First Boat Advice - Southern Moreton Bay

[s-twig]

Hi

I know this question gets asked a lot, but I was hoping someone local to myself could chime in.  I'm at Wello Point in Redland City.

We're looking at our first boat, and are trying to figure out where to start.

Ideally, we'd like to be able to have the experience and confidence to fish around the southern Moreton Bay and be able to spend a day on the beach at Peel, that's our current goal and what's got my wife on board

I've had plenty of people give advice and where they all seem to align is, aluminium hull and a quality motor that you can trust, that seems to make sense to me.  Where the advice differs is the size of the boat.

Some have recommended to start small 3.5-4m to get confidence around the estuaries, others have said, you'll outgrow that too soon, get something around 4.3-4.5 with a windscreen, that's big enough to make it a little more comfortable for the family, and that will give some room to grow.  I guess it's personal, but I'm personally leaning towards the second, and have been looking at a couple of Quintrex Estuary Anglers 420.  On a mostly-decent day, would one of these get you to Peel comfortably?  Or be good enough to poke around the islands for a fish, or are they apt-named because they aren't too great outside of a creek or river.

This stuff is second nature to most locals around here, so being new to the boating and fishing world, is a bit daunting; thanks for the patience.

 

Cheers

[ellicat]

I used to drag my family of wife and two kids under 15 around the southern bay in a 4.2m runabout, similar to what you are looking at. We'd also drop into places like Horseshoe Bay to stretch the legs and let the kids have a run around etc. We enjoyed the runabout style with windscreen and comfortable seats for the adults. Kids don't really care about their seats and backs at that age, although I did get a cushion for the rear seat.

That boat had a 35 and then a 40 horsepower 2 stroke motor and was more than adequate up to around 12 knots. After that you'd have to slow the trip down a bit or preferably not go out far. The more south you go the better the protection by the islands from the winds.

I agree with going the larger boat theory. 3.5 to 4 will see you outgrow it quickly. Even though I had a 4.2 I always thought something a bit bigger would have been better. The truth is a bigger boat would have been better. The 4.2 was definitely the minimum for what we did.

I now have a 4.7 with a 60hp 4 stroke and it opens up a bit of the northern bay, so on a good weather day I can get to Moreton pretty comfortably and enjoy places like Tangalooma. Something more for you to consider.

As they are phasing out 2 strokes in the short term (very soon I believe) I'll assume you will be getting a four stroke. That is a good thing as your range is far better. I'm averaging a bit under 7 litres per hour (about 5.3 km/l) with the 4 and was getting about 2km to the litre with the 2 strokes.

So in summary I suggest -

- Get a tinnie at least 4.2m. (The tinnie will also be more forgiving of hull damage at the ramp and on sandbars etc while you're getting used to boating) subject to the size of and age of kids and how many there are;

- Get a 4 stroke;

- Get a runabout style; and

- Get as big as you can afford/tow.

[Do$tylz]

I would agree with the 2nd option as well if money allows for it. Ally boat - allows for mistakes and learning in launching, retrieving and running aground. Good motor - because it's open water and safety is #1 when getting on the water.

Launching from Wello or Cleveland, yes, on a day ~10knots or under, you will be fine. 15 and it will be a little lumpy and maybe a bit wet depending on travel direction and wind direction.

[ellicat]

PS Welcome to the forum. It's a great place to learn things and ask questions in. I know I have learnt a lot here about boating and fishing over many years.

[Drop Bear]

Exciting project for you mate. 

If you are going to peel you need a bigger boat than a 3.5. It is really open water and while you won't normally get into trouble there, on the wrong day you will. 

I had a 3.7 for years and did a fair bit of bay work but in 15 knots that area is out of bounds. 

My preference is a tiller steer as it gives you more room than a side or centre console but they all work. 

If you are thinking of using it as a family day tripper, have a look at a bow rider style. It can give you the best of both worlds. Its the opposite of a mullet hair style, party at the front, fishing business at the back. 

anyhow its your money and every mm you add to the boat costs. 

I hope you get something you like and more importantly ---- use.

[s-twig]

Thanks for the replies everyone, bit of time taken there, appreciate it.

I'll take that on board, hopefully get something happening really soon.

If going second hand, what to look for in the engine?  Are these something people tend to like about regarding hours, etc.  While four stroke is preferred, there are a few lower hour two strokes about.

 

Last question.  Is there much difference launching/retrieving a 4.2 vs a 4.5?

