What offshore 20k boat to buy ?

[Kearnsy]

Offshore reefs , launch and retrieve solo , idiot proof , pure fishing space ,looking at the seadevil or seafarer . Massive decision . Any feedback is appreciated on this matter.

[grayzeee]

the only thing i'll say is don't buy new.
buying second hand/nearly new is a far better option
(i was looking at seafarer myself along with haines hunters. went with haines coz i got the better deal , but seafarer are great boats and they have been in business a long time)

[Kearnsy]

What Haines did you go for ? That is another option that I have looked at .

[grayzeee]

well , i got the 600 classic
i was tossing up between the seafarer and hh because they're both very heavily built.
the glass in mine is nigh on 30mm thick.
pretty good ride in the chop though , but needs some power.

[barrabart]

G'day mate,

There are some great older f'glass boats around at the moment for sale........ the two above mentioned brands are winners, i'd also be looking at old Cruise Crafts and Yalta Crafts....... personally i'd be hunting a well kept or recently refurbed (with receipts) glass boat up to 20 years old, and something that has been repowered in the last few years....... i reckon if someone has gone out and bought a $10,000 outboard for an older boat chances are they haven't hung it off a rotten transom etc............ but in saying that i'd be double checking. $20k should get you a well kitted out, safe but older style boat around5 - 6mtrs, with a reliable more modern outboard. I'd be chasing a four stroke, or modern style more fuel effecient two stroke. Have also read articles on some of the earlier four strokes having issues with corrosion etc, though can't remember the full details..... sure someone here will know more or correct me if i'm wrong.

Happy boat hunting.

[Wayne_Red]

You would struggle to find a seadevil, very capable boat but you don't see many 4 sale, just as if not more capable as the haines 17r but the haines has less room. There was 2004 one on boatpoint in sydney a while ago with a 150 2007 etec for 24k, didn't seem like a bad buy.
The old milligan nipper @17' is hard to beat for pure fishing room, older style but for 20k it would get you a repower as well. A mate picked an inboard one up for 7k, another mate picked an inboard one up for 7k and podded it with a new 115 opti for 11k .
The old cruisecraft 570 hustler would make a great boat with plenty of room if you ripped the seats out and filled in the bowrider deck and fitted a wave breaker, you see them for @15k
Any of the mid 90's + seafares seam to be @25k+
Hope this helps, good luck
Wayne

[Wayne_Red]

There's a milligan on ebay for 10k. type in milligan nipper
Stacks of room and they go really good

[wirlybird]

two brands can think of haines and Caribbean you cant go wrong.

[catfishkid]

Cruise Craft Reef Ranger.extremely capable offshore,solidly built,lots of room for the size.Get one in good condition with a late model motor and you cant go wrong.

Cheers Craig

[wayno60]

me thinks one of these....
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140455296963&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

[wrxhoon]

me thinks one of these....
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140455296963&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT



Good luck buying that for anywhere near $20k.

[D river]

I know where there is a haines 17ft with a 115 on it the motor aint new but has been rebuilt recently all in good nick you could prob get it for 15 0r less

[brrbear]

I picked up a milligan nipper for a bit over 7k with a 135merc cruiser , it would very hard to beat value wise, less than 200 hrs on the motor original.
The advantages of a milligan are imo heaps of fishing room(sought after pro boat)
travel well, good at anchor, easy to toe, launch by yourself, a real no nonsense fishing boat. I added hyd. steering and my electronics and fitted a wave breaker screen and was out for less than 13k ,
I can travel in reasonable chop and sea around 25 knots. I don't know anyone that owns one who doesn't love im. I know Its the boat I will never sell at any price. A good one is hard to find but they do exist.

[ashleyhj74]

I've had my eye on a mid-80's Caribbean Reef Runner, good solid boat, heavy, couldnt go wrong. Have to have a decent tow vehicle. When my F-Series is back on the road i'll be deciding wether to keep that, or sell it and buy another boat. I'm starting to miss owning one. And considering the F-Series hasnt been driven in 12 months (new big block/auto/etc/etc), kinda dont have to much of a attatchment for it yet. So might be a good time to get back into boating I reakon. Granted, its probably the best tow vehicle I'll ever own, but hey whats the point in owning a tow vehicle with nothing to tow? (besides, old man has a cruiser that'll do the trick just nicely)

[Reef Cruiser]

i bought a cruise craft reef ranger two weeks ago went out yesterday paid 13000 for it 98 merc 150 hp new fibreglass tramsom new hardwood stringers brand new tamdem trailer new hydraulic steering very nice boat 70ks flat out 170 infloor tank gps and fish look around and wait and a bargain will came up still got a asea 4.7 115 new yam am going to sell live in north qld my boy is 3 so needed something for him to lay down and for me to do overnighters on chasing reds at night first test run 1.3 1.7 waves doing 27 knotts like being in a lounge chair very happy boat hull weights 850 kg many more good fishing trips to came jeff websters boat mag lists them as top ten classic boat and i rang him and talked to him on the phone he had all the time for me and what a boat very happy so you know what i would recommend a cruise craft reef ranger 18

[FishHunter]

I also bought a Reef Ranger as a fixer upper, paid considerably less than the cost of a trailer, so far pretty happy with it.

[PADDLES]

mate, there was a v19c on boatpoint at brighton last week for $16k or so, they're oldies but goodies.