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joffa007
04-02-2006, 12:42 AM
Hi all i have never owned a boat in my life so have very little experience. Was at the dealer today they had a nice little quintrex explorer 385 package for 7k. would this boat be ok for bays, rivers, lakes and close in reefs ? Or should i be looking for something a little bigger or a dingy shape. They had the 420 dory there as well it was about a extra $1500 but i liked the explorer shape better. Any advice on a first boat under 8k would be appreciated.

Thanks Geoff

troy
04-02-2006, 06:09 AM
Geoff i do not know your area but up my way the boat you are talking about would be out of the question for any reef fishing .
Troy

finga64
04-02-2006, 07:57 AM
Mate,
Go for a ride in the explorer in the river when there is a bit of wind chop. I'd only venture to close places in the bay when it is perfect conditions and have been perfect for a week and no change is going to happen for the next week.
Forget about reefs or even the bay on most days with the Explorer.

If it's your first boat get to know your boat in creeks and rivers before venturing any wider. Lakes can blow up real quick as well, just like the bays.

Angla
04-02-2006, 09:29 AM
Is new the way you want to go or would say a used 4.5 m be a better option for your learning years. It would probably be more forgiving and yet still easy to handle
I bought an old fibreglass 5.2 m with 115 hp at 22 years old for $7,500. Run it up on sand and flogged the motor to near death many times before updating 6 years later to a bigger better new boat. Only lost the cost of the maintenance.

What sort of fish do you want to catch?

Angla

Grand_Marlin
04-02-2006, 09:31 AM
Well said Guys.

Geoff,
as a guide:
Bay use and inshore / close in reefs = 5+ metre cuddy cab

Creeks, rivers, dams = boats you are talking about. These are not designed for rough water. Thats why peple who take these boats out in the bay quite often become statistics. Especially if you are inexperienced.

Everyone seems to buy their first boat, then upgrade to a bigger boat, then again to a bigger boat.......

The bigger the boat, obviously the better sea handling capabilities it will have, the more room it will have, the more stable it will be and in general, the safer it will be... but also the more expensive it will be to buy, and to run (fuel, maintenance, accessories, tow vehicle).

There are some reasonable bigger boats for sale on the second hand market, but if you are considering buying second hand, do yourself a couple of favours. 1) Buy "Second Hand Boat Secrets" by Jeff Webster from the newsagent, or seamedia.com. 2) take someone with you who knows boats, as buying second hand can be full of traps.
Also with boats, if something is cheap, there is generally a reason for it....

Firstly, weigh up exactly the type of fishing and the areas you want to go to. Then be prepared to part with the appropriate money to buy the appropriate boat for the task at hand.

If 8k is the budget, then so be it. Just remember that the smaller boats have limitations and pushing these limits will sooner or later see you in a dangerous situation.

There is lots of fun to be had in the rivers etc, bream, whiting, prawns, mudcrabs and even just spending the day exploring these areas.

Also keep in mind that a lot of people buy the biggest and newest boat they can afford.... then cant afford to run it. So it ends up sitting in the driveway, unused.

So there is a lot to be said for the advantages of smaller boats.

Whatever you decide to buy, make sure you test drive it before you buy it. Actually, test drive a few first, so as you can get the feel for the different boats.
And dont be pushed around by the dealers. Let them know your situation (new b) and the fact that you need a few test rides to decide.
Dont let them talk you into signing a contract on the boat they "assume" is the boat for you before you can test it yourself.

Also, Be fair to the dealer - dont be a tyre kicker, but if they cant be decent and help you out... go elsewhere.

Cheers

Pete

Geoff_Atkinson
04-02-2006, 09:45 AM
I have a 385 quinnie explorer and it is a great little boat for the rivers and creeks up here in Cairns.

However, if I have it in the inlet and the wind chops the water up enough, it gets very uncomfortable and wet.

I don't know how far the reef is where you are, but I wouldn't be taking the explorer too far out.