 

Thanks again.

[s-twig]

1 hour ago, ellicat said:

I used to drag my family of wife and two kids under 15 around the southern bay in a 4.2m runabout, similar to what you are looking at. We'd also drop into places like Horseshoe Bay to stretch the legs and let the kids have a run around etc. We enjoyed the runabout style with windscreen and comfortable seats for the adults. Kids don't really care about their seats and backs at that age, although I did get a cushion for the rear seat.

That boat had a 35 and then a 40 horsepower 2 stroke motor and was more than adequate up to around 12 knots. After that you'd have to slow the trip down a bit or preferably not go out far. The more south you go the better the protection by the islands from the winds.

I agree with going the larger boat theory. 3.5 to 4 will see you outgrow it quickly. Even though I had a 4.2 I always thought something a bit bigger would have been better. The truth is a bigger boat would have been better. The 4.2 was definitely the minimum for what we did.

I now have a 4.7 with a 60hp 4 stroke and it opens up a bit of the northern bay, so on a good weather day I can get to Moreton pretty comfortably and enjoy places like Tangalooma. Something more for you to consider.

As they are phasing out 2 strokes in the short term (very soon I believe) I'll assume you will be getting a four stroke. That is a good thing as your range is far better. I'm averaging a bit under 7 litres per hour (about 5.3 km/l) with the 4 and was getting about 2km to the litre with the 2 strokes.

So in summary I suggest -

- Get a tinnie at least 4.2m. (The tinnie will also be more forgiving of hull damage at the ramp and on sandbars etc while you're getting used to boating) subject to the size of and age of kids and how many there are;

- Get a 4 stroke;

- Get a runabout style; and

- Get as big as you can afford/tow.

Cheers mate, sounds like good advice.

[Old Scaley]

23 minutes ago, s-twig said:

Thanks for the replies everyone, bit of time taken there, appreciate it.

I'll take that on board, hopefully get something happening really soon.

If going second hand, what to look for in the engine?  Are these something people tend to like about regarding hours, etc.  While four stroke is preferred, there are a few lower hour two strokes about.

 

Last question.  Is there much difference launching/retrieving a 4.2 vs a 4.5?

 

Thanks again.

I am not an outboard mechanic, but I would be looking at how it has been maintained and looked after. Does it look clean, or does it look like it has had a hard life? I would be looking for a service history - at least once a year. The service report should give you the compression ratios of all cylinders and they should all be pretty close. Are there any comments on the service report indicating that things need to be done. Are all the recent reports available? Are they all from the same place? I would be asking for a test drive on water to see if it starts and performs well. Lastly, I would pay for a professional assessment by an outboard mechanic if you or someone you know isn’t very experienced with outboard motors. It might save you a lot of money in the long run.

No, you won’t find much difference between launching a 4.2 and a 4.5.  Good luck!

PS. Don’t forget that you will need a recreational vessel licence.

Edited October 26, 2020 by Old Scaley

[s-twig]

Well, thanks everyone.  That's enough to point me in the right direction, now to show my wife, hopefully we'll be out on the water soon.

[GregOug]

I recommend a Stejcraft SS64 with a Mercury 200 Pro XS on the back. 

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Hi s-twig

Welcome to the forum. I agree with the option for a windscreen, because in the bay wind can pick up and it will make for a more comfy ride with the wife. ellicat, that is some ripper advice!  

Cheers Hamish

[Drop Bear]

22 hours ago, s-twig said:

Is there much difference launching/retrieving a 4.2 vs a 4.5

not really mate. 

[s-twig]

45 minutes ago, Drop Bear said:

not really mate. 

Thanks, good to know I won't be making life any harder; already having nightmares about the boat ramp. haha

[kmcrosby78]

6 hours ago, s-twig said:

Thanks, good to know I won't be making life any harder; already having nightmares about the boat ramp. haha

As long as you can reverse the trailer, there isn't much difference mate. As you use it more and more you'll come up with a system that works for you. I've got a 5.6m Centre Console with canopy (which catches the wind which can make things trickier at the ramp) and launch and retrieve it solo. A tip is to attach a decent length rope to the nose so you can manoeuvre it yourself - if you have a helper, all the better .

