I'm back in business!!!

[CHEE-FEE]

After selling the mighty Viking, moving to the country and building a house (ain't that a ton of fun??), The Minister For War And Finance granted permission to seek another boat. With more limited funds than in times gone by, I was torn, wanting another boat, but knowing the funds available would land me in that horrible place of having to be satisfied with something I didn't really want and that might be of less than desirable quality. I looked for what seemed like an eternity and found little that I was happy with. Then, a little family holiday to the coastal hamlet of Burrum Heads changed the game, so to speak. I saw only one boat of any great size up there; everyone had Tinnies. And, that's when the Minister piped up and said, "Why don't you look at another Tinnie?" Remembering how much fun we had in our old 3.9 metre Formosa, I started looking and looking and looking; there are so many out there. I talked to people who knew of things of tin and came up with a short list. A lot on the short list were way more than I wanted to spend and I was having real trouble coming to terms with spending such money on a tin boat. Further narrowing down of the list saw me at the Brisbane Boat Show with a list and the eldest boy in tow. I had decided that a Stessco between 4.2 and 4.5 metres was the target and I hit the Marine Tune stand, with list, notes and tape measure in hand. Speaking to the Salesman, I was liking what I was seeing and hearing and the Boat Show Special was quite acceptable. Then, I saw the Horizon 438 Stryker, which is a new model. I was able to compare both boats, as they were basically next to each other. The Horizon won out (just)' as I thought the welds and general build quality were a little bit better, it looked a bit bulkier and it had a splash well inside the transom. The deal was done, hands were shaken and papers were signed. Four and a half weeks later, I took delivery of a brand new Horizon 438 Stryker fitted with a 30hp 2 stroke Yamaha outboard on a Dunbier trailer. It came with a battery and box, battery charge kit, navigation lights, spare wheel, engine support bracket, tie-down strap and regos. It's got wide side decks, bow rails, side rails, anchor well, side pockets, 2 rear boarding steps and a bollard at each side of the stern. It came with 2 flush mounted plastic rod holders, which I've replaced with stainless items, and added another 2. It's got a front casting deck with ample storage underneath, drop-in carpeted floor, and remove able padding on both seats. It also has a Lowrance X4-HDI colour sounder, and it seems to perform well above its $200 (ish) retail price. I've only had it on Atkinsons Dam once (weather, time constraints, etc), but I now look forward to Bay trips, River trips in various places, close Offshore trips off Mooloolaba, and trips up to Burrum Heads, with Lake Monduran only and hour and a bit up the road from there. No more huge days getting bashed around and burning $200 worth of fuel for a couple of Squire. Can't wait. Here we go again....

[shaungonemad]

Welcome to the Horizon club I hope you have fun with it.

[CHEE-FEE]

I'm back basically where it all started, and I can honestly say I have no regrets thus far. It's a big deep thing and it feels really safe with its big high sides, and that's a good thing, seeing as I will often have kids on board who I, apparently, have to bring home safely. The build quality looks the goods and it's got all the little good bits I wanted. I'm not really that interested any more in charging out a million miles offshore to get bashed around and often catch not a whole lot, when I can catch fish just as good or better around Mud or Peel islands or just out the front of Mooloolaba, all at a fraction of the cost and being able to include the kids. The 5.5-6 metre half cabin that I could have bought for that money would more than likely have been an absolute dunger requiring a fortune spent on it that I simply do not have, along with all the worries that come with a so-so boat. That was the desired style of boat, but that set-up excludes river and creek fishing, where a good deal of the funk is, particularly on the less than perfect days, and those big boats are getting more and more difficult to sell. Anyway, I'm going to change the nav lights to LED (less power draw), add a GPS (already on lay-by), add a bilge pump and a bit of LED strip lighting under the side decks, and I'm pretty much away. I'm in no rush, as the weather is disgusting and time is well and truly against me, but I know that doesn't last forever and I'll be amongst it before I know it. I'm very happy to be a member of the Horizon Club, and I should stay there for some time.

cheers,
NICK.

[QF3 MROCP]

A well thought out features and benefit story for a newbie boat owner when it comes to me turn. Asking myself... what is you are actually wanting to do with it. Having been in big yellow rescue boats for many years, it's no fun in big waves / swell getting bashed around and then having to sell sausage sizzles to pay for the fuel.. great thread, thank you. One question, is there a design feature on the boat to mount and EPIRB and VHF Radio?

[CHEE-FEE]

Not as such, but the good thing about Tinnies is the fact you can fabricate just about anything to make anything fit. A good job will look like said fabricated addition is meant to be there; a dodgey job will look just that; made from junk you found at the dump bashed up over the bench while you sink beers and just chucked in. A job like that will make the whole show look cheap, and that's what everybody (including/especially the owner) will see.

Cheers,
NICK.

[Camhawk88]

Congrats on the purchase- Im sure it will be great to get back on the water again.

Just curious but if you have taken it for a spin and how it performed. Just looking at the 3rd photo it looks to be an XL leg and appears to be sitting very low in comparison with the bottom of the hull. Probably just a funny angle but.

[CHEE-FEE]

I've only had it out on Atkinson Dam for a fun run; took the kids and they loved it. It seems to perform quite OK. It planes easily and it will get up on the plane with me and the oldest son Dian the back; it did struggle a little bit, but it got there and stayed there. It doesn't seem to experience any cavitation in turns, and it did fair give it some. In fact, it turns a lot tighter than I thought it would. As far as the photo goes, it's sitting in the shed on the trailer arse down nose up, so it might be a bit of an optical illusion. Most boat yards do mount the outboards too low so they don't cavitate, but I'm not overly concerned.

Cheers,
NICK.