Monos this is our turn

[troy]

So there is no hidden agenda here i own a 625 cruise craft outsider.
Now what do you think is the best mono in this size.
Please just give your opinion and no insults.
We gave the cats a go now it is our turn.
Troy

[billfisher]

Just about mono's in general. A good deep V mono fiberglass will cut through nasty chop with ease. A mono is more maneoverable and more bouyant at low speed making it more capable in a lot of respects on bars, especially shallow creek ones.
Much easier to tow than a cat. Its not much point having a great sea boat if you can't tow it safely or are afraid to tow it up and down the coast. Monos are much cheaper to buy and run ( only one motor and less horsepower needed). There are a few minor advantages as well with monos, eg better stern layout for fishing. You don't have two line snaging outboards on the corners.

[perko]

Monos make great bass boats and thats where I reckon they should stay.

[rough_shag]

Seafarer VICTORY,VAGABOND,VOYAGER if you got the bucks!!.Why are there 50 mono hulls for every cat???(and thats being generous).The numbers speak for themselves.Cats handle extremely well no doubt about that, but the negative aspects obviously outweigh the positives,otherwise the seas would be full of cats-RIGHT??. :-X IMHO the 6.0mtr+ Seafarers outclass the rest by a country mile!.Cheers!Jace.

[krazyfisher]

I think it is just to hard to pick the best mono as it all depends on what sort of sea it will be in lots of differance between W.A. , tassy and NQ waters still hard to go past he haines 223 hull

[flatstrap]

I previously owned a 773SC Haines. Great hull, beautiful finish and mod cons within the craft itself. It had a galley, stove, toilet which is nice. It used to tow above average as well. Fishing the south coast of NSW, I used to camp in it at the local caravan park. It slept 4. Then in the morning, shift all the domestic stuff into the back of the towmobile and go fishing. It was a great set up and I have a lot of fond memories.

After owning it for a few months, the only criticism I remember were:
a) No counter rotating props
b) The commonly plumbed power steering pump never worked 100%

A bit too nice for fishing as I tend to be messy. Does that qualify as a criticism?

My present rig is a cat. I sleep in a motel when staying overnight fishing. Better mod cons in the motel.

Adios...flatstrap

[troy]

Krazyfisher i agree with you especially about different seas in say Nth Qld and Sth QLD but in one thread i stated this and nearly everyone disagreed with me.
My opinion is the 23ft Formula for ride wise but a bit on the rocky side at anchor.
Troy

[familyman]

Troy dont start again about that %&^*(* NQ chop!!! ;) ;D ;D
By the way monos win on price alone for me but I must admit to looking desirously at a large marlin broadbill about 7metres.Now where is my bank manager :o
cheers jon

[DALEPRICE]

6mt allison angler for me,
love it and preforms very well for what
i do. only thing i can say is that in a following sea
1.4m plus she loves the throttle. have to hammer it
or she likes to bog down. but a great all rounder and cuts
a head sea very honestly. just my 2 cents.
regards dale

[finga64]

Don't know the differences or which is better:-/
Never been on a real cat, only one with a sail on a lake at Lennox Head.
Any invites for a trip on a real cat for a comparison with the monos?? ::)
Cheers Scott

[ahoj]

Finga ,
You are most welcome to join me on borumba dam anytime you can make it.. free

as a sideline: are there any statistics of mishaps and boat sinking Mono v cat ( Not mechanical)

[troy]

Familyman no way will i start that again.
Even though there has not been much interest in this thread but at least it has not caused any trouble.
Like if someone posted that there boat is better than mine i would not be offended.
Iwould like to know how the older monos compare with modern hulls. like the streaker the haines or the seafarer or yaltas or bertrams.
I have been told that the streaker is a top boat.
Troy

[searaider]

I must agree with Dale ( DALEPRICE ) .
I've also got a 195 Allison Angler & very happy with her in all types of conditions . [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]
Dale you will have to get a few more Ponies on the back , that will fix the bogging down problem #;)

Peter
Searaider 2 #

[MulletMan]

If you are a MONO driver then you will find a CAT easy stuff.
If you are a CAT driver then you will find a MONO more difficult

[blaze]

Hi Troy
My hull is old, so old that some of the designed features in the ark come off my boat.
No Idea how old it is but all the right bits are new and designed internally better than a lot of the new boats.
I believe it was made off a male mould of a 20 foot hartley in queensland as a one off.
It has a huge flared bowe and a moderate v
I have staked my life on this boat and it brought me home even with a broken back, that should be the measure of how good a boat performs.
I would put it against any modern hull of simular size and design in the performance stakes.
cheers
blaze

[noluck]

blaze can we see your boat here

troy i got bar crusher 560 and just eats 2f chop and over
but cat is the best
no_luck

[blaze]

Hi no luck
Been plenty pics over the time, take a couple of more snaps later and put up for you
cheers
blaze

[troy]

Blase i would like to see some pics of your boat also.
Are you nearly finished.
You get to the stage when you think it is all over and then something else goes wrong.
Well that is boating and i would be winging like hell if i did not own one.
Troy

[finga64]

No Idea how old it is but all the right bits are new and designed internally better than a lot of the new boats.
I believe it was made off a male mould of a 20 foot hartley in queensland as a one off.
It has a huge flared bowe and a moderate v

Gidday all,
Did Hartley and Bertram produce hulls for a few manufacturers as I have been told my old Coopercraft also has a Bertram hull??
That one of the reasons I brought it.
It also reminded me of the old jet rescue boats the surf life savers had way back then.
What sort of boat were they??
Couldn't have been too bad in the rough/choppy stuff if the surf life savers had them. On paper they shouldn't be real good at all. Mono hull and jet powered.
Since I've seen similar hulls on a few older boats from the 70's like an old Savage.
I'm very happy with mine and it's proven it self on the one occassion. :o Had to change the undies that day.
It could do with a bit of a refurb though...Blaze, want to visit sunny QLD?? Maybe I'll just polish it again;)
Cheers Scott

[88fishframe]

Something big, the bigger the better as far as I'm concerned.

[88fishframe]

Something big, the bigger the better as far as I'm concerned.

[seatime]

There has to be more support for monos.