Very good advice by those above. Couple more questions:

1. Do you have a budget?

2. How many kids and what age? 

3. Are your wife and kids into fishing? This may impact the size you need as the kids grow up.

I don't know anything about the phasing out of 2-strokes - I guess it will happen one day but may not be for many, many years so if your budget is limited I would still consider a decent condition and not too old 2-stroke motor. @Old Scaley's advice is spot on regarding checking the service history out, taking it for a run, etc. If you do check one out, ask them to not pre-run it before you turn up (you can check by putting your hand on the cowling - top cover of the motor - if it is warm/hot, they have run it before you got there and will probably not start as easily from cold). 

I would go to a boatyard and check out tiller steer, centre and side consoles, runabouts and bowriders so you can decide what will work best for you overall. Everything is a balancing act with boats but it's important to try to get something that you will be mostly happy with most of the time . 

[kmcrosby78]

I should add that there isn't alot of stock (boats for sale) at the moment which I'd imagine may have pushed the price up slightly and you'll be up against others to buy anything that is in good condition and priced OK. I'd be keeping a very regular look out so you don't miss out on something you really like and then act very quickly once you see it .

[s-twig]

10 hours ago, kmcrosby78 said:

As long as you can reverse the trailer, there isn't much difference mate. As you use it more and more you'll come up with a system that works for you. I've got a 5.6m Centre Console with canopy (which catches the wind which can make things trickier at the ramp) and launch and retrieve it solo. A tip is to attach a decent length rope to the nose so you can manoeuvre it yourself - if you have a helper, all the better .

Very good advice by those above. Couple more questions:

1. Do you have a budget?

2. How many kids and what age? 

3. Are your wife and kids into fishing? This may impact the size you need as the kids grow up.

I don't know anything about the phasing out of 2-strokes - I guess it will happen one day but may not be for many, many years so if your budget is limited I would still consider a decent condition and not too old 2-stroke motor. @Old Scaley's advice is spot on regarding checking the service history out, taking it for a run, etc. If you do check one out, ask them to not pre-run it before you turn up (you can check by putting your hand on the cowling - top cover of the motor - if it is warm/hot, they have run it before you got there and will probably not start as easily from cold). 

I would go to a boatyard and check out tiller steer, centre and side consoles, runabouts and bowriders so you can decide what will work best for you overall. Everything is a balancing act with boats but it's important to try to get something that you will be mostly happy with most of the time . 

Thanks, that's really good advice.  I'm actually going to check out a boat today, I'll post if anything comes of it.

[Stukky]

Hi,

A newbie here - was in the same position as you a few months ago and after a frustrating exercise trying to even look at 2nd hand I decided to take the plunge and buy new. 

Bought a 4.3m Quintrex Fishabout Pro with a 60HP Yamaha - not cheap but solid and stable which I will keep for a long time - the Mrs flatly refused to go in anything without a screen and Bimini - helped reduce the choice that's for sure.

All the advice given is valid and great - those first trips are nerve wracking and most definitely don't hesitate to ask for help and advice when at the ramp - learn the etiquette about prepping before getting to the ramp etc. People are very friendly in general and happy to help if you need it.

After about 80 hours of lake and some river/estuary I am getting comfortable with launch and retrieve and learning heaps of stuff i.e. that idle speed is your friend - throttle control takes time to learn.

Suggest try taking it to local lakes as well so you can get practise without Tides /waves and busy ramps.

Practise your backing at the local car park - it will become muscle memory after a few hours.

Oh yeah - definitely a long rope secured to the Bow (the front pointy bit) is essential.

Good luck!

[Ryannnnnnnn]

I bought a 4.3 tiller steer horizon easy fisher with a 40hp 2 stroke on it about a year and a half ago to explore around the southern end of the bay. It has been an absolute cracker of a boat and the engine has been bullet proof, with plenty of grunt to get up to 40kph quickly. I started around redland bay area where it's a bit more sheltered. The 4.3 has been the perfect size, not too small to get bashed around easily but small enough to handle easily at the boat ramp.

[s-twig]

Appreciate all of the replies

I picked up a Quintrex Estuary Angler 420 with 40HP four-stroke last Friday.  I didn't get a chance to take it out on Sunday, which looked like a cracker of a day to go out on.

I think I might take Ryan's advice and start off around the Victoria Point, Reddy Bay area. I did think about trying the Thorneside boat ramp into Tingalpa Creek, but I couldn't see anywhere to tie up to and it seems a bit rocky, probably easy to get caught out for a novice like myself.

