Which Tinnie Brand is best?

[Poodroo]

Just out of curiosity I wanted to see what people thought of their tinnies. There may be a fellow Ausfish member out there ready to embark on a new adventure to go buy themselves a tinnie which raises the question which one would be best value for money? There are loads out there but to name a couple of brands to get the ball rolling there's the obvious ones like Quintrex, Stacer etc. Be interesting to see what people have out there and what recommendations come forth whether it be under 4 metres or above. It's all good.

Regards,

Poodroo

[PinHead]

The best boat for you is the one that has the features that you want and that fits your budget. Start looking for a boat based on others ideas and you will never get what you want. It is an individual thing.

[Poodroo]

The best boat for you is the one that has the features that you want and that fits your budget. Start looking for a boat based on others ideas and you will never get what you want. It is an individual thing.

I know where you are coming from Greg but perhaps I should have stipulated that I was more interested in finding out about the way they are manufactured and how they perform on the water (stability etc) rather than specific features. Surely they can't all be made the same. There has to be ones better than the other. People can feel free to just say they are happy with there investment and why or that they are majorly peeved off because there little tub broke up first wave. Lol Anyway you get the idea.

Poodroo

[crazboutfishin]

Im in the market to buy a new tinnie and im asking my self the exact same question Poodroo. What is the best??? So far im liking the Horizon and Blue fin best.

Cheers
Crazy

[PinHead]

I get the idea Poodroo..it may not be easy to get someone to admit that they bought a lemon. My tinny is a 435 Alleycraft with a 40hp 2 stroke Yamaha on it..basic tinny..nothing flash..I am happy with it..it does the estuary work I bought it for.

[dogsbody]

People can feel free to just say they are happy with there investment and why or that they are majorly peeved off because there little tub broke up first wave. Lol Anyway you get the idea. Quoted poodroo

Mate that ain't funny my first tinnie Allycraft 3.85 punt cracked the weld down the centreline while i was at the Pin. Only just made it back to Cabbage Tree with about 2 inches before water came over the transom and sunk.

I got a 4.2 Bluefin 3mm bottom 2mm sides 30 mariner and it's a solid boat. It suits me just right i can handle it on my own, cheap to run and it can get me to fish like this (see below) i can't complain. Thats me dad in the pic.

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q125/dogsbodyray/Pic003.jpg
Dave.

[Daisy]

Maate
Ireckon you've opened a can of worms there, I just invested in a 469 Stacer nomad elite with a 50 hp E-tec but I reckon I would've gone the 475 Quinnie Topender if I could justify the doe to the good wife, luv that Millenium hull ride.
Still the stacer give sa good account of itself on the go and at restwith the Evo hull.

[sleepygreg]

good question.....am lookin at gettin a tinnie in the 4.5 - 5.0 range meself. have a number of questions need to be answered. Do i go side console or bow rider (deckie likes the idea of some protection from the elements). but the bigest dilemma is what brand. love the quinnie millenium hulls and the quality of finish - love the self draining hull concept of the trailcraft - like the price of the allycraft. Have about six months to make me decision so am lookin for all opinions. I need a boat that can chase spotties and snaps in the bay....and also chase flatties and crabs etc in the creeks........also do a bit of impoundment fishing.

Greg

[tripplenipple]

all tinnys crack if you use them.ive broken heaps of them.you think your saving money because they are lighter and you think they are cheaper but in the very near future you'll be pissin blood and visiting the weld shop.
All aluminium work hardens and cracks.
why dont you all get out of the this tinny mentality ant actully buy a boat that actully have some strength and design about them.
If your serious about your fishing BUY A GLASS BOAT!!!!!!!!
Ive have owned 20 yr old flogged out abused glass boats and guess what?
stuffed if i could get it to leak and blow and behold it actully had a decent ride!!!

[Daisy]

I dunno Triple while I won't argue with you about the ride Ive seen plenty of glass boat cop star cracks when driving dirt roads. Versatility is the key.

[charleville]

I have only ever owned one boat, a 4.75m Quintrex runabout, now called the coastrunner.

Obviously, I cannot do comparisons but after five years plus, I remain very happy that the promises that Quintrex made about the boat have been honoured.

