Cootacraft Boats - reviews please

[trueblue]

21 foot Coota Craft Big Ram

Anyone got feedback, data or comments regarding these boats?

cheers

Mick

[Fish_gutz]

there is another thread somewhere about these boats but i can`t seem to find it ATM. if my memory serves me right they got a good wrap! cheers Andrew

[trueblue]

There does not seem to be much info on the Coota Craft website.

How stable it is at rest?

[Aigutso]

Pm sent, look great if thats your style of boat.

[ifishcq1]

Hi TB
over on another thead the question was asked about about judging a rig without testing it
I reckon alot of us have opinions based on what we believe are features a boat needs from little hull shape changes, the power it needs to perform and the finish and fittout

imo it looks a great handling boat for barwork and most conditions but I don't think it has enough fishing room and most deep vee mono hull boats without stabilizers of some description are rolly at rest but you will get home and your back will be okay
every boat is good on its day
cheers
SL

[GBC]

Like I said on the other side - I drive past a new Big Ram every day with no canopy or motor yet, and it looks like a BEAST.

[disorderly]

The 35 foot model looks to be the pick of them..

Twin 1050 hp supercharged V8's will do the trick and get you to those fishing spots at 97 knots +...

[OPTI]

i carnt understand the fuel tank being that far foward?you would have to get big handling changes from a full to empty tank,its over 400 kg right up the front.maybe thats how it handles 400 hp?the build quality looks good ,i dont like the deck ,and why would to chopp half a meter off a 233 ?::)

[siegfried]

[quote=,and why would to chopp half a meter off a 233 ?::)[/quote]
Exactly:o , although if ya gunna pilfer a good design theyre a good place to start.(Looks like a well built rig but)

[chop duster]

opti,
I believe most of these boats are made for abalone divers, and are designed to carry huge loads (for a 21 foota). They are fully customised for each and every owner.
I personally think the entry has a little more deadrise than the 233? not sure tho haven't had a close up look.
I see the boat as being something fairly unique, something that should be admired, not nit-picked for somethings that seem irregular to some.

[Cootacraft]

Exactly:o , although if ya gunna pilfer a good design theyre a good place to start.(Looks like a well built rig but)


G'Day all,

My name is Mark from Mallacoota vic. I have finally logged in and I will be more than happy to answer a few questions about Cootacraft boats. The 21 Big Ram is not cut and shut of 233 as alot of people think it is. It's actually comes from the same thourough bred of boats like formula racing, cigarette racing, apache power boats, so technically speaking it is an offshore race boat. What we have done with it is convert it to a serious offshore game fishing rig and also it is very popular with commercial operators. All our boats are built to survey regardless whether it is a fishing rig or abalone boat.

I myself am a very keen fisherman, diver, and have a big passion for offshore boats and an understanding of how a boat should be balanced and perform in ordinary conditions, because we all know quick it can get nasty.

We build our boats a little bit different than most manufacturers, we use probably the best quality materials available on the market today. Materials like vinylester resin, biaxial and traxial cloths, divinicell instead of wood, divinicell doesn't rot extremely rigid and is designed for fiberglass. Non of our boats will ever rot, all our boats are built pretty much for life. Thankyou Mark

[Jabba_]

Very inpressive boat you build, do you have a web site.....

[OPTI]

welcome aboard mark,i wasnt nit picking your boat ,but could you explain to me the reason the fuel tank is so far foward?

[Spaniard_King]

Mark,

how many models are in the range? What waranty ae you givfing on the hulls?

[frankgrimes]

Very inpressive boat you build, do you have a web site.....

http://cootacraft.com/

[Cootacraft]

G day all, and thank you for the welcome to Ausfish. The reason why the fuel tanks are so far forward and they are alot lower than most fuel tanks you see in boats, they actually go all the way to the kill of the hull, its for centre of gravity. The lower the gravity the better the boat will perform. The fuel tank alone ways in excess of 100kg by the time we finish glassing the fuel tank with fiberglass. In a deep V hull like this they love the weight up the front of the nose and as low as possible, they are alot more better balanced. When the hull leaves the water at slow or high speeds it lands perfectly due to the balance of the hull. If the hull os not balanced properly as some of you would have experienced the hull lands stern heavy and motor swollows alot of water depending on sea conditions. What you find with a Big Ram for example they fly perfectly, not too nose heavy and not too stern heavy, the boat has to be perfectly balanced while it is in the air. This is what we have achieved with the Big Ram, by putting heavy fuel tank as far forward as possible.

