Boat for remote journey's

[Flex]

I have looked at hundreds of different of boats and cant make my mind up.
My brother and I are looking for a boat we can take away for a week or 2 at a time. Say launch from cooktown and drive up the coast and stay around the fishiest places a few days at a time. A boat to do weeklong trips on.

Im leaning towards an aluminium boat as its easier to leave sitting on rocks,sand at low tide etc. But I wouldn't mind a fiberglass boat if it was a goodun.

Im thinking a boat around 7m. say a 175ish HP. carry about 800l+ of fuel and be nice and light so it doesn't chew the juice. Aswell as be reasonably safe to travel long distances. Also a small freezer.maybe a toilet. Hold alot of fresh water etc.

Am I going to have to get one custom fitted?.Im yet to see a decent boat you could spend a week on thats not 60feet long and cost $1million.

[FNQCairns]

This will be interesting, what is the maximum you will pay?

cheers fnq

[seatime]

Flex, might be your expectations will need to be refined and reconsidered.
7m & 175hp could be OK for a tinnie, doubt it could carry the 800lt fuel tho. With the rest of the gear, fresh water, etc, you'd be way overloaded.

maybe a diesel sterndrive half cab plate tinnie, you'd get the range and economy, but comes with a hefty purchase price.

[peterbo3]

Hi Flex,
I owned a trawler working out of Cairns in the late 80s. We fished up to Portland Roads.
I think you are going to need a bigger boat.
When the SE winds start up, you do not want to be out there in 7M. Not unless you are willing to hole up behind an island until the weather breaks.
I suggest you look for an Ex Pro line boat. Steel hull, diesel, freezer & 10 KVA. It will cost $$$ to run but unless you want stay within 50 miles of Cooktown, then the big tinny is not really going to be an option IMO.

[Flex]

yeah 7m ally boat wont handle the real nasty weather. I wouldn't head out in real nasty stuff. (But coming home you somtimes have no choice i realise) My main reason for a smaller and light craft was so i can get off and go to shore on islands,beaches etc. Set up camp for the night instead of always sleeping on the boat.
In a larger boat you cant pull up close to the shore easily. Im not real keen in getting in water any deeper than my knees up north.
I was after a boat thats can do similar what Malcolm douglas does. He uses a 175hp,carries 900l of fuel and seems to go along ok. I was wanting somthing maybe a tad bigger with a little more utility.
I dont mind getting a bigger boat. But going bigger always adds heaps to the $tag

[GAD]

When I read boat for remote I assumed you meant a car topper small light and able to get to the out of the ordinary , but 7m thats gonna get you to some pretty out of the ordinary places as well,

[chuss]

doesn't malcom douglas take 2 boats with him?


I think if you're going remote places, 1st option should be TWIN engines.. and everything isolated.. (fuel, batteries, pumps, etc).

7m hull with twin donks brand new plate ally is gonna cost ya anywhere from $100-150K.

I 2nd the recommendation of maybe and ex-trawler or charter boat...

[saurian]

Flex , mals boat is a 6.4 trailcraft or was until he bashed it up.
Anyway it has about 400 lt fuel no toilet, no real beds , just swags , and on the east coast if it rains you would wake up real wet.
Your heading into custom land or a large plate alloy with sterndrive.
An old star or pengquin plate boat ( w.a oldies, but good)would fit the bill with just a tad of a modernization. ie: 8/9m 200 volvo deisel
Check out W.A boat brokers on web to see whats around.
Ta
Other than that east coast doesn't seem to have the old pluggers around and new well might as well buy a 60 footer be the same price....
Ta

[Flex]

Hmm looks like this might cost me a ton of money. I was looking for somthing around 40-50k...I think i'll go with the cheaper option... buy a helicopter..lol

[mirage]

Have you looked at some of the larger Fisher boats? Some of the custom jobs on this site recently look excellent for what you are after, wouldn't take 800l of fuel though. I seem to remember one was made for a customer up in the gulf area to do a lot of camping in.

[cbs]

Have you considered self build? What are you like with your hands?

[saurian]

Hey Flex, Just been looking at trading post, and there is 7300 reefmaster boat for
sale and it is the type of set up I was talking about.
Anyway best luck.
Ta.

[Flex]

Cool i'll have a look.
Thanks alot:)