Mad about Angling, Boats and Tech

The story of two Parker Boat owners’ biggest passions; boating, fishing and technology!

Boat:  Parker 660 Pilothouse | Boat Name:  Nosey | Boat Year:  2011 | Tech:  Garmin and Fusion | Outboard:  Mercury 150hp

Today, we chatted with Jon Richards, the joint-owner of a Parker 660 Pilothouse boat called “Nosey” which was purchased in 2011 from Boat Shop.  This is his story:

“Nosey in 2011; where it began”

WHERE IT BEGAN

My love for fishing came from my Uncle at the age of 12.  He gave me my first rod and reel which I remember had a plastic handle and I still have that 35 to 40 years later.  I also helped my neighbour dig a lake in his garden and we’d fly fish for trout and float fish for carp and tench. Between fishing and school work, I would make dens in the woods.

At the age of 14 I used to fish straight off the beach with a friend.  He’s still a good friend today; some 50 years later!  My Uncle also had a little boat and he invited me out to fish with him. My earliest memories are the smell of the salty air, the gentle movement of the boat and, of course, catching a nice bass!  I love the anticipation of the rod tip bending over. 

Growing up in the New Forest, we used to ride our bikes down to the beach, make a fire and fish until midnight.  Back then, I was fishing for flounders, eels, bass; all catch and release. 

“Jon with a Whiting just over 4lb”

OUR PASSION FOR FISHING

Later in life, my current boat partner and I would go charter fishing together. This proved invaluable for boat handling skills as we were able to observe how the charter captains worked around the boat; from drifting, to manoeuvring and reading the water.  

We took part in fishing competitions run by the West Wight Charter Skipper’s Association (WWCSA) and we’d take part in the light line competition for species in the Summer and then a cod competition in the Winter. Every month we would have our own trip booked; sometimes two a month.

“My boat partner, Tony, with a Sun Fish”

My work also put me around boats; responsible for bringing in ships to a marine terminal.  As part of this role, I undertook the RYA Powerboat Level 2 certification which solidified my knowledge of navigation, tides and wind.  I would definitely recommend this course. 

“We experience some beautiful sights”

THE DREAM OF BOAT OWNERSHIP

As we were spending more and more time afloat, it started to make sense to have our own boat.  

“My boat partner Tony”

My boat partner and I started looking in 2009.  We went to the boat shows, went online and avidly read about boat models in Saltwater and Boat Angling magazine. We were considering boat models such as the Pirate 21, Arvor 23, Merry Fisher 595/695 and the Seaward 19.  

A year went by and we continued our research and saving money. We went back to the Boat Show and met Mick, owner of Boat Shop, in 2010.  Mick showed us the Parker 660 Pilothouse.  It was more than we had budgeted but it was ticking a lot of boxes for us. The shape of it reminded us of the first boat we used to charter on.  It had a lot of deck space and we wanted to be able to have 4+ people onboard.  (NOTE: It has 4.5 square metres of deck space and you can get 4 people in the cabin if the weather isn’t great).

“Nosey in 2021 and still looking good”

We particularly wanted an outboard boat.  We liked the fact that we could lift the engine out of the water when not in use, they were easy to service and we actually now service our own outboard.  (NOTE: We have a 140 litre fuel tank that will do 70 miles and we probably burn 40 – 50 litres per day on a normal fishing trip.

2011 saw us heading back to the Boat Show and another chat with Mick.  Two years on, we were finally ready!  

We arranged a demo in Littlehampton Marina with Mick and that was where we met Mark, who was also demo-ing the Parker 660 Pilothouse.  We’ve stayed firm friends with Mark and have been on fishing holidays with him; so a great meeting!  We love to share any tips or upgrades we’ve made and learn from each other.  The build quality of the Parker is superior to the other boats we viewed, and it is also licensed to go across the Channel; not that we’ve tried that yet.  

POST-PURCHASE; WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?

So, we finally had the boat and we called it “Nosey”. We sat down with Mick and worked on the technical specification.  In terms of tech, Garmin was well known to us, not only as the European HQ is a few miles from our homes, but the charter boats also used Garmin Marine equipment.  It’s easy to use, intuitive, and works for technically-minded people as well as those not so savvy.  

We chose the GPSMAP 750s touchscreen 7” sounder/plotter, a Garmin 100 VHF Marine Radio and the standard sounder.  For music, we selected a Fusion stereo and Fusion speakers.  

We added a 10” chart plotter down the line and bought a Garmin Radar which is really useful for night fishing or if you are in fog.  Our cruising and fishing ground is mid-Solent.

We picked the fully fitted boat up from Littlehampton Marina and had a detailed handover with Mick.  Mick was particularly useful as he has huge local knowledge; especially for going around the tricky Selsey Bill.  It was hairy but the boat handled well in the big sea.  It took around 2.5 to 3 hours to get the boat home.  When we got into the lee of the island, things calmed down but we were super reassured about the sea handling capabilities of the Parker 660 Pilothouse.  

OUR FISHING LIFE

So now, as the proud owners of our Parker 660 Pilothouse, we are still “Mad About Angling”.  We compete once per month and fish the Solent and Southampton area.  We regularly head up to the Needles area and 8 – 10 miles south from there and a lot in Christchurch Bay.