Don't forget these boats in the early 60's where not designed for outboard engines, so we had to come up with a new formula and balance for them to perform in offshore conditions the way deep V should, but at the end of the day it all comes down to the construction of the bottom of the hull where there is 80% of the total weight below water line.

Thankyou Mark

[John Buoy]

Gday Mark and nice to see you on here.
I think you will find you'll get the respect your boats deserve here
as most guys here are very keen boating enthusiasts.

Regards Frank

[trueblue]

G'day Mark

how stable is the big ram at rest, ie 3 big blokes standing in the back corner playing with a big fish?

just curious is the weight in the centre of the hull keeps her stable, or if the smooth riding gives a big trade off in stability at rest?

cheers

Mick

[OPTI]

[quote= When the hull leaves the water at slow or high speeds it lands perfectly due to the balance of the hull. If the hull os not balanced properly as some of you would have experienced the hull lands stern heavy and motor swollows alot of water depending on sea conditions. What you find with a Big Ram for example they fly perfectly, not too nose heavy and not too stern heavy, the boat has to be perfectly balanced while it is in the air. This is what we have achieved with the Big Ram, by putting heavy fuel tank as far forward as possible.

Don't forget these boats in the early 60's where not designed for outboard engines, so we had to come up with a new formula and balance for them to perform in offshore conditions the way deep V should, but at the end of the day it all comes down to the construction of the bottom of the hull where there is 80% of the total weight below water line.

Thankyou Mark[/quote]
i have rigged and set up many boats and race boats ,i equate balancing a boat say for example a seesaw in a play ground ,you can put say 400 kg at each end it it will balance and go up and down evenly so to speak ,but when you put equation in a boat you end up with a pig or even a dangerous boat.
having that much weight up foward for example in a following sea[your goin to get wet] at best ,then what happens when the tank is near empty some 400 kg lighter?i agree with your low centre of gravity statement but having that much weight permanerly foward is questionable in my opinion ,a well balanced hull wouldnt need it ,the closer to mid ships you have your weight the better your hull should be ,i bet you need full positive trim all the time with a full fuel tank,[thats assuming it responds with trim,any way just my 2 cents ,and whats with the designed in the 60's comment ,i thought you said you didnt flopp a 233 ;)

[Cootacraft]

G day im not very good at spelling my miss gone home for the day,but i do my best.

ok 400 kg in the nose plus 650 kg off abs=1000kg give or take and the boys that use them every day cant belive how well it peformce with so match weight in the nose no broching what so ever, and belive me if one off my boats fail no one else would bay one for abalone diving ever again.ok when it comes to stability test for MSV they pass every time with green light.like i say before 80% off the total weight its under water line and thats what gives the big ram extremly good stability . Mark sorry for my spelling .

[John Buoy]

Dont worry about the spelling Mark we can all read you very well.
just to let members know that Mark normally has his wife post for him.

Regards frank

[trueblue]

so how do they go without the 1000 kg's of abalone in the back?

(ie, just 3 blokes gone fishing)

[Cootacraft]

G day mark again this is going to be a long night again no dinner for me again,but i love it boats are my life.i have to learn how to post pics here for a start,i get my loving wife to do it in the morning.

ok 6.6 m hull transom wight 550 kg with engines and bits and pices.put 400 kg off full midship four big blokes midship nothing in the nose you are running out off full on the way back every think is midship and you got 550 kg on the transom and 25-35 kn head sea i dont think the boat would be very well balance.

the abb divers dont put 1000kg in the rear off the boat,they are very profesional pepole they now how to balance a boat .with the big ram we put 6 bins under floor =300 kg and the rest in the nose.so you will never see 1000kg in the rear off the boat. Mark

[John Buoy]

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/IMG_0346.jpghttp://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/IMG_0348.jpghttp://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/IMG_0357.jpghttp://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/IMG_0366.jpg
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/IMG_0420.jpghttp://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/IMG_0423.jpghttp://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/IMG_0426.jpghttp://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/IMG_0433.jpg
All Cootacrafts are built to Marine Safety Victoria (it means your boat has MSV numbers in the hull), every boat is inspected by MSV before it is completed. All our boats pass every test with flying colours.
Every boat is foam filled, then it is cut to perfection and glassed over. We don't take any chances for the water to find its way through. Fuel tanks are built out of 4mm marine grade aluminium, then we put another 4mm of vinylester chop over the aluminium and welds. I just like to install the fuel tanks once since we all know how much of a headache they can be. I think we have all had our share of problems with fuel tanks, so you can understand why I go to the extreme with the fuel tanks.
Thankyou Mark

[John Buoy]