It has a dry ride thanks to the millenium hull and the flared bow and handles as well as i would expect, although once again I reiterate that I have only ever owned one boat so I cannot make comparisons.

There was a design fault in reation to the leading edge of the keel but after writing a letter to Quintrex, they cheerfully welded a 'repair' to the keel with no argument.

I do not keep the boat under cover because I use it several timnes per week so the sun and rain take their toll in aging a couple of things, notably:-

1. The vinyl on the back seat which is permanently in the sun is now cracked and torn.

2. I am a very heavy man and the spot on the carpeted plywood floor beside the helm where my heels constantly place themselves when I am standing when under way has now given way and needs replacing.

I remain very happy with the standard fittings but I equipped the boat with a few extras such as hydraulic steering which was a good decision. :)

[finga]

all tinnys crack if you use them.ive broken heaps of them.you think your saving money because they are lighter and you think they are cheaper but in the very near future you'll be pissin blood and visiting the weld shop.
All aluminium work hardens and cracks.
why dont you all get out of the this tinny mentality ant actully buy a boat that actully have some strength and design about them.
If your serious about your fishing BUY A GLASS BOAT!!!!!!!!
Ive have owned 20 yr old flogged out abused glass boats and guess what?
stuffed if i could get it to leak and blow and behold it actully had a decent ride!!!
A fair bit of truth in what tripplenipple says.
Weigh two hulls with same specs and features. One glass, one ali.
Wouldn't be much difference in weight and IMO glass rides and performs so much better then ali. And there's no corrosion problems.

Trouble with me was I couldn't find a decent little glass hull (The cook didn't realise I had an older stebercraft out the side of the house but i was given the OK for another boat so what was I supposed to do?? ;D ).
I was looking for something like a little 3.8m cat (for stability) and guess what?? They aren't made and a decent second handy was like finding rocking horse poo.
I then went and sussed out the poly boats and guess what?? They are only 3m or 4.something m long so my target size missed again so the only alternative was ali. The 4m would be nice but I was after a smaller boat that would suit a 15-20hp motor and the 4m needs a bigger motor.
IMO if the poly boys or the glass boys made a 3.5-3.8m open boat in cat or momo hull configuration they'd sell heaps of the suckers to punters like me.
So I got a ali v-nose punt called an Edgetracker. It does most things I want it to do. Easy to modify, not too worried about running into a few rocks or sandbanks, was second hand so cheap (just happened that way but I was looking for new).
Looking at updating now and considering a newer Edgetracker. 'Junior' might get a sibbling.
But on the other hand why update if the old one does everything I want it too do. If they made the hull I want (ie glass or poly) I'd update tomorrow but they don't so.....

[finga]

Hey Charlie how about a working bee on your boat to fix the couple of things before they finally let go??
Give me a cooee and I'll duck up.
You provide the coffee and biccies and I'll bring the chainsaw and hammer ;D

[Poodroo]

Some very interesting reading so far people. Can always count on this site for the wealth of knowledge. Dogsbody that would have been a scary thing to have happened. Would not like to be on a sinking anything. Thanks for sharing everyone.

Poodroo

[tripplenipple]

I dunno Triple while I won't argue with you about the ride Ive seen plenty of glass boat cop star cracks when driving dirt roads. Versatility is the key.
Star cracks are nothin ,just means a bit of stress.
the point is you can still flog em up and they wont leak!
When your up the cape or top of frazer kilometers out at sea its a long way to a WELDER!
At least with a glass boat if you are really paranoid you can carry a little repair kit with ya!:thumbsup:

[FNQCairns]

I went through all the justifications half a year ago, I was building up a glass boat at the time, then fuel skyrocketed in price which set me to thinking about my boating past and what I needed for the future.

For the almost the last 20 years I have owned one offshore glass boat or another and for 15 of those years I also had a 4.2 tinny CC which cost nearly nothing to own and run over 15 years. In the past when the urge, lack of time or finances hit to dump offshore for a while this boat was always there, it used to sit wherever I dumped it for months on end then get an hour or so cleanup of builtup crud from the hull and checkover before hitting the water. It was rough on the eye, light to tow, bumpy, wet, uncomfortable and tight for room but it was always there. Was the no hastle choice for long distance holiday road trips away.

