Trailcraft - worth the money?

[lunatic]

G'day all,
I have just been the the Brisbane Boat Show. We are looking to upgrade to something around the 5 metre-ish size boat and were looking at the Trailcraft 485 Freestyle. The Trailcraft seem a little more expensive than other aluminum boats of the same design and length. Does anyone have an opinion for or against buying a Trailcraft? Are they worth the extra dough?

Cheers!
Lunatic

[breamnut]

think there made in WA very tough boats

[Chimo]

Can you get legal insurance?

Have heard or read somewhere that they are over width for this side of Aust.

Chimo

[Buddy Mania]

They bang like a shithouse door when the plague's in town.

[fez]

Hooked mate, maybe a poly:-X


What about the deck????????????????????????


That big yellow sucker would be the go......................

Fez;)

[lunatic]

HA HA! Good one fez!

Couldn't find the big yellow boats there. I think the brand was Muppet Craft??

Love the Poly's, but I think that it may be out of my price range :(

Cheers!
Lunatic

[Dean1]

Yeah they bang hard alright. Overpriced I reckon. Go for a run in em all make your mind up from there ;)

[fez]

That's gold MuppetCraft, built and owned by the same muppet.

Fez

[reggie]

HI Lunatic, I have a Trailcraft 540 Sportscab and I am very happy with the performance and the handling of the boat.I have no negative issues with my boat and would recommend anyone to consider a Trailcraft.
















i

[Lovey80]

I think they are a fairly solid boat. There are better finishes out there and if you buy one make sure they throw in a kidney belt!

Cheers

Chris

[Mtx]

been for a ride in a mates trailcraft.
Kidney belt is a must - turned me right off them.
Also he has had a number of warranty issues with his.

[pedrodepacus]

cunninghams marine have one up there as a display that is a cut away so you can have a look at the underfloor construction worth a look

[lunatic]

Hi All,
Thanks for all your feedback. Already having a tinnie, I think that I might keep looking as I want to get away from the bumpy ride.
Might have to see if I can get a good secondhand Polycraft.
Thanks guys!

Cheers,
Lunatic

[bushbeachboy]

Lunatic, have a look at www.polyboatowners.com (http://www.polyboatowners.com) You don't have to own a poly boat to be a member, and it is a friendly forum. Quite a few of the members there are Ausfish members also.
Cheers
BBB

[dodgyone]

Can vouch for the bumpy ride, would go so far as calling it appalling. Wont catch me out in one in any kind of chop. Here is a clip I took banging our way home a couple of weeks ago. Its a 660 Sportscab.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v79/dodgyone/th_comp035.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v79/dodgyone/?action=view&current=comp035.flv)

[tin can marlin]

I tell you what is an underated boat is the tabs and i must say they ride a lot better then a trailcraft i know as my freind has got a side console. Sharper entry at the front and heavery built and i think around the same price. Worth a look if you would like to send me a private message i can give you his phone number.
Regards Mark

[FNQCairns]

Can vouch for the bumpy ride, would go so far as calling it appalling. Wont catch me out in one in any kind of chop. Here is a clip I took banging our way home a couple of weeks ago. Its a 660 Sportscab.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v79/dodgyone/th_comp035.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v79/dodgyone/?action=view&current=comp035.flv)

Mate what speed where you doing?

cheers fnq

[dodgyone]

10kmh, barely moving. Big seas though.

[black runner]

After watching that video the ride said more about the skipper than the design of the boat.

Cheers

[dodgyone]

What would you suggest? Was a comp weekend and it was 50 kms off the WA coast. He didnt want to run beam on because of the 30kn breeze blowing to tops off the waves. Long hard ride home and Ive vowed i wont do it again.

[lunatic]

Geez, DodgyOne. You're not wrong about the rough ride. I reckon you might have a mild concussion after that trip!
Cheers,
Lunatic

[lunatic]

G'day BushBeachBoy,
Thanks for the link. I think that I really am tending toward a poly. My mate has one and they are just a great boat.
Cheers,
Lunatic

[leelee]

mate I own a trailcraft pro fish 455 and its a top all round boat.

I fish comps in it and go offshore in it and it handles the bay pretty easy as well.

personally I have driven and ridden in heaps of boats and with a doubt they are pretty tough and made pretty strong. Yes the hull is noisy in rough conditions, but the profish design is different to the sportscab design. I have been for a ride ina few polys and if you get one make sure you get the new models.
the samller baots are very wet indeed when the condistions are not favourable o the wind just blows up.

I have had mine for over 3 years now and its never let me down.

I’m actually going to sell it for financial reasons soon, so if you are interested then send me a pm. Even if you want to go for a ride in one to see how it goes then let me know as that can be arranged as well.

I will be putting up a post in the classified section pretty soon as well for it.

Cheers

Lee

[lunatic]

Thanks Leelee,
I think that you are right and I really need to go for a run in one to make the decision for myself as to what boat to buy.
I was looking at the 485 Freestyle, so if you take a 455 offshore, I would probably be right in the 485.
Ah, decisions decisions!

Cheers,
Lunatic

[finding_time]

10kmh, barely moving. Big seas though.

I still strugglin with the fact that there was a fella up in the bunks:o Did you hose him out when you got to port!

Ian

Ps get a cat mate you will love it!;)

[business class]

you guys are not serious are you????? i can't believe you think that a poly craft in a 485 or even 5m is going to be the best boat seriously????? don't get me wrong the trailcraft might not be a good ride compared to other plateys however that shit that the 660 was in would have been a rough day for most boats it was 30knts. if you are looking for a all purpose boat do some shopping around and some water tests but don't just jump into a poly, there are much better boats IMO.

