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The new boat

GregOug

By GregOug
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GregOug Mentor

GregOug

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Looking for something to do one day a couple of months ago l made the mistake of going down to Northside Marine for a look around.

I had a bit of a look at their Surtees and Stabicraft aluminiums then I noticed a nice looking new fibreglass cabin cruiser. Well, three of them actually.

On closer inspection I found they were all from the Merry Fisher range by Jeanneau, a French brand owned by Beneteau.

There was a 6.95 metre, a 7.95 metre and a 10.95 metre. I liked them all but went away not thinking seriously of buying one. Until I found myself back there a few days later. And a few days after that. Before I knew it I was thinking about which extras l'd want if I bought one and getting prices for them.

Eventually I bit the bullet and put a deposit on a new Merry Fisher 795 Series 2 cabin cruiser. I then spent weeks going to Northside Marine almost every day, watching the accessories I chose being fitted, the engine installed and the boat going through water tests to check everything worked as it should.

I took delivery of her about three weeks ago now. I've only been out in her twice so far. The first time was during the handover as the dealer gave me a rundown of the electronics etc. I've been busy since working out where to put things, sorting out mooring lines, fenders etc.

The second time was about two weeks ago. A mate and I decided to venture over near Tangalooma for the night. Unfortunately the B.O.M forecast was up to its usual standard, and the predicted less than ten knot breeze was gusting 10 to 15 knots, if not more. It was also coming from a totally different direction. Consequently, the seas were at least a metre, with big holes every tenth wave or so. Whitecaps were everywhere. We decided to keep going anyway and it took an hour or more to reach Tangalooma, as we found the best speed was around 19 kmh. Unfortunately, we couldn’t stick to that speed because we had to keep altering the revs and speed as the engine is run in. So sometimes we were well off the plane and chugging along, and other times we were going too fast for the conditions, and hitting those big holes with a thud. I’ll be glad when it’s run in. It is actually very difficult to do any running in, in rough water. 
 

We eventually dropped the anchor over a bit of rough bottom, and spent the night there, a couple of kilometres off Tangalooma. We started catching fish straight away, mostly undersized grassies and Moses perch. After dark the small squire moved in. We kept getting bites until around 11pm then it all went quiet. Over the course of several hours we managed to boat 3 or 4 legal grassies, a few legal Moses and a 58 cm’ish slatey bream. We also lost a few much larger fish. We also failed to hook a few more. There was definitely enough action to entice us back there again on a future trip. 
 

The wind blew all night and unfortunately it was mostly from the SSW, which made conditions more uncomfortable than the predicted easterly would have. We awoke around dawn and dropped a line again, but the whippy tails had moved in and we decided to head home to clean the fish. Overall, it was a successful first trip. Hopefully there will be many more.

 

i realise I have much to learn about the new electronics and other goodies onboard. Auto-pilot, radar, fishpoint, track point, joystick, etc etc.

 

Only further trips will fix that. 

 

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GregOug Mentor

GregOug

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4 minutes ago, ellicat said:

Very nice looking boat, Greg. The ability to get in and lock out the weather is a win, especially on a cold winter's morning.

Did you get a live-well plumbed in ?

Yes, having a closable cabin and a self draining deck is great. No more freezing to death, or not being able to see where you’re going, as you try to negotiate those huge seas bought on by that storm that wasn’t predicted and that you’re currently in the middle of halfway across the bay. 
 

And, yes, a plumbed live bait tank on the port side duckboard, near the fishing station/baitboard.

 

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18 minutes ago, ellicat said:

Yes, I remember that day. We were lucky to have been sent warnings on the phone in enough time to get back to the ramp. A 10am thunderstorm in the middle of winter. Crazy.

That’s the one. I think it ultimately influenced my decision on buying the new boat somewhat. 

