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Thread: Best boat for commuting

  1. #1

    Talking Best boat for commuting

    Gday all. Newbie here, both to this forum and boating in general.
    We have just bought a place on Russell Island in Moreton Bay.
    I work three nights a week at Runaway Bay Coles, which has a dock right outside the food hall.

    Rather than take the ferry to Redland Bay, then drive the 45 mins to one hour down the M1 I thought it would be faster and cruisier if I got a boat.
    My trip home every night will be at night, otherwise I would get a jet ski.

    WIth a limited budget, what would be the best, most economical, yet also get up a decent rate of knots, type of boat?
    I am thinking half-cabin with a decent horsepower outboard but know next to nothing about boats.

    Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

  2. #2
    Ausfish Silver Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Location
    brisbane

    Re: Best boat for commuting

    i dont have any big boat experience i only use tinnies and little motors,so have no advice on that, but im sure a few of the boys will have some suggestions 4 ya mate. but i replied cos i had to say thats gotta be the coolest way to get to work... and if a girl asks to come back to your place after work she will be getting a new experience ride home lol..
    ill be somewhere up the creek, happy trails..

  3. #3

    Re: Best boat for commuting

    Quote Originally Posted by up the creek View Post
    i dont have any big boat experience i only use tinnies and little motors,so have no advice on that, but im sure a few of the boys will have some suggestions 4 ya mate. but i replied cos i had to say thats gotta be the coolest way to get to work... and if a girl asks to come back to your place after work she will be getting a new experience ride home lol..
    She sure would, especially after my wife found out

  4. #4

    Re: Best boat for commuting

    Lol...........

    What type of limited budget are you talking about?

    Have you done any searches to narrow it down to any particular model / brand / size?

  5. #5

    Re: Best boat for commuting

    Do a search on YouTube for a guy called 'Dangar stu'. Lives on an island and commutes in his tinnie. I think his theory is to have a crappy looking boat so it doesn't get stolen/etc.
    Has some really interesting videos, his earlier ones were about setting up his 'commuter' boat.
    might give you some ideas.

  6. #6

    Re: Best boat for commuting

    Quote Originally Posted by NomadNoosa View Post
    Lol...........

    What type of limited budget are you talking about?

    Have you done any searches to narrow it down to any particular model / brand / size?
    I am hoping to get something reasonably reliable for around $5k.

    (I have never paid more than $4k for a vehicle in my life and currently drive an old discovery diesel I picked up a couple of years back for $900, which is destined to be our island vehicle).
    Re searches; so far they have been limited to gumtree searches so have no particular model in mind.

    I figure a half-cabin around the 16' mark would be most comfortable in winter and summer alike.

  7. #7

    Re: Best boat for commuting

    Quote Originally Posted by Homer_Jay View Post
    Do a search on YouTube for a guy called 'Dangar stu'. Lives on an island and commutes in his tinnie. I think his theory is to have a crappy looking boat so it doesn't get stolen/etc.
    Has some really interesting videos, his earlier ones were about setting up his 'commuter' boat.
    might give you some ideas.
    Thanks Homer, I will check him out.

  8. #8
    Ausfish Addict Chimo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Gold Coast

    Re: Best boat for commuting

    Where do you store the boat at Russel Island?
    Do you know your talking about traveling around 20 to 25 NM thru some really interesting sand infested waterways so around 50 NM a day
    How fast do you think you want to travel and fuel costs for quick boats can mount up too

    Maybe Russell Is is a weekender / holiday destination and or living within spiting distance to work can really free up your life for all sorts of good things

    IMHO interesting idea with a few bugs

    But hey good luck with it.!
    What could go wrong.......................

  9. #9
    Ausfish Silver Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Location
    brisbane

    Re: Best boat for commuting

    Quote Originally Posted by WolfRiver View Post
    She sure would, especially after my wife found out

    ouch lol cant have that, well stick to the 1st half of the post its a kool way to get 2 work..
    ill be somewhere up the creek, happy trails..

  10. #10

    Re: Best boat for commuting

    Quote Originally Posted by Chimo View Post
    Where do you store the boat at Russel Island?
    Initially on a trailer in the front yard, but hopefully down the track I can rent some space off one of the private jetties.