Cheers
Matty

[bushbeachboy]

Business Class who said anything about the poly being the best boat? All anyone has done in this thread has suggested it as an alternative. What alternative have you offered? All you have suggested is that there are better alternatives, without naming anything. Perhaps you could offer an actual opinion.

[davez104]

10kmh, barely moving. Big seas though.

Pfftt. I would have expected a better ride than that from a 6.6m boat. My old 17' Haines would eat that sh!t up and go looking for more;D I haven't been in many plate boats though, maybe thats just how they ride. Didn't look like a fun trip thats for sure.

Dave.

[black runner]

What would you suggest? Was a comp weekend and it was 50 kms off the WA coast. He didnt want to run beam on because of the 30kn breeze blowing to tops off the waves. Long hard ride home and Ive vowed i wont do it again.

Hi dodgy, just suggesting that when its rough you need to read the sea and use the throttle and wheel, quarter the waves if your bashin' into troughs. That's only if you want to make it a bit more comfortable and easy on the gear, but if there's crew you don't want back then go for it!;D

Cheers

[dodgyone]

Pfftt. I would have expected a better ride than that from a 6.6m boat. My old 17' Haines would eat that sh!t up and go looking for more;D I haven't been in many plate boats though, maybe thats just how they ride. Didn't look like a fun trip thats for sure.

Dave.


Exactly what I was getting at. Ive just bought a Haines V17r. For the reason that I have not interest in fishing out of the Traily again.

Different boats for different purposes though. As a bay or river boat the Traily would be ok. Profish are really well laid out. Almost to the point of being the pick of the bunch. BUT expect it to bang as soon as the chop gets up a bit.

Offshore rigs they are the last thing I would ever look at. Glass all the way for me from now on.;)

[FNQCairns]

Glass is class when well offshore but this trailcraft is a capable boat, it's just light for the width and deadrise which is by design to give a more comfortable fish and boating life although underway in the rough (5% of the time??) it is less comfortable but still just as capable as glass craft of the same length, almost universally the skipper when if it all really turns to 'expletive' is the reason a small boat will come home.

Those conditions wouldn't overly stress a 13 foot full V tinny with a competent bloke at the tiller, certainly would be uncomfortable and wet though.

IMO Up here inside the reef 20knot winds with a little flow is rougher water.

cheers fnq

[dodgyone]

Can totally see your point FNQ. Agree with you on almost all points. Got to have the right boat to suit YOUR needs and YOUR conditions. I regularly fish 50-80 km off the Pilbara coast. Fishing a few comps along the way. Means you cant choose the weather you will be fishing in. Sure wouldnt have been out in anything like that otherwise.
Unfortunately for me I cant always pick the weather or my time off so I have to do the best with what I get. I know that I wont be doing that in the Traily, body just doesnt handle it. Boat to do the job was decided on. 17r to be picked up this weekend.

Was out at the same spot last weekend actually. Chose to take a mates little Haines 14r. 1m chop and held 22 knots all the way with a 530 Barcrusher struggling to keep up. Was wet though. Thats what helped me decide on the big brother. A 4.2 being easier on the body than a 6.6. Easy choice for me.

Sorry for the thread hijack.

[Jigs Down]

Ouch, That looks painful in that traily.
Post some vid of your new boat when the conditions are up Dodgyone. ;D

[business class]

Business Class who said anything about the poly being the best boat? All anyone has done in this thread has suggested it as an alternative. What alternative have you offered? All you have suggested is that there are better alternatives, without naming anything. Perhaps you could offer an actual opinion.

no problem bushandbeachboy!!! if i was you and looking for a comfortable ride with still plenty of fishing room it will be very had to beat a 5m cat or the 4.95 hydrofield if that is the size you are looking around and are after a go anywhere boat! however when compareing platies you need to be aware which ones are computer cut and which ones are not as you will find alot more weight and structure go into the comp cut ones, trailcraft are a pull up hull with probably very little under the floor compared to other brands like fisher, Sea Storm, AMM, Rip tide and so on. however i still think the driver could of done alot better if the ride was that bad. i still find it hard to believe that people are compareing a 6.6m boat to sizes around 4m, if you get a good skipper i think you will find the 6.6m will be alot better IMO!

[james1]

Just been through all the drama of choosing a new boat and the trailcraft was up there at the end. After going for a ride I was dissapointed say the least. Nice finish though. In the end went with a Barcrusher.

[backlash08]

James, what barcrusher did you go for, I had a 560C, it was a good thing for a 5.6m boat, I was very happy with it although sold it to go bigger - cheers - Craig

[james1]

Craig.

I went for the 640C in the end due to having a little fella that will benefit from the cuddy. I would have liked to have had access to a Joshua, AMM or some of the others that get good reviews on here but it is difficult in Darwin. I too was upgrading from a Qunnie 6m. A couple of mates have just bought new boats as well (the biggest Quinnie legend, 6.3m i thinnk and also a 560WR Barcrusher). We are about to take them all to the Tiwis for a week and it will be an interesting comparison in how they all handle the same conditions at the same time. I personally could not be happier with the 640 BC.

[backlash08]

James, the 640BC is a great thing, you will have a fantastic run in it. Hope that you can run some comparisons and post them from your trips to the Tiwis.
I'm a few weeks away from taking delevry of a 7M fisher, BC wouldnt build me a 7M+ boat but Im very happy with the fisher choice as well - cheers - Craig