Charter Boat: Hard Labour
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Boat and Skipper Details
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Availability Calendar
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Individual Spaces
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Reviews
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Location and directionsMap
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Bait & Tackle
Boat and Skipper Details
Launched at the end of september 2011, after a 10 month build, Hard Labour is fitted out to the highest spec, fully coded and insured, with the latest electronics onboard. She has easy access for wheel chairs and plenty of deck space. Being 33ft long at the waterline and with a beam of 16ft she is an extremley stable fishing platform and with her large deck area she comfortably accommodates the 10 anglers she is coded for. Being the size she is means less days lost to the weather.
Powered by twin Iveco NEF 280hp engines she has a comfortable cruise of 18kts and a sprint speed of 25kts. Meaning we can fish the distant marks of the Thames Estuary, with less time travelling andmore time fishing.
Hard Labour is owned and run by two brothers, Shane and Carl Porter. We have fished the Thames for the past 35 plus years, so have a lot of marks under our belt. Both of us are fully licensed and insured. We have had boats for the last 35 years, . Between us we have a vast knowledge of the marks in the Thames Estuary.
We aim to give our customers a memorable day out and can tailor a trip to suit the needs of individual parties. Beginners are always welcome aboard and where required we will offer as much or as little assistance as is needed to get you fishing with the correct techniques for the area.
We look forward to welcoming you aboard for a great day out.
November 2025
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N.B. Not all Skippers keep this dairy up-to-date. Always check with skippers before making any plans. Last calendar update: 22-Dec-2024 |
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Sat 1st Nov Whole Boat Available More Details |
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Sun 2nd Nov Whole Boat Available More Details |
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Individual Spaces
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Sun 9th Nov Whole Boat Available More Details |
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Sat 15th Nov Whole Boat Available More Details |
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Sun 16th Nov Whole Boat Available More Details |
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Fully Booked
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Individual Spaces
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Sat 29th Nov Whole Boat Available More Details |
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Sun 30th Nov Whole Boat Available More Details |
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Upcoming Individual Spaces on Hard Labour
| Sat 15/03/2025 |
del x 4
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| Sun 23/03/2025 |
J Banks x 3
Clayton x 2
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| Sat 12/04/2025 |
Del x 3
Mike Goodwin x 2
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| Sun 20/04/2025 |
J Banks x 3
Clayton x 2
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| Sat 03/05/2025 |
Del x 3
Mike Goodwin x 2
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| Sun 25/05/2025 |
J Banks x 3
Clayton x 2
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| Sat 07/06/2025 |
Del x 3
Mike Goodwin x 2
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| Sun 15/06/2025 |
J Banks x 3
Clayton x 2
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| Sun 06/07/2025 |
Del x 3
Mike Goodwin x2
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| Sun 13/07/2025 |
J Banks x 3
Clayton x 2
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| Sat 09/08/2025 |
Del x 3
Mike Goodwin x 2
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| Sun 17/08/2025 |
J Banks x 3
Clayton x 2
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| Sat 06/09/2025 |
Del x 3
Mike Goodwin x 2
| View details | |||
| Sun 14/09/2025 |
J Banks x 3
Clayton x 2
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| Sat 11/10/2025 |
Del x 3
Mike Goodwin x 2
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| Sun 19/10/2025 |
J Banks x 3
Clayton x 2
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| Sat 08/11/2025 |
Del x 3
Mike Goodwin x 2
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| Sun 23/11/2025 |
J Banks x 3
Clayton x 2
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Reviews
Summary:
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Barry Quinlan (03/11/2024)
Excellent days fishing with lots of fish coming onto the boat, Mostly Bass to a very good size 7lb biggest. Too many fish to keep over the day but excellent sport.
Skipper was very friendly and spent lots of time on deck ( some other skippers tend to hide away ). Will not hesitate in booking again as soon as we are ready to go out in the future. Boat was very clean and comfortable also. Also worth mentioning it was a full day out.Skippers Reponse: Thanks Barry for the report nice to have you and your dad aboard
I know he took a while to get going but your dad smashed it in the end with the biggest bass 7lb+
Look forward to the next time �������� -
gavin french (26/09/2021)
First time out sea fishing and couldn't have had a better experience.
Shane was welcoming, friendly and helpful throughout the day.
Others on-board were regulars and were as helpful and friendly as the skipper.
Great experience and looking forward to the next time out. -
gavin french (26/09/2021)
First time out sea fishing and couldn't have had a better experience.
Shane was welcoming, friendly and helpful throughout the day.
Others on-board were regulars and were as helpful and friendly as the skipper.