For a compromise to do both jobs, maybe something like the 420 Estuary Angler or 435 Coast Runner. To stay around your budget, you will have to g second hand, but that is no disgrace, I think you will find nearly everyone started with a used boat.

Oh, and with a name like that, you should know better.

Cheers,

Geoff

joffa007
04-02-2006, 09:57 AM
Thanks for the quick replys. looks like i need to start looking more at something a little bigger in the trading post. I live in Melbourne so would want to be able to take the boat in port phillip bay on a nice day. At another dealer they had a couple of old stacer 4.2m boats with fwd steer windscreen and that. But the motors looked old. What should i look for if buying a 2nd hand boat/motor. Thanks again

Grand_Marlin
04-02-2006, 10:13 AM
That book i spoke about will tell you about motors as well.

In melbourne, another good mix would be an older Quintrex 474 (etc) and put a later model 60hp motor on it (just a thought)

marcus
04-02-2006, 10:19 AM
Hi guys, new to the site. I have just ordered a new Cruisecraft Explorer 500 with a 115 four stroke Yammi. This is my first cuddy cab and fibreglass boat. Any advise would be appreciated?

JEWIENEWIE
04-02-2006, 11:16 AM
Joffa007, The boys bring up good points, i was in your shoes a few years ago and was going to buy new but this is not the way to go. Because it is your first boat, like me, i am sure you will hit rocks, snags, boat ramps etc and can be very upsetting to see your new pride and joy getting the shit scratched out of her! My advice is to go secondhand so you can become familiar with handling a boat, find out what you like and dont like in her and then buy new. You need to crawl before you can walk, dont try and run!!
JN

joey_1987
04-02-2006, 11:19 AM
Hey, i live in Frankston, 40km SE of Melbourne. I just bought a stacer 3.95m seasprite and its main use is for fishing PPB. It is fine on good days, and on days when a SW chop of 1m comes up you can get home safely. I bought this brand new, Boat, 30hp Mariner 2 stroke (rebadged tohatsu-good motor), and dunbier trailer was $5800 incl nav lights which i opted for. This is well below your budget and would allow for you to get an extra carpeted floor, paint the hull, maybe an electric trolling motor even. Hope this helps. Joey.

Grand_Marlin
04-02-2006, 11:33 AM
Just remember that the smaller boats have limitations and pushing these limits will sooner or later see you in a dangerous situation. #



3.95 is a small boat.... Port Philip Bay is a dangerous place... please be careful what information you offer to someone who knows almost nothing about boating. #Keep in mind there could well be kids involved too.....

joey_1987
04-02-2006, 12:44 PM
Sorry I overlooked that fact, mine is safe because i know how to handle it. A brand new boater + PPB + 3.95m tinny? Hmm, i don't like the look of that. That being said, there are advantages of a boat like mine like fuel economy, price, and being brand new, no nasty surprises. Perhaps Geoff should join the coast guard and learn about boating that way? I am about to join at Frankston, they have very experienced boaters and a lot can be learnt from them. That being said, going out in PPB for any person new to boating is a no no for sure! It blows up so quickly! I think Geoff would need to learn the basics before taking any boat out in PPB, and preferably when he does, he should take someone who knows the bay and boats well. 4m tinny and expert driver vs 4.5m glass and inexperienced driver. I know I would pick the experienced driver any day. Joey.

Grand_Marlin
04-02-2006, 01:03 PM
Cheers Joey,
Great post, great advice.

al-straddie
05-02-2006, 06:29 AM
Is new the way you want to go or would say a used 4.5 m be a better option for your learning years. It would probably be more forgiving and yet still easy to handle.


I did this exercise about 6 months ago. Trawled the net looking at hull designs(wave cutting/stability) depth of hull(on PPB you will probably want something with higher sides to keep the seas out), bigger motor or better economy, new or used.....etc.

