Nomination Thread for Best Trip Reports of the Quarter Ended March 31, 2011

[SpearMax]

This is the nomination thread for Best Trip Report of the Quarter Ended March 31, 2011. The cut-off date for nominating and seconding is June 30, 2011. We will then revert to a voting poll thread for the finalists. The three geographic regions are USA East Coast (includes Gulf), USA West Coast, and International.

Please read carefully the OFFICIAL RULES FOR THE SPEARBOARD BEST TRIP REPORT CHALLENGE here:

http://www.spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=126333

Note the following member qualifications to nominate, second and vote from the official rules:

Members with more than 50 posts can nominate their own or some else's trip reports. Trip Report Originators with less than 50 posts can be nominated by someone with more than 50 posts in order to accomodate brand new members that have great trips to report. The top five trip reports in each region with the most nomination seconds are entered into a final poll. For ten days after the end of a calendar quarter, all members with more than 50 posts are then able to vote one time for their favorite trip reports among the fifteen final nominations (5 reports x 3 regions).

Here are the specific rules for this nomination thread:

•Only post nominations or seconds should be in this thread, no superfluous comments are allowed.

•All seconds are to be placed in 1 post per region, with a maximum of 3 seconds in each region.

•All seconds should include the word "second".

Please follow these rules or your post will be removed. If you have to comment about a trip report, please do it on that trip report's thread, not here.

According to the official rules, the following timeline must be observed for this thread:

 Diving – Any time in the 6 months prior to the trip report thread origination date
 Trip report thread origination – From January 1 to March 31
 Eligible for nomination – From April 1 to June 30
 Seconding of the nominations – From the date of nomination to June 30
 Poll Voting on the top five in three regions – From July 1 to July 10
 Winners announced – July 11

Nominations will be accepted until June 30, 2011 at midnight and then this nomination thread will be closed.

When self-nominating the trip report you authored, please post the trip report thread title, the URL to the trip report, which of the three geographic regions applies, a short description of the trip report, and a reason for nomination that will motivate others to second the nomination. If a nomination post is too promotional, it will be edited accordingly.

Please present your nomination is in the following format (using an example from the distant past):

Trip Report Thread Title: Repeat the exact title here.
URL: www.------.com - this must be clickable to get to the report.
Geographic Region: State one of the three regions in the rules.
Date of Trip report thread origination: - This date must be between 1-1-2011 to 3-31-2011.
Description: Briefly, what is the trip report about?
Reason for Nomination: Tell us why you think this trip report rocks!

When seconding nominated sites, please ensure that you use only one post per region for the maximum of 3 allowed seconds. Any seconds not located in your first seconding post for a given region will not be counted. Please also quote the nomination post you are seconding in your post (Use Multi-Quote Option if you are seconding multiple trip reports).

The next step from the official rules will be:

The 5 trip reports in each region (15 total) that have the most seconded nominations will be placed in three separate regional voting poll threads. They will be listed in the poll in a random order and not alphabetically or by nomination seconding rank.

That is it for now. Send me a PM with any questions or comments.

Now, let's have fun with the Spearboard Best Trip Report Challenge!

[SpearMax]

Please keep in mind that the moment you self-nominate your trip report in this thread you have agreed to the OFFICIAL RULES FOR THE SPEARBOARD BEST TRIP REPORT CHALLENGE here at this link:

http://www.spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=126333

Now for some good stuff! The prizes for Best Trip Reports of the Quarter Ended March 31, 2011 are three speargubns valued between $350 and $500 dollars. These great prizes will be allocated as follows according to the official rules:

There will be a pool of prizes for the three regions. If the prizes are usable in all geographic regions, the three winners will try to agree which prize they want. If they can't agree, we will use a selection method like Rock –Paper - Scissors. Being awarded a prize should be a secondary consideration to the honor of being selected as the best trip reporter by your fellow spearfishing men and women.

DONATED PRIZE - ANDRE 120 CM SPEARGUN

The Andre GOLD 120 speargun is great for spearfishing around rock reef and coral areas in the shallows. Its shorter stock is easily maneuverable into tight spaces, like into cracks or under rocks where rock fish & snapper hide.

The GOLD 120 speargun also features a butt extension design for hip loading leverage. As you pull the power bands back, the butt extension makes it easy to rest the butt of the speargun on your hip without the handle getting in your way. The spear track is recessed into the stock to guide the spear accurately down the barrel. The groove is durable and an excellent design feature compared to eye hole spear tracks which break easily and reduce accuracy.

