Yes, it's another one of "those" threads :)

[Funchy]

Hi fellas

Time has come for me to get a tinny. Budget up to $6000. I am after about a 4m with 20to30 HP on the back. Will use mainly for estuary but maybe outside if conditions allow. Want to be able to take the kids fishing.

I have never had a boat, need to get a liscence and have a lot to learn but I want to ensure I get something with a reputation of reliability and safety

There are heaps out there, any advice on brands to steer clear of?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[nigelr]

stessco + tohatsu would be my choice for value.

[dan sheard]

I had a allycraft 4.10 with a Yamaha cv 30HP. Top little boat and tough!!!!

[Mossy247]

You looking to buy soon or later Funchy?
I am most likely selling my tinny in the new year. Keep me posted if your interested.
I have a clark 4.3 estuary pursuit with merc 30hp 2 stroke. (May also sell the minn kotta depending on the other boat I am looking to go up to)

[LittleSkipper]

PolyCraft is another option to look at?

[CATchin'Em]

http://www.boatpoint.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=13660639&Silo=Stock&Vertical=Boat&Ridx=588&eapi=2
good buy for price IMO little underpowered but tough as for first timer

[thelump]

Maybe this one?

http://www.boatsales.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=13310324&Silo=Stock&Vertical=Boat&Ridx=2&eapi=2

I thought as long as it is one of THOSE threads that I would add something that is nothing like you want!;D

[tunaticer]

What sort of setup are you after Luke?
Considering your location I would probably opt for a Veepunt due to the amount of shallows you have there.
If you want to do your own fitout to a bare hull with good deep sides I would probably opt for something like a Stessl Truck bare hull.....cheap and almost agricultural and pretty easy to rig out.
I wouldn't recommend something like mine tho......not with kids.

[Chamelion]

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/deception-bay/motorboats-powerboats/allycraft-410-topender/1010251314
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/morayfield/tinnies-dinghies/allycraft-410-rino-2008-model/1009736630
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/montville/tinnies-dinghies/4-1-mtr-alley-craft/1009453197
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/sippy-downs/tinnies-dinghies/immaculate-tinny-first-to-see-will-buy/1009297286
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/regents-park/tinnies-dinghies/2002-stessco-4-20-catcher-30hp-yamaha/1009283006
http://www.boatsales.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=13807514&Silo=Stock&Vertical=Boat&Ridx=14&eapi=2

A few I'd be looking at, if I were still looking.

Hull brands, sure, some are better than others, but for what you're looking toward and at your price point it's going to come down to an individual boats condition more-so than the brand on the side imo... Check for holes and cracks, especially on or beside welds. Lift the false floor and check all of the ribs. Check for any sinkers or other metal floating around under the FF. Lots of debris also a possible bad sign.
Hull design is possibly your main consideration.. V or V nose punt are your two main choices. V nose punts are great for rivers and if you're with mates/solo but forget about them for the most part if you're going to have a lady on board. Even river chop can be considered a bit too rough for the love of your life clinging to the front of a banging punt! Let alone with a little one on board. They are great for stability at rest though. IMO, for your uses and location (I was a Maroochydore local for many years until 20 months ago) I would go with a V hull that has a flatter bottom toward the stern and a decent beam (1.85m+).

Motor wise, you're only really going to get two stroke for your money, but that's fine. Absolutely nothing wrong with a two banger unless you're planning to hit some of the fresh water dams (some only allow injected 2 stroke or 4 stroke). Definitely go 30hp or higher with a 4-4.4m tinny. With a couple of adults and kid(s) in the boat you'd ideally want 40hp, but 30 will get you by. If you plan to troll then invest in something with 3 or 4 cylinders if you can. 2 cyls tend to bea lot less smooth at idle speeds. That said, not too many 3cyl 30hp motors around from what I've seen, plenty in the 40hp range though and some of the mid 90's model mercury 40hp motots were 4cylinder. Motor age, less important than condition, to a point. My last boat, which I sold 18 months ago had a 1995 Yamaha 50hp 2 stroke on it and it was in nearly perfect condition. Mechanically it couldn't be faulted, aesthetically the worst thing was a faded sticker. My current boat has a 2002 Mercury 40hp 2 stroke on it and, well, it's nothing on the yamaha imo. If you don't know much about motors I cannot stress enough the importance of spending a hundred or two having any boat motor you are SERIOUSLY considering purchasing checked out by a DECENT mechanic. At the absolute very least, compression check and water test! Brand is much of a muchness really.. probably best to avoid Maxus, Parsun and Sail at this point. They're chinese motors and not time tested and proven as yet. Not to mention the dealer networks and post purchase back-up leaves a lot to be desired. Yamaha, Tohatsu, Mercury/Mariner, Suzuki are the names you want. If the prop is in need of replacement use it as a bargaining chip. ;)

