Thoughts On First Reef Boat...Appreciated!

[Little Fish Big Pond]

Hey guys!

Loving these forums, been reading them for ages and figured it was about time to sign up and get amongst it.

Need some expertise in the field of 5m - 6m reef boats. Just recently decided I'd like to get my own little reef boat to take the old boy out as he always loves wetting a line with me in the river and he's too old for me to take him in any of my mates rougher rigs. So I guess the biggest thing for me is comfort / safety, both with the ride out and the drop on the spot.

I've got my eye on an Allison Bayfisher, 5m. It's a '96 model and to a relatively untrained eye when it comes to fibreglass it seems clean as a whistle. The two stroke 75hp Merc on the back is the original though and the owner has no idea on its hours. Thoughts on this little boat and what I should expect to pay? I've heard good things about Allison glass boats. I figure however I'll have to throw a new four stroke on the back eventually as I'm no mechanic and need something reliable so I won't really be looking to spend any more than 15K on the boat for now with the thought of spending another 10K on an outboard down the track...

Let me know your thoughts on this and any alternatives?! Would love a Haines Hunter around the same age but they are a little more pricey. Thanks a lot guys. Happy fishing!

Cheers,
Brent.

[ozynorts]

Where are you going to the reef? How far off shore?

[Camhawk88]

If comfort is a major consideration I would advise against a CC. I have one and love it but in a 5m boat you'll be lucky to find one with bucket seats that dont take up most of the cockpit room. A Haines V17 cuddy cab would be worth looking at due to the soft ride. Might be hard to get a rebuilt one for under 15k but and there would be few that don't have rot if not previously refurbed.

[nigelr]

If you have to cross a coastal river bar a 90 or 115 would be a better option on a glass boat that size IMHO.
Youl may need a fair bit of luck to find something sufficiently reliable for 15k.
X 2 for a Cuddy Cab or 1/2 Cab.
Cheers.

[rumy1]

If you want comfort and safety, triple your budget, add $10k and buy a Cruisecraft, or similar. A 5m boat with a 2 stroke on the back would not be comfortable going out to the reef and back and you would be limited with the fuel side of things.

[Little Fish Big Pond]

Hey ozynorts. I've got spots between 15 mile and 50 mile in your neck of the woods that fish quite well. Probably wouldn't push the larger trips unless I went a bigger boat with much larger fuel capacity / lower fuel consumption.
Where are you going to the reef? How far off shore?

[Little Fish Big Pond]

Thanks very much for the feedback so far fellas. Rumy1, it's not that the budget is firm, it's just that I really didn't know how responsible it would be spending 50K on my first boat. If you get my train of thought...

If you want comfort and safety, triple your budget, add $10k and buy a Cruisecraft, or similar. A 5m boat with a 2 stroke on the back would not be comfortable going out to the reef and back and you would be limited with the fuel side of things.

[Muddy Toes]

On the contrary mate I 'd tend to think spending a bit more and getting something a bit safer and reliable the first time round might be the better idea.You don't need to spend 60K or anything but if you can get something that wont give you much grief straight up you might be in a better position to 'get in to' offshore fishing and enjoying your time out there without having teething troubles and the likes.There's nothing worse than being out there and things go wrong and having absolutely no idea how to fix them.
My take on it all would be to buy once and make sure you buy right the first time.No use skimping on the original purchase only to find yourself spending a heap of cash trying to fix/improve things in the future.

[Swanie1975]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Haines-Signature-600LE-/120961563519?pt=AU_Boats&hash=item1c29defb7f

something like this would give you a good ride (depending how you drive it ;)) theres load to choose from and cash is king at the moment so its a good time to buy and room to negotiate. i know its still a 2 stroke but it depends on your how far you can stretch yor budget as you get what you pay for

cheers ryan

[ozynorts]

Hey Little fish, check this one out.
http://coastalpowerboats.boatpoint.ninemsn.com.au/boats-for-sale/details.aspx?R=12960125
4 stroke and over 5m. Ready to go. Comes with 80l fuel tank but you could carry extra if needed.

[Little Fish Big Pond]

Ozynorts this one looks pretty awesome. Knock a few dollars off it and whoever buys it is laughing. Swanie, appreciate that mate. I know these hulls are good but I'm a little concerned about the age. I know with the budget I outlined beggars can't be choosers but I'm more likely to spend more than get stuck with something that needs a lot of hull work in the near future. Good info though - thanks!

[Little Fish Big Pond]

Muddy, thanks for that information mate. You bring up a valid point and I am leaning more and more that way...as much as the misso is gonna hate me for it. Haha. Any tips on boats in that next price bracket? Say 20K-40K. I mean the Haines is an obvious make, any others I should keep an eye out for? Thanks!

