Boat help please- what do you rekon????

[aidbox]

Hi,
I am looking at plate boats and came across one that I think is ok but I havent heard of the hull and am not sure about the motor. It is a 2010 centre console 5.5m with 5mm bottom and 4mm sides made by a guy in the sunshine coast - 'performance plate boats'. Has anybody heard of them and what are they like? I am in cardwell so I need a boat that handles our chop.
The motor is a 2006 Merc Efi 150hp 2 stroke with 30hrs on it. The boat looks good, was originally looking for 4stroke, but what are these motors like- fuel econ, reliability etc. I know it is older model but only has 30hrs- must be a good thing? I can get this for $29000- is this ok? :-?
Any help on anything and any other info from everyone opinion would be great please.... Thanks in advance

[nigelr]

Sounds like a good set-up and price, sight unseen, aidbox.

[Squidlet]

Hi,
I am looking at plate boats and came across one that I think is ok but I havent heard of the hull and am not sure about the motor. It is a 2010 centre console 5.5m with 5mm bottom and 4mm sides made by a guy in the sunshine coast - 'performance plate boats'. Has anybody heard of them and what are they like? I am in cardwell so I need a boat that handles our chop.
The motor is a 2006 Merc Efi 150hp 2 stroke with 30hrs on it. The boat looks good, was originally looking for 4stroke, but what are these motors like- fuel econ, reliability etc. I know it is older model but only has 30hrs- must be a good thing? I can get this for $29000- is this ok? :-?
Any help on anything and any other info from everyone opinion would be great please.... Thanks in advance

Use the search tool type in performance plate,their was a build thred not so long ago and the final product looked pretty darn good!! For that price sounds like a steel!!!!!!!
Cheers Chris.

[Jarrah Jack]

Yeah It does sound cheap. The main thing between that motor and the 4 stroke would be range. You would typically use about 40% less fuel with a 4 stroke which gives you 40% more range for the big trips. Take the boat on a water test when its lumpy and see how it handles.

[Axl]

There is a bloke on here that has one his name is Matt76 and he loves it. I dont think he would mind if you sent him a PM. He is currently converting his from a side console to a center cab with the help of the guys from Perfomance Plate Boats. Do a search of his posts and you will find what I am talking about.

2006 motor with only 30hrs? Some thing sounds fishy, but if that is a true blue price than it is an absolute bargin.

[aidbox]

Cheers fellas, Yeah Axl the bloke said the motor was bought off a boat who was upgrading and the seller says he built it to sell. He also said he'd get it serviced and inspected before I'd buy it so thought sounded good. I had the same thinking.
Jarrah I was concerned about fuel econ also, it has a 180L fuel tank, my reef is about 35km out, I am not sure about hwo much it would use- does this sound ok?
Has a gamin 400c sounder- are these pretty cheap/sub-standard? I have a 785iHD hummingbird sounder/gps on my tinny and thinking id have to upgrade this gamin?? Can you get another power/tranducer and just swap from tinny to plate boat I wonder?
Any other ideas/opinions people??
Cheers

[Axl]

Even if you only got 1km per liter (I am pretty sure that you will get better than that with a fuel injected 2 stroke) you would be looking at 180km's a tank.

[Axl]

Have a look at these links they might give you an idea on fuel consumption.

http://www.mercurymarine.com/engines/engine-tests/head-to-head/?ID=56&56878.44096171754
http://www.mercurymarine.com/engines/engine-tests/outboards/

As for the sounders I cant help as I have a Lowrance;).

[Scott Ashe]

Hi,
Good luck with your boat purchase, I can't offer any thoughts on boat or motor, however I have the same depth Sounder, the Garmin 400C in my 4.25m Allycraft. I use it around Coochiemudlo and Macleay Islands etc, and find it good for what I use it for. It's a step up from my Lowrance x52. My Garmin was worth $500 in 2009.
Cheers
Scott

[Jarrah Jack]

Something a little over 1klm a ltr would be expected, as Axl said, so you'll have heaps of fuel with 180 ltrs. If the boat had a 4 stroke you would be paying a lot more for the packageI reckon so you have to balance that up with the fuel costs. Down the track you could always upgrade the motor.