So this time around I decided I needed a big (like a glass boat) relatively cheap to purchase new(under 10k in the end), low power to perform and maintain(3cyl engine, will even run with a 70hp), light to tow long distances basic boat that can be more or less dumped for a while if needed relatively worry free like the 4.2m CC was.

With help from this forum I stumbled across a 5.8m half pod HUGE tinny 6.15 with bow sprit, this boat has 900 sides I think and the internal usable area not unlike a 6.5m plate boat, the new tinny will weight around .9T to tow -easy!.

So now in effect I have an upsized version of my old faithfull 4.2CC I owned for 15 years.

There are compromises in my purchase over say another offshore glass or true plate boat of the same size but now as I no longer feel the need to blast anywhere like I used to the list of weighted pro's and cons side (for me) heavily on the big aquamaster tinny.

cheers fnq

[sea raider]

I currently have two tinnies, one 3.85m Quintrex Explorer and a 5.8M Quintrex Sea Raider. Both are very capable boats and I couldn't really fault either of them apart from that neither of them catch enough fish!!

The only boat I would buy when I replace these, especially the big one would be a Trailcraft. I know a couple of people who have them and been on them and they just seem to be more solid than my current boats.

My two bobs worth!

Cheers

Geoff

[CHAPPY]

Re What Tinny Is The Best.
How Come A Golfer Can Have 14 Clubs For Different Situations And I Am Allowed Only One Boat?

[castlemaine]

I searched and searched for a tinny around the 4.5m mark before Christmas last year. Was driving my missus crazy. 2nd hand was my preference but couldn't find one without corrosion and the good ones went the same day they went on the market. I now have come to the conclusion that corrosion is part and parcel with a tinny (it's a matter of reducing it with sealents and using Aluminium rivets). Eventually settled on a new Stessco 4.8m, but along came a Quinnie 4.6 runabout at the right price (2nd hand). I put more scratches on it in the 1st trip than it had when I bought it. For fishing hard go unpainted. Very impressed with the Quinnie same reasons as Charleville. Real comfortable with the family.
Through my research (4.6-4.8m) IMO bigish money go Savage, Trailcraft
Midish money the Quintrex, Stacer, Sea Jay
Value for money Stessco, Formosa.
This is only my opinion as I have not had a water test in all these boats. Certainly talking to owners is the way to go. My final decision was made by enquiring an Ausfish member for his opinion on his boat.
Cheers
Castlemaine

[Marlin_Mike]

5.1mt Ally Craft Centre Console...................wouldnt swap her for anything....except a 28ft Kevla Cat with twin Suzuki 4 bangers on the back.


Mike

[bluefin59]

My bluefin predator sideconsole with 60 hp merc is now 3yr old done 350hrs of mainly morton bay chop and it is still one fine vessel me and the wife are out in it every weekend and we still love it.I have had a couple of others over the years including a brooker (garbage) and the fin is the driest open boat iv had . We are thinking of upgradeing to a half cab or cuddy and are tempted to go glass next , we are looking for a bit more cover and comfort i must be getting on a bit ,going to have a look at the tinnie and tackle show looking for somthing about 5.5mt something to stay out in overnight want to keep the price to around 35000 max , want to be able to go off shore to say the banks and back safely maybe i should start another thread i also like the fisher that is one top tinnie ....;) ;) ;) ;)

[dogsbody]

all tinnys crack if you use them.ive broken heaps of them.you think your saving money because they are lighter and you think they are cheaper but in the very near future you'll be pissin blood and visiting the weld shop.
All aluminium work hardens and cracks.
why dont you all get out of the this tinny mentality ant actully buy a boat that actully have some strength and design about them.
If your serious about your fishing BUY A GLASS BOAT!!!!!!!!
Ive have owned 20 yr old flogged out abused glass boats and guess what?
stuffed if i could get it to leak and blow and behold it actully had a decent ride!!!

I'm pretty sure mate that they are not supposed to crack after 10 months!!!

Can you show me a brand new 4.2mtr glass boat for $6500....keep looking.

It's better to say nothing and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and let it be known.

Dave.