I ended up buying a second hand 4.75m(15.5ft) Seafarer V-sea (F-glass) with 60hp, all 90 model. it cost me 9grand, but so far has been worth every dollar. It gets used on Morten Bay and outside, and handles sane fishing conditions(15 knots or less) with ease. ;) :)

IMO you'll want something simmalar to be comfortable on PPB. I would've liked something brand new and shiny, but this boat fitted my scope of use perfectly, and I'm not so anal about the deckie spilling the bait ;D

Ps. Anyone know how I can stretch it out to 5m ;D ;D ;D ;D

cheers

joffa007
08-02-2006, 11:00 PM
hi again anyways back at the deeler today and there is a nice quintrex estuary angler down there. It is a 2004 model with a yamaha 30hp cv on it.
The guy reckons it has done about 50hrs but that is only a guess. they want $12500 for it. is this a ok price. Not sure whether to stretch the budget to this or just get a new dory 420 for $8500. The guy was saying they are the same hull anyway. Is it worth the extra money for the angler.

Anyone else in melb selling anything similar to the angler let me know.

Thanks geoff

joey_1987
09-02-2006, 08:54 AM
Hey, if you look on the Quintrex website, www.quintrex.com.au, you will find that the 420 estuary angler is $13,785 new, with a 40hp mariner (pretty good motor) and 3 yrs warranty on the lot. You will find these online prices to be inflated too, for example, my boat, stacer 3.95m seasprite was listed at $5950 on the stacer website with only a 15hp (i got a 30hp with mine) and no extras (i got nav lights, free service) for $5800. For some reason more hp=less $$. I would recommend my boat, especially for rivers and lakes, but for PPB, in either a 3.95m or a 4.2m, as soon as a little bit of wind picks up and white caps appear, it's home time for you. Depending on how many people you want to have onboard, you could save $$ by buying the boat I got, ample power, good on fuel, high sides, feels safe. But then a 4.2m would be safer, but needs more hp and more $$ of course. Joey.

JEWIENEWIE
09-02-2006, 09:09 AM
hey joffa, i bought my tinny not that along ago with a secondhand motor, and have had nothing but trouble since, advice i was given was that a boat is only as good as its motor, buy secondhand boat, buy new motor for it. hassle free boating, wish i had taken it, anyone want to buy a 25hp jono, cheap!
JN

joey_1987
09-02-2006, 01:52 PM
Hey, yeah I agree with Jewienewie, 2nd hand motors are risky to buy in many cases. For me, I could have had a late model 2nd hand package for about $800 less, I decided to go new. And especially when the price difference is so small. Joey.

joffa007
09-02-2006, 11:58 PM
yeah im thinking of just getting a dory package. one dealer will give it to me for $8400 drive away painted with a yammy cv 30. another was saying $8000 with a 25 suzuki.

joey_1987
10-02-2006, 09:22 AM
Hey, what i don't get is why the dory is so much more expensive-$2000+ than the 3.95m. It is slightly bigger, offered with the same size engine though. This is what steered me away from it. Also, depending on how many people you want to have on the boat, max hp may be needed. I know with 4 people on my I really appreciate the 30hp. For you to go to a 40hp will add a considerable amount of extra $$ to the package. Do you need a depth sounder/fishfinder for your new boat? I bought a garmin ff250 for a fellow fishnetter but there were problems and he couldn't buy it off me, so i'm out of pocket for a $310 fishfinder. It retails at $580 and is an excellent unit, easy to use. Otherwise i don't know what i will do, i don't really want to lose $310 :(. Have you rang fleetmarine and asked them about a package price? Stacer's are quite a bit cheaper than Quintrex's i have found. Joey.

joey_1987
10-02-2006, 09:32 AM
Hey, to avoid confusion, about the 'fellow fishnetter' statement, i am also a member of fishnet because this is the big victorian fishing website with forums on it down here, similar to ausfish. Joey.