It will still come down to the skill of the skipper if you are in nasty water, no matter what type of boat.
Confidence, sound nautical knowledge and honesty about your own abilities make a good skipper not the boat you're driving, I think.
I only have a small tinnie at present, but looking at getting a 7-7.5m platey with diesel sterndrive. That's my preferred boat, I like trolling and the extra 20 minutes it takes to get there doesn't worry me.
The clear stern is the preferred option.
There is a lot to consider when boat debating, I have 4 kids, so I'm usually doing all the boat handling myself.
Running costs, upgrades and their sheer size to tow put cats out of the equation for me. Though I would have a Kevlacat 2400 if it would fit in the yard.
Horses for courses, cats are good for getting to and from the outside fishing grounds, but once there, they don't like trolling on one motor (brother in law has 18' sharkcat). I know they have room and stability but they also have a saltwater shower built in, haven't found it yet.
Each time I come home from fishing with him I feel like I have just crossed the Rio Grande.
They are certainly great boats, cats, but they have their uses just as monos have their uses. cheers Steve

[DALEPRICE]

pete, 150hp suzuki i reckon ;D ;D
would fix her drinking proublem as well ::)

[88fishframe]

Gelsec, monos are great boats to learn in until you are able to upgrade to a cat ;D


[This has just got to start a fight ::) ]

[seatime]

88 Ya wanna fight! ;D

Mate you wanna watch the sun wearing those singlets :D

If you want to drink milk out of a saucer, it's up to you :D :D .
They say "don't knock it till you've tried it".

Only gammin, any boats' a good boat if it gets you there and back.
cheers and watch those melanomas.

[seatime]

Cat' amite - sodomite's minion. ;)

Cat'arrh - inflammation of mucus membrane. ;)

Cat'astrophe - disastrous end. ;)

shall I go on.

[longtail]

It also reminded me of the old jet rescue boats the surf life savers had way back then.
What sort of boat were they??

Cheers Scott


your referring to the old Hamilton jet boats , awesome piece of gear . mate of mines mother used to work for them when they were at moss st , slacks creek.

jason

[troy]

Where are the mono owners.
Are you not proud of your boat because it is a mono.
I am proud of being a mono owner and so should all mono owners no matter what make it is.
You do not have to rave on about your boat but at least either say your happy with owning a mono or not happy.
I for one will openly state that my preference is a mono and even though i will accept the cats are a better riding boat i just do not like them.
Troy

[2DKnBJ]

I have an early 80's haines V17 R with a 115 Yammie pushing it along.
The deep v hull gives a fantastic ride in any weather although it does tend to rock around a bit at rest.
Without blowing my own trumpet alot of people with other boats comment on how well the Haines travels with a bit of chop.
Cheers Dazza

[Figjamm]

Where are the mono owners.
Are you not proud of your boat because it is a mono.
I am proud of being a mono owner and so should all mono owners no matter what make it is.
You do not have to rave on about your boat but at least either say your happy with owning a mono or not happy.

We must be happy with ours.... otherwise we wouldn't be rebuilding her :)

You asked "Now what do you think is the best mono in this size (625)" and ours is a metre shy of that.... so I asked the other half what he reckoned and he says it'd be hard to bet a Smuggler.

[troy]

What about the 680 sf haines only been in one when the sea was like glass.
Does anyone own this model Haines.
Troy

[Grand_Marlin]

G'day Troy,

I own a mono (20ft Yalta Odessa) and a 23ft Sharkcat.

The Sharkcat is yet to hit the water... another project ::)

The Yalta is a very nice boat to fish out of... heaps of deck space, and is quite stable at rest.

I think the most versatile size mono is around 21ft. Big enough to handle a big sea, have plenty of room... but still be quite managable on the trailer... and still legally towed with a Cruiser.

The main downfalls I find with monos:
1) Hard to get self draining deck
2) Hard to get twin motors
3) Stability is always compromised to get a softer ride - or vice versa.

A number of abalone divers in Tassie used (and still use) the original Haines V19R... I have seen these blokes diving in some hellish conditions around Tasman Island. It was getting that rough, that we were about to go home.... they kept on diving like it was dead flat calm... frickin animals !

Here are a couple of pics.
The first is a mates haines V19R, modified to add a pod, twin 115's and the hand made / home made cabin structure.
This boat was quite soft riding, but would dip its nose through any swell bigger than 2m, and it porpoised a bit, due to the pod.

The second is a 21 ft Caribbean Reef Runner... Modified to have self draining decks, twin 150 Yamahas on an integral pod, boat was extended 3ft, has wet wells in the floor, live bait tanks, modified cabin / hardtop, inbuilt 5hp honda motor for pulling droplines / cray pots.
All built in his backyard....
This is getting close to the ultimate mono....
Any thoughts?
ps... the 18ft sharkcat still rode softer than this boat....

Cheers

Pete

[Grand_Marlin]

Aquanaut 2

[finga64]

Beautiful boats Grand_Marlin.
Your mates should be proud. :)
Just an observation though, why do the boats have the same name and colours??
Damn nice boats though :)

[cooky]

Just an observation though, why do the boats have the same name and colours??
Damn nice boats though

thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. What's the go with that? VERY close friends :-* ;)or a bit of a commercial venture I'd say.

[cooky]

have staked my life on this boat and it brought me home even with a broken back

Blaze, notice your boat doesn't have a name yet - why not

BROKEBACK ocean :o ;D

bet you're not game :-* :-*

If anyone asks why you named your boat that you could say something like:

"Brokeback Ocean is a modern twist on the old tasmanian fishing days, its about a couple of old fishing pals whose summer fling turns into a passionate romance they conceal from their wives" ;D ;)

[Grand_Marlin]

Sick Cooky.... sick, sick, sick.... :o :o :o


;D Bloody Funny though....


The boats are the same colour and name 'cos he loves red.... the first boat is his old boat.... it was sold without the name.... the new name the new owners put on was "Red Dwarf" !

[finga64]

The boats are the same colour and name 'cos he loves red.... the first boat is his old boat.... it was sold without the name.... the new name the new owners put on was "Red Dwarf" !


Hope they did the renaming ceremony :-[

[Grand_Marlin]

I dont think they did... the new owners just installed a 12v coffee maker and away they went...

[Grand_Marlin]

To follow up on the Aquanaut series.... the Caribbean Reef Runner has been sold.... now onto the next project....
So where would you go from highly modifying a Caribberan Reef Runner to 7m?

Thats right... you design and build an 8 metre tri hull in your back yard...

They are building three of them.

The bloke that did this is the one who taught me how to fibreglass etc.

Cheers

Pete

[Grand_Marlin]

The new Aquanaut in the Making....