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5 hours ago, Neil Stratford said:

Very nice boat , I have a friend that’s had the smaller one for a few years now. They are quite light in weight for their size , what are you towing it with? 
Ps. - No excuses not to catch a few fish now. ! 
Regards

Neil

 

Hi Neil,

Thanks. I'm not towing it because I would have needed to buy a large yank Ram or similar with enough towing capacity, as it is around 3500 kgs. I have it dry docked at Scarborough Marina at the moment, although I may move it to Manly Marina eventually. 

cheers

Greg

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fatboy Enthusiast

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21 hours ago, GregOug said:

Looking for something to do one day a couple of months ago l made the mistake of going down to Northside Marine for a look around.

I had a bit of a look at their Surtees and Stabicraft aluminiums then I noticed a nice looking new fibreglass cabin cruiser. Well, three of them actually.

On closer inspection I found they were all from the Merry Fisher range by Jeanneau, a French brand owned by Beneteau.

There was a 6.95 metre, a 7.95 metre and a 10.95 metre. I liked them all but went away not thinking seriously of buying one. Until I found myself back there a few days later. And a few days after that. Before I knew it I was thinking about which extras l'd want if I bought one and getting prices for them.

Eventually I bit the bullet and put a deposit on a new Merry Fisher 795 Series 2 cabin cruiser. I then spent weeks going to Northside Marine almost every day, watching the accessories I chose being fitted, the engine installed and the boat going through water tests to check everything worked as it should.

I took delivery of her about three weeks ago now. I've only been out in her twice so far. The first time was during the handover as the dealer gave me a rundown of the electronics etc. I've been busy since working out where to put things, sorting out mooring lines, fenders etc.

The second time was about two weeks ago. A mate and I decided to venture over near Tangalooma for the night. Unfortunately the B.O.M forecast was up to its usual standard, and the predicted less than ten knot breeze was gusting 10 to 15 knots, if not more. It was also coming from a totally different direction. Consequently, the seas were at least a metre, with big holes every tenth wave or so. Whitecaps were everywhere. We decided to keep going anyway and it took an hour or more to reach Tangalooma, as we found the best speed was around 19 kmh. Unfortunately, we couldn’t stick to that speed because we had to keep altering the revs and speed as the engine is run in. So sometimes we were well off the plane and chugging along, and other times we were going too fast for the conditions, and hitting those big holes with a thud. I’ll be glad when it’s run in. It is actually very difficult to do any running in, in rough water. 
 

We eventually dropped the anchor over a bit of rough bottom, and spent the night there, a couple of kilometres off Tangalooma. We started catching fish straight away, mostly undersized grassies and Moses perch. After dark the small squire moved in. We kept getting bites until around 11pm then it all went quiet. Over the course of several hours we managed to boat 3 or 4 legal grassies, a few legal Moses and a 58 cm’ish slatey bream. We also lost a few much larger fish. We also failed to hook a few more. There was definitely enough action to entice us back there again on a future trip. 
 

The wind blew all night and unfortunately it was mostly from the SSW, which made conditions more uncomfortable than the predicted easterly would have. We awoke around dawn and dropped a line again, but the whippy tails had moved in and we decided to head home to clean the fish. Overall, it was a successful first trip. Hopefully there will be many more.

 

i realise I have much to learn about the new electronics and other goodies onboard. Auto-pilot, radar, fishpoint, track point, joystick, etc etc.

 

Only further trips will fix that. 

 

IMG_0994.jpeg

IMG_0993.jpeg

IMG_9427.jpeg

IMG_4265.jpeg

IMG_4264.jpeg

Nice tub Greg, looked at buying one myself but I was just on $210,000 short so settled for a 4.2mtr Renegade, also it would be somewhat of a problem getting too far up Ningi Ck, even on high tide, hope you catch plenty 

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29 minutes ago, fatboy said:

Nice tub Greg, looked at buying one myself but I was just on $210,000 short so settled for a 4.2mtr Renegade, also it would be somewhat of a problem getting too far up Ningi Ck, even on high tide, hope you catch plenty 

Ningi Creek used to stop you, even in a dinghy at low tide, at a rock bar a fair way up. But that was forty years ago. It has probably all changed significantly now. It was a good place to fish as the tide came back in, especially for big bream.

