Nth QLD waters - Best Riding Boat

[Snapperscott]

Hi all,

As the title suggest I want people who live in FNQ to provide their views on what is the best handling boat for the steep short sharp 1m inshore chop we get up here.

Tinny v Glass
Cat v Single

For me it has to be over 6m to be in the running.



Scott.

[OPTI]

as much as i hate to admit it ,a good glass cat is pretty unbeatable for speed and comfort in short nasty chop,i ran my old cat across moreton bay in 30knt wind and 1 meter plus chop at 50 knts and it just cut through it like it wasnt there,when i slowed to 25knt i started getting hammered so went back up to50 knt all the way home,a day il never forget.not all cats are the same though.

[robothefisho]

Any glass boat capable of atleast 35 knot cruise

[MackerelMan]

That boat in your avatar would do nicely Scott

[upstart]

Dale 6.3. Made in Home Hill.

[Jarrah Jack]

I don't know much about Nth Qld chop but there is a boat builder down here, Cam Strauhan, who is building mono's with a 30 degree deadrise.:o I'd love to find out how they go in that chop.

[captain red beard]

At least 6m with a fair bit of weight and deep v. Fiberglass in my opinion. My yalta is not too bad, some more weight would be awesome.
Haines Formula
Cat

[Smithy]

Glass cat in trailerboat land. Deep V mono with twin diesel shafts over 9m if you want to moor it, put it in a seapen or similar.

[Dicko]

Glass. The bigger the better. Mono or cat. Done plenty of miles in both.

Don't believe anyone that tells you cats don't work up here.

[Jarrah Jack]

Here you go, this would give that famous chop a workout. Made to cross bass strait with a lot of abs on board.;) http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/28-ft-Formula-Extreme-Offshore-Boat-/320720119005?pt=AU_Boats&hash=item4aac68a4dd

[mitch92]

Not sure how long you have been on here, but everyone knows cat's just don't work in NQ chop :hammer:

In seriousness though, i would say something glass, and heavy glass would be good. Mono Vs. Cat, well i've been in both and both suit certain uses and purposes.

Mitch

[Snapperscott]

Anyone with a Stabicraft up Nth want to comment in comparison to glass boats.

I see Ifish has their boat for sale $100k, just wondering how they go up here.


scott.

[robothefisho]

No where near as well as a good glass boat.

[mal555]

..........

[Noelm]

ah, the dreaded NQ chop, I am somewhat biased here, but I would reckon when it comes to "chop" and we are talking just chop, not 8m swell and rolling waves, then a decent cat in the 6M plus range will be a great riding boat, I don't care if it is in NQ, SQ, Tasmania or Broome, chop is chop! and cats love chop, there would also be a paile of monos that will fit the bill, but the compromise on stability to get the ride is the trade off, weight and twin hulls = chop flattener (in my opinion) Oh and I kind of doubt I would be paying 100 grand for a used Stabi, just because it is a "celebrity"

[mitch_wahoo]

6.1 or a 6.6 Hydrofield.

[Pazz01]

Haines Hunter Formula for a trailer boat. Dead set machine. I do like the look of kevla cats tho, I reckon they'd go alright too.

For one mooring at the marina, I've heard good things about blackwatch. Never personally been in one.

Pazz

[mal555]

Just a thought for those who haven't tried already........you can improve even a good GRP mono in a (head-sea) chop by using your trim tabs to drop the bow past the engine trim's lowest (hard in) point.
Just keep on dropping until she feels right, a boat with plenty of power will cope well with minimal speed loss, but marginally powered boats can wash off up to 5 knots.

Of course the fuel economy goes out the window, but any hard head sea work will take extra fuel.

[Camhawk88]

Hooker boats made up here seem to handle it very well. Are they the best? Probably not but a shite load cheaper than a big cat or a 9m mono. I dont own one btw but have seen them working and they look good. All the trouties use them too so thats a good indication.

[ozscott]

Isnt it true that the North Qld chop, unlike ours in Moreton Bay, has 2.5 times the power of normal chop - more mass or inertia. And isnt it true that past about Mackay they measure chop differently - so if the forecast says .5m that is really .75 metres if measured with a tape or ruler?