DONATED PRIZE - PELAJ KANJI 110 CM SPEARGUN

Made in Australia, the Pelaj railgun features numerous innovations including:

1. reinforced Rhino speed barrels allowing use of stronger multiple rubbers resulting in more powerful, accurate shots;
2. double clip in muzzles aligning both rubbers perfectly parallel to spear travel providing optimum energy transfer;
3. triple rubber clip in power band muzzles – a first on a production railgun;
4. exceptional interchangeability so every component can be (dis)assembled using basic tools.

Pelaj railguns have been built to harvest large powerful fish and are designed to last a lifetime.

DONATED PRIZE - MAKO 140 CM SPEARGUN WITH REEL

The “MAKO Oceanic ETR” 140 cm (Enclosed Track) Blue Camo Gun with MAKO South African 70M High Capacity Reel Filled with Yellow Spectra line.

Featuring a Fully Enclosed Track with a Twin Rail Barrel, this is the only gun of its kind and BUILT FOR BIG GAME!

The “MAKO Oceanic ETR” was designed by Chad Morris (aka Griswold) and Jeff DeRocher (aka Tin Man), two spearo/designers from the Bayous of Louisiana who spent years designing, machining and fabricating custom spearguns and related underwater hunting gear. Known as “The Bayou Design Team”, Jeff and Chad have built a reputation by combining innovative designs with the latest in high tech material and quality workmanship.

What is an Enclosed Track Railgun (ETR)?
By nature, Railguns are more accurate and more powerful than regular euro guns. This is because of the integrated rail barrel which supports and guides the spear down the rail (barrel) as it exits the gun. This additional support, by the integrated rail reduces “spear whip” and drastically increases accuracy.

The only way to improve upon this would be to incorporate an “Enclosed Track”, the length of the barrel, thereby further increasing accuracy and allowing for enhanced power and virtually eliminating all “spear whip” as the spear exits the gun. With an “Enclosed Track”, the spear is supported not only from the bottom. The spear is also supported by the surrounding walls and partial ceiling offered by the “Enclosed Track”, much like a bullet fired from the barrel of a high powered rifle.

In designing this “Enclosed Track Railgun”, the main challenge for the Bayou Design Team was weight. With the added material of the “Enclosed Track”, the gun had to be light enough so the gun would float (without the shaft), but strong enough, to prevent barrel flex. In experimenting with various designs and materials, the Bayou Design Team came up with the idea of using 2 smaller integrated rails for strength (one on each side) instead of one main rail. By design, this Twin Rail Design (one on each side) would also capture a slide in “Enclosed Track” made of lightweight, yet durable, high density polyethylene.

Essentially, the Bayou Design Team took the MAKO Oceanic Pro Railgun barrel, which is the largest and strongest aluminum barrel on the market and made it even stronger with “Twin Rails” while adding very little weight.

Occasionally seen on larger and heavier custom wood guns, this “Enclosed Track Technology”, incorporated into a much lighter railgun makes the “MAKO Oceanic ETR” the only one of its’ kind. The result…. The most accurate BIG GAME ENCLOSED TRACK RAIL GUN ever built for blue water hunting, inshore hunting and even freeshafting.

[beconfly]

Shall I kick this off? Allow me to make a first attempt, if I mess up the format let me know:

Author: Aussie
Tread Title: Dorothy, You Aint In Kansas Anymore: A rookie's intro to Kelp Beds.
URL: http://www.spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=120619
Geographic Region: USA West Coast
Date of Trip report thread origination: 03-07-2011, 02:08 PM
Description: Aussies Intro to Kelp Hunting
Reason for Nomination: Entertaining description of a new guys cold welcome to spearing in the kelp forests of southern california

[pirate_diver]

I nominate the following.

Author: ny_er
Title: Awesome couple days on the water
URL: http://www.spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=118487
Region: US East Coast
Date of Trip report thread origination: 01-23-2011, 04:37 PM
Reason: As Ben said in the post...Let the pictures do the talking.

[Bill McIntyre]

Originally Posted by beconfly

Shall I kick this off? Allow me to make a first attempt, if I mess up the format let me know:

Author: Aussie
Tread Title: Dorothy, You Aint In Kansas Anymore: A rookie's intro to Kelp Beds.
URL: http://www.spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=120619
Geographic Region: USA West Coast
Description: Aussies Intro to Kelp Hunting
Reason for Nomination: Entertaining description of a new guys cold welcome to spearing in the kelp forests of southern california

I second that nomination.

Did that work?

[ny_er]

Originally Posted by pirate_diver

I nominate the following.

Author: ny_er
Title: Awesome couple days on the water
URL: http://www.spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=118487
Reason: As Ben said in the post...Let the pictures do the talking.
Region: US East Coast

Can I second my own?

screw all that reading stuff, more photos

[SpearMax]

Originally Posted by ny_er

Can I second my own?

screw all that reading stuff, more photos

No to your own. (Parlimentary procedure ya know and all dat)

But, I will second yours right here and interpret your post as an acceptance.

