GS Marine - New ownership - Xtreme marine

[Scott nthQld]

Just out of curiosity I was checking out some boat builders in the NT and came acroos GS Marine.

There's an announcement on their front page saying that they are under new ownership at a new premises and trading as Xtreme Marine Darwin. Though their website is still the same, i checked them out on ASIC

http://www.gsmarine.com.au/index.html

http://www2.search.asic.gov.au/cgi-bin/gns030c?state_number=BN01154000&juris=8&hdtext=NT&srchsrc=1

There were a number of people interested in GS marine, so thought it might be of some interest.

Personally wasn't too impressed with their boats regarding ride, but were well built, and well set out, and very stable.

Not affiliated with any of the companies named, nor any of their agents/dealers or anything to do with them

[Dan5]

Yeah their w/shop is just up the road from where i work.............They have a big following up here the GS boats.

My self i'm not over impressed with the ride also.........but as a big river barra boat they do the job fairly well.

the grapevine up here says that the guy that has GS (Xtreme) now is a former employee of Gary and Sue......don't know for sure could be BS.

They still had 2 original GS 5mtrs here for sale which to my knowledge have not sold yet........surprisingly.

I hope the new owner/manufacturer goes well.......we need another custom boat builder here in Darwin.

Dan

[Scott nthQld]

is Xtreme (GS) Marine the only builder in the NT?? I would've thought with the big recreational fishing and fishing tourism push they have going that there would be more than just the one

[Dan5]

is Xtreme (GS) Marine the only builder in the NT?? I would've thought with the big recreational fishing and fishing tourism push they have going that there would be more than just the one


There's a small handfull of custom boat builders,like everywhere else 99% go for the places that will do finance on a BMT package.....usually Quinny's.........marketed for the masses......Hook it up drive away pay tommorow.

ATM there's a huge skill shortage around....even more so up here.......so it's hard to get tradies boiley's welder's etc.....and when you can get decent workers with skills and the right attitude their expected pay rate rises......making it hard to keep finished product at a reasonable price.

At the end of the day Darwin needs another boat builder to make some healthy competition in the custom boat market.

Dan

[bronsonwinston]

Do they still make the Hydracraft or only the extreme?

[STUIE63]

Scott if you want a good riding boat out of the territory then have a look at a black arrow boat they were at coconut grove in darwin this was the boat i would have bought if I had bought a platey . weren't cheap though
Stuie

[Dan5]

Scott if you want a good riding boat out of the territory then have a look at a black arrow boat they were at coconut grove in darwin this was the boat i would have bought if I had bought a platey . weren't cheap though
Stuie


They hav'nt been around for a few years now, besides that their build quality was very hit and miss..........some of the welding on some was very poor quality.

[STUIE63]

Dan the one I looked at had great welds . I really liked the hull shape . and wasn't aware that they had closed
Stuie

[Dan5]

Yeah a guide i used to work with had one.......6mtr version from memory and had a 90 honda on it.......it did ride reasonably well.
One time at Barra base on Bathurst we had around 7 of us in it doing a short trip over to the old barra farm nets to have a look and it was surprisingly stable and able to plane.

Cairns Custom Craft do a better version........I have the drawings for one ATM.....Marcel who owns CCC sent them to his son which i'm freinds with for me to have a look at or maybe build myself.....if i had time or a place to do it.

I've been looking at the long boat type set up for a while now which would suit me up here on long distance weekend trips.....low hp minimal fuel use etc.

Dan

[Why Not]

I'm a G.S Marine Extreme owner. I bought my boat from Gary and Sue when I lived in Darwin. Their design was my opinion is one of the best Territory Barra Boats around and I could have purchased a Black Arrow boat but as stated was not impressed with the build quality. Scott's point about ride I'd like to comment on.

The boats don't have a water balast system like other brands on the market do now. They get their stability by the relative flat hull section at the transom area. This may be where Scott's comment comes from. Without the deep V which other boats have you can get a bumpy ride in 3-4 foot chop. The boats plane very easily and when up running they leave little wake. They are a great river/estuary boat. What were they designed for? Just that, getting in and out of big river systems, accessing them from the sea and putting the angler on the fish.

I've fished the East Aligator, Adelaide River sytem, Darwin Harbour, Dundee and the Perrons in my 5.50m. I never felt the boat didn't do what I expected of it. It has an excellent range with a 135 litre fuel tank and a 140 HP Suzi on the back.

At Airlee Beach we got confronted by a stiff Southerly heading back from Dingo Beach. Yep it was a wet ride but their aren't too many centre rear consoles when put in 4-5 foot chop will ride well (except a nice heavier glass boat). The brother in law in his 6.60m Trailcraft ate the conditions up. Different boats for different blokes. He likes the outer reef, I like moving in and out of river systems.

All I can say is, they are good boats, with some of the best storage solutions for the angler around. They had a front casting deck with storage underneath years ahead of other mass produced boats. They then customised the boats to the level of their Tournament boats.

If the new manufacturer can meet or exceed the level of build quality and keep improving the product it will be around for a long time.

Why Not

[Scott nthQld]

Why not,

Whilst i do appreciate that the GS marine Xtreme range are a very well built boat and designed to do what they do best, ie large river and estuary sytems in the NT, over here they were marketed as more of an allrounder, and whilst they were well layed out and very stable with excellent fishability, for the market they were well under par when it came to ride with other offerings in the same class. Here they wre mainly pushed to the inshore and reef fisho, and having been in one several times (a mate used to own one), whilst it was good when the weather was nice, if there was any sort of decent sea or chop, I'd be very near crippled for the next few days.

Like i said, excellent build design for their intended purpose, excellent storage options, fishability and layout, the hull is just not for me in the environment I fish.

My interest was peaked in NT builders because i recently received notice i was short listed for a job i applied for in Darwin, and i immediatley started thinking of the fishing options and what boat would suit, and who would know the best boat to suit NT conditions?? Well those who build the boats for the NT conditions.

[bronsonwinston]

A few pics of my pride & joy. Had for a year or so now. Its a 6m gs marine hydracraft. Excellent ride offshore & good to get up the creeks flicking lures. If quality of there boats today is same as when gary owned them then i would highly recommend them.

[Scott nthQld]

so what's the difference betweem the hydracraft range and Xtreme? you saying it gives a good ride would suggest a deeper V and sharper entry? They would also be a heavier hull, website says they're made with thicker material.

And yes, looks very good and i do hope they can keep the quality

[bronsonwinston]

Yeah they are more suited for offshore work than the xtreme range. They are made of thicker plate, have higher sides and can have a raised shear line. And as you said they have a sharper entry with the deeper V.