[Grand_Marlin]

Finished Product.... boat No. 1

This has replaced an 18ft Sharkcat

[finga64]

Is that the lawn locker in his back yard that the tri-hull is in? ;)
The tri-hull would be worth some more pictures. Looks very impressive indeed. What are the stats??:)
Another thread in the series maybe. Mono, cats and tri's and above.

[Grand_Marlin]

Lol.... you got me telling lies.... ;D
The moulds were built in the backyard shed... the layup was done in the shed of the owner of the white boat.... panelbeaters.

I could do another post.... this post is Troys for monohulls.... sorry to digress.

[finding_time]

Troy

Differant hulls offer differant things. I personally like the seafarers provided they have enough horse power on the back and have tabs. These boats just carve a chop up ,but when it becomes very rough and your running down hill they have the habit of driving into the back of the next swell but they dont really like running slowly as the deep vee doesn't like it.

The cruise crafts big advantage is that appart from being stable at rest is the ability to plane at a lower speed so if it really turns shitty you can come home better without riding the throttle which is a constant anoyance of the seafares.

i'm a big fan of deep vee glass boats but they do like speed and tend to improve in ride quality the faster they go!

Ian

[troy]

Pete the 21 ft Caribbean i have always rated them highly also another was the 21ft tracker although i have not seen many of these around.
Your latest project reminds me of a 21ft half cabin hydrofield i used to own.
The previous owner had modified it and put a vee up the center.
Top boat but for some reason was hard to steer.
Troy

[insideout]

G day troy, although i am a cat owner ,and a mono owner(4.5 quinny topender 98 mod) i have to give a rap to the mono boats. Probably 98% of cat owners have had a mono in some way, shape ,or form in their life, and if they were anything like me,have fond memories of these boats,and the fish you have caught, times you have had, ect .
So i have decided to post a photo of my favoriate mono ive owned. It was a lightning plate boat, it went like the clappers, drank fuel like i was a arab with many oil wells, punched through whatever weather i wanted, had enough room to fish 4 ,very,very comfortably , and if you wanted, sleep 3 in the front easily, and enough storage space for anything. Although it seemed like on the last thread (CATS....GO FOR IT!) that we were beating up on monos, just remember , almost all cat owners cut their teeth in monos .

anyhooo mate ,heres some photos to help fill your thread

[insideout]

and another

[troy]

This might sound stupid to a lot of people but if i had the finances and i could by any boat on the market i would still chose the mono.
The only thing i have against the cats is the appearnce of them.
Look at it this way place a brand new mono along side a brand new cat is like comparing the top of the range car to a mini moke.
The cats are for serious offshore fishing and they will out ride the mono but by how much and the extra cost of not only running them but the up front cost of what you have to pay for them as with a mono i would not be interested.
ps would a 18 ft shark cat out ride a formula.
Troy

[insideout]

could not honestly say, having never been in a formula , but to hazzard a guess ,id say yes...

[troy]

Insideout any reason.
just curious.
Troy

[insideout]

tell a lie ,i have been in a ( i think it was a haines formula offshore racer ?) back in the days when i use to work for riveria at the gold coast) i remember it was a very heavy single hull missle with no creature comforts , but purpose built for racing. is this the formula you speak of?

[Grand_Marlin]

Cats float down from being airborne
Monos bang down from being airborne... no matter what make or model. Just some are better than others.

Formula is one of the best riding monos available, but unstable at rest.

I would rather be in the formula if heading into a short, sharp headsea.

I dont want to re open the cat vs mono arguement.

I found when I owned the 18ft Sharkcat, It tended to be used for serious fishing trips only, due to the running costs of it.
The 18ft Plate boat I sold to buy the cat , we used to take it for a run every time we could, as it cost next to nothing to run.

Every time we put the cat in the water... it was $50 just to take it for a short run.

This became a bit annoying at times.

This is my 18ft Plate boat, again done up as a project.
It used to be a tender on a pearl diving boat.
It had a single 55 pull start evinrude on it when I bought it.
Then we made a couple of small changes....

Cheers

Pete

[Grand_Marlin]

Finished Product

[Grand_Marlin]

Rear

[Blackened]

G'day
Damn pete, almost look a little barcrusher in the front end with the lines of that cab.
Dave

[seatime]

How you goin Grand Marlin,

Have to hand it to you, your boat restorations look top quality, thanks for the pics. Steve

[troy]

Pete the formulas were unstable at rest no disputing that but i think they were the best boat Haines ever built.
Troy

[Grand_Marlin]

G'day Gelsec,
Thanks for the comments... I suppose when you are doing something you enjoy, it shows in the end result.

G'day Blackened,
The cab was sort of modelled off the David Payne Express boats.... sort of...

G'day Troy,
The Formula was / is a good boat.... trade off was instability and mammoth horsepower needed on them.

Everything with boating is a compromise... very much the same as cars I suppose.

Ah well... off to work for me.... working on a monohull today !

Fitting a Raymarine sounder / gps / radar / autopilot package to a brand new 35 Caribbean.

Cheers

Pete

[rodbender]

Hi guys my 2 bob's worth i had a 4.9 shark cat and sold it and went back to a mono.the fraser that i bought is 6.20m powered by a 175hp.
a top rough water craft,stable a rest.I'd never go back to a cat.i think the fraser is that good i'll never buy another boat.There is a lot of good mono around the formula the old eden craft,huntsman,caribbean,cruise crarts,that's just to name a few. my 2bob,s worth.

cheers reg

[troy]

Has anyone had any experience with the Searays.
Troy
ps the 21 ft tracker i mentioned before was it a Carribean or Monarck.

[bidkev]

Still trying to master the Whittley so I don't really know what she's capable of and apart from a 16ft tri-hull and kingtin, I haven't any real experience of other boats

Got caught out one night with the sea blasting through the zips it was that rough. She came through it but Jeeeez, did she roll from side to side! :o I thought we were going over but at least I know we didn't, and I'm not likely to encounter those types of seas again.

I have to say that from memory, the smaller tri-hull fares better than the Whittley but that could simply be that I was younger back then and could take more shit ;D

I'm dissapointed with her at rest, but I suppose that I should've expected that with a 23d deadrise. She's not as comfortable a ride as I expected but a lot improved on kingtin (obviously) and again, I don't know just what I should be expecting never having ridden in another boat and perhaps I am simply pushing her too fast.

Now the back deck is on, she's a lot better for fishing and keeping lines clear of the prop when swinging or at slack water.

She's lovely and dry and has the mod cons which is good for the deckie and kids. She won boat of the year so I suppose that speaks for something.