Therefore your trip report is off and running too.

Author: ny_er
Title: Awesome couple days on the water
URL: http://www.spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=118487
Reason: As Ben said in the post...Let the pictures do the talking.
Region: US East Coast

I second the trip report "Awesome couple days on the water" by ny_er

[nyspear]

Author: steepNdeep
Trip Report Thread Title: COSTA RICA - Spearin' Safari
URL: http://www.spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=119403
Geographic Region: Central America (Costa Rica)
Date of Trip report thread origination: 02-11-2011, 11:17 AM
Description: Spearing adventure off the Guanacaste coast on panga and yak.
Reason for Nomination: This report made me feel like I was there. The poster's enthusiasm really showed through his writing and prompted me to choose the same destination for my spearing vacation this past April. I enjoyed it so much that I'm going back in December.

[aussie]

Originally Posted by beconfly

Shall I kick this off? Allow me to make a first attempt, if I mess up the format let me know:

Author: Aussie
Tread Title: Dorothy, You Aint In Kansas Anymore: A rookie's intro to Kelp Beds.
URL: http://www.spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=120619
Geographic Region: USA West Coast
Description: Aussies Intro to Kelp Hunting
Reason for Nomination: Entertaining description of a new guys cold welcome to spearing in the kelp forests of southern california

Considering I was teased for a month after posting that story I'll gladly and humbly accept the nomination!

Thanks guys.

Ps. I got dibs on the Andre.

[steepNdeep]

Originally Posted by nyspear

Author: steepNdeep
Trip Report Thread Title: COSTA RICA - Spearin' Safari
URL: http://www.spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=119403
Geographic Region: Central America (Costa Rica)
Description: Spearing adventure off the Guanacaste coast on panga and yak.
Reason for Nomination: This report made me feel like I was there. The poster's enthusiasm really showed through his writing and prompted me to choose the same destination for my spearing vacation this past April. I enjoyed it so much that I'm going back in December.

CR is an awesome spot & I'm glad to share the stoke... I don't get many trips in these days & the great reports on SB help me survive the spearin' droughts... Cool that the trip worked out for you NY. I accept the nom' - thx!

[teaknsteel]

Originally Posted by beconfly

Shall I kick this off? Allow me to make a first attempt, if I mess up the format let me know:

Author: Aussie
Tread Title: Dorothy, You Aint In Kansas Anymore: A rookie's intro to Kelp Beds.
URL: http://www.spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=120619
Geographic Region: USA West Coast
Description: Aussies Intro to Kelp Hunting
Reason for Nomination: Entertaining description of a new guys cold welcome to spearing in the kelp forests of southern california

Second

[Pither]

Originally Posted by beconfly

Author: Aussie
Tread Title: Dorothy, You Aint In Kansas Anymore: A rookie's intro to Kelp Beds.
URL: http://www.spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=120619
Geographic Region: USA West Coast
Description: Aussies Intro to Kelp Hunting
Reason for Nomination: Entertaining description of a new guys cold welcome to spearing in the kelp forests of southern california

Second

[John Hughes]

Originally Posted by beconfly

Shall I kick this off? Allow me to make a first attempt, if I mess up the format let me know:

Author: Aussie
Tread Title: Dorothy, You Aint In Kansas Anymore: A rookie's intro to Kelp Beds.
URL: http://www.spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=120619
Geographic Region: USA West Coast
Description: Aussies Intro to Kelp Hunting
Reason for Nomination: Entertaining description of a new guys cold welcome to spearing in the kelp forests of southern california

I second this one!

[sucinimad]

Author: Bill McIntyre
Thread Title: Blood on the boat
URL: http://spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=121136
Geographic Region: USA West Coast
Date of Trip report thread origination: 03-17-2011, 12:05 AM
Description: Bill's account of the season's first blood
Reason for Nomination: Although Bill's posts are often rage-inducing to a selected few (or many) on the board, his trip reports are generally well received. This is due to the fact that they are well written, informative, inspirational and often times, injected with snarky humor and pretty pictures. As a result, any of his reports deserves to be nominated. This one stands out due to having the first reported white seabass of the season. Keep in mind, this is when the days were short and dreary, water was dirty and frigid. Most people have hunkered down in the comfort of their own home, munching on the last freshly caught lobsters; all the while waiting for an excuse to go diving again. In short, it was the report that launched a thousand ships.

[Bill McIntyre]

Pretty weak thread compared to the competition, but what the hell.

I'll take the Andre.