Stessco Tinnies, Ant Comments???

[madman1]

My old man is looking to buy a new to newish tinnie around the 4.5 metre length and steering towards Stessco.

I have not had anything to do with them and would like any comments wheter they be positive or negative.

Use will be primarily estuary and maybe out the front of Shorncliffe if the weather is right.

All comments and suggestions would be appreciated.


Cheers


Madman1

[razorline]

madman1,

go the bluefin 5.0metre plate - you can't go past them. we took delivery of ours yesterday - double island here we come.


simon


p.s have you christened the new bait board yet?

[Brett_Hoskin]

Razorline....What sort of fitout did you get? Outboard Size? etc etc

Pm if you like.

Interested to also know what sort of $ for the 5mtr

[mariner_22]

the stessco's are a top boat they really handle a chop well and are suprisingly dry and stable. Probably due to the 3mm floor. They are also much wider than most tinnies on the market, which makes it great for loading up with gear and fishing.

Mariner 22

[mako_5.2]

I had a 3.8 stessco with a 25hp for 3 years and never had a problem.

[reellife]

my brother has a stessco hurricane rv with a johnson 40hp.
great boat very stable.
if possible get a rv easy to move around on and plenty of storage

[stubbie]

for what he will be using it for shouldn't have any problems.good and reliable tinnies!!!!!

[madman1]

Cheers for the info, I will pass it on.

Simon, the boat is back in the yard getting the bait tank enlarged.

Are we still on for the weekend?

Talk to you later.

Mark

[mjc85]

Yeh razorline, interested to hear what fitout you got ? and what motor ? with a trailer or not ? and total cost? I am considering bluefin because they are good value so i hear. I would want a centre console about 4.5 metres long with a 60-90HP, something that is suitable for estuary and the odd offshore adventure.

Mitch

[pegasus]

hey madman, I think stessco have some great designed boats at very competetive prices -but having said that I do not wish to sound as I slinging the proverbial but will tell you my how it went it down with me- I ordered a stessco rv 420- 16 mnths ago-with some additions and some deletions- it added xtra to the price to have deletions-work that out- provided detail drawings of fit out- things like no rear cast platform no fwd rails so on- six weeks turned to eight weeks- dealer went to collect on the arranged date and time- not ready - hull not on trailer and the boat was not fitted out as requested-they had finished the floor early putting in racks- it was not what was requested- factory staff response at the time was stiff cheese- take it or leave it -want another that ll be six weeks- we left it-
five years ago I owned a stessco bass treker rv-386 i think was the model-purchased new it started developing cracks (minor) on transom welds- had an 18 hp -with in the hp ratings.

a work collegue relates he had problems with welds in his stessco 4.5 mtre ish)and had a bugger of time and multi trips back and forward and it turned sour-to the point of taking legal tones- however this was passed on to me by another so I vouch for it- the rest I can

I know one north coast dealer who dropped stessco and went to another manufacture- also I believe one very large dealer bayside no longer does stessco- you d have to ask them the reason

maybe its a sign now a days as factories get bigger- production lifts/booms- quaility goes down and so to customer focus but in any case it is still poor ???
these may be isolated cases but to me the stessco factory needs to lift its game - maybe it has done so-
well anyway just some info there - more you know the better of you tend to be
good luck :)
cheers

[pegasus]

hi madman - sorry I need to prove read my post in more detail and maybe be a bit more diplomatic.yep I should have done more schooling - what meant to say was that I can not vouch for the work collegue story but am willing to stand by my experience- overall I think there is fine stessco designed boats out there just a shame the factory doesnot get its act togehter with quality and customer relations. I was going to send you a pm on this matter but thought you wanted all feed back and that it would be info shared with all - to balance, an form thier own opinion/conclusions
all the best

[Bowser]

I may be a bit late with my comments, but I have the 4.45 Stessco. Bought it at the boat show in 03. Could not be happier with the boat. Solid, dry and very strong. I assume you are looking at the 4.2 and the 3 mm bottom and 2mm sides are 50% thicker than other boats and this extra thickness gives you the added sense of security. I still cannot get over the price difference between these and other tinnies out there. Just ridiculous what you pay for a sticker on the side.

To answer the comments about factory problems, when delivered the factory had missed placing a floor between the bow and front seat. This was an extra ordered at time of purchase and missed because of the huge number of boats they had sold at the show and the pressure to get the orders filled. They organised to pick the boat up from me, take it to the factory and install this. When they picked it my wife mentioned to them a small flaw in design where fish were able to get under the seat and onto the floor at the stern. We didn't expect anything of it, but when the boat was returned this had been fixed at no cost to us. Nearly 2 years on the boat has had a major face lifts turning it into a centre console and I would back it against anything else in this size except the new 4.45 released at the Tinnie and Tackle show.

I have also found that they are very power economical. Similar sized boats are running round with twice the HP on the back. I do intend to increase my motor size since the extra weight was added with the console, but it is not imperative. I am still getting ample speed and power from a 30 HP Yammie 3 pot. Other brands, particularly Quintrex need 50 HP plus to plane and stay there. Ride is safe, though like most tinnies, running into a bay chop can be hard. They are particularly good down hill and I have found that they do not have any tendency to broach when running over a wave. Just stays right on course, much to my relief when I had to come back over south passage with an unresponsive motor. I could maintain the power and run over a wave in complete safety, not that I recommend that behaviour, but the alternative was to drop off the plane and not be able to get back up with waves following me.

[nigelr]

I'm VERY late on this one, have a 4.2 mtre Stessco catcher, great little boat, 3mm bottom and very deep vee bottom make it great in chop/slop long as you drive it within it's limits. Handles crossing the local bar eaily when suitable conditions allow, 30hp Tohatsu perfect size match, did a run over the bar to the inshore reefs yesterday am, 13.7 ks, cost about $5. Great value for the $$$$$$$s. Cheers

[WHITTO]

Have had a Stessco Bass Tracker/15hp Yamaha for 6yrs top little outfit,goes like a Scalded Cat,no hull cracking or anyother
problem for that matter, Cheers Whitto :D :D

[Jono_SS]

I reluctantly sold my Stessco 3.9m about a year ago and nearly bought a 445 hurricane RV...only thing that convinced me otherwise was seeing the 455 Tornado. it wasn't only the flat sides (not plate) that appealed to me - it's very beamy (2.2m) and has nice deep sides so my 60+ year old dad feels pretty safe offshore. there's storage everywhere, and I found the guys at the factory very helpful when it came to some modifications.

the 'ornado doesn't cut through 20knot southerly chop like my friend's Fisher, but it's more than capable of getting you home when things turn ugly (Bulwer to Scarby thursday - wet but safe!), and it's also very stable. I went the tiller steer because I love the space to run around like a headless chook when hooked up to pelagics.

[Jono_SS]

it's not "plate" but it's tough...

as always, there are trade offs...