[peterreb]

Go tripplenipple you "tosser"

[blaze]

best tinnie is the one you can afford to own wothout borrowings (unless for business use).
I have an old v12 brooker with a new 18hp tohatsu on the back with a 33lb thrust electric, now I consider it the best for intended use, also got an old 20foot glass for when the tinnies not suitable.
cheers
blaze

[FNQCairns]

The 4.2 tinny I spoke about above was 35 year old when I sold it and copped a total flogging both on and off the trailer, never a crack, it did split but I did that one dark night on a roller mount opened it up like a can opener.

So not all split as in that urban myth, hope my new one doesn't will not know till I suck it.

cheers fnq

[Josh525]

Bluefin, what didn't you like about the brooker? I own one, 4.1m safari, and have been extremely happy with it. The finish of some of the welds isn't real flash and the little dive platform thing at the back is useless but otherwise happy as.

[bushbeachboy]

Which tinny is best?

POLY!!!!!!!!!

Hehehe

[bluefin59]

Sorry blaze and others for bagging brookers my fault as you said each boat is good for each persons perpose my brooker was being used in morton bay and eventually it started to get stress fractures in some of the welds the bay is hard ontinnies from what i have seen hence the reason i bought the bluefin in 350hrs i have seen no weakness in this boat the brooker was great inshore estuary and dams just not up to the 15-20knt bay chop once again i apoligize :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[

[blaze]

Na, not worried at all Bluefin, didnt release that ya bagged em untill I went and reread the thread
cheers
blaze

[dunmears]

I've just sold my 4.5 Bluefin side console had it for three years and was the best boat I've ever had, a fellow came all the way up here ( Tweed Heads ) from Kiama to buy it. I have just bought a new Yalta Craft 535 cuddy cab with 115 yammy 2stroke with just about everthing on it- bimini, clears, radio, sounder, gps, bilge pump, nav lights, compass, just about everything for just under $30,000. same boat with 100hp 4s Yammy $32,800. Can't wait to put her in the water. Strange thing though, boat trailer worth $2500 cost $250 to register and the boat worth nearly $30,000 cost $100 to put 0n the water.

[Daisy]

Sorry triple but you haven't convinced me yet, you couldnt conduct any repair on the water as for patching up I just carry some peices of alli plate and sikaflex Beats glassing. and hey the pros dont use 'em for nothing. How many boats you been through anyway Triple

I s'pose at the end of the day the best tinnies would have to be those custom jobs like Black Arrow, Galvins, Ocean Pearl, but who wants to pay 40k + for a boat under 17 ft:o

[Luc]

I'm very happy with my Sea Jay 4M Bass N Barra (pointy punt). Great for rivers and estuaries but a bit thumpy in a bay chop.

I'm looking to upgrade it a year or so probably to a 4.3 Sea Jay Magnum for a bit more room when going out with a full crew and better ride in M bay.

Luc

[Poodroo]

Well like Triple I do like glass boats and the ride they give but tinnies have come of age over the last decade or so. The thing is that tinnies and even polies for that matter cater for a market where glass boats can't come close to competing with. How many tinnies can you buy brand new for the price of one brand new glass boat? I have certainly not seen a glass boat new for under $10,000. Over the years when prawning season comes my brother and I have been known to take the red mustang with 70hp Jonno on the back and chased the prawns. One drift after another we realized often we were working pretty damn hard for our feed and then we weighed up the catch and realized we chewed up $40 plus worth of fuel. Now it doesn't take a lot to figure out that it would have been much easier to get a feed of prawns by pooling together $20 each and heading to the local fresh seafood shop. That's a lot of prawns. Now here is where the tinnies come into play. Let's just say we get a 3.75 to 4.2 metre tinnie powered by either a 25-30 hp motor. Already there is much more economy. Now all of a sudden a humble prawning trip is much more viable. If we come home with only a kilo of prawns between two people then we haven't spent nearly as much on fuel chasing the things so we no longer have to feel so guilty about the fuel consumption. There is a definite niche in the market for tinnies I think and already this thread has proven to me that people who have them appreciate them. Value for money seems to go a long way.

Poodroo

[Bassjunky]

I'd have to say blue fin. I have had glass runabouts, quintrex, seajay,stessco brooker hulls. Currently have a 435 wildcat with 50 e-tec. Great ride and great all rounder.:) Value for money.