On the contrary mate I 'd tend to think spending a bit more and getting something a bit safer and reliable the first time round might be the better idea.You don't need to spend 60K or anything but if you can get something that wont give you much grief straight up you might be in a better position to 'get in to' offshore fishing and enjoying your time out there without having teething troubles and the likes.There's nothing worse than being out there and things go wrong and having absolutely no idea how to fix them.
My take on it all would be to buy once and make sure you buy right the first time.No use skimping on the original purchase only to find yourself spending a heap of cash trying to fix/improve things in the future.

[ozynorts]

And now it starts. Next thing you will be in the 40-50k market :)
Or maybe this one. It is in your original price bracket.
http://www.boatpoint.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=12201281

[ozynorts]

http://www.boatpoint.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=12680695

[myusernam]

Mate there are plenty of boats out there that aren't much with large two strokes on them (can get good boats under 20k).
With weather and life restrictions on how often you can go, If money is a concern get something with a big 2. You will save heaps on the purchase price.
You will save heaps in servicing (even if you don't service yourself but you can very easily)
you will still have good reliability (late model saltwater series yammies on a lot of them)
It will cost up to 40% more in fuel but if you are going overnight and or with a few paying passengers then your extra is only a portion of that 40% extra and then if you have cheaper servicings then cheaper for you.

There are so mony large reef boats in NQ for sale at the moment. Make sure transom and floor is OK if glass (get checked)

[Cardy Wahoo]

this wahoo served our needs well ... equally at home at the reef (has gone 70+ kms offshore from Cardwell) and in the estuaries (Hinchinbrook area). great sea boat.

http://www.boatsales.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=12846822&Silo=Stock&Vertical=Boat&Ridx=2&eapi=2

[Little Fish Big Pond]

Thanks, appreciate the feedback. Makes sense to not worry as much about about the outboard when you're right, I'll only use it every month or two if I'm lucky with wind / availablity. What are your thoughts on age / hours on an outboard though? What is too much / old? And with regards to checking the glass, I know roughly what to look for in the way of soft spots and starring etc. But I really don't know who to ask to get a professional opinion. Do I just take an experienced friend? Cheers.

Mate there are plenty of boats out there that aren't much with large two strokes on them (can get good boats under 20k).
With weather and life restrictions on how often you can go, If money is a concern get something with a big 2. You will save heaps on the purchase price.
You will save heaps in servicing (even if you don't service yourself but you can very easily)
you will still have good reliability (late model saltwater series yammies on a lot of them)
It will cost up to 40% more in fuel but if you are going overnight and or with a few paying passengers then your extra is only a portion of that 40% extra and then if you have cheaper servicings then cheaper for you.

There are so mony large reef boats in NQ for sale at the moment. Make sure transom and floor is OK if glass (get checked)

[Little Fish Big Pond]

Hey Cardy Wahoo. Probably looking for something that's a little more comfortable for my passengers. Especially if my dad or misso come with me for a long ride. I do appreciate what you're saying though, a mate of mine has a Clark that he does a lot of reef fishing in and it's fantastic as a platform - similar to a Wahoo from what I can tell. However the Clark is about as wet as the ocean you're on top of and slaps the whole way out...

this wahoo served our needs well ... equally at home at the reef (has gone 70+ kms offshore from Cardwell) and in the estuaries (Hinchinbrook area). great sea boat.

http://www.boatsales.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=12846822&Silo=Stock&Vertical=Boat&Ridx=2&eapi=2

[myusernam]

Thanks, appreciate the feedback. Makes sense to not worry as much about about the outboard when you're right, I'll only use it every month or two if I'm lucky with wind / availablity. What are your thoughts on age / hours on an outboard though? What is too much / old? And with regards to checking the glass, I know roughly what to look for in the way of soft spots and starring etc. But I really don't know who to ask to get a professional opinion. Do I just take an experienced friend? Cheers.

you need to look for rot in the transom and floor. You can just take to a fibreglass repair guy that replaces transoms and floors in boats.
You can do it yourself by tapping on the transom with a hammer and listening for the wrong sort of noise (try right up on the side where there will be good materia and then try down the bottom in the corners and down near the bung) and seeing if there is any movement by levering on the motor. For the floor look for any movement or feeling of un solidness but for the price of getting it checked before you hand over the cash it's worth it.

How far the reef is from the coast will determine greatly what sort of boat you need. Can you say where you live or how far the reef is you want to travel to.

