Looking for a boat. Advice needed please.

[dhess]

Hey Guys,

The fishing bug has bitten me really hard this time and have decided to take the plunge and get a boat in the next few months. I want to chase sports fish and reef fish and lanbased angling is not flexible enough for me.

Fortunately I have a like minded friend who is going in halves with me. Our budget is between $10000-$15000.

We haven't really decided on a configuration but key wants are:

1. Capable of offshore fishing in very good conditions.

2. Capable of bay fishing in average conditions.

3. Aluminium for economy and light weight.

4. Reliability and ease of maintenance.

Don't mind the look of Bermuda or Quintrex runabouts around the 4.7m mark.

Questions

Is our budget realistic?

2 stroke or 4 stroke?

Any brands to be avoided or recommended?

How many hours use can a well maintained boat and motor have and still be reliable?

Finally anyone know someone wanting to get rid of a boat?

Cheers,

Dom

[ellicat]

Dom, My boat's nearly twenty years old and so is the motor (35hp Merc 2 stroke) and there has never been a problem. So they can be good for a long time if looked after. I have a client that sells and services boats and motors. So if you want to PM me with your contact number and good times to call, I could get him to contact you and discuss what you're after. He's well known and respected in the industry.

Cheers

[Feral]

Mate,

Go for a wander in Crawford marines yard (Sponsor for last years classic!) and see what is around. A second hand boat yard is a quick way to compare boats.

Look for something with reasonably high sides, particularly if your looking at going \"outside\". Safety gear and how old it is would be a consideration (Flares expire, and EPIRBs are about to change frequencies making older ones obsolete) Would not stop you buying a boat, but would make you ask for a bit off the price!

While your there what other accessories are on it? GPS, Sounder, bait boards, rod holders, Bimini etc. Work out whether you want these things before you go looking, only add the things you believe you need into your price comparisons. Why? - because it is easy to get carried away and use a $1000 Sounder to justify a high price in your head, when in reality all you need is a $300 job.

Do either of you have kids? if you do you might want to look at 4.8m plus, then wearing of life jackets is not compulsory for kids(IE you can have a drift in the bay on a calm day and not have to force the kids to wear life jackets!)Note if you go 5m or over, compulsory fire extinguisher, which also expires!

A well maintained boat and motor can be any age and reliable, its the honesty of the bloke selling it to you that matters!

Mate owning a boat is more fun than standing in a cold shower ripping up $100 bills, but costs about the same! Be prepared for a thousand more in the next year or so for those \"gotta have me one of those\" moments!

Also make sure you and your mate have a sound understanding on what sharing a boat means.

IE working out turns, cost of repairs, fuel, rego, insurance. What will happen if one wants to pull out. Best to have it all sorted up front.

Post edited by: Feral, at: 2007/05/07 19:51 fixed my \"oops\"

Post edited by: Feral, at: 2007/05/09 05:53

[rayke1938]

I think that Feral means Crawford not cunningham marine.

If you wish to purchase from a dealer I can recommend the following dealers that are all on the southside.

Wondall Road Marine ask for Brian ( He is the owner)

Coorparoo Marine ask for Neville ( Brians Son)

Wynnum Marine ask for George Baumber.

I cannot speak highly enough for Brian at Wondall Road marine I have known and dealt with him for over 30 years and he has always stood behind hes products and workmanship.

Ray

[Brian D]

Dom

Be carfull. I would not go under 5.0 metre size with at least a 60hp. I think the 4.7's you mentioned are too small for anything other then near perfect conditions.

These boats are designed for estary and bay only,if you take a boat beyond it's ability and design you'll be asking for trouble.

Others will disagree but if you do research you'll find the same info from most people in the industry.

I have a 4.7 Cruise Craft and I consider it to be too small for outside work. It will do it, better the the tinnies you mentioned, but I still don't like to push it. It was designed for Moreton bay and the surrounding rivers.

If for a minute you disrgard the safety factor please consider the bang factor. The tinnies are so light they get \"banged\" beyond their design. You will be up for knee reconstrustions as well as constantly reweilding of the boats supports.

[Feral]

oops - Ray's right.

Brian's right as well. If your at all looking at regulary going outside, you'll need something designed for it. Tinnies are ok, just gotta be the right one!

Go to the next boat show and pump them all for info!

[Brian D]

dhess wrote:

Hey Guys,

Questions

Is our budget realistic?

A bit tight

2 stroke or 4 stroke?

The fish you mention are on the wider reefs so petrol should be considered. If the motor you choose using lots of fuel you will need to carry lots of fuel.

I used 40 litres on a 60hp 4 stroke from Redland Bay to Flatrock, did a lap of the island and back again. That's 2 x 24litres tanks. When I go wider I will need at least 60 litres if I plan on trolling for a couple of hours. In comparrision my 2str johny would have used about 70 litres nd I would need to carry about 100 litres.