Don't ignore the trailer.. rust holes are bad. Check the wheel bearings for noise and play. Make sure the lights work properly. Springs, U bolts and fish plates are consumables and cheap to replace, so don't view those as deal breakers if the rest is good. Likewise with the wheel bearings really.. I guess, in a nut shell, as long as the frame is good and most consumable components are OK then don't worry too much. Just use any dodgy bits as bargaining tools. :)

Here is some other extremely useful advice:

It won't end at the purchase price. Rego transfer, personalisations, modifications, replacement of bits and pieces the previous owner just 'lived with', servicing of the motor (always a good idea unless proof of this being done recently is presented), life jackets for the kids, any missing safety gear, 2 stroke oil, licence/training and the list goes on. Each time I've bought a boat I've gone through another $1000 in the first few weeks easily just on random bits and bobs I didn't consider at the time of purchase.

Rose coloured glasses.. You WILL end up with a pair of these glued to your retinas the first time you see a boat in the flesh that matches your wants, needs and expectations.. Please learn from my mistake. Do not allow yourself to fall in love with the 'perfect boat'. See each and every one as a potential money pit. Scrutinise each one like you're buying it with someone elses money as a present for someone very dear to them. The pressure is on you to get it right ;)

Assume that every seller is hiding something.. leaky gearbox seal, poor compression, carby issues, cracks or leaks in the hull. You name it, a seller somewhere is selling a boat with one or more issues and they're not being forthcoming about it with prospective buyers. So ask a lot of questions, point out things that concern you whilst you're looking a boat over and use your own instincts to judge whether or not they're hiding something. If they make you feel the least bit uncomfortable and you can't work out why, walk away. There will always be another boat and you're bound to find an honest seller sooner or later.

Bungs.. remove then from the hull before you test drive a boat to ensure the hull is empty. Upon return of test drive open bungs whilst the boat is still on an angle on the ramp. If ANY water comes out, do not purchase unil you can verify the cause. The last thing you want to do is assume the lack of any noticeable hull cracks indicates that it's just a leaky bung or something else minor.. You could be buying a tinny with a perforated hull.

Last thing I can really say is... if you want to fish offshore, even on a day so calm the sea is a millpond... don't try and go out over the caloundra bar in a little river tinny. Mooloolaba is only a short drive away and offers much easier access to the sea. Be smart about it ie: safety gear, marine radio, epirb. Log in with the VMR. Check weather forecasts before you leave and whilst on the water if possible. When in doubt don't go out!

[Chamelion]

I had only intended to post the links, then got carried away. *blush*

[Boat Hog]

Funchy,

For the type of fishing that you like to do i.e. throwing lures, a tinny that is already set up for or will easily take a bow mount electric motor would be good.

Cheers,

[Lucky_Phill]

I had a 4.15 Stessel Edge Dingy.( not edge tracker ) Pointy front and flat stern, with reverse chines.

Good all round. Stability at rest was great.

Thing is I had a 40HP Yammie on it and this IMO was essential.

With 2 people onboard, eskies and gear, the 40 pushed it with ease. I will say I have been in similar sized boats with a 30HP and IMO.. it was a tad under powered,.. Only In My Opinion. Others will disagree.

I did a lot of offshore / bay work and carried overbight gear sometimes and I also took it to Fraser Island many times and that extra 10 horses made all the difference when beach launching.

If you wanted to go down the track of adding an electric motor , extra battery, extra fuel tank, false floor etc.... then I would seriously consider a 40HP. ( Mine was the 3 cylinder & 3 carby model ).

IMO.... I do not rate the CV models... too much plastic in them.

Good luck in your search.


LP

[Funchy]

You looking to buy soon or later Funchy?
I am most likely selling my tinny in the new year. Keep me posted if your interested.
I have a clark 4.3 estuary pursuit with merc 30hp 2 stroke. (May also sell the minn kotta depending on the other boat I am looking to go up to)
Hey Mossy, shoot me the details and price and I will throw into the mix for sure

[Funchy]

Thanks for all the great info fellas, I will take it all into consideration when I settle on something. Gotta get a bit of tax back and some annual bonus so the minister for war and finance has a surplus. If all goes to plan I should be in my own outfit soon.