Cheers

PS. Now pressure waves around the paddock in Moreton in bad conditions, you know the ones where they come from all angles at once and you cant set up to attack them in a systematic way, they are just for wimps :)

[julian1]

yes a good cat will laugh at chop, otherwise a deepvee mono, if the hull is a good design glass or ally wont matter too much, but you will have more options in glass. one rule for bay chop is speed - the more the better;D

[STUIE63]

haines hooker or galeforce if going a mono

[BigE]

Dale 6.3. Made in Home Hill.

I'll second this recommendation.

BigE

[ifishcq1]

A cat first but not to far behind is a longboat they are made for tropical waters and way cheaper than anything else to own or run
any long skinny type boat with a reasonable entry but remember long and thin parts the chop while those wide yank style boats have a much bigger forward facing surface to grab the chop

only people that have never been in a longboat will knock them
cheers

[Snapperscott]

What about a Carribean 26 flybridge or open. Anyone with one of these up Nth.

I'd love to go for a ride in a Cat in Cairns if anyone is up for it. Happy to pay my way.


scott

[buggerit]

What about the Allison 21 Fisherman

[Smithy]

Stabis are still plateys, very good plateys but glass is that bit softer. It will be interesting to see how much Paul's finally goes for. It would certainly be $100+ new replacement value but the current secondhand market is pretty poor and who know's what it's true value is.

[krazyfisher]

longboat.....

[chucknduck]

Cyclone 6.8m made in Cairns.

[FNQCairns]

cootacraft or a longboat.

[krazyfisher]

Hi all,

As the title suggest I want people who live in FNQ to provide their views on what is the best handling boat for the steep short sharp 1m inshore chop we get up here.


Scott.

DID anyone read the question???
dont know if I count or not???

[scuttlebutt]

My old 540 Cyclone was very soft riding for it's size, you pay for it at rest though. It was softer riding than my current 625 Cruise-craft but the Cruise craft is nicer to fish out of.
A 680 Cyclone would have to be pretty good, though I never got into one. Same hull as the 540, just 1.4m longer at the back end.

[ozscott]

DID anyone read the question???
dont know if I count or not???

Yes - but others can help, unless in truth the north Q short shap chop is materially different from the short sharp one metre chop that is encountered elsewhere in say shallow waters of Moreton bay etc...

Cheers

[Blythy]

I'll give a 3rd for the 6.3 Dale, looking at getting one made soonish

[Jarrah Jack]

I'll give a 3rd for the 6.3 Dale, looking at getting one made soonish

Any pics or specs....couldn't find anything on google

[krazyfisher]

Ozscott... just stirring....... I did not say others could not help just that the question was "I want people who live in FNQ to provide their views"

[Goochi]

I've never been out in a cat so can't comment about them. The question says 'best handling'. Well dunno about best overall handling, but the softest riding hull I've been in at 6m is a Yalta.

[tuff79]

My 2400 kc eats the chop up here out n around Fraser island , had mono glass n 6m plate befor the cat n I guarantee u won't find better than the cat ! Awsome bit of gear !!!!!

[deckie]

I dont live in FNQ, I've never once experienced this exotic chop perculiar to FNQ waters. I dont have a suntan nor do i even eat banana's. In fact i only responded coz i've had too many beers and stuck my head in the forum, and it would have been a waste of time if i didnt at least type something.

p.s. How about a 6.6 jag with a cpl of 150's...or a clayton gallant with the bulbous bow option and just plough through it.
Sounds like weird shit that chop.

Hope that helps.
Steve.

[ozscott]

Ozscott... just stirring....... I did not say others could not help just that the question was "I want people who live in FNQ to provide their views"

I'm with you mAte. Nice one. Cheers

[pointertri]

773 Haines. The long sharp nose is the reason it eats up short sharp chop compared to boats with the same amount of V but fuller blunter bows.

[Lovey80]

If I lived in NQ there is only one boat would buy.

6m twin engine centre consol Borger Cat.

[Flex]

Fished from cape york to Brisbane.

The best boat is a correctly driven cat about 5.5m or bigger. Cat is perfectly designed to dance across the top of the short chop you get from shallow water.

Also, Despite what anyone says the chop in moreton bay is EXACTLY the same as north qld.

North QLD gets its chop because the barrier reef stops ocean swells. Added to this is the further north you get the shallower the ocean gets inside the reef. This causes that short sharp chop, the same in moreton bay.

