bow rail so that it matches the hull of the boat. Don’t even get me started, talking about my boat is a fetish.

My mate Blair, she’s got the sweetest boat in our town. I’m secretly trying to rival her to be honest but I know I’ll never live up to it. She thinks outside the square when it comes to these things. I mean, she’s even got a slide out fitted to pack full of stubbies. Now that’s a boat to go fishing on! Nothing like cracking open a cold one with your rod in hand, or cruising along looking for a good spot to throw the lines out. But although fishing is a joy, it still doesn’t compare to the work that we out into our boats to get them looking nice.