buying a poly tuff tender

[Razgo-]

I am going down to http://www.leisure-marine.com.au/Polycraft/pc30tufftender.asp

to buy the poly tender. any pros cons i should be aware of?

Basically i have a bad run. The pro marine 2.6m rubber duckie keeps leaking on me and i keep patching it underneath. I am probably too rough with it. SO i got a 8ft f/glass dingy and put my 6HP on the back and nearly tipped back over when i tried to sit at the rear. so its too unstable.

So bugger it i thought and just get one of these poly tenders and be done with it. they are rate to 10HP so my 6HP should be fine. I saw a price for these at $1,480 at Cunningham's marine but figure this is a standard price anywhere?

[on-one]

There are products that will let you repair the inflatable, latex stuff on the inside and rubberised paint for the outside worked on one i did 20 years ago and the technology's probably improved since then. If you're going with the polycraft I think they'll take a 15hp

[frankgrimes]

The Poly's virtually unbreakable mate...no need to concern yourself with leaks/cracked welds etc.

Cunninghams prices are pretty competitive, but certainly shop around.

Mick

[Razgo-]

thanks for the replies. HP rating is 10HP http://www.leisure-marine.com.au/Polycraft/pc30tufftender.asp but i don't want to buy another motor so figure my 6HP will suffice. only would use it to get to sure from the mother boat otherwise it will be just towed behind me or lifted up onto my cruiser.

leisure Marine marine was just closest to me being at Norman Park. so figured i would buy one on my way down to horizon shores in the morning. hopefully they are in stock so i can just throw it on the back of my trailer.

/edit

just noticed poly have HP rated at 15HP http://www.polycraft.com.au/300_tuff_tender.php

[frankgrimes]

thanks for the replies. HP rating is 10HP http://www.leisure-marine.com.au/Polycraft/pc30tufftender.asp but i don't want to buy another motor so figure my 6HP will suffice. only would use it to get to sure from the mother boat otherwise it will be just towed behind me or lifted up onto my cruiser.

leisure Marine marine was just closest to me being at Norman Park. so figured i would buy one on my way down to horizon shores in the morning. hopefully they are in stock so i can just throw it on the back of my trailer.

/edit

just noticed poly have HP rated at 15HP http://www.polycraft.com.au/300_tuff_tender.php

Don't know about the tuff tender, but the larger poly's run better on there max rated hp.

Mick

[Pirate_Pete_Tas]

Go to http://www.polyboatowners.com/ Razgo, you will get heaps of info there.

Most people go for the 15Hp

[ashleyhj74]

a poly 3.0 with a 15 is awesome fun mate, you wouldnt be disapointed :) Probably not somethin i'd let the kids use but, its quick with a 15. Your 6 would be fine if theres kids drivin.

[Cobia Kid]

i have actully seen a 3m tufftender with a 25hp tohatsu on it, the fella recons it scares the sh!t out of his kids!!
:)

[Razgo-]

paid $1,875 from leisure marine this morning. Took it for a spin with the 6HP at Karragara Island today and it went like a beauty. It's only for a tender so the 6HP will suffice until it dies.

Bloody stable too! i can stand in one end it it doesn't tip over with my 104KG! selling the rubber duckie and f/glass now :)

[Razgo-]

I thought I wold update this thread on something i found out about my poly.

After the storms came through Brisbane last year i found my poly hull was filling up with water. It took a while to figure it out even after reporting it back to leisure marine as i couldn't figure out why as no hole seemed to be apparent.

to cut a long story short the following is what occurred.

1. the rod holders have holes directly into the hull (i didn't know that)

2. When the hull was full of water and i stood inside it that created pressure inside the hull where the water was forced to find an exit.

3. the exit forced a small hole on the seem of the center bung so the water from the inside of the hull was being forced into the boat.

It is being repaired under warranty at leasuremarine.


Now i guess because i don't have davits and simply tow the poly behind my boat I will have to plug the rod holders so no rain water gets inside the hull.

The question i have is that the poly is so week and thin that me standing in the boat caused the pressure inside the hull to pop a hole?

thats a bit of a worry? Finga will a test to the water inside the hull :)

[finga]

Bloody water. Made the poor little motor struggle I'll give the drum...or was that my fat ar#e???
Anyways, there was a lot of water in it and my way of thinking that a different type of rodholder should be put in as the hole in the bottom of the rodholder is a prime place for water to get into the hull and then not even a bilge would get it out.
But the main poblem I saw was the crack near the bung. When you stood in the boat you could see the water squirting.

Sems like they're taking their time with repairs too matey. That was before x-mas when she was plucked out of the briney.
I trust your x-mas was enjoyable old mate :)

[Razgo-]

Hi finga, yes that crack apparently was caused by the water pressure trying to find it's way out of the hull. that's the worrying part that its so thing it can do that.

Apparently the holes in the rod holder is supposed to be there. It must be something to do with pressure release inside the hull.

unfortunately we spent a couple of weeks in hospital with wife having pneumonia around 27th dec but come home this week Tuesday. all is good now though.

just got off the phone to leisure marine and apparently the owner has already given ply craft a serve as they were supposed to have fixed the hole on the 5th. so waiting now to see if they show up to fix it tomorrow.

The i can use the poly to check if i have a mooring apparatus at coochie as i will be putting the Hartley out to pasture for a while whilst i recoup some money from that bodgy job that was done recently. might have to spend more money though if there is no mooring there.

we will get there eventually and all should come out in the wash.