I have a feeling that perhaps I'm travelling faster than I should in certain seas which results in me feeling that she's "slappin" too much. The engine's that quiet that I don't realise how fast I'm going till I look at the clock. Never had a speedo that worked before, so again, I have little to compare with. For example, I thought it was pretty iffy on Sunday and we were getting knocked about a bit so I slowed and she came right. Anyone who was out there Sunday may be able to give me a comparison in that when I slowed she became comfortable but I was still doing 20 knotts...is this good going in the kind of sea the Bay pushed up sunday morning? Any slower and I feel that I'm not really in control of her IYKWIM? I tend to feel that the sea has control when I drop below 15knots. Bit hard to explain. I suppose I'm just green really with regards to what to expect from her and how that compares with other rigs.

kev

Poverty is a condition with but one advantage, it doesn't take much to improve your lot.

[Grand_Marlin]

Kev, you're a freaking animal behind the wheel ;D ;D

Everyone else was home cos it was too rough, and you were out doing 20+ knots in a cyclone.... :o

Every boat has a "sweet spot"

run too fast and it bangs, rolls horribly off the swells and generally feels unsafe.

run too slow and they bog down in the ar$e and feel very sluggish.

Just keep playing with the speed until you find it "feels" right.

Also play with the trim of the motor....

Whitleys will ride nicer than most boats, due to their weight and deep V

I didnt see the conditions on Sunday (I was made be inside laying frickin tiles)
If it is rough, there are not too many boats that can maintain 20kts, so I think you were doing well.

If you are worried about speed in the rough... buy a Cat 8-)

Cheers

Pete

[Mr__Bean]

Kev,

We were also out on Sunday morning, we left Scarborough at 9.30am for Tangalooma and there were some lumpy bits on the way across, we drove right along the side of that massive big black cloud watching heavy rain about a kilometer to the side of us.

Mine is a little bit longer than the whittley and we had 4 adults and 4 kids (10 to 14yrs) on board plus gear for the day, so there was some weight in the boat which I think helps when punching into waves. We travelled across at between 20-25 knots slowing as we crossed some of the banks.

If I may say, you might still be getting used to sitting much higher off the water than in your previous boat. I find it isn't until you hand over to someone else and look out from the back of the boat that you realise how well you are actually travelling sometimes. It is just that from up there at the helm it looks much slower because you are higher off the water.

- Darren

[PinHead]

This might sound stupid to a lot of people but if i had the finances and i could by any boat on the market i would still chose the mono.
The only thing i have against the cats is the appearnce of them.
Look at it this way place a brand new mono along side a brand new cat is like comparing the top of the range car to a mini moke.
The cats are for serious offshore fishing and they will out ride the mono but by how much and the extra cost of not only running them but the up front cost of what you have to pay for them as with a mono i would not be interested.
ps would a 18 ft shark cat out ride a formula.
Troy

geez troy...you argue against yourself...if you have the finances to buy any boat then you do not worry about the up front cost or the running costs. I have not bothered seeing how much fuel my boat chews in an hour nor am I ever likely to...the enjoyment from it outweighs whatever it costs to run it.

mono vs cat is really like holden vs ford...everyone has their preferences and if they are happy with their boat then so be it.

[troy]

Pinhead how you going .
It might seem like i was arguieing agaisy myself but i am not good with words.
What i meant was if i had plenty of money i would choose the mono any day as i do not like cats.
As for running costs i mentioned that as a point in defence of anyone owning a mono.
As for not worrying about fuel costs i agree with you otherwise why own a boat but at the same time it is becoming a expensive hobby .
But then again people with your wealth and the boat you own it just petty cash. ;)
Troy

[mark221263]

One thing that cat owners cannot dispute, the amount of salt water their outboards ingest.

Get a cat owner to pop the covers on his outboards when back at the ramp and the amount of salt water mist that gets thrown at them from the output of the tunnel in a days fishing is amazing.

A credit to outboard manufactures that the power heads hold up as well as they do.

[Smithy]

So there is no hidden agenda here i own a 625 cruise craft outsider.
Now what do you think is the best mono in this size.
Please just give your opinion and no insults.
We gave the cats a go now it is our turn.
Troy

Going back to Troy's original question here is what I think. A Haines Signature 575 followed by a Seafarer 6.2 Vagabond followed by a Seafarer 6.0 Victory in that order.

I pick the 575 purely on its layout which I think is the best getting around for a game/sportfishing boat. Yet to actually go in one but I have been in a couple of Vagabonds. Vagabond would out perform it I am guessing due to the weight and length.

Troy,

you will be pleased to note I actually fished in a 685 Cruise Craft the other weekend, picture attached and actually enjoyed. Thought it was better than a 680 HH and close to the 702 HS. Would have to jump straight from the Signature to the 685 to compare it was that close. 680 is definately wetter and needs more horsepower. Live bait tank was fine on the 685, I must have had a real close look at original varient. Did they change it a bit? We unfortunately didn't get a chance to try it out. It also had no trim tabs but it didn't feel like it needed them. That is probably the main difference, the Signature is very high performance and needs to be trimmed and fiddled with all the time and really needs the tabs to get the best out of it but the 685 would be a great mum and dad boat, just jump in and off you go. Interestingly it was running an Optimax 225. That took a bit of getting used to after 4 strokes. Still fumey. Also in a following sea the revs were up and down and all over the place all the time on the swells. 4s seem to have the torque to maintain their revs no matter what. Didn't get to drive it but that was my feeling from sitting in the passenger seat.

Rough Shag,

you've got to be kidding comparing 5.5m Seafarers to stuff in the 6.0+m range. They are great boats for sure but as mentioned spear through waves in following seas and IMHO a bit bangey even though the hull shape looks very pointy. See this thread.

http://www.ausfish.com.au/cgi-ausfish/yabb2/YaBB.cgi?num=1125299608/0

here are a few more interesting threads on some of the boats allready mentioned for everyone to look at if you are new to these discussions

The HH V HS threads

http://www.ausfish.com.au/cgi-ausfish/yabb2/YaBB.cgi?num=1123402174/6#6

http://www.ausfish.com.au/cgi-ausfish/yabb2/YaBB.cgi?num=1113824429/25#25

The infamous NQ chop thread

http://www.ausfish.com.au/cgi-ausfish/yabb2/YaBB.cgi?num=1105875636/0

As for the couple of cat vs mono threads that have been going lately, I agree with anything Foxy, Grand Marlin, Finding Time and GBC have said. I am a cat fan of the trailerable size ones. Up over 30' I probably drift back to monos. Started my offshore career doing charters on cats and never really like the feel of the big Cougar Cats etc. as they were too stable, i.e. they seem to get out of sync with the waves going past tricking your eyes and brain and giving an uneasy feeling. Trailerable cats have to go up and down with the swells and feel much better with just the occasional lurch that throws you unawares from somewhere you don't expect it.