It’s a long day on the water, which is why we decided to rent a mooring rather than putting the boat on a trailer.  It’s just quicker for us.  In January and February we fish for cod and whiting, March is plaice, we are then into bream, smooth-hound, skate and ray season.  September it’s the turn of sole; an all-night fishing competition that we do with my young son.  He loves to fish and, in particular, he enjoys night fishing where we eat onboard and he can have a little sleep if he gets tired.  October is bass season.  In 2022, my boat partner won the competition overall and I placed 5th.  The top boat in 2022 was our Parker 660 Pilothouse which makes us proud. 

“We also like them small. Species hunting”

Onboard we use a Dometiq coolbox which can keep ice for 5 days. We use live crabs for bait and we keep these in our live bait tank; manufactured by us using a blue drum and the deck wash hose. We decided to go with Coppercoat on our boat which has been good for us.  It lasted 8 years and we applied a new coat a few years ago. (NOTE: check with your Marina if they allow this type of antifouling before applying).

OUR TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

We were always talented anglers but we do love the way the Garmin tech has made us even better.  We decided to do a full upgrade recently.  Now, we have a 9” at the main helm, a 12” plotter to the left and a 9” plotter outside the cabin.  Even in the bright sunshine it is really clear so we can now see what we’re drifting over which is easier than trying to look at the screens in the cabin and easy to quickly mark spots when we find fish on the drift.

“Nosey cabin showing new plotters”

“Nosey 9″ plotter outside”

“The clarity of the outside plotter”

I also have the Garmin Panoptix Livescope Plus on a transom-mounted bracket.  This provides a live, real-time view beneath the boat.  It works brilliantly, even in murky waters.  Some of the other benefits of the tech are that you can see fish behaviours which makes you more efficient (we use less fuel to get to the schools of fish).  We use the Garmin Radar to see birds “working” and overlay that to the chart.  Not visible to the human eye, the Garmin Radar gives us areas where birds are very active; sometimes a sign that fish are below and there is a food chain in action.

We also use the free Garmin App “Active Captain”; a great way to do updates and record your movements and tracks for future use.  We can use our phones and sync data to the chart plotter (reference image only below).

We use the Relief Shading technology for finding the banks and wrecks and this is incredibly accurate.  We use it to find nice spots to fish.  I also use a separate Wreck App that gives me all the detail of the wreck in terms of the name of the boat, when it went down etc; fascinating history.  

Another valuable feature is the Garmin Active Track.  We use this at night as we can pre-record the track out to sea and make sure we follow this coming back in.  Interestingly, we’ve tested this by covering up the windscreen during the day and using it in conjunction with the Garmin Radar; and it works.  It’s always worth finding the time to practice this. 

On each Garmin screen, we are able to set our favourite “windows” to add the favourites tab.

We also have the Grid 20 ‘joystick’ positioned by the 9” plotter that acts like a mouse.  This is particularly useful in rougher seas as an option to the touchscreen.  

As a summary of our Garmin Marine equipment, we have:

• Garmin GPS MAP 9×3 and 12×3 in the cabin 
• Garmin GPS MAP 9×3 outside
  • All with Garmin Avionics Vision+
• Grid 20 for control of all plotters
• Garmin GPS 24XD receiver antenna
• Garmin thru-hull transducer
• Garmin Panoptix Livescope Plus
• Fusion Apollo RA770 
• Fusion Apollo MS-ERX 400
• Fusion X Series and Signature speakers

We’ve added a 100W solar panel that charges all of the batteries.  We have 2 batteries for the electrical equipment and 1 battery for the engine.  We have an App on the phones that shows what the solar panel is producing and battery condition.

As much as we love fishing, we also love spending time with our families onboard and we go out for days wakeboarding and towing the kids on a blow-up sofa.  For me, personally, it’s about quality time with my family and my mates; seeing nature and being on the water.  

“Turbot just over 22lbs for Rob”

OUR BOATING TIPS

If we had to advise people about buying their first boat for fishing, or upgrading their existing boat, here’s our top tips:

• Choose your boat partner carefully if you are going to boat share.
• Always have great communication with your boat partner as two heads are better than one.
• Think about how often you will use the boat.
• Think about how many people you will have onboard (We can get 23/24 knots with 4 people onboard).
• Anything can happen at sea; always be prepared.
• Take the RYA Powerboat Level 2 course.
• Sign up with SeaStart (they will help you if needed, up to 3 miles offshore).
• Take the Short Range Certificate (SRC) VHF Radio Operator qualification which authorises the holder to operate a VHF Radio.
• Always wear your life jacket when onboard.
• Have a life ring with a rope attached to the boat, just in case. 
• Turn on your Radar and use it (even during the daylight hours).
• Consider what size engine will work for what you want to do
  • We started with a 115hp Mercury and upgraded to a larger engine as it was more responsive and more economical. Balance the weight/size of the outboard with your boat.
• When you demo a boat, the boat is light.  Consider how much gear you are going to add.
• Take the boat out once per year for annual maintenance and checks and, like us, take out a second time for a thorough hull clean.  
• For keeping your boat clean, we recommend Meguiar’s Marine products.   
• When fishing; BE PATIENT and think like a fish 🙂

“Tiny little Bream”

WHAT WE READ AS AVID ANGLERS

OUR FAVOURITE FISH RECIPES

To catch a Blue Shark or any of the British shark species.

Jon Richards, Co-owner of the Parker 660 Pilothouse “Nosey” was talking to Boat Shop, October 2023.