Bow rider - compromise between fishing and comfort? Other recommendations?

[andoland]

So I’m looking for a boat around 5.2-5.5m (size based on budget limit). Usage is multi purpose - fishing boat for me, suitable for casting soft plastics and bottom bashing, day trips to tangalooma, peel island, etc, and the odd camping trip where we pack the boat with camping gear and head to a campsite, but not sleeping on the boat.

I had dreams of a plate centre console and had been pricing up Sea Adex, Amm, Iconic, etc, but the wife is very much not keen on a wet boat with no wind protection. I do not want a cuddly cab due to wasted space and the wife agrees. The only compromise I can think of is a bow rider with combination of fishing features ( front able to be a casting deck, bait table and rod holders at rear,etc).

looking for recommendations. Would prefer to avoid the mass produced ally boats due to hull shape and rough ride. Open to glass and better aluminium boats..

[disorderly]

A fella I know that got a chinese built Supervee fully enclosed Centre cab when I got mine 2 years ago is now getting one of these built in 6.25m (the one in the pic is 5.8m)..
I dont think his wife was keen on the centre cab so he sold it and reckons this one will do the trick...

IMO I think they are very pokey in the back deck area but would make a good compromise for a day boat where you can at least keep a bit dry..

Robert bowrider.jpg

[andoland]

Would rather buy Australian made.

That aside, I’m struggling to see what other option there is as a reasonable compromise.

[disorderly]

Would rather buy Australian made.

That aside, I’m struggling to see what other option there is as a reasonable compromise.

You can get a Supervee built by the Nobles in Brisbane..just costs a bit more ..

[TheRealPoMo]

I loved my American fibreglass 18.5ft bowrider for fishing and the missus loved it for day trips to Tangalooma. Glassed out early morning crossings were magnificent. Under 10 knot wind it was great, 15 and over it was rough and wet. No wind protection either, but that's a bowrider. It's a fair weather friend.

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[scottar]

Get the centre console with a wide console and a solid tee top and spend the money on "tenting" it properly in a fashion that is easy to use - side clears, a front end camper cover so you can if you wish use the casting platform as a bed. Other than that it's centre cab or bow rider time.

[andoland]

Yep that was my starting point but doesn’t really cover off the wife’s needs for comfort. It’s not off the cards completely yet though.

Anyway, was hoping someone might have a brilliant solution I hadn’t yet thought of.

obviously the ideal solution is to win $20M in powerball and buy a 50ft cruiser for comfort and a centre console tender for fishing, but they still keep coming up the the wrong numbers each week 😂

[disorderly]

Another fella I know plans to use this old beauty for fishing and skiing down in Melbourne...

He paid 15K with a brand new trailer late last year.

Richards Boat.jpg

[Noelm]

I am a bit on the fence with the room in a centre console, with a runabout configuration, you get a big rear open space that is usable, in a centre console, you might get more real estate, but, it's spread out with no one real big open space, nearly all fishing is done out the back. Bow riders are kind of OK, but the seating makes fishing from the front near impossible, probably OK for sight seeing and so on, like all forms of boating, it's all about compromise, decide what you really want to do, and what you actually will do (different to dreaming about doing) and go from there, buy a boat that suits the majority of your intended use.

[NAGG]

A CC with a T Top can do the trick - specially if you can work with a boat builder (positioning of the console / width ... size of casting deck etc .
With a good set of clears you'll end up with adequate spray protection for those shitty runs home from Tangalooma .

Since you wont be sleeping on the boat - you'll have plenty of room to carry your camping gear .
As for fishability - the CC boat is hard to beat.

Chris

[andoland]

I came across the bar crusher bowrider last night. Might be the perfect boat for what we want
https://www.barcrusher.com.au/models/615br-bowrider/


I expect the price will be too much of a stretch though.

[andoland]

... Bow riders are kind of OK, but the seating makes fishing from the front near impossible, probably OK for sight seeing and so on...

My brother has a quintrex bow rider (one of the Frontiers with the funny looking bow) and I've done a bit of fishing from it. It's actually not too bad up the front, I've been out of Rottnest in it casting lures for kingfish with no problem. But it does need an infill between the seats to make the area really suitable for fishing.

[NAGG]

I came across the bar crusher bowrider last night. Might be the perfect boat for what we want
https://www.barcrusher.com.au/models/615br-bowrider/


I expect the price will be too much of a stretch though.

Pretty nice boat too - more agricultural than most bow riders .... but it is designed as a fishing boat first .

I reckon you'd be paying $70K plus & sadly being a relatively new release , there would be very few available on the used boat market .

Chris

[NAGG]

My brother has a quintrex bow rider (one of the Frontiers with the funny looking bow) and I've done a bit of fishing from it. It's actually not too bad up the front, I've been out of Rottnest in it casting lures for kingfish with no problem. But it does need an infill between the seats to make the area really suitable for fishing.

I've seen a bowrider with a hydraulically operated floor - remove the seat bases , raise it & you have a cast deck ..... quite clever

Chris

[Jarrad stevenson]

If you google Hook Line and Sinker episodes they have a bit of a review with outside fishing on a barcrusher bow rider - obviously take in to consideration the sponsorship aspect but still gives a look at how they use it for that.

I see you mention the 615, suddenly talking a bigger boat than originally mentioned so if boat size isn’t as limited then a bigger cuddy setup with clears would probably also be a good compromise. I know my 620 has seating for 7 adults but can easily remove half or all of back lounge to give great fishability. Can easily fish 2 or 3 up with the rear lounge in anyway. Super dry and a big cabin to either keep gear out of the weather, general storage, or to sleep if you were so inclined.