Dale,

thought about foils for the following sea? Try the Lazlilas upward sloping ones. They seem to produce the most lift for the least vices. For $40 what have you got to lose, just 4 holes in the cav plate if you don't like them.

All of this is my opinion. Everyone is entitled to one.

[rough_shag]

Hey Smithy,where did I compare the 5.5mtr seafarer with 6.0 mtr + models?? Only mentioned VICTORY,VAGABOND and VOYAGER which are all 6mtr+ models.I have been to sea in the victory and voyager as a deckie and of course own the smaller 5.5mtr Viking and have found them all to be superb but regardless of the design there ain't no substitute for size imo.
Although I have experienced the HH 542 and smaller models I haven't had the pleasure of the larger Haines's but judging by the great performance of the under 6.0mtr models I imagine they are sensational but having seen a few around they all suffer from the narrow beam inheritent in HH designs and are lacking in room to move/fish as a result and seem to be quite unstable at rest.Jace.

[bidkev]

Kev, you're a freaking animal behind the wheel ;D ;D


Pete

You've been watching me Pete! ;D

Thanks for the response. I suppose it's all about "feel" as you say. She feels comfortable in the rough at 15 to 20 and I suppose that should be sufficient for a mono. I'm just a hoon I guess ;D

kev

People say walking on water is a miracle, but to me walking peacefully on earth is the real miracle.

[bidkev]

Kev,

<snip>
If I may say, you might still be getting used to sitting much higher off the water than in your previous boat. I find it isn't until you hand over to someone else and look out from the back of the boat that you realise how well you are actually travelling sometimes. It is just that from up there at the helm it looks much slower because you are higher off the water.

- Darren

That's spot on Darren. When I commented on the ride, the deckie said that it was fine sat on the stern seat. When I look back at the stern, there's very little movement and she seems to be travelling smoothly. She won't take the helm and let me check it out though ;D

kev

People who value their privileges above their principles, soon lose both.

[Smithy]

Fair cop Jace but not a big fan of the 5.5m Seafarers at all. Voyagers are crap as well. They are too big and too pointy dropping their noses through waves all the time. Know two guys that had them and didn't keep them for very long. The 5.75, 6.0 and 6.2 seem to be a magic size for the Seafarers along with the old 4.7 V Seas, new 5.0 V Sea/Venus etc., old 5.0 Venus and the old 5.2 Vikings. The Viking I did a lot of hours in was miles in front of a JBS however.

[grex]

One thing that cat owners cannot dispute, the amount of salt water their outboards ingest.

Get a cat owner to pop the covers on his outboards when back at the ramp and the amount of salt water mist that gets thrown at them from the output of the tunnel in a days fishing is amazing.

A credit to outboard manufactures that the power heads hold up as well as they do.

Mark Your most likely correct unless you have a cat that only requires one engine or perhaps the design restricts or deflects any spray.

I have no salt ingress into my motor

Geoff

[PinHead]

Pinhead how you going .
It might seem like i was arguieing agaisy myself but i am not good with words.
What i meant was if i had plenty of money i would choose the mono any day as i do not like cats.
As for running costs i mentioned that as a point in defence of anyone owning a mono.
As for not worrying about fuel costs i agree with you otherwise why own a boat but at the same time it is becoming a expensive hobby .
But then again people with your wealth and the boat you own it just petty cash. ;)
Troy


LOL...I wish

[Smithy]

Kev,

did yours have tabs on it? Couldn't remember. How about fitting some if it doesn't and trying a Lazilas foil. These will let you trim better in any conditions and help it with its lower speed planing ability.

[bidkev]

Kev,

did yours have tabs on it? Couldn't remember. How about fitting some if it doesn't and trying a Lazilas foil. These will let you trim better in any conditions and help it with its lower speed planing ability.

Yeah Smithy, she's tabbed. I tried the engine trimmed neutral and used the tabs for trimming. I think she works better that way in a smooth but I haven't tried it in the rough other than to even her out. I read on an American site that using the tabs for trimming is "en vogue" at the moment so thought I'd give it a try. Not fully convinced though.

kev

People would worry less about what others think of them if they only realised how seldom they do.

[troy]

Monos owners we need about 95 more posts to catch up with Go Cats Go :o
Another question and it applies to all boat owners is how many boats have the set up where once you have pulled up your anchor that instead of putting the anchor in the anchor hatch or putting in the cabin but instead having it secured to your bow sprit and keeping it this way permanent.
Once i got caught out leaving it in the anchor hatch and the anchor was doing damage to the fibreglass.
I hove i have explained this properly
Troy

[troy]

Smithy good post the vagabond is a nice riding boat.
Have you been in one with a inboard motor and if so what is your preference regarding one with an outboard.
Troy

[Grand_Marlin]

G'day Troy.

To do this you need a decent bow sprit, and the correct bow roller, preferably one that has a captive brace over the top of the anchor.

If it isnt captive, it can (and has) been thrown back through the windscreen in rough weather.

You also need the right anchor to suit. Plow anchors are the best suited to the permanent mounting, but are a lot heavier.

The Danforth anchors that most people have, need some additional "wings" on the shaft, to make it sit straight in the bow roller.

Cheers

Pete

[bidkev]

Troy, doing my best to have your thread catch up on the cat one ;D

The whittley has the bow sprit and plough anchor. The roller in the bow sprit is of the "double tilt" kind, that is it has a double roller that tilts when the arm of the plough hits it and it then brings it onto the deck. The anchor cleat has a locking pin that you lay the chain in and the pin slots through the chain holding the anchor (tight) in position.

kev

Ulcers are caused not so much by what we eat as what's eating us.

[troy]

Good on you Kev ;) and Pete is Kevs set up what you are talking about.
On my last boat i could leave it out but i lost the anchor and it never worked as good and i could not buy the same anchor again.
Troy

[Grand_Marlin]

G'day Troy,

There are various options... just make sure it can be secured or locked in one way or another.

I was talking about a stainless loop over the bow roller assembly, or most have a spring loaded pin that go through the end of the bow roller.

Kev is talking about the "t" shaped cleat, or bollard that you tie your anchor rope off to. These are available with a spring loaded locking pin in them, that go through a link in the chain.

