Plate vs glass

[jricho]

Looking at upgrading my boat at themoment and have been looking at a tabs wildfisher 4800 also looking at the Galeforce 4800 same length just not surewhat to go with never had a glass boat and looking for pros and cons of both! The Galeforce is decked out with the lot and is 12 grand cheaper then the wildfisher! Will mainly be used in estuary fishing and quite a few yearly trips up the territory borooloola and daly river areas! Any input would be greatly appreiciated! Cheers

[D river]

For a boat that size I'd usually say glass as it will generally give a better ride in rougher weather but for what you want to do with it I'd def go the alloy as it will take more punishment,be lighter so better on fuel for the outboard and under tow.

[Leon Kruse]

i agree with you d river estuary fishing is no place for glass especially at borooloola i go there once a year since i was a kid and a lot of rocks, stumps etc submerged would wreck a glass boat

[D river]

Hey richo just a question, why 4.8? seems a weird size to me. Too big for up the creeks and too small for out the blue. I've found if you mostly doing creeks a 4-4.2 tiller steer will be plenty ey and the out board will be heaps cheaper and you'll never get through a 25L tank.. It'll also go pretty much anywhere a 4.8 will in open water as the same winds will stop both going out. I just think with the coin you could save you could buy a really awsome 4x4 trailer for it and enjoy alot more of the same thing in more spots. Just my thoughts mate.

[Spiderpig]

Considered poly?

I have just sold a stacer to upgrade to a 4.5m poly, ive run 60hr in the last 3 months in creeks and up to 35k out and im loving it. All the benefits of glass without the problems associated when you ding glass.

I also have a 610 makocraft and since ive had the poly it hasn't had much use, the ride of the poly will sh#i on any ally boat guaranteed.

I know I'll get a lot of people bagging them after making this comment, but how many of these ppl will have actually owned one????

[PADDLES]

yeah, i'd stick to a tinny in that size if the main use is estuaries. those poly's look good and have a bit of weight, but i reckon they have a lot of unusable wasted space (because of the double skin) compared to an equivalent length tinny. i agree with ya d-river, my first boat was a 4.2 tiller steer stacer work boat, it was about the perfect estuary and close to shore bay/reef fishing boat for fishing max 2 guys. and yep, i agree with choc-e too i had a demo once in a 5.3 poly when they first came out and the ride was way better than any tinny.

[bassfan]

Hey richo just a question, why 4.8? seems a weird size to me. Too big for up the creeks and too small for out the blue. I've found if you mostly doing creeks a 4-4.2 tiller steer will be plenty ey and the out board will be heaps cheaper and you'll never get through a 25L tank.. It'll also go pretty much anywhere a 4.8 will in open water as the same winds will stop both going out. I just think with the coin you could save you could buy a really awsome 4x4 trailer for it and enjoy alot more of the same thing in more spots. Just my thoughts mate.

Not sure where richo lives but if he goes boating in NSW and his boat is 4.8m or above he won't be legally forced to wear a lifejacket when fishing alone. Also reckon there is a world of difference in the offshore ability of a 4.8m high sided plate boat compared to a 4.2 m tiller steer tinny. A good size dual purpose vessel IMHO.

bassfan.