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Thread: Plate boat research frustration

  1. #1

    Plate boat research frustration

    Hi all, as seen in my other thread I'm selling my glass boat to go plate.

    Now I have looked at Vindicator, Rebel and Performance Plate, getting quotes from all 3 and visiting 2 factories. I plan to visit the 3rd factory next wk. I was always under the impression that a plate boat should have full bulkheads (I think that is what they are called) and longitudinal stringers. 2 of the 3 builders do not do full bulkheads. So are these boats going to stand the test of time? I want a boat that is going to be around in many yrs to come.

    Would love to hear from people who have had plate boats built and what was the sub floor structure like.

    Thanks for any info.

  2. #2

    Re: Plate boat research frustration

    That what cheap pricing bring you.
    Have you asked them to accomodate full length bulkhead in their construction.
    I could say try Moda, but that probably give you more griefs then solution, as they do full lenght BH, but the word on the grape vine is that he is 3+ years out on build wait and well over $100k entry point.
    To be honest, I did this exact excercise 2 years ago and visited a few boat builders. Performance plate boat is your best bet atm, unless you want to deal with Moda and wait.
    I'm just lucky that the 2 commodities which stop many people I have plenty of.
    If you're on the northside and want to look at a reasonable plate, let me know

    Happy hunting...

    Wayne
    Humility is not a weather condition.

  3. #3

    Re: Plate boat research frustration

    Have you considered Riptide boats

    Sent from my [device_name] using Ausfish mobile app
    Maturity is not when we start speaking BIG things,it is when we start understanding small things

  4. #4

    Re: Plate boat research frustration

    Jcaly, for me, most of the big name platey's have stood the test of time I think. The likes of Riptide, Performance Plate, AMM, OMM, Vindicator, Moda and others that have been around for a good while now. Design wise they have their various differences but overall I think they have stood the test of time and have the bugs sorted out. Whats interesting is that within the various big name brands there are shapes and designs that have marine architecture and engineering in their pedigree whilst there are others that have been the product of ongoing adaptations and development of an original design by the builder. There is no doubt that both approaches have worked when you look at the products out there in the popular brands. If your concerned about strength maybe you could attack it from the angle of determining if the design has certified engineering behind it? Just an idea.
    Note: I own a Riptide, 12 years old, I have no hesitation in saying that structurally it is as good as the day it rolled out of the shed. Trouble is you will wait aloooong time to get one built (like 2 or 3 years).
    Scott

  5. #5

    Re: Plate boat research frustration

    I’ll second the Riptide recommendation IMG_2012.jpg


    Sent from my iPhone using Ausfish mobile app
    The wait is finally over.........was worth every minute..........let the RIPTIDE rip..........hell yehhhh

  6. #6

    Re: Plate boat research frustration

    I had an AMM built about 5 years back
    Excellent service solid with a great finish n sold it when I wanted for what I asked quickly


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

  7. #7
    Ausfish Bronze Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Blog Entries
    3

    Re: Plate boat research frustration

    More than happy for you to have a look at a rebel if you would like. Mines the 7.1 Classic. Just finished it before Christmas. I know when I was deciding its hard because there isn't always boats that are available to go for a run in.

  8. #8

    Re: Plate boat research frustration

    Whether a boat is glass or plate your ride will be directly proportional to weight. If builders have shaved weight out of the internal structure to save money they have probably also shaved it out of skins as well. The result is a boat that will live up to all the bad things you’ve heard about plate boat ride. Keep shopping.

    Things to avoid:
    1. Lightweight boats-> will bounce around and vibrate.
    2. Low dead rise boats unless your doing a lot of shallow water fishing. -> will slam in waves.
    3. Boats that have increased deadrise by fitting massively wide chines. -> The flat chines will more than offset the advantage of the high dead rise.
    4. And this one might cause some people to bite. Constant deadrise hulls. Even if it has a high transom deadrise a constant deadrise hull will by definition have a blunter now making it less likely to cut through waves. Constant deadrise hulls again by definition have flat buttock lines which means they will run bow high when accelerating.
    5. Boats that have a lot of folded or pressed components in the hull skins. 5083 aluminium is very hard. It can be pressed around a radius but it is weakened when you do. Sharp pressed corners mean it’s not 5083.
    6. Builders who aren’t willing to sell you an unpainted Ali boat. If they won’t sell you a bare metal boat they must be relying on bog and fill to cover building issues.
    7. Boats that use “air tank” buoyancy. It is impossible to weld an airtight closed box and what happens if the keeping it airtight in the event of a collision or incident is even harder. Foam is your friend in small plate boats.
    8. Having said above. Avoid boats with poured foam. It breaks down over time and makes repairs difficult.