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/IMG_0440.jpghttp://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/IMG_0497.jpghttp://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/IMG_0498.jpghttp://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/IMG_0499.jpg
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/IMG_0517.jpghttp://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/IMG_0518.jpghttp://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/IMG_0524.jpghttp://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/IMG_0496.jpg
Here is Mel, junior & Cam (ab diver) building a new floor, and you can all see how it's fitted and glassed right around five times. Even under the kill tank is glassed. All our boats are fitted with through hull transducers, so they can read the bottom at higher speeds.
Mark

[John Buoy]

[/img]http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/IMG_0533.jpghttp://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/IMG_0538.jpghttp://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/IMG_0541.jpg
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/IMG_0542.jpghttp://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/IMG_0601.jpg
The red boat is a local abalone boat purpose built to the owners requirements. The blue boat is a serious game fishing rig, so you can see we are all different. You would think an ab diver would choose a wave breaker. With these two boats it is the other way around, each customer is different just like you and me, all we are doing is trying to keep all our customers happy. We will do any modification for each customer, so each boat is built to each individual.
Mark

[John Buoy]

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/IMG_6760.jpghttp://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/IMG_6761.jpghttp://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/IMG_6774.jpghttp://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/IMG_6765.jpg
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/IMG_6770.jpghttp://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/IMG_6777.jpghttp://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/IMG_6778.jpg
This is the day we did the water test, stability test, and a couple of sharp turns for MSV with them on board and they loved it.
Junior, can't get him off the phone!
Mark

[John Buoy]

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/mypicyures438.jpghttp://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/mypicyures439.jpghttp://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/mypicyures440.jpghttp://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/mypicyures444.jpg
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/mypicyures445.jpghttp://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/mypicyures448.jpghttp://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/mypicyures450.jpghttp://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/mypicyures451.jpg
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/Cootacraft/mypicyures452.jpg
Here is a Big Ram with a pair of 200 HO's, and you can see it doesn't sit bum heavy due to the construction. The owner wanted a boat to carry 1000kg+ of pay load, so we built him exactly what he required. Not one boat is the same, everbody likes to have something different and we can provide that sevice for all our customers.
Mark

[John Buoy]

There you go Mark.

regards Frank

[Tim_N]

Wow Mark,
Great read and congratulations to you and your crew on building a terrific product. They look like the bees knees.
Tim

[weasel]

gidday Mark say hello to barbara and juicy holmes down there at coota if the boats handle that area they will handle most places

dave

[mookyandlumpy]

Big Ram with a pair of 200 HO's


drool :) ... some day

[HH565L]

For those of you who might be interested in seeing how a Cootacraft BIG RAM is built, click on the following link.

http://www.fishnet.com.au/forums/viewtopic.php?t=86607

I have been for runs in both the GUN SHOT and the BIG RAM and they are awesome boats.

Regards,
Spiro

[Cootacraft]

Wow Mark,
Great read and congratulations to you and your crew on building a terrific product. They look like the bees knees.
Tim

G day all , thank you all for the responce to coota craft thred ,we tray to build every boat to each customer mods.it very funny we have never build the same boat jet,so it goes to show to all off as that we are all difrent, thats way we build each coota craft too each customer . Mark

[TJ Bear]

Hello Mark

Was having a look at the Cootacraft web site and have a couple of questions. You state on the site under the heading of construction that you use dininycell to build your full hight longitudanul and transvers frames and it is 50 times stronger than any ply. Can you tell me where you get this divinycell as I use lots of the product and as I am aware about the strongest product Diab make is H200 Divini which is about the same density as marine ply and it costs a mint. We use H200 where through hull fittings go through the cored sides of hulls so the fitting can be tightened without crushing the core. If Diab are now making a core that is 50 times stronger the ply I would love to know of it and so would my Diab rep.

You also say that the little ram was designed and built in your first little shed, well the fact is that the hull was designed and built at Yatla on the Gold Coast, was drawn up by John Haines and the first plug was build in the R&D section of Haines Yatla. The boat is blatant flop of a V133 Sea Wasp. I have absolutly no issue with people flopping such boats as they are great little boats not available new from the original manafacturer same thing happens with the 445F, V19 and Formula 233 I just wish people would not infer that they designed the boat, it is a copy of a haines V133 sea wasp, give credit where credit is due for the design as it rests on the shoulders of John Haines.

[siegfried]

TJ ya cranky bastard,;D dont ya know anything , the state of QLD was actually designed, built and now inhabited by Victorians and John Haines and Don Aronow were both originally from Geelong .....i think ,he got shot by tasmanian ab divers in Florida if I remember correctly.

[TJ Bear]

Thanks for the laugh siegfried 100% on the money