After cruising all over northern QLD in a friends 6.2KC they are so far infront of a mono its hardly worth comparing.

Anyone who says otherwise hasnt been in a cat with a competent skipper.

[nidrac]

If I lived in NQ there is only one boat would buy.

6m twin engine centre consol Borger Cat.

I've never been in any other sort of cat but have been in a 6m borger cat out from Lucinda and i would have to agree it loves the chop we lost all trim controls 70km's out to sea on the last trip out and in order to stay on the plane had to stay above 25knts as the motors were still trimed out and it blew up to 25-30knts on the way home, wasn't a comfortable trip but never felt like we were in any danger. However a wavebreaker in the tunnel would be a good exception as when we landed on a few of the bigger waves it slapped quite hard, but that was 4-5times over a 4hr trip.

Nidrac

[grahams]

So you want the stability of a cat, but avoid tunnel slap. Would like fine entry and deep vee of mono, but with good stability and reasonable fuel consumption??????Hydrofields.
Got a big rep in CQ as not only do we get chop, we also have to travel a long way and fish open water, not like those wimps up north who fish behind reefs.

[Shrek73]

I have lived up here most of my life, and I think the key to what everyone is saying, is that it really has to be 6m or above, and it needs to be heavy. I had a 17' caribean, and it was great on calm day, but as soon as the chop came up, could not get a "comfortable" plane happening.

A friend of mine has a 7metre plate, and it is still like riding in a tinny.

I have now have a 6.6metre Haines 1950L, and it loves the chop!! Deep Vee - with the power to push it above 30kn.

So, my vote is for above 6mtres, fibreglass, and enough horsepower to get above the chop...

[marto78]

An old Formula 233 with a mid mounted 454 and a Mercruiser leg. Chop, what chop? Ah how I miss the old girl.

[BigE]

UPSTART and BLYTHY are on the money if your in the burdekin area. Been out from the burdekin, bowen and mackay and now morten bay and sunny coast. not sure why the sea is different in the north ...... but it is & the ramps in the city are bloody unreel.

BigE

[fishfeeder]

Smashed Crabs made the best boat for up there.
Can't remember what it looked like though !! ::)::)

[Stressless]

Fibreglass 6.8m, trim tabs and I still don't go out over 20knots

[marto78]

Smashed Crabs made the best boat for up there.
Can't remember what it looked like though !! ::)::)

Classic mate.

[Skusto]

go the 6 metre cat cant beat them for chop.

[Jarrah Jack]

Smashed Crabs made the best boat for up there.
Can't remember what it looked like though !! ::)::)

Forgot about that one..:)
Thought I'd be better off in long run.
You're a piece of work fishfeeder.:):);D;D

[Vitamin Sea]

I have lived up here most of my life, and I think the key to what everyone is saying, is that it really has to be 6m or above, and it needs to be heavy. I had a 17' caribean, and it was great on calm day, but as soon as the chop came up, could not get a "comfortable" plane happening.

A friend of mine has a 7metre plate, and it is still like riding in a tinny.

I have now have a 6.6metre Haines 1950L, and it loves the chop!! Deep Vee - with the power to push it above 30kn.

So, my vote is for above 6mtres, fibreglass, and enough horsepower to get above the chop...

Nearly 6 metres

http://ausfish.com.au/vforum/classifieds.php?do=viewitem&itemid=101

[Argle]

There has been a few articles in F & B by a bloke up that way who started out with a big Haines but ended up going to a Cougar Cat - bloody nice boat and from reading the article an ideal boat for the conditions up there - too big for much trailering but if you could keep it on a hardstand like this guy did then giddy up!

Cheers

[No Fear]

I been in the market for a similar boat and have come across the Cairns Custom Craft Cat - they look the bomb and I have heard some great reviews on them (never been in one though!)

[Dan5]

Forgot about that one..:)
Thought I'd be better off in long run.
You're a piece of work fishfeeder.:):);D;D

Yeah well JJ i saw him up here towing his boat about 3-4 weeks ago so now i guess i'll have to dodge him on the water aswell LOL.


What about a 6.7 hooker pro Fisher or similar design? they look the goods but have never personally been in one....when i was living in Cairns the Hooker boats had a good rep from the live trout guys they were using the 6mtr open dorys.

Dan i