Take a look at pg 58 in the Bias catalogue.

ps If it looks like your mono thread will catch the cat thread, I will just come on here, start swearing and abusing, and get the post deleted by the moderators ;D

Cheers

Pete

[rough_shag]

Smithy, just curious to know what kinda rig you have at the moment as you seem to be pretty clued in on a lot of different designs etc. My choice of buying a Viking mk2 was based on speaking to a broad crossection of boaties/fishermen as I had very little knowledge about boat designs etc.Jeff Webster wrote about the Viking in his boat buyer's guide saying:'One of the all time great fishing cuddies is Seafarers' Viking 5.5mtr' 'It's compact in size but boasts the handling,ride,performance and seaworthiness of many larger craft' and 'The Viking is extremely stable,soft riding and very dry,also notable is the impressive stern buoyancy' he concluded that the design was a first class rig.Since owning mine I can't argue with any of what he wrote but then again I am not wanting to go chasing Marlin 40 miles offshore either!.
One area where my rig falls behind is in the slow trolling area,do you reckon a Lazilas foil would be helpful or do you think I should just live with it?. I would love to own a 6 mtr plus size rig but the towing issues and running/storage costs are prohibitive for the likes of myself-oh well maybe one day.

[troy]

Pete this thread has no chance of catching yours.
Your thread was excellent apart from being spioled by a certain member.
Troy
ps By me saying i do not like the cats i am not knocking them as a boat.

[Grand_Marlin]

Thats cool Troy 8-)

I dont mind anyway... each to their own.

I dont dislike monohulls, I just like Cats more.

In america, there are very few Cats....

[bidkev]

<snip<

In america, there are very few Cats....



Thanks to all the pit bull owners ;D

kev

Always borrow money from a pessimist. He won't expect it back.

[bobp]

love my cruise craft

625 explorer

[insideout]

Thats cool Troy # 8-)

I dont mind anyway... each to their own.

I dont dislike monohulls, I just like Cats more.

In america, there are very few Cats....



A good mate of mine got a job skippering boats in the florida keys for the mega rich. He told me that 70% of the boats mored there are gutted out super yahts , with gutted out heles bolted to the top of them, and gutted out jetskis, tenders as well. these "boats" are just tied there ,for no other purpose but to keep the rich image for there owners. Plus thay have some kick ass parties on them. The cats that are there are huge ocean,going vessels and were 100% real, and the other " cats" that were there were your offshore racing breed and were commonly used for ..... lets say..Midnight runnings...

[seatime]

insideout,
the gutted out interiors you speak of are probably cycled through different boats in Miami, like display furniture. After someone buys a boat they take everything including lining and use it on another boat. The new owners either don't use the boat or refit to their own taste.

I've worked out why there aren't as many posts here as the "cats go for it" thread. Most mono owners don't feel they need to defend their boats, for them the argument was over long ago. :) :)

[Grand_Marlin]

Gelsec.... I dont think you are quite right there.

In boating terms there are three types of people.

Those who make things happen (cat owners)

Those who watch things happen (tri hull owners)

and

Those who wonder what happened (mono hull owners)

;D ;D ;D

And to think that they say "Poverty is owning a Horse"...maybe we could nauticalize it and change it to monohull ;D ;D ;D

..... just kidding...ok ?

[seatime]

Grand Marlin, I'm forever wondering what happened. :o

I am going to increase my cat usage from now on, there's a few out there that need my attention. :)

Once I get used to that "feel" of felines, I'll wring one's effin neck, give it a hand full and see what happens. I need more time in them to give an holistic view. I've never driven one properly, only been a passenger mostly, and that's not the ideal way to get to know a boat. I've driven a displacement cat before, but that was a booze cruise, 9kts in the river.

I've also decided to show restraint when replying on here, oh did u see my Cat' amite post earlier. :) cheers, also kidding, Steve

[Kalin]

Well doesn't Plagiarism and amateur jiberish appear to be alive and well!

Charles K. Chiodi should ring a bell with somebody here? now own up, wouldn't like to put you in the spotlight would we? Been reading way too many boat books haven't we?

[Kalin]

Really has anybody ever seen so much nonense about so little sprouted on about so few? Totally amazing what some people will believe let alone repeat!

[Kalin]

My o my did anybody take a close look at what that tri-hull was based on?

[revs57]

My turn now....go the 6mt plus mono platey!!!!!

Go you good thing! ;)

cheers

rhys

[Grand_Marlin]

;D Gelsec, I just rewound and found your comment.... very clever ;D

All in good fun ;D

[Grand_Marlin]

My old friend Mantaray.....

Why are you comparing American sailing tris to small powered cathederal hulls built in Australia?

And why are you bringing another post into this one?

Here we go again......

[troy]

Kalin this thread is about monos and the last three posts you made was nothing more than trying to stir people up and insult them.
Talk about monos or whatever boat you own and leave it at that.
Troy.
ps Better still start your own thread and tell us about yourself like what boat you own and what are your thoughts on Ausfish.

[blaze]

did you say in not so many words for kalin to crawl from beneath his rock and expose himself troy
did I say that
very unlike me to post rot, but I suppose we all need to resort to that sometimes to vent our spleens
hey
this could really be a fun way to post
;D ;D ;D ;D
cheers
blaze

[bidkev]

Kalin this thread is about monos and the last three posts you made was nothing more than trying to stir people up and insult them.
Talk about monos or whatever boat you own and leave it at that.
Troy.
ps Better still start your own thread and tell us about yourself like what boat you own and what are your thoughts on Ausfish.



What do you expect Troy? It's (ex) Mantaray. As for telling us about himself, I think he's already done that. ;) ::)

kev

An expert is a man who has made all the mistakes which can be in a very narrow field.

[bidkev]

My turn now....go the 6mt plus mono platey!!!!!

Go you good thing! ;)

cheers

rhys

Saw it in the yard at sundown Rhys.........bloody beauty! You did a good job of getting the squid ink off ;D

kev

An oak tree is just a nut that held its ground.

[insideout]

Well doesn't Plagiarism and amateur jiberish appear to be alive and well!

Charles K. Chiodi should ring a bell with somebody here? now own up, wouldn't like to put you in the spotlight would we? Been reading way too many boat books haven't we?



[smiley=clown.gif] [smiley=clown.gif] [smiley=clown.gif] [smiley=clown.gif]

[PinHead]

Well doesn't Plagiarism and amateur jiberish appear to be alive and well!