[Chamelion]

Just FYI.. My favourite of the boats I posted is the last. Ticks all of the boxes imo. :)

[Funchy]

Yeah, like the look of them top Enders and am really leaning towards a Yammy. Have hade a few bikes in my time and have never had probes with the yamahaha's

[mal555]

I had only intended to post the links, then got carried away. *blush*

Nice write-up C, some very good info and advice there.

[PinHead]

Funchy..forget this one..it is sold.

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/deception-bay/motorboats-powerboats/allycraft-410-topender/1010251314

[Funchy]

Funchy..forget this one..it is sold.

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/deception-bay/motorboats-powerboats/allycraft-410-topender/1010251314

Yeah mate saw that, was a nice looking rig. Cheers mate

[PinHead]

Yeah mate saw that, was a nice looking rig. Cheers mate

I got it for a good price too.

[Chamelion]

I got it for a good price too.

I can't imagine you buying a little tinny.

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/shailer-park/tinnies-dinghies/2005-brooker-safari-4-1m-30hp-outboard/1007986249
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/south-maclean/motorboats-powerboats/stessco-420-catcher-2002-on-stessco-trailer-both-2002/1010375862
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/ALUMINIUM-RUNABOUT-BOAT-/281030219105?pt=AU_Boats&hash=item416eb4d561&_uhb=1#ht_520wt_1399

[Missing_FNQ]

Just to give you an idea of pricing and what I did before purchasing.

Looked around for about 6 weeks and actually saw only 4 boats because they looked too good to be true.

Settled on a (new in 1996):
3.8m Stessco
Yamaha CV25
Homemade trailer but was told it was made by a professional trailer maker (yeah yeah)
False floor
Unused Hummingbird 100 Fishfinder with brackets installed.
Odds and ends (jackets, anchors, ropes, pots)
NO nav lights ($211 for all nav lights with battery,switches and fuse panel installed by me)
First advertised for $3200 but after awhile he came down to $2800 which I was happy to pay. It was on Gumtree for around 1 month.

If you are interested, I have also heard of a 3.9m with a 30 yamie 3cyl coming up for sale. Pm me if you are interested.

Cheers
Mick

[PinHead]

I can't imagine you buying a little tinny.

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/shailer-park/tinnies-dinghies/2005-brooker-safari-4-1m-30hp-outboard/1007986249
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/south-maclean/motorboats-powerboats/stessco-420-catcher-2002-on-stessco-trailer-both-2002/1010375862
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/ALUMINIUM-RUNABOUT-BOAT-/281030219105?pt=AU_Boats&hash=item416eb4d561&_uhb=1#ht_520wt_1399

why do you say that ?

[Chamelion]

why do you say that ?

Aren't you the president of the big boat brigade? :D *poke*

[Chamelion]

http://www.boatsales.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=13301392&Silo=Stock&Vertical=Boat&Ridx=55&eapi=2

Another one.. Would be a good purchase at $6k if you could knock it down that far and the motor etc passed mustard.

[Funchy]

So if spend has gone up to $9000.... How about one of these, knock em down a tad

http://www.boatsales.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=13862721&Silo=Stock&Vertical=Boat&Ridx=0&eapi=2

http://www.boatsales.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=13851752&Silo=Stock&Vertical=Boat&Ridx=1&eapi=2

http://www.boatsales.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=13841801&Silo=Stock&Vertical=Boat&Ridx=5&eapi=2

http://www.boatsales.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=13749938&Silo=Stock&Vertical=Boat&Ridx=26&eapi=2

And then throw on a leccy with the spare coin?

[Chamelion]

http://www.boatsales.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=13862721&Silo=Stock&Vertical=Boat&Ridx=0&eapi=2 - Worth a look

http://www.boatsales.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=13851752&Silo=Stock&Vertical=Boat&Ridx=1&eapi=2 - Over priced imo

http://www.boatsales.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=13841801&Silo=Stock&Vertical=Boat&Ridx=5&eapi=2 - I like it. Ready to go casting deck is a plus.