[Chimo]

Don't know if its the absolute best but it comes close. Had one for 9 yrs and would like another one. Great sea boat, good in surf, soft ride draws little water and no welds or rivets to leak or pop. Good long bunks with the rear squabs moved to extend the bunk with the pedestal seats placed in rear socket as you do for relaxed (twin game chair?) fishing.

They (Express) were probably ahead of their time in the late 80s hence no longer available except as second hand.

Cheers

Chimo

[finga]

I thinks Blazes ideas on best tinny is pretty well on the money.
Buy what you can easily afford.

They all float and they all can have a motor put on them. They all can break, they all can be fixed, every manufacturer can have a crooky blah, blah, blah. So in my mind brands don't really come into it because similar style hulls with similar features are priced simliarly.
I think Poo is thinking about tinnies up to the 4m mark and useable in eastuaries and nice days in the bay.
So no matter what the make there are comprises.
The variety in hull design, specs and features is endless. So is the variety in price tags from $1300 for a brand spanking hull to over $20k for hull only.
The same goes for motors, fitouts, trailers, extras etc etc
So for me the picture gets a lot clearer when I factor in the available disposable cash.....keep what I have....
The same principle will work for any size boat, car, house what-ever.

The best thing to have in your mind is to be honest with yourself on your available income and what you need to enjoy your boating, fishing, time off.
Not what you want.
I know I want a hugemungus boat. I know I could get money for a hugemungus boat. But I also know I wouldn't be able to fuel it, pay for the insurance etc and I know my lifestyle would suffer because of it.
If your not real sure what this is then try putting what you reckon is a fair thing away for a year and with the savings you have is a great deposit or you may be able to buy outright.

[PWCDad]

Recently we have wanted to camp via a boat again so I started looking at a decent tinnie to camp the Broadwater (Gold Coast). Always had glass before so will be our first tinnie ... cant wait !!!

After much looking ...and looking ... and looking, I decided on a SeaJay. The main reason was that mods could be done to a basic hull at the factory and the undefloor frames were very impressive.

I settled on a 5.35 Magnum Hull with a motor well placed in and a centre console moved 100mm forward from stock position.

Other mods were ...

Leave unpainted.

4mm Floor (normally 3 mm) with fully capped and welded keel for strength. Normal 3mm sides.

Full split bow rails.

Bowsprit and roller.

Twin rear steps.

Transducer plate welded on.

Rear rails.

Aft tie off bollards.

Rounded fore-deck.

Anchor well in foredeck.

Console folds down to get in garage.

Thwart seat in front for 2 kids ... seat in front of console (I supply) for rough water.

3 rear seat holes aft of console ..capped ready to take my choice of seats

Underfloor 80 litre tank and deck fiiler.

Redco Premium braked trailer with walking plank and angled cradle,led lights.

Yamaha 80hp 4 stroke.

I still have a good 7 weeks to wait for hull to arrive as they are flat chat at factory ...

I'm hoping this will a lovely boat for the camping needs (loads). Its legal for 6 people.

Mods after arrival home (I'll do) will be a targa bar and bimini for a bit of shade , aerial, anchor light mount etc.

Regards
PWCDad

[stevos]

I agree with the SeaJay call. Got a 4m Escape that goes great.

Have had some scary experiences on my own - copping green ones over the front in 2ft of water on the run out heading straight into a 30knt northernly hoping like hell I didnt beach on a sand bar let alone anything else. Was scared as all hell trying to get all my weight as far forward while still holding onto the tiller.

Also had a dehavelline as a kid that went well all around. Hear they have fully welded hulls - just like aircraft.

[PinHead]

all tinnys crack if you use them.ive broken heaps of them.you think your saving money because they are lighter and you think they are cheaper but in the very near future you'll be pissin blood and visiting the weld shop.
All aluminium work hardens and cracks.
why dont you all get out of the this tinny mentality ant actully buy a boat that actully have some strength and design about them.
If your serious about your fishing BUY A GLASS BOAT!!!!!!!!
Ive have owned 20 yr old flogged out abused glass boats and guess what?
stuffed if i could get it to leak and blow and behold it actully had a decent ride!!!

I have yet to hear of a tinnie with transom rot.

[PWCDad]

To be honest, I went down the "grab a nice dungah fibreglass" of 10-15 yr vintage like a V17L Haines etc (nice) and whack a new motor on it but in the end a mate said ... "In two years you will have a dungah with a 2 yr old 4 stroke on it " !

