Will a 5hp powered boat be enough ???

[barbus barbus]

Just sgned up as user and have found the advice and articles excellent.

To all of those that have any idea,as i am completley new to boats

Looking to buy a small boat (No Kayaks though, i like being dry and if the sharks that i have seen pictures of are anything to go by then steel is prefered to plastic) to run around the river systems in ipswich areas,3-4 meters nothing flash, i have been told that under 5hp i dont need a licence or to register the boat, i hope this is correct, only looking to get away from the banks and fish main river mainly around kooka park, goodna, riverside and where the Brissy meets the Bremer , will this be enough power to troll slowly and the boat stable enough assuming it is around 3.2 meters

Appreciate any help Thanks

[Bluevien]

It's correct, you don't need to register it or have a boat licence at 5hp. You are just like I was about 6 months ago... totally new to boating too. I had a 4hp push a 3m tinnie for a few months and it got me around the Pine River fine.... just slow and steady though. How you load the boat and the weight in it will affect it though. 2 adults or 1 adult and 2 small kids with your fishing gear would be all it could take.

Now I got a 4.2m runabout.... be careful, once you are out there, it's addictive

Good luck.

[Bluevien]

How rude of me. Welcome to the site also. Lots of good info on fishing and boating here. Check out previous posts on the forum. There's sure to be more answers to any question you may have or just ask away.

[ellicat]

Welcome aboard.

Unless it's changed recently, then 4hp is the rego cutoff.

Apart from that I agree with all that Bluevien has said.

[Davo_Dinkum]

In Queensland, a marine licence is required to operate a recreational boat which is powered by a motor greater than 4.5 kW (over 6 HP) and you must have a personal watercraft (PWC) licence to operate a personal watercraft.

In Queensland, all recreational ships with an engine of more than 4hp are required to be registered when on the water.

here are the links to the 2 pages .have a read it will tell ya all u need to know .

/>http://www.msq.qld.gov.au/Registration.aspx

/>http://www.msq.qld.gov.au/Licensing.aspx

for the river a 3 meter (10 feet) to 4 meter (13 feet) ,with a 4 hp will get u about the upper river ok .

bit slow is the main thing ,get annoying when u want to get somewhere fast .

all i have been using the last year and a bit is a 3.5 hp and 12 foot tinny.

i fish Brisbane river mouth /wharf area ,boggy creek ,tingalpa creek and mouth area ,upper Brisbane river ,even went to wake brake island and the beginning of the sea way.

[barbus barbus]

Thanks for the tips , i have an addictive personality as a fisherman you will probably understand this, have not fished for ages as i can get get a bit obsessevie about the whole thing, so trying to take it a bit slower this time.

Barbus Barbus

[barbus barbus]

Dear Davo-Dinkum ,

Thanks for the sites and advice, i have checked and the limit is 4hp for rego of boat, boat shop does not know what it is talking about then,just to make it simple for me, do you, using your set up, need a pwc or Marine licence or both as it says you cant have one without the other.

Barbus Barbus

[barbus barbus]

Dear Bluvein,

Thanks for the info, what set up, HP, are you using now and do i go 2 storke or 4 stroke

Barbus Barbus

[Davo_Dinkum]

barbus barbus wrote:

Dear Davo-Dinkum ,

Thanks for the sites and advice, i have checked and the limit is 4hp for rego of boat, boat shop does not know what it is talking about then,just to make it simple for me, do you, using your set up, need a pwc or Marine licence or both as it says you cant have one without the other.

Barbus Barbus

no licence needed to use my setup.

how it reads to me is:

you must hold a current and valid marine licence (speed boat driver's licence ) to get a personal watercraft licence (pwc)for jet ski's .

so the pwc is for jet skis and those sort of things .

marine licence is for boats ,the standard 1 most people have for a boat would be :speed boat driver's licence

[Davo_Dinkum]

if u have the $ ,for a licence ,boat rego and slightly bigger boat and motor.

i would say go the bigger straight up .

say 12 foot (3.6 meter )to 14 foot (4.2 meter)tinny with a 15 to 25 hp motor .

it will do the upper river ,mouth or the river and some of Morton bay .

if u get the smaller tinny and motor you will probably find after a year of 2 you will want bigger and faster and want to go more places .

[happywally]

hey welcome to the site.

im new to boating as well but i will offer my exp so far.

i have a 3.1M tinny powered by a 6hp motor.

it brings me around the river pretty quickly, with 2 of us onboard.

if just river fishing is what you want, then i would recommend a setup like that.

6hp is the max you can go without having a Marine License, and all you have to do is pay for rego, which isnt that expensive anyway... AUD$82 for a year...

cheers

Wally

[Davo_Dinkum]

3.1 M (10 feet )tinny powered by a 6hp motor.

they do get around ok hey wally .

we used to have 1 that size years ago ,we used to use to crab with.

if u get 1 with good high sides u will go the same places a 12 or 13 foot dose .

but the down side is a 10 foot get cramped with 2 people and fishing gear in ,but so dose my 12 foot .

its probably worth the 82 $ a year for a bigger motor,say a 6 hp over a 4 hp.

i know after a year i'm over going slow and going to pay rego and get a bigger motor .

[Eug]

i've been in your boat wally, you are losing valuable fishing time i tell you!

i'm inclined to agree with davo and go big straight up.

some key answers will help you choose the right boat.

1) what's your budget?

2) how many people in your family?

3) what style of fishing do you want to do? (lure, bait, trolling, etc.)

4) where do you intend on fishing?

5) do you mind going 2nd hand?

6) what tow vehicle do you have?

7) budget for maintenance?

some basics to get you started, from there get the biggest and best that fit your criteria.

cheers

eug

[barbus barbus]

Great stuff, you guys are really helpfull, thanks, what about 2 stroke over 4 stroke though

Barbus Barbus

[Davo_Dinkum]

don't know much about the 4 stroke .

think they are a little heavier than a 2 stroke.

they make baby 4 strokes now ,from 2 hp up.

[rosco1974]

i my honest opinion i wouldn't bother bout a 4 stroke in that size,a motor that size uses bugger all fuel anyway,a 12 ft tinny needs at least a 9.9 on it really,just sold a 3.55 tinny with a 9.9 on it and it was just enough for me and the young fella to get on the plane,put a 5hp on it 1st and it wouldn't hardly move the tinny against a 2.5mtr tide in the logan,if u can afford a bigger motor go for it i recon,do a liecence and away u go,

cheers rosco

[Scope]

Welcome to the site mate!

Agree with what the boys are saying. Upgrades can be painful - I'm onto number 3 :laugh:

In saying that go with whatever you can afford - The old man had a 12ft tinny with a 9(ish) hp motor that I reckon he may have got second hand of Noah - but it did us (dad and 3 kids) for years. Still going now as one of the boys at work has it and I regularly get to deckie for him!

Ebay's not a bad spot if you're looking for a well priced small boat

Also remember a bigger motor on a boat means 2 regos - (boat and trailer)

Boat license is always handy as the course introduces (or refreshes) safety knowledge on the water as well as bringing people up to speed with the latest laws

Just my 2 cents -

[happywally]

Eug wrote:

i've been in your boat wally, you are losing valuable fishing time i tell you!

mate you're spoilt lol.

Davo_Dinkum wrote:

3.1 M (10 feet )tinny powered by a 6hp motor.

they do get around ok hey wally .

yeah they're great!