Any brands to be avoided or recommended?

Yammys are good.

How many hours use can a well maintained boat and motor have and still be reliable?

My last johnson got 482 hours before I traded it but you could get more.

Finally anyone know someone wanting to get rid of a boat? I'll have 2 for sale soon but only 1 would do what you want.

Cheers,

Dom

[dhess]

Thanks for the great replies.

Ellicat,

Will definitely PM you when the time gets closer. Don't want to waste your or your friend's time just yet.

Feral,

Would probably prefer a boat without electronics as then we can get exactly the gear we want.

Ray,

Thanks for the recommendations. Will check them out on the weekend.

Brian,

I hear what you are saying. I am happy staying inside the bay unless it is perfect. Although I guess that could change and I would need to upgrade. Its comparing apples and oranges, but from first hand experience Mackmaulers 4.5m boat handles offshore seas comfortably. Probably way out of our budget though. BTW what is your setup and how much $$$ are you looking for?

Looks like I will have to try to convince my mate to go for an older or bigger more expensive boat:evil:

Dom

[ellicat]

Sweet Dom. One of Ray's recommendations is also who I am speaking of but it's not ethical for me to say who publicly.

[polyphonic]

The thing to remember with Mackmaulers boat is it is designed for ruff seas with the large pontoons down the side, most of the boats in the 4.5 to 5m range can handle going off shore in good conditions but they are not designed for it. Mackmaulers is not a normal tinnie and he also has a lot of experience with doing so. The main thing is you can always go out just make sure you can get back if it turns bad. You really want sounder and gps if your going off shore as well as a vhf radio and you need a licence for that as well. If you plan to do most of your fishing in the bay you'll be fine but just make sure you can get home if you head further out.

[mackmauler]

hey dom, if you want a boat like mine check out the stabi craft 389, its a 4.3m boat there a lot narrower than the OC so it wont feel anywhere near as big. but with the tubes on the side itll be stable and handle anything. only a guess but all setup you might get one for around 20K

another good one though ive only seen them on the net is the scorpion range from perth.

40hp 4 stroke. any of them are good from what I hear. i got 2000 hours out of my last honda without a breakdown.

what brian has said id agree there, remember with a tube boat the deadrise or angle of the underwater hull sections can be better designed for slicing through choppy waters as the tubes provide much of the balance.

and as for older bigger boats, i shudder. that spells trouble and ive seen mates go down that road.

[Brian D]

dhess wrote:

Thanks for the great replies.

Brian,

I hear what you are saying. I am happy staying inside the bay unless it is perfect. Although I guess that could change and I would need to upgrade.

If this is your intention then the tinnies you first discribed would be good but I am not so sur the runabout shape would be best because you loose a far bit of room at the pointy end. Maybe a big open tinnie would be better.

BTW what is your setup and how much $$$ are you looking for?

Like I say I have a 4.7 Cruise Craft. It actually measures 4.99 metres. It used to be a ski boat but I converted it to a fishing boat. It's a very solid and strong craft that is easy to handle by 1 person. I have fitted it for outside work with VHF Marina Radio, 2 bucket seats, sounder, gps, bilge pump and a few other things. It has a 2007 Yammy 4stroke 60HP and a 2006 Siftco delux braked trailer. You can have it for $20k but not a penny less.

Looks like I will have to try to convince my mate to go for an older or bigger more expensive boat:evil:

Dom

[Lozzel]

This was the boat I sold (gave away) last x-mass, 5.3 mtr 115 yammy (50hrs) .Would take it 90-100 ks off shore from Kepple Is (Yeppoon) . Carried 200lts fuel under floor.50 lts above floor, Heaps of safety gear, inc 2 epirbs 2 radios etc.

Go for a Yammy ,used them on pro boats traded them in with 900 hrs on first lot and sold the second outfit complete with 800 hrs, never had a problem with them.

Post edited by: Lozzel, at: 2007/05/08 20:39

[Lozzel]

Try again with the pic [img size=500]http://www.australianfishing.com.au/media/kunena/attachments/legacy/images/DSCN0157-2b1fad8a28fdfc63aaef6cdf9f83b1ad.JPG

[Brian D]

Gezz Lozzel - nice boat - hope you get another just like it.

[Lozzel]

Would luv too Brian,But have to stick with the tinnee for a while.

[Feral]

Lozzel wrote:

Try again with the pic [img size=500]http://www.australianfishing.com.au/media/kunena/attachments/legacy/images/DSCN0157-2b1fad8a28fdfc63aaef6cdf9f83b1ad.JPG

thats not a boat, thats a cruise liner!