Great experience and looking forward to the next time out. -
keith bakewell (05/05/2018)
Always a excellent day out, been out loads of times, skipper's are very helpful and willing to teach you and give you great tips, both do this for the Passion of sea fishing, and not just for the money, which makes it first class, and look forward to many more trips to come :-)
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Howard Matthams (30/10/2016)
Another flawless days fishing aboard Hard Labour , nothing is too much for the skipper. Full of advice and knowledge and does everything he can to catch you fish. Thanks again Shane and looking to be back as soon as possible . We all had a brilliant day.
Skippers Reponse: thanks Howard always a good laugh with you and the guys look forward to the next angling adventure
Location
Bait & Tackle
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Toosey Tackle
St Osyth, Essex, East, England
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Colchester bait and tackle
Colchester, Essex, East, England
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Brian Deans Tackle Shop
Clacton On Sea, Essex, East, England
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Robertsons Fishing Tackle
Dagenham, Essex, East, England
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Alfie's Angling
St.Osyth, Essex, East, England
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Clacton Angling Centre
Clacton-on-sea, Essex, East, England
Catch Stats
- CBUK Catch Log: 14 Species have been caught onboard Hard Labour, including: Bass | Blonde Ray | Brill | Cod | Dover Sole | Plaice | Smooth-hound (Common) | Spurdog | Starry Smooth-hound | Stingray (Common) | Thornback Ray | Tope | Tub Gurnard | Turbot
Latest Catches 68 photos uploaded
52 lb 8 oz Stingray (Common)
Aug-2022
52 lb 8 oz Tope
Jun-2021
Latest Fishing Reports and News
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27/05/2023
Fishing Report by Brian Forsyth
27 May 2023 by Brian Forsyth
Well what a fantastic day we had. We have done about 7 trips but this one exceeded all others by miles. Carl the skip was so good with helping the novices bait up how to cast explaining what bait would catch what as for his patience outstanding. We had various types of fish coming all day George won the day just with 10 a nice mixed bag all returned for next time. Which we are already planning. Apart from catching fish all day the icing on the cake was the Skipper could make a pucker cuppa coffee what more did we need well happy and sorted. Many many thanks the Finsbury Park Mob.
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07/2017
Fishing Report by carl porter
Jul 2017 by carl porter
Well the last couple of months have been fishing their socks off. Excellent numbers and sizes of smoothounds caught with multiple double figure fish caught each day. Biggest so far this season is a shade over 18lb, but there is always the chance of those elusive 20lb fish. In the last month or so we have done a couple of way offshore sortees with good results on the plaice. The Tope fishing hasnt really kicked off in ernest this season although we have had them to just over 33lb.
Now the Bass ban has been lifted, we have started to target the bass with great success. plenty of fish in the 2 to 8lb bracket, but by far the best specimen locally this season is a 14lb 2oz beauty caught by the skipper. Yes she swam off happily too, no point in killing breeding stock in our eyes.
We are now offering our evening trips as and when required at a reduced rate from full day charter.
We look forward to seeing our loyal customers on the boat soon and welcome any newcomers who have not fished with us before
Shane and Carl -
04/2017
Fishing Report by carl porter
Apr 2017 by carl porter
Skate are here in amazing numbers 60 to 70 fish a day most days one day produced 103 to 6 anglers mostly 6-7 lb with a fair smattering of double figure fish
Went offshore earlier this week and found plaice to 2.5lb along with mackerel dabs sandeel whiting weevers and red /tub//and grey gurnard
First hounds are starting to show although small they will increase in size and numbers as the month goes on -
04/2017
Fishing Report by carl porter
Apr 2017 by carl porter
Saturday saw us back on the skate again with our anglers taking over 60 many in double figures ...good rod bending fun !!!!
sunday we wanted something different and we got it ......
mackerel / grey gurnard /tub gurnard /sandeel / weaver/ dab / whiting/ herring and about 15 plaice to 2.5lb
summer species are here on the banks and the turbot and brill wont be far away
not to mention the bass and smoothounds that will arrive this month
we often have spaces available at the weekends and during the week so give us a call
to get amongst the fish -
04/03/2017
Fishing Report by carl porter
4 Mar 2017 by carl porter
WERE BACK
seeng as the cod fishing failed to materialise this winter we decided to pull the boat out and have a proper clean up and add some more gadgets!!
a new five year codeing has been issued ensuring she is fully compliant and is fully up to date with all safety an life saving equipment
refurbished propellors and a sqeaky clean hull will ensure a fast ride out to those offshore banks
looking forward to the summer now and those big smoothounds and the plaice and turbot fishery we only just
scratched the surface of last year
our first trip this weekend produced over 50 skate for one of our regular crews !!! no monsters but a lot of fun after 3 months ashore ! as the days grow longer and the water warms we should see plenty more and the big girls
