Trailcraft boats

[Fordo]

Looking for any feedback good or bad on Trailcraft boats in general?
Profish in particular.
I'm impressed by the weight of the hull, but undecided on how that might effect the ride, being a light plate boat.
I would have always associated plate boats as heavier than pressed hulls therefore giving a better ride.

[CQ_Fisher]

Fordo,

Can't speak from experience but have heard nothing but praise for all trailcraft models. Only negative feedback i have heard of is lack of grab rails. I read an independant boat test on the trailcraft 4.7 profish and it said it was the most seaworthy boat in that size that he had ever driven. There is a regular bloke on here (JB i think) that has a relatively new trailcraft profish, maybe he can give you some inside info.

Cheers
JD

[simonfish]

Fordo, I have a 4.5 profish side console (which is actually 4.65m long and 2.1m beam), with a yamaha f60 4stroke, plus plumbed live well, enclosed rear bulkhead, forward mounting bracket for electric motor, burley bucket built into the transom at the factory, two tackle lockers in the side console.... the list goes on.

the boat is great, very sea worthy (big high sides), and with the f60 gets along.

I did fit a permatrim to it, as when I am on my own, it did porpoise, weight of the 4stroke, rear side console, and my weight (I weigh 85kg), but with permatrim, no worries.

what size are you looking at ?
A bloke I spoke to in Sydney on the water had the 4.7 with a 60 horse and after 12months traded the 60 on a 75, as he felt that the 4.7 needed a few more horses, the 60 is the max on my hull, another guy I spoke to once at the ramp with a 5m centre console with a 100horse yamaha on it reckons it was well matched, they are big beamy hulls.

cheers,

Simon

[JB]

Fordo, simonfish is right the trailcraft are a top boat but dont underpower them. I have a 60 merc efi on my 4.5 but i definetley would not want to be crossing a bar with only a 40hp and 2 other mates on board, not quite enough power to get out of the hole. Having said that i'm very confident that i purchased the best all round boat on the market. I have been able to fish everywhere from .3 mtr deep sand banks to the 24fathoms (and beyond soon... ;) ). I cannot say enough for the profish layout, everything is where you want it to be and the underfloor kill tank cant be beaten. The only thing i think is missing is some grab rails on the console, but thats not too hard to add yourself , i'll be doing that soon.

I have to admit i saw a quintrex and a trailcraft beside each other at the boat show and it was not a hard choice to make ;D

All i can say is just like a car test drive all the models your looking at, that way you'll be dead sure on what you want.

JB

[JB]

Not the best pic, but she sits nice in the water ;D

[Fordo]

Hi Guys,
Thanks for that, What I am chasing is a 4.5m Profish 60Hp 4st.
Actually Simonfish, your spec sounds about spot on.
eventually want to put an electric on the front.
My only negative thoughts this week are storage space, because of the welded Alloy floor, there aren't too many options for storage under the floor.
If I stick a 24 volt electric on the battteries will need to go into the back locker and will fill it. Not a lot of other space for life jackets and the rest of the gear.
PS You don't know of any good 4.5's for sale do you?

[simonfish]

Fordo, there is a 115litre underfloor 'kill' tank in the front casting deck (that drains through the hull, but I use this for dry storage), plus the side console is pretty big with two shelves (plus I fitted two tackle lockers in here, which don't take up much room and hold 6 plano draws, so lots of flies and plastics), plus there are two pretty big side pockets, plus the enclosed rear bulkhead, plus the plumbed live well (if not using livies or holding bass I use this to store my lunch and drinks, on ice so I can drain later).

there is a fair bit of storage, you would be surprised.

email me (simon@thesecretgarden.info) to discuss second hand 4.5profish, I am in Hervey Bay, where are you ?

cheers,

Simon