To Tri-Hull or not to Tri-Hull ???

[MikeH]

Hi Team,

I'm also looking at an Eagle Ray 2200 (although I think it is 23 ft) centre console tri-hull. I haven't physically seen it yet.. just pics and conversations/research.

The unit was all custom ordered/delivered new 2001, however it only has a Yamaha 100 hp(yes 100hp) 4 stroke on it !!!! Which concerns me a little given the 22 feet of boat.

I've scratched up a web site of some Eagle Ray 2200 demonstrator pic's for all to have a squiz. The only actual PIC I've got is stuck on the bottom of the website.

http://www.xena.com.au/eagle_ray

Given the shallow draft, (which I need due to sandbar's across my river) is it reasonable to think that 100HP 4 stroke is going to be enough to get this cruising at around 25kts. I think I've secured it for 31K plus about 2.5K to transport to Cairns. It's currently in Batesman Bay.

Most of the other demo's I've seen have a 170hp 2st or above. I'll call the manufacturer to see if they can throw some light on it and keep you all posted.

[CQ_Fisher]

I dont think 100HP is anywhere near enough power for this size boat, thats about 6.6M of boat. Once you get a few blokes on board, loaded with fuel and gear i reckon that motor would really struggle and then you would lose the fuel efficiency of the 4-stroke as is will be labouring continually to push that size hull. Just my opinion. By the way it is a bloody nice looking boat.

Cheers
JD

[NQCairns]

Probably a 23 footer, I used to see one every now and then, I think the kingscliff coast guard has one or did have or something ::). Might be worth a ring? Interesting boat wont miss you around here, which river are you talking about?nq

[Robbo_Townsville]

I have a 115 on a 5.4m glass boat and reckon I could use another 20hp. I am not familiar with the boat or its weight but 100hp on 23 foot doesn't sound like it could pull the skin off a rice puddin'. I hope I am wrong for your sake.

[propdinger]

mate i would be taking a flight to batemanns bay and checking it out for that price and a good on water test buying a boat unseen is not what i would call smart as someone on the site found out
for a $400 airfair better than wasting $34000 sight unseen
just my opionon anyway :-/ :-/ :-/
;D ;D ;D ;D


jeff

[basserman]

well i would think the 100 is alitte under powered
i have no douts that it would get on the plane but would it have the balls to get you moveing in frount of a breaking wave on a bar ??? i dout it!
i have a 115 on my 17 foot (5.3m) southwind and later this year i'm replaceing that motor for a 140 4st suzuki mainly because it is the same wheght of the 115 and i'm getting it for a VERY good price (around $10 000 brand new) ;D

[cooky]

I'm assuming that's a jeep or a prado towing it - therefore I would guess less than 2 tonne for a start. Great looking rig - sounds very tempting for the price.
It almost looks a bigger motor than 100hp in the photo.
I would be surprised if it will cruise at 25kts - that's not bad going. I would guess 18 to 22kt - but this is coming from someone with absolutely no idea, just from the little I've learnt over the last few weeks looking.
It would be magic if it had 2 of them on the back.
Top speed might be less than 28kts (again a guess).
Although I would be surprised if someone would get something CUSTOM made at the sort of cost that it would have been without researching appropriate power.
If I didn't have the kids, I would have picked you up from Cairns driven down there and towed it back for $1500 - condition on regular fishing stops of course

[Sportfish_5]

Basserman - Can you give me a PM on where you are getting the 140 Suzuki from ? I am doing the same up here in Brisbane and the best price I have got so far has been around $13,800 installed. They started @ $16800 initially before hmm negotiations :(

Cheers

Greg

[cooky]

please let me know about the 140 4stroke too. that would be very tempting.

[aquarius]

MikeH i had a 16ft pride tri hull with a 50hp motor and it was just ok with 2 people onboard.
4 people and it took ages to get up onto the plane.
I UPGRADED TO A 75HP AND IT WAS TOPS.
Great boat for calm water conditions and very very stable at rest but in a choppy sea it would slap slap slap the water.
That boat you are buying looks stunning but i think 100 hp is not enough.
120 hp 2 stroke or 140 hp 4 stroke may be more like it.......remember with a flat bottom theres not much boat in the water........Should be tops for the shallow water mate.
Cheers #Brent

[megafish71]

Hey Mike, just had a look at the hull, should be really stable at rest and won't draw much water either, but are you planning to use it for fishing the reef? I don't believe that it will handle the choppy conditions up here in NQ. I might be wrong but the hull looks fairly flat and wouldn't be the sort of boat I'd like to be in when the weather turn to crap. Even during summer and the light NE are blowing and the sea is glassed out outside, you still get a rather choppy ride home when you get back closer to land. A water test in choppy conditions would answer this quickly but I think you would find the boat wouldn't like the northern offshore conditions and IMO looks to be a wet boat also. Just some points to consider.
Ron

PS: I also think it would be a tad under powered.

[MikeH]

I'm on a plane down south...only way to know for sure!!!

There is an interesting story behind this...(i've discovered)

The history is this... originally this guy ordered a smaller version, (5.5m maybe) with the 100hp 4st, anyhow on it's first test run, (the dealer) completed a very sharp high speed turn...and he reckons with the extra weight of the 4 st, the boat "bit in" and he was thrown off the helm... eitherway he put this thing up into the trees... broke his arm, tree fell down and belted him on the head... god....where's the video camera.

In the meantime the builders had released a bigger version, (the one you see before you now) so the owner took the opportunity to "upgrade" and they took the 3hr old motor off the smaller boat and placed in on the bigger boat. (So this make sense as why such a small motor)

However, this same "dealer" is now telling me that the boat performs very well (even with the smaller donk). He reckons 22knots at 4500rpm, 26kt wot @ 5600.