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57 minutes ago, Hweebe said:

Love the new Boat! @GregOug you are living the dream and definitely have your priorities right. You must have been an accountant in a past life to name your boat liquid asset 🙂 

Thanks @Hweebe. I’m far from an accountant. I just like names that play with words. And hopefully my priorities are right! Otherwise I’ve made an expensive mistake! Lol.

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Hweebe Experienced

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On 02/03/2024 at 6:29 PM, GregOug said:

i realise I have much to learn about the new electronics and other goodies onboard. Auto-pilot, radar, fishpoint, track point, joystick, etc etc.

Would love to try and setup radar to pickup birds and some topwater action! Have read this can be just as good as scanning underwater 🙂 

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3 hours ago, Hweebe said:

Would love to try and setup radar to pickup birds and some topwater action! Have read this can be just as good as scanning underwater 🙂 

Actually, that was one of the benefits I listed as I tried to justify the expense of radar to myself. lol.

We will see if it actually works in practice!

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1 hour ago, Old Scaley said:

The fish have got no chance now @GregOug  We’d all better get out there before you clean out the Bay. I guess YouTube is close to fair use limit at your place atm. 😝

lol. I think you’re too late. If we’re talking about the same bay, it was cleaned out years ago. I’m hoping to actually get outside the bay, on occasions, where I’m led to believe there are still some fish left, on occasions. Of course, the occasions I make it out there will no doubt be different to the occasions that fish are there. 

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2 hours ago, benno573 said:

nice looking boat there @GregOug - is this one as fast as the last one? 😆

 

check your pm's mate

Hi mate,

Thanks. No, there aren’t too many boats as fast as the last one. This one tops out around 30 knots, and for some reason, I don’t get whiplash when I touch the throttle?

cheers

Greg

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1 minute ago, GregOug said:

Hi mate,

Thanks. No, there aren’t too many boats as fast as the last one. This one tops out around 30 knots, and for some reason, I don’t get whiplash when I touch the throttle?

cheers

Greg

And I still have the other one, in case anyone is looking for a very nice boat and a bit of a bargain. 

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ellicat Grand Master

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3 minutes ago, GregOug said:

Are we speaking the same language? lol.

? Didn't I make sense ?

I'm saying put up a For Sale thread in the Classifieds forum.

https://www.australianfishing.com.au/forum/60-classifieds/

 

Then post a link to it in the Stejcraft thread

that has been going for a couple of years. Everytime someone Googles for a review they come on here and have a look at that thread.

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23 minutes ago, ellicat said:

? Didn't I make sense ?

I'm saying put up a For Sale thread in the Classifieds forum.

https://www.australianfishing.com.au/forum/60-classifieds/

 

Then post a link to it in the Stejcraft thread

that has been going for a couple of years. Everytime someone Googles for a review they come on here and have a look at that thread.

Thanks. Didn’t realise we had a classifieds area. So I’ve done the first part. Not sure how to add a link under the ss64 thread though.

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Hweebe Experienced

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@GregOug is your Radar one of these models? Viewing Birds with a Garmin Radar | Garmin Customer Support

The Auto Bird gain setting is available with the following radar models:

  • GMR 424 xHD2

  • GMR 624 xHD2

  • GMR 626 xHD2

  • GMR 1224 xHD2

  • GMR 1226 xHD2

  • GMR 2524 xHD2

  • GMR 2526 xHD2

  • GMR 18 / 24 xHD (Note: Software version 3.10 is required to enable the feature)

  • GMR Fantom Radar series
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2 hours ago, Hweebe said:

@GregOug is your Radar one of these models? Viewing Birds with a Garmin Radar | Garmin Customer Support

The Auto Bird gain setting is available with the following radar models:

  • GMR 424 xHD2

  • GMR 624 xHD2

  • GMR 626 xHD2

  • GMR 1224 xHD2

  • GMR 1226 xHD2

  • GMR 2524 xHD2

  • GMR 2526 xHD2

  • GMR 18 / 24 xHD (Note: Software version 3.10 is required to enable the feature)

  • GMR Fantom Radar series

Hi @Hweebe. Yes, it is a Garmin Fantom.

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