  9. #9

    Re: Plate boat research frustration

    I'd suss Shane out from Moda on price and build time. He is in that industrial estate at Clontarf where all the boating stuff is in Redcliffe. Best hear it direct from his mouth. Also check out Ralf from Compass boats and Seadex I reckon. I saw a nice design from the bloke from Tuff Tubs last night on Bookface for a 6m CC as well. He is punching a few out for the gun estuary guys of SEQ. I like the work Paul Jacobsen is doing at Hervey Bay with the Specmar designs. If you go with an out of town builder like Pauly or Col from Svenson boats in Mackay, you have to weigh up the not being able to see it getting built factor and that is point of a custom platey as far as I am concerned. Then you are back to Rebel, Performance, Compass, Seadex etc without the big wait times. If not go 2nd hand. Why not another glass boat?

  10. #10

    Re: Plate boat research frustration

    Quote Originally Posted by jclay1773 View Post
    Hi all, as seen in my other thread I'm selling my glass boat to go plate.

    Now I have looked at Vindicator, Rebel and Performance Plate, getting quotes from all 3 and visiting 2 factories. I plan to visit the 3rd factory next wk. I was always under the impression that a plate boat should have full bulkheads (I think that is what they are called) and longitudinal stringers. 2 of the 3 builders do not do full bulkheads. So are these boats going to stand the test of time? I want a boat that is going to be around in many yrs to come.

    Would love to hear from people who have had plate boats built and what was the sub floor structure like.

    Thanks for any info.
    jclay, one to include in your research is Iconic Boats at Sandgate. Speak to Chris Gallagher, 0475 311 447, the guy is a one man show with a lot of experience in plate alloy boat building. No matter who you end up going with you`ll do yourself a favor having a discussion with Chris.I built a boat with him about a year ago, the build thread is on here somewhere if you search.I couldn`t be happier with the process or the boat.......Rob.
    .

  11. #11

    Re: Plate boat research frustration

    I think Mojoes is considering selling his platey as he wants a bigger Noosa Cat, drop him a PM, his boat is fully fitted out.

  12. #12

    Re: Plate boat research frustration

    Thanks all.

    Haven't looked at AMM, Moda and Riptide because of their price. The 5.8m Vindicator is $96k so it is expensive also.

    About 8 yrs ago I was going through this exact same exercise when the Haines Sig came up for sale so I grabbed it. Always wanted a plate boat and I'm ready to get one now. Want to deck it out with big tank 350lts, kill tanks, fresh water deck wash, solar on hard top etc. If I was going to go glass again I would either keep my Sig or get another Sig as it has been a great boat.

  13. #13

    Re: Plate boat research frustration

    Their is a reason why those boats are not cheap. You get what you pay for. A quality build that will last the test of time.

    Sent from my [device_name] using Ausfish mobile app
    Maturity is not when we start speaking BIG things,it is when we start understanding small things

  14. #14

    Re: Plate boat research frustration

    Jclay, have you actually had a quote from Riptide? I think you may be surprised at how competitive they are? I went through this same situation 5 years ago and the vindicator boats were also high on my list. With the “optional extras” that they wanted big dollars for, the Riptide boys just accommodate in the build for either very little or even no extra. It would be worth a visit to them if the wait is not an issue


    Sent from my iPhone using Ausfish forums
    The wait is finally over.........was worth every minute..........let the RIPTIDE rip..........hell yehhhh

  15. #15
    Ausfish Platinum Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Kalbarri, WA

    Re: Plate boat research frustration

    Sounds like it would be a damn sight cheaper to do some mods to the Sig--you can fit all the "customisations" you like to the platey, and it will never ride as well.

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