Charles K. Chiodi should ring a bell with somebody here? now own up, wouldn't like to put you in the spotlight would we? Been reading way too many boat books haven't we?



ahhh yes..and the manta..oops, I mean master of the amateur jibberish strikes again.

[Smithy]

Troy,

haven't been in any small sterndrive boats smaller than a 26' Black Watch. I know Rob Brown had one in a 6.5 Spearfish and thought it was a pig so he podded it and ran a 175 Yamaha. Think the sterndrive was a pig in a following sea. Been in two Vagabonds, one with twin 115 Oceanpros and one with a single 225 Oceanpro. Remember coming across a flat Moreton Bay with Bill Hull at the helm on the big single getting her airborne and getting over 50mph on the pitot tube speed gauge. The one with twins had tabs and the owner said it made it twice the boat it was beforehand.

Jace,


Smithy, just curious to know what kinda rig you have at the moment as you seem to be pretty clued in on a lot of different designs etc. My choice of buying a Viking mk2 was based on speaking to a broad crossection of boaties/fishermen as I had very little knowledge about boat designs etc.Jeff Webster wrote about the Viking in his boat buyer's guide saying:'One of the all time great fishing cuddies is Seafarers' Viking 5.5mtr' 'It's compact in size but boasts the handling,ride,performance and seaworthiness of many larger craft' and 'The Viking is extremely stable,soft riding and very dry,also notable is the impressive stern buoyancy' he concluded that the design was a first class rig.Since owning mine I can't argue with any of what he wrote but then again I am not wanting to go chasing Marlin 40 miles offshore either!.
One area where my rig falls behind is in the slow trolling area,do you reckon a Lazilas foil would be helpful or do you think I should just live with it?. I would love to own a 6 mtr plus size rig but the towing issues and running/storage costs are prohibitive for the likes of myself-oh well maybe one day.

Question 1 - 702 Signature Walkabout with a 225 4 Stroke Yamaha. Only got 100 hours on it because I have been getting out on so many other boats recently. Nothing better than stepping off a game boat with everything washed down and stowed away and heading for home knowing nothing more needs doing. With a trailer boat once you are the home the fun is only starting.

Question 2 - Go for the foil. The areas the Viking I used to fish on fell down were its tendency to fall off the plane like you are talking about and its steering. The owner has since put a 115 4 Stroke Yamaha now but I am yet to go out in it with this motor. I guess it would perform better through the rev range than the 2. His fuel bills were certainly better. 40 litre trips to Caloundra Wide and stuff. The 115 Oceanpro had bucket fulls of grunt down low but with normal cable steer it was a pain in the arse to use wanting to go full lock all the time. As a minimum everyone should fit non-feedback cable. Yes it did want to drop off the plane all the time and he never wanted to trim it in because it would use more fuel. With 4 strokes you don't think of that and you trim for comfort. The ultimate would be tabs but for the sake of $40 you should try a foil. Every boat should also be lined in side. That is what maybe made my Mclay platey so good - deadening the sound. It had carpet on every internal surface. The 685 Cruise Craft was lined that I was in the other day and it was very quiet but the Viking wasn't and you knew about it up front. You are right about the 5.5s stability. Maybe that is why they ride so hard yet to look at them they look very deep Ved with a pointy nose. Could never figure it out bashing across Moreton Bay with waves that looked only 1-2 foot high yet you were getting bashed to pieces. Was never a sit down person in a boat till I got the Mclay. With the Viking and the JBS I was going out in at the time you never got a chance so you never knew you were missing out on anything. Like you have quoted from Jeff Webster they certainly inspire you with confidence. I remember one time coming through the NE channel with them standing up about 4m after a post cyclonic swell. We got pretty vertical a couple of times but I had heaps of confidence in the skipper and the boat. 2 waves and you were through and putting the lures out for Marlin just the other side. They do feel big for thier size with a massive cockpit in a boat that size with the Vikings being a cuddy.

[troy]

Allision fibreglass boats as i have been told have no timber in them and it is all fibreglass.
Is this a good way to go or is there some drawbacks.
Troy

[Grand_Marlin]

It is a good way to go.

The reason timber is used, is that it gives good strength, is easy to work with, and above all... it is the cheaper option.

[seatime]

Add weight though. What would they use, laminated stringers and beams.
I've also heard of poly something being used instead of timber, don't know how they make it stick.

[arvor]

look outside the circle fellas?we have an arvor 20 and after many years of boating this is it for me.where do i start?from the fine entry for drive through slop or swell.or the gullwing each side of the keel for at rest ?what about a true self draining deck and the open stern to fight right up to the duckboard.and trailable just on 2000kgs on trailer and no permits.now the motor?5cyl 2.5 turbo intercooled that i can run all day and not break any bank[trolled from mooloolaba around cartright a few times then to murphys then across to outer gneerings old woman then back in for 17 litres]there are a two things that we live with in the cabin it does get hot in summer .but most of the time im on the tiller with the binicalls just trolling and at speed in some rough stuff its not totally dri for those on deck but me being skipper. dry as a bone.and last of all oil hit a massive high today of $108 a barrel .bugger ill still fish every week.thats my bit.gary.

[Outsider1]

look outside the circle fellas?we have an arvor 20 and after many years of boating this is it for me.where do i start?from the fine entry for drive through slop or swell.or the gullwing each side of the keel for at rest ?what about a true self draining deck and the open stern to fight right up to the duckboard.and trailable just on 2000kgs on trailer and no permits.now the motor?5cyl 2.5 turbo intercooled that i can run all day and not break any bank[trolled from mooloolaba around cartright a few times then to murphys then across to outer gneerings old woman then back in for 17 litres]there are a two things that we live with in the cabin it does get hot in summer .but most of the time im on the tiller with the binicalls just trolling and at speed in some rough stuff its not totally dri for those on deck but me being skipper. dry as a bone.and last of all oil hit a massive high today of $108 a barrel .bugger ill still fish every week.thats my bit.gary.

Thanks for that Gary,

have always been fascinated by the Arvors. I have my existing boat moored on a Pontoon (it is antifouled) and it has always struck me that an Arvor would be an ideal boat for that type of set up.

Would love to hear a bit more about your experience with them one day if you have the time and inclination, perhaps in a new Arvor thread.

