pjc wrote: Hey "Steps" I can remember the old boy use to set a kontiki and to drop the sail ,I think use a barley sugar?as it dissolved the sail dropped.

And it worked a treat. I used to do the same. Also rigged it so that when the barley sugar melted a weight would be released and slide down the main line. This was to slow any drift and to keep the baits on or near the bottom.

And it worked a treat. I used to do the same. Also rigged it so that when the barley sugar melted a weight would be released and slide down the main line. This was to slow any drift and to keep the baits on or near the bottom.

Yep.. a fencing staple banged into the stern cross member.
When the barley sugar disolved, was about 20/25 mins from memory, and sail dropped you knew you where fishing.
 The advantage of the square sail setup is the sail could be set at an angle depending on wind.


this is going back 40-50 years ago.
 Yep early to mid 60s..
Was about then the plastic bags came into general use and adapted to KT.
 Even back then the old man used to curse them and plastic going to be a problem.

Their best was two fish on one set

The old man used to do very well back in those days before our coast line got raped by the big overseas factory ships and their trawlers coming inside at night, due to the 12mile international economic limits.
 Lot of the fish where given away to ppl on the beach, and even more in our neighborhood.
 Not 'limits' in those days.
 His hangouts where
Mangawhai surf beach on on other side of dunes.
 Langs. Pakiri and Auckland west coast beaches.

Now from memory, he used to choose spots carefully....a little eight side of a rip, less surf and the rip would take it out faster.
 Bait was dried trevelly and semi dried leathery very smelly squid.
Hooks where mustard.. about all could get in those days, recurve.. again a 'new' concept.
 Hooks tied with a clinch...and to get traces all the same length for the board, easy, Polmar. but was called something else back then.

I know many have issues tieing traces the right length...
 Attach hooks (I now use the no knot snell)
Put hook in the slot on the board, measure to where the clip slots in.. dont stretch.
 Mark or pinch a fold in the trace.
Keeping folded (on the mark), pass thru the clip/swivel eye.
Then make the 1/2 hitch.. still holding the fold.
Take up over the clip and hold the fold and bottom of the clip eye together and pull thru the tag ends
Just before the knot pulls up.. still loose.. pull either end to set the fold/ mark on the clip eye even .
 The making of the knot, takes up just enough of the trace length to have just enough stretch to hold on the trace board.