EDIT: Actually, on closer inspection.. No wonder I like it. It's very similar to my boat. Appears to have front and rear casting decks.. Big plus. I'd be looking at this one for sure.

http://www.boatsales.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=13749938&Silo=Stock&Vertical=Boat&Ridx=26&eapi=2 - Worth a look also.

[PinHead]

Aren't you the president of the big boat brigade? :D *poke*

I have never owned a big boat so don't know how you worked that one out.

[Jarrah Jack]

I got it for a good price too.

You can bring it down to Vic for the M&G pinny.:D

[finga]

You can bring it down to Vic for the M&G pinny.:D
Viccy Pt. M&G you mean???
You could not mean the state in which you live Terry as that would be a M&G with one person going wouldn't it??
Now a BBQ at your place would be a different story. ;D

[Jarrah Jack]

Viccy Pt. M&G you mean???
You could not mean the state in which you live Terry as that would be a M&G with one person going wouldn't it??
Now a BBQ at your place would be a different story. ;D

I'm about to test that theory Scott. Have a look at the M&G forum. I reckon you could be right though. Wouldn't mind catching up with you on the way to yeppoon next year mate.

[Chamelion]

I have never owned a big boat so don't know how you worked that one out.

Must have been thinking of someone else.. So you did buy it hey?

[PinHead]

Must have been thinking of someone else.. So you did buy it hey?

I did have a 30' boat but that is hardly classed as a big boat by any stroke of the imagination.

and yes..did buy the tinny..collected it today.

[Chamelion]

I did have a 30' boat but that is hardly classed as a big boat by any stroke of the imagination.

and yes..did buy the tinny..collected it today.

30' not big? I rescind my 'my mistake' post. 30' is ******* huge by my standards.

[Funchy]

I did have a 30' boat but that is hardly classed as a big boat by any stroke of the imagination.

and yes..did buy the tinny..collected it today.

Good onya mate, hope you enjoy it. If my Chrissy bonus doesn't come through I may well be looking for someone to take me for a fish ; )

[oldie]

http://tweedcoastmarine.com.au/used-boats.html

electric start motor leccy on the front casting deck

[PinHead]

Good onya mate, hope you enjoy it. If my Chrissy bonus doesn't come through I may well be looking for someone to take me for a fish ; )

Funchy,,we will have to do a bream session in the Passage up your way come winter..been fishing there for over 40 years..cold night..chook gut and green ginger wine..is there anything else that matters in life?

You are welcome anytime...down here or up there.

[Tangles]

have to come over and have look at it mate, the bream wont know what hit them,
PS Did it come with ugg boots?

[Chamelion]

How goes the search?

[Funchy]

How goes the search?

As you know mate there are a heap of boats out there, it now comes down to budget. Everything hinges on Xmas bonus. I have all my boats picked out depending on $$$$ I get and how much the missus wants out of it ;)

[PinHead]

Oh no funchy..not the Xmas bonus..am having visions of the Xmas Vacation movie.

and you told your wife about it? methinks someone needs a bit of educating.

[finga]

My Christmas bonus is getting a big bit of Plum Pudding WITH THE SKIN ON.

Good luck in the boat searching Matey and I hope your place of employment has given you some time off so you can enjoy your bonus.

[moater]

Got my near new (used 3 times) 4.55 Sea Jay for sale at around $9,000..in Victoria though.

[Funchy]

Oh no funchy..not the Xmas bonus..am having visions of the Xmas Vacation movie.

and you told your wife about it? methinks someone needs a bit of educating.

Hahahaahaa, my missus never reads the fine print on anything except the terms and conditions of my renumeration, last few years bonus has always gone on kids, house, bills etc. This year I get a chunk of it. (touch wood) :thumbsup:

[Funchy]

Got my near new (used 3 times) 4.55 Sea Jay for sale at around $9,000..in Victoria though.

If only u were closer mate, good luck with the sale :D

[Funchy]

My Christmas bonus is getting a big bit of Plum Pudding WITH THE SKIN ON.

Good luck in the boat searching Matey and I hope your place of employment has given you some time off so you can enjoy your bonus.


Hey cheers Finga, I am pretty lucky with the mob I work for. They expect us to work hard and deliver to expectations but then look after us when we do. I worked for my previous employer for 17yrs and was pretty happy them, this lot are even better (6yrs)

[Chamelion]

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/lowood/motorboats-powerboats/polycraft-455-centre-console-40hp-mariner-2004-model-/1010740499