Cheers

Dave

[BrewGuru]

You have to look at the Stats, Monos sold against cats sold, monos WIN
In relation to amount of monos on the water compared to the amount of cats, mono WIN,
in relation to vessel flip overs and rescue of same monos WIN
The amount of tugs, trawlers, cruise ships that utilise all of the oceans compared to cats, monos WIN.
Military mono gun ships compared to cat gunships mono WINS
Submarines amount of mono submarines compared to cat submarines mono WINS
Cats have two hulls for the same reason push bikes have training wheels, no argument.....next?

[Brumby]

Gawd - here we go again, maybe this thread should have been left buried where it was?

[finding_time]

look outside the circle fellas?we have an arvor 20 and after many years of boating this is it for me.where do i start?from the fine entry for drive through slop or swell.or the gullwing each side of the keel for at rest ?what about a true self draining deck and the open stern to fight right up to the duckboard.and trailable just on 2000kgs on trailer and no permits.now the motor?5cyl 2.5 turbo intercooled that i can run all day and not break any bank[trolled from mooloolaba around cartright a few times then to murphys then across to outer gneerings old woman then back in for 17 litres]there are a two things that we live with in the cabin it does get hot in summer .but most of the time im on the tiller with the binicalls just trolling and at speed in some rough stuff its not totally dri for those on deck but me being skipper. dry as a bone.and last of all oil hit a massive high today of $108 a barrel .bugger ill still fish every week.thats my bit.gary.

Well Gary

You might convince some on here that your Arvor is the bees knees but not me, i've spent to much time on one.;) The 60l fuel tanks are way to small and have to sometimes blead the airlines after swaping tanks is a pain in the @rse in any sea. 19knts is ok but put 4 blokes an esky and any gear onboard and it's 13knts or worse add to this and decent sea and you should set a lure spread as you'll only be going 6knts. Your right the cabin is very hot and the bunks virtually unusable, there is a great working deck though and the idea of a deisel appeals!
For any of our coastal bars there just plain dangerous as they dont have the get up and go for either entering or leaving a bar with any swell on it, but if you just want to work in the bay or out of Mooloolaba and have plenty of spare time i reckon they could be a good boat!8-)

Ian

[arvor]

well Ian, i do think it is the bees knees.a few in qld had twin tanks but ours was from nsw and has a single 85ltr tank so taking into account 10% in reserve we still have 76ltrs useable which is about 19hours off trolling or up the anti up to 18 knots and we could get to 68 nautical miles offshore then return.not that we do but that is plenty of scope for us.and a spare 25 ltr drum is another safety as well.as for speed we normally go out with 3 adults and for offshore work that is plenty even with the big deck space.we can get just 19 knots but that is when currents are with us but troll at 13.14. and you would be surprised how far you can travel and how well skirts work at that speed. now as for the coastal bars ? the bars aren't dangerous .the boats aren't dangerous. its the person who put them together at a time when they should have stayed home and to hit a bar with too much speed and flying off the top with prop in air isn't how it should be done. have a look at all the trawlers along the east coast? not many have a holeshot of a ski boat .anyway i don't need to convince anyone .as its not for sale and wont be for a very long time. but each to there own and we all have our own ideas. see ya.gary

[Reel Blue]

Had a 600F signature. Prior to that had a 5.8 Pacific Sportsfish. Was not happy with signature ride into headsea and mates with platies agreed. Did also spear it through waves as descibed about the seafarers. It was a nice boat in every other way and very safe and predicatable with its handling. Sportfish a great boat and loved it but was tricky to handle in steep following seas and pressure waves on the bar. Now have 650 HH Classic which is longer and heavier to tow and dearer to run. However its ride is superb and all that have been in it confirm this. I have skippered a 685 Cruisecraft with twin 115 four strokes for about five trips offshore. Lovely boat but wouldn't say that it rides any better than my Haines despite being bigger. A fellow ausfish member had a 550 cruisecraft and hated its ride. Mates with new 575 and 625 cruisecrafts are very impressed with ride of the Haines. Not arguing its the best as I wouldn't have a clue and its too subjective a question to ever get an answer. The HH 650 I find to be quite wet and you really need the clears. However, it transitions from rest to the plane without any bow lift, holds plane at 11knots, rides steep chop well, is predictable in a following sea and has excellent stability. It has a good layout for fishing and a good cockpit size for the overall size of the boat. I haven't been in the seafarer vagabond but the dimensions of the two boats, including weight, look very similar. The seafarer has a better finish but I could buy the Haines cheaper and in my local area.

[Crestcutter]

Haines 213c

[Offshore^Jack]

Your response is a bit late Gary,this thread finished 2 years ago;D

[polky]

Suignature 575 would be my choice, Mate just purchased a ccraft 625 with mercury 175 yet to go wide, haven,t been outside due to ordinary weather, I tend to think a little under powered. Polky.

[finding_time]

Suignature 575 would be my choice, Mate just purchased a ccraft 625 with mercury 175 yet to go wide, haven,t been outside due to ordinary weather, I tend to think a little under powered. Polky.

Maybe underpowered for offshore racing but a cc625 isn't a racing boat now is it! I believe bill corten's 625 started with a 175 then went to a 200hpdi now it's back using a 150 ( i think) Why? Well to start with it's not a racing boat, Bill know's a thing or 2 about bar's and wont fall for the b/s that says you need hp and hull shot for bars and 3 with fuel get more and more expensive he realizes the the 625 goes quite well with a 150 and is a damm site cheaper to run! bills boat is also a fair bit heavier than a srtandard CC.

Ian

[Noelm]

it is a rather strange thing that people think you need speed and power to negotiate a Bar, sure at times it can make life easier, but Boats were going over Bars way before speed in Boats was never more than about 10knots, it is more about knowing what you are doing, than a straight out "how fast can I get in/out!"

[polky]

Fair ststment fellas, no bars were we fish but round trip would be 200nm. So fair statment on fuel usage.

[seamaid]

:P
Mono hull built in 1970 ( ply ) myself. Hartly Design.
Spent a lot of time on Noosa Cats.
Few times on the Hydrofields.
Own a mono hull at present.
Choice of this discussion it come down to what boat suits your work/recreational use.
Cheers Ged

[scoota]

Got to say with a bit of bias;) , the boat I spend most of my time at the wheel being a 20 foot Pride podded up with a 175 yammy has got to be the best downhill boat I have skippered. Even coming from quarter behind in ordinary conditions maintaining speed and poise without heart flutters is a characteristic I enjoy from this boat like no other I have been in.

I am looking forward to driving Bill Coretons 625 Cruisy in comparison as we will soon be embarking on a coastal bar course where he says he will take us out of our comfort zone :o

Should be informative

Scoota....