I enquired on a change over price to a larger donk, but he insists that I should trial it first (as he says it still get's up and boogies... even with a load in it)

Re the slapping of the hull... will have to check. He says the design of outside hulls with the rounded edge makes as big difference to how it handles.

I guess only time will tell. Will keep all posted!

Thanks for your input!!

[MikeH]

Hi Ron,

Yes..I intend to fish the reef and troll out wide with-it if conditions permit !!! You don't think it will be good enough ??? Surely the Noosa Coast guard wouldn't use a boat that can't handle a bit of slop..??

Does look to be a fairly flat hull (but not like a punt). And this is a bad thing ?

Wet boat... perhaps.. here is the only write-up I can find...again with a 170hp 2 stroke...(wonder if I can change over for $5000 to the large 140 suz 4 st?)

I'd also like to know where that other gent was getting the 140 Suz for 10K.

http://www.fishingmonthly.com.au/boats/eagleray/eagleray2300.html

Boat test is the only way I'll know...

[blaze]

hi mikeh
used to have a pride trihull, 4.8m with a older 70hp evi and it give a smoooth ride and was a stable platform to fish from, use to take it 30 to 40 k out round the island on the norwest coast of tassie and it would handle any sea with in reason, it was also a bit punt looking, I would have her back again
cheers
blaze

[perko]

Mike, I have had a 1800 sports cab eagle ray and kept it for only three trips. Bought it without a serious test run and the ride was very hard in any sort of sea. Stability and handling was very good which made it a good bar boat, just don't plan on travelling to far to fast in any chop. We fish well offshore and have had cats and monos and the 1800 eagle is at the bottom of the list. Not trying to put a dampener on your quest for the boat. I have never been in the 2200, but I think the 1800 might be a short version of it. pm me if you want the full story. Tony

[cheno]

if you want a really good tri-hull track yourself down a hydrofield. i see in the latest tbf that they are making them again. perfect for the type of sea you guys get up your way. A proven hull, like a block of flats at rest, awesome in a heavy sea and ultra strong layup. The 5.5 is tops and like most tri hulls does not need much power.

[zoley]

Mike,
As cheno said, if you want the best tri hull, get yourself
a hydrofield. If you take notice of what coast guards use
then check how many use hydro's.
The 5.5 or 6.1 are awsome fishing vessels.

cheers

[Kerry]

.... If you take notice of what coast guards use
then check how many use hydro's....

Ever looked lately at just how many use Hydrofields, actually few and far between these days.

In fact the EagleRays might even out number Hydrofields not that there's a great number of them either.

Cheers, Kerry.

[Glug]

if you want a really good tri-hull track yourself down a hydrofield. i see in the latest tbf that they are making them again. .

According to a guy who claims to be a partner Hydrofield was deregistered and Field has retired. www. hydrofield.com

[Glug]

if you want a really good tri-hull track yourself down a hydrofield. i see in the latest tbf that they are making them again. .

According to a guy who claims to be a partner Hydrofield was deregistered and Field has retired. www.hydrofield.com

[cheno]

Hydrofields are now being built by Hydromax Multihulls on the NSW central coast. The builder's name is Seton Reynolds.
I have a contact number if you would like it.

I dont have anything to do with them. Just have fished in the 5.5 a lot and saw the TBF article.

[megafish71]

So Mike, what has happened mate. Have you been for a water test? Interested to know how it went.

Ron

[MikeH]

Thanks for your interest Megafish.. I didn't have enough time to fly down due to work committments and have decided that $1000 spent on flights was better off in my pocket. I'm fairly confident it's what I want so I'm going to drive down with my cousin and do a test run out to the shelf. If it cuts the grade and rides fairly well and gets along at around 22 - 25 knots I'll buy it and tow it back taking in a few stops on the way back just to test it a few more times. :D If not ... well it will be a nice holiday anyway? Should be down there by about October 8-9

[snappa]

warning...
take a long hard LOOK at the hull shape.. :(
:-/

[megafish71]

I know what you mean snapper, doesn't look the goods for a serious offshore boat :-/ ::), but I spose Mike will let us know when he water tests the thing.

[MikeH]

Hi Guys,

Yes I purchased the beast and dragged it all the way from Moruya (near Batesman Bay) to Cairns.... Tows well actually. Travelled over 4000k's with-out getting hassled by one copper or RTA ... Got a few looks though !!!

Took it for sea trials in Moruya... first thing I had to do was cross a bar that I'd never even seen (did get some local knowledge)... I chickened out the first time I saw the Surfies surfing in the same waves I had to get across...oh sh*t... in a boat I don't know, motor I've started once... (plus the fact we don't have bars up North) so that was interesting... second look though found the bar wasn't really a problem if you stuck to rock wall.... Lapped it up actually.

The 100 HP 4 stroke gives me 28knots @ 6000 which I'm fairly happy with.. It was blowing 25 to 30 knots with about a 2.5 metre swell... Copped a few over the top... Didn't get wet at all behind that big console.

I've found I can comfortably punch through anything at about 15 knots with-out bashing the boat or people on board.

It handled the slop quite well... At rest it's excellent to fish out of ...and the 4stroke is wonderful and quiet as mouse really. (Once you go there guys... I don't think you'll go back)

Got the immediate thumbs up from the missus and the three kids.... so I'm pretty happy. (I've suddenly got all these new friends and relatives I didn't know about)

Look forward to seeing you all out on waves...

Now to kit it out with some "very necessary toys... dear!!!!"

Pics to come

[megafish71]

G'day Mike,
Well now that you've got a boat are we going to see you a Cardwell this weekend for the Meet & Greet.

Ron