    Quote Originally Posted by Chimo View Post
    Do you know your talking about traveling around 20 to 25 NM thru some really interesting sand infested waterways so around 50 NM a day
    How fast do you think you want to travel and fuel costs for quick boats can mount up too
    I was told of one chap who could get to the seaway in southport in 25 minutes from Russell... guy must have had a speedboat as I worked out that would be at least 40 knots.
    Even if travel time was similar to riding the ferry, getting in my car and driving to the M1, then down to Runaway Bay, I think I would prefer to go by water... fewer idiots on the water than on the road and no chance of traffic jams.

    Quote Originally Posted by Chimo View Post
    Maybe Russell Is is a weekender / holiday destination and or living within spiting distance to work can really free up your life for all sorts of good things

    IMHO interesting idea with a few bugs

    But hey good luck with it.!
    Thanks. The first dozen times would be interesting at night until I got used to the channels and bars I imagine.
    I've been watching some old topgear videos where they turn cars into boats. Maybe I could turn the old Landy into a hovercraft? What could possibly go wrong?

  11. #11

    Re: Best boat for commuting

    The first time you come out of work and it's pouring rain, this ideas going to get real old, real quick. Even more so in winter. Anything within your budget is likely to be two stroke powered unless it is only small. It will cost a bit in fuel or if it's cheap to run it will be small and really not fun at night in any sort of wind. Yep - a nice way to go to work but presents quite a few practical limitations. Also remember that if you break down mid week in that area at night, getting someone sorted for a tow will take a while. You will want a good gps with accurate charts and a good spotty as well.

  12. #12
    Ausfish Silver Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Location
    brisbane

    Re: Best boat for commuting

    Quote Originally Posted by scottar View Post
    The first time you come out of work and it's pouring rain, this ideas going to get real old, real quick. Even more so in winter. Anything within your budget is likely to be two stroke powered unless it is only small. It will cost a bit in fuel or if it's cheap to run it will be small and really not fun at night in any sort of wind. Yep - a nice way to go to work but presents quite a few practical limitations. Also remember that if you break down mid week in that area at night, getting someone sorted for a tow will take a while. You will want a good gps with accurate charts and a good spotty as well.

    probably some truth in that scottar.. but hey let him try lol it will be fun until he gets sick of it..and he might be able to tell us how does price compare, fuel for boat to runaway bay return, or ferry fee return and petrol for car to runaway bay and back home after work?
    ill be somewhere up the creek, happy trails..

  13. #13

    Re: Best boat for commuting

    Quote Originally Posted by scottar View Post
    The first time you come out of work and it's pouring rain, this ideas going to get real old, real quick. Even more so in winter. Anything within your budget is likely to be two stroke powered unless it is only small. It will cost a bit in fuel or if it's cheap to run it will be small and really not fun at night in any sort of wind. Yep - a nice way to go to work but presents quite a few practical limitations. Also remember that if you break down mid week in that area at night, getting someone sorted for a tow will take a while. You will want a good gps with accurate charts and a good spotty as well.
    Yeah, those have always been my concerns with the idea.
    The good thing is I don't have to leave for work until midday so will have a fair idea of the weather before I leave and thus will always have the option of ferry and car instead of boat.
    I have seen a couple of 16-17 footers with decent horsepower outboards for around $6-7k.
    Although I am resigned to the fact I will get wet regardless, is there a model/type of boat that will offer some kind of protection from the elements?
    As a first time boat buyer, what should I be looking at?
    When I am ready to buy I will try to get a boat mechanic to come with me to check out anything I am interested in but I like to learn as much about a subject myself as I can too.

  14. #14

    Re: Best boat for commuting

    any chance of getting a job transfer closer, say Redland bay?
    a lot of travelling and costs involved otherwise

  15. #15

    Re: Best boat for commuting

    Closest transfer I could get would be Logan and then I risk losing my specific hours (I can only work Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights because of my own business).
    I will be ferrying to Redland Bay and driving my car three days a week anyway (for my own business) and I'm not concerned about having to drive to Runaway Bay but would prefer to boat it and avoid M1 traffic.

    We will be getting a boat regardless for island living (fishing, crabbing, etc) so I might as well get something that can also be a commuter if necessary.

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