Thanks everyone for the advice

[Kat]

31 minutes ago, s-twig said:

Appreciate all of the replies

I picked up a Quintrex Estuary Angler 420 with 40HP four-stroke last Friday.  I didn't get a chance to take it out on Sunday, which looked like a cracker of a day to go out on.

I think I might take Ryan's advice and start off around the Victoria Point, Reddy Bay area. I did think about trying the Thorneside boat ramp into Tingalpa Creek, but I couldn't see anywhere to tie up to and it seems a bit rocky, probably easy to get caught out for a novice like myself.

Thanks everyone for the advice

Vicky point boat ramp is really shallow at the low tide.  I was deckie for @GregOugnot long ago and ended up pushing the boat in with his son.

Cheers Kat

[Ryannnnnnnn]

1 hour ago, Kat said:

Vicky point boat ramp is really shallow at the low tide.  I was deckie for @GregOugnot long ago and ended up pushing the boat in with his son.

Cheers Kat

Yep agree to this found out recently while trying to come back in one early morning and had to turn back and go have a snooze in the boat somewhere until the tide built back up

[Kat]

Haha.  Well the worst think was pushing the boat in with water up just past my knees (I am not tall) and then the next step the water is almost over my head.  Really hard to climb back in a boat in those conditions when you are a short #@@$ .

Not sure what other ramps are around there but if there is one at Redland bay it might be better.

Kat

[GregOug]

2 hours ago, s-twig said:

Appreciate all of the replies

I picked up a Quintrex Estuary Angler 420 with 40HP four-stroke last Friday.  I didn't get a chance to take it out on Sunday, which looked like a cracker of a day to go out on.

I think I might take Ryan's advice and start off around the Victoria Point, Reddy Bay area. I did think about trying the Thorneside boat ramp into Tingalpa Creek, but I couldn't see anywhere to tie up to and it seems a bit rocky, probably easy to get caught out for a novice like myself.

Thanks everyone for the advice

Sounds like a good boat! Any pics?

[s-twig]

2 hours ago, GregOug said:

Sounds like a good boat! Any pics?

Not yet, I'll post something up soon.

 

2 hours ago, GregOug said:

Sounds like a good boat! Any p

 

[s-twig]

Hi all.

 

We got the boat out yesterday into Tinglpa Creek from the Thorneside ramp. I've got to say, the boat ramp was one of the more daunting experiences in recent memory.  After a quick chat with a local boatie who was retrieving his boat, I felt a lot more comfortable, especially with his friendly 'just give it a go' attitude.

After backing in for what felt like 10 minutes, but was probably only 3, we got the boat in the water, only for it not to want to leave the trailer, seemed to get stuck on the last roller (still not sure why).  We nearly gave up at this point, it was lucky no one else was waiting and a friendly local lady came to lend a hand.

We only had intentions of a quick test run for 20 or 30 minutes, but spent a good hour cruising slowly up and down like obviously newbies, but we had a great time and it's given us the confidence to do some more next time.

A couple of questions.  Is it only local knowledge that lets you know where the shallow areas are, or are people checking maps?  Also, how shallow is too shallow, we got a bit worried around 0.9m?

Thanks again for all the advice.

Here's a quick photo I took after we packed up.

[ellicat]

Good to hear you got out without mishap.

Your draft is probably something like 30cm, but I'd be going slower at 90 as the ground can come up quickly.

You can access "Beacon to Beacon" online these days. Find your local area maps/charts in the Beacon to Beacon and they will show you the markers and channels. Rule is Red marker to your starboard(right) heading away from port, green to port (left). Sounds simple but places like Viccy Point can be confusing as there are two ports within a stones throw, so local knowledge/experience helps a lot.

[ellicat]

Here's a link to B2B

https://www.msq.qld.gov.au/Boating-maps

 

[GregOug]

3 hours ago, ellicat said:

Here's a link to B2B

https://www.msq.qld.gov.au/Boating-maps

 

Or just buy a cheap gps/sounder, set your depth alarm at one metre, set the chart colours to something that suits you and stay in the coloured area which is safe depth water. On my gps I’ve set white as safe ground.

[WilliBoaz]

On 26/10/2020 at 7:47 PM, GregOug said:

I recommend a Stejcraft SS64 with a Mercury 200 Pro XS on the back. 

How do you find this boat handles choppy water?

[GregOug]

59 minutes ago, WilliBoaz said:

How do you find this boat handles choppy water?

Pretty bloody good.