sf17fisherman
10-02-2006, 11:41 AM
well back to the 385 for a moment
i have a 385 throphy and i have found it to be a fine boat
sure when the chop does get up a fiar bit it starts to bang but up past 1 foot i'm still WOT over the chop

i have also taken this boat outside fishing on the nicer days fishing the closer reefs in 20 meters but only within a short run to the river to be on the safe side

all this but i still doun't recomend unless you have a very good feel for your boating and know your limits and what you can have your boat do

however for PPB i would recomend something atleast 4.5 meters with a prefrence for a 5meter vessle and also go with the biggest motor you can go for not the biggest boat with the smallest motor as it is the motor that get you out of harms way ;)

joffa007
10-02-2006, 07:31 PM
well went for a a bit of a drive today to a stacer dealer for $6700 can get a 420 seahorse with a 30 mariner unpainted drive away. or $5300 for a 3.95 seaspirit with a 15 marine. are these motors as good as yammies.

joey_1987
10-02-2006, 08:45 PM
Hey, the 395 is the boat i have, for about $5500 you could get the same boat with a 30hp mariner. This motor is a rebadged Tohatsu. If you want a motor that will last for a long long time, reliable, good on fuel, and easy to use, go this one. Similar running to the 30hp yamaha CV. There are two models of 15hp, one is the standard american model, the other is a 15hp 'super', a detuned tohatsu 18hp, also a very good motor. Which dealer did you go to? If you are getting the 395, i would go with the 30hp. More power is better than less. If you ever want somebody to show you the ropes, let me know, i'll be more than happy. Joey.

mickstar001
11-02-2006, 10:24 AM
Joffa, was in the same boat as you 3 months ago he he, i picked up a Quintrex 445 Dory 3 years old with a 40 Yamaha with appx 50 Hours work, including sounders built in tackle box and glove box seats boat cover etc etc for $7250. Brought it sight unseen (got the motor checked out tho) from airliee beach FNQ. Been to PFB when she's chopped up and if i were you i'd go a little bigger - mine has massive sides and is extremely stable with 3 people in her. Spend the time to find one which is 2-3 yrs old and has been looked after extremely well - you'll save $$$. Best of luck buddy. 8-)

Mick

mickstar001
11-02-2006, 10:26 AM
Oh Joffa if you want any pics lemme know :)

uripper
11-02-2006, 05:03 PM
First boat buying suggestions

1. stay with popular brands/models – they usually are the better packages & resell better when you want to upgrade or change style etc
2. go for simple open boat with tiller steer – max bang for buck - that 420 Dory would be great learner & have great flexibility of use
3. resist gadgets, extras, toys, & focus on the basics – trailer + hull + motor – KISS principle
4. go for a water test – offer $50 – it a cheap investment – you will learn a lot about the rig
5. get independent check by reputable marine mechanic – a $200 service is again a cheap investment (PM me if your buying Brisbane Northside)
6. don’t hesitate to walk away if any of the above don’t gel - $250 spent avoiding a disaster is a bargain
7. remember the old adage “a boat is a hole in the water you pour money into” – stick with the above & it’ll stay a small hole
8. a bargain usually isn’t – with $7K budget you can buy something in good condition that has a lot of life left & will resell OK

Good Luck - Mal M

joffa007
12-02-2006, 01:35 PM
I have found a nice boat on ebay i like here http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4612530527&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3APIC&rd=1

But i am in Melbourne and it is up near wollongong whats the best way to go about buying a boat from interstate ? Why are boats so much cheaper up north than in melb.

rough_shag
13-02-2006, 11:13 AM
Hi al straddie,I know you were talking tongue in cheek about stretching your v-sea out but mate seafarer made an older design called the 'Viking' which was slightly bigger than your v-sea and later they upsized them to the mk2 5.5mtr cuddy cabin which has tonnes of fishing space.
See ya on the bay sometime.Cheers!.Jace.