Spent the same dollars and will have a 2yr old tinnie with a 2 yr old 4 stroke with 100 hrs max ...

I have to say though ... I'd take the V17L offshore (Flinders or Hutchies on a good day) but not the tinnie. Thats just me though not the boat !

In my opinion I've got a great camping with the family, river-Broadie, outside in winter, fishing boat with space.

PWC Dad

[Seahorse]

after getting banged around in my tinnie on sunday going over to tanga, go buy fibreglass. will never buy another

[FNQCairns]

Hey Chimo the banana boats! A mate of mine had one many years ago when surf lifesaving clubs used them, was a great little boat with a big reputation we took it out through the GC seaway in conditions I wouldn't dare bother with today, folded hull seams instead of welds from memory.

Think they are still being made (sure I saw what looked like a near new one) but are agricultural in fit out and looks so I guess don't raise much of an eyebrow in todays market.

cheers fnq

[kingtin]

Had a 6 metre Quinny Challenger that put me off ally for offshore work. If I could get knocked about in that, I dread to think what it's like in something smaller on the bay when it's blowing 15 to 20.

Can I really justify spending over 80 grand on a Whittley when all it knocks up is 50 hrs in 18 months? Look at depreciation and work out how much each trip is costing in depreciation alone. The wife loves it, she paid for it, but it doesn't stop me worrying about shunting it on a pontoon, or how much better it could be if the money had been put somewhere else such as superann.

OTOH, I have a 3.95 stacer with a 25 merc..............OK, it won't get me offshore, but I don't have to worry about it sitting idly in the garage, depreciating, bumping into mangroves/jetties etc and it won't break my heart or bank to lose her or replace her.

kev

[Poodroo]

Had a 6 metre Quinny Challenger that put me off ally for offshore work. If I could get knocked about in that, I dread to think what it's like in something smaller on the bay when it's blowing 15 to 20.

Can I really justify spending over 80 grand on a Whittley when all it knocks up is 50 hrs in 18 months? Look at depreciation and work out how much each trip is costing in depreciation alone. The wife loves it, she paid for it, but it doesn't stop me worrying about shunting it on a pontoon, or how much better it could be if the money had been put somewhere else such as superann.

OTOH, I have a 3.95 stacer with a 25 merc..............OK, it won't get me offshore, but I don't have to worry about it sitting idly in the garage, depreciating, bumping into mangroves/jetties etc and it won't break my heart or bank to lose her or replace her.

kev

Kev that's so true too. It's like the Pajero 4x4 I have. It's value for the age is about $10,000 these days and deminishing daily but when I take it off road I don't feel anywhere near as bad about hearing the bushes scraping along the sides when traversing on a goat track as I would if I owned a brand new Prado for example. Tinnies sure do have their place in the fishing market and if you want to go chasing big snapper it can still be done in a tinnie but you just have to pick your weather more diligently. Nothing wrong with hitting wello on a 5 knot day that's for sure.

Poodroo

[Angus]

A lilttle stabi 389 would be an awesome "fish & forget" tinny that could handle very tough conditions
http://www.stabicraft.com/index.cfm/Boat_Tests/389F

And although not aluminium, a little polycraft challenger 4.1 side console or centre console would be tough little boat also, though I'd personally lean to the stabicraft for its lighter weight and practicality, but I am biased I admit.

[nigelr]

Aye Angus, I'm a Stabi fan also.
My present vessel is a Stessco catcher 4.2 30 Tohatsu tiller, unpainted.
A budget vessel to be sure but on a calm day gets me over the bar and out to the inshore snapper.
Like most, I aspire to a better boat, by years end I hope to be able to look at an upgrade.
Would love a glass boat, but the ramps and surrounding foreshores hereabouts (all concrete and oysters) would all but drive me mad, scratching, scraping and gouging a beautiful glass hull, especially as I fish solo mostly.
So the Stabi 5.09 WFR is looking good, practical, seaworthy, cheaper to run than glass, tough unpainted hull bottom would stand a little scratching without any probs.
I think myself that for my needs, the RPV design punches above its weight in regards to both safety and practicality, if not in the beauty stakes!
Cheers!