[Little Fish Big Pond]

Thanks mate. I'm in the Bundaberg area, so launching from nearby coastal town of Burnett Heads or having a drive to Agnes Water and leaving from there. Either way, there are closer reefs that vary from 15-25 miles. Obviously there are also some amazing spots up to 80 mile out that you'd probably want to do an overnighter to. But at this stage of my "boating career" I'll be sticking with the closer reefs. Haha. Cheers.

you need to look for rot in the transom and floor. You can just take to a fibreglass repair guy that replaces transoms and floors in boats.
You can do it yourself by tapping on the transom with a hammer and listening for the wrong sort of noise (try right up on the side where there will be good materia and then try down the bottom in the corners and down near the bung) and seeing if there is any movement by levering on the motor. For the floor look for any movement or feeling of un solidness but for the price of getting it checked before you hand over the cash it's worth it.

How far the reef is from the coast will determine greatly what sort of boat you need. Can you say where you live or how far the reef is you want to travel to.

[ozynorts]

Hey little fish, how is the search going?

[Extremetooth]

Hey little fish, I just bought my first ofshore boat 4 weeks ago. It's a 2007 Mustang 2000 bluewater. 6.3m long and 150hp honda with 200 hrs. cost 40K. we've already been out in some rough stuff around mackay. I don't think you should get anything smaller for a first boat and taking kids 15 to 50 miles out! Nothing beats the sound of a reliable engine!

[Extremetooth]

Also look out for fuel tank size. if you ever want to go 80 miles out then you'll need 200 litres absolute minimum. prob 300 litres to be safe

[Seahorse]

Hey big fish little pond.
I got a 5 met Stacer with 75 hp original 220 hrs. I have had since new. It's on boat sales.com.au under Stacer bay master. I got 107 lit tank and heaps of extras. Have a look

[Little Fish Big Pond]

Hey Ozy!

Sorry it took me so long to get back I didn't realise there'd been more replies to this post as all was quiet for some time. I'm getting there, the cash is in the bank now so I'm just really making sure I get the right deal. I know that boat sales are a little slow at the moment, so I'm gonna make the most of it. ;) I've narrowed the search down a lot thanks to the info on here from everyone! But please if you do see any more boats you think might fit the bill at a great price send them my way as you did early. I've still got my eye on the 5.3m Freedom you pointed out to me but the dealer has not moved the price off the 23K mark.

Thanks again! Happy fishing.



Hey little fish, how is the search going?

[fisho8]

Got a few here mate bit of a mixture of alloy and glass see what you think.

http://www.boatsales.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=13233794&Silo=Stock&Vertical=Boat&Ridx=1&eapi=2

http://www.boatsales.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=12500820&Silo=Stock&Vertical=Boat&Ridx=0&eapi=2

http://www.boatsales.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=13215114&Silo=Stock&Vertical=Boat&Ridx=0&eapi=2

http://www.boatsales.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=13316376&Silo=Stock&Vertical=Boat&Ridx=7&eapi=2

http://www.boatsales.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=8275381&Silo=Stock&Vertical=Boat&Ridx=4&eapi=2

http://www.boatsales.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=12994787&Silo=Stock&Vertical=Boat&Ridx=2&eapi=2

http://www.boatsales.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=13346562&Silo=Stock&Vertical=Boat&Ridx=28&eapi=2

Just to add to your search hope you find what you are looking for mate. Good Luck.:)

[ozynorts]

Hey Little Fish
Nice Haines here. http://www.boatpoint.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=13143467

[WardoSS]

Wouldnt go near A Cruise Craft, unless you are a good swimmer.

[ozynorts]

A few are a little older but for the money you can upgrade things on them.
This hull is acknowledged as one the best around. I was told by a couple of old fella's recently (who owned v19's) that this would be a great boat up here.
http://www.boatpoint.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=13190213
http://www.boatpoint.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=13334612
These by all reports are great hulls.
http://www.boatpoint.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=10890983
This one doesn't have a hull year but from the research that I have done on them I would say it would be around the late 80's.
http://www.boatpoint.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=13258587
Cheers
Ozy

[ozynorts]

Hey Little fish, any updates?

[Little Fish Big Pond]

Hey Ozy,

Sadly not just yet. I probably won't be able to really shop around with dealers until late November, early December due to work restraints. I'll be taking some time off then. Will let you know. In the meantime I've still got my eye out online if a ripping boat comes along that I just have to have. Thanks again!

Little Fish.

[ozynorts]

Hey Little Fish, tried to send you this on via PM but your over your quota.
http://www.boatpoint.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=13489836
Jeff Webster rates these as one of the best fishing cuddies ever.
Cheers
Ozy

[iricangi]

I'm selling my seafarer viva. 1997 with less than 150 hrs on total rig. Beautiful boat, but downsizing. Be slightly over your budget but it's a very nice boat.