Buying First Tinny Brooker or Polycraft

[rojac]

Billfisher

As I mentioned I picked up my boat (tiller) a couple of days ago and have not yet had the chance to "wet" it. Hopefully in a fortnight or there abouts if work permits.

For an extra $300 for electric start, it was too good to pass up. Start with the push of a button with the added peace of mind of zip start.

How have you found the motor to be??. I have found very little info on them.

cheers

rojac

[fishn-ads]

Nothing Crooker than a Brooker

GO TA 40 Toey 30 knots on a 4.2

[billfisher]

Rojac,

Its like most other 2 cylinder two stroke 30s I suppose. Plenty of grunt when the revs build up but a bit noisy. A bit rough at idle but bearable and OK for slow trolling. Its light at 56kg so no problem tilting it up. Also its quite light on fuel. I generally give it a caning and find it hard to use more than 10 to 15 L covering a lot of water in half a days fishing. You will need to adjust the cave plate quite agressively #to counteract all the torque steer.
I am running it on 50:1 as recommended by the dealers mechanic rather than the 100:1 the manufacturer recommends to protect it from wear. This has been the subject of another lengthy topic so I won't go it to it further!

[rojac]

Billfisher

Good feedback, thanks for that. The dealer set the cav plate at about 5 degrees if 0 degrees is staitght back. What have you set yours at?

cheers

rojac

[billfisher]

A lot more than that, from memory it would be more like 20 to 30 degrees. Its a freezing night in Sydney at the moment so I don't feel like going outside for a look! I had to keep increasing it several times to find a level I felt comfortable with, as I was getting a sore arm in no time.

[rojac]

Again thanks for that. This is the first time I've had a tiller, all of my other boats have had steering wheels.

Looking forward to a whole lot of fun.

cheers

rojac

[parrotfish]

Hi,

As a new member on here i would really like to thank each one of you for your detailed and informative respones, well most of you anyway its fantastic and extremely helpfull.

Thankyou so very much, look like its the Poly, the local dealer is an agent for Mercury is this motor ok, or is the Tohie better.

cheers guys


Ron

[ahoj]

Hi parrotfish

My tip is poly 60% fibreglass 30% and a tinny 10% If you wish to pull a tube behind then 30-40hp will suit if only for fishing 20hp is enough and cheaper to run
Fuel is not going to get cheaper ( we are talking tops 4,1 meter open boat) Hooning is expensive... Enjoy your fishing days with children --remember most have to wear life jackets....

Ahoj

[billfisher]

Ahoj,

I thought we settled this argument before. Its false economy to underpower a boat. With a 20hp on a 4.1 poly you will be going full throttle everywhere and be using nearly as much fuel as a bigger motor working in a more economical rev range. Not to mention shortening the life of the motor and poor resale value as you be stuck with a rig no one wants to buy.
A 2 cylinder 30hp on that boat is still very frugal and will give you a more enjoyable boating experience. Also safer too as a turn of speed means you may be able to outrun bad weather.

[fishn-ads]

Parrotfish - Tohatsu make all the 2 strokes up to 40hp for Brunswick (Mercury/Mariner). So to answer your question. There the same engine different sticker. Just shop around is the only advice I'd give, most makes of engine don't need to go back to where you brought them for warranty service.

Ads

[krazyfisher]

Go with the one that is the cheapest (tohatsu,merc) as they are the same . I had one of the 2 cylinders 2/s 40hp on a hornet and it went very well . and dont under power it as it will cost you more in fuel and it will cost too much to up grade. as for the fuel side I get the same fuel econo out of my 140hp as I did out of the 90hp which was on it before but have more power and get there quicker.
have fun

[MrWong]

If you decide to go the poly - have a talk to richard martin at Martin Marine in Pialba. He will give you a very competitive quote.

Totally agree with the above

Never owned a boat before i have looked at the Brooker 4.1m Fisherman and the 4.1 m Polycraft Challenger both fm Cunninghams Marine. The Fisherman seems a good price at $3660 {boat and trailer only} against Polycrafts $4450.

Ref above:
I purchased my 5.3 From Martins and it was a 30000 dollar approx deal and i saved at least 2500 from not going to MY closest dealer.... I am at Bald Hills ..... my closet dealer is ........ at Oxley/Recliffe - You work out who that dealer is ? I say nothing.....

And Finally:
Im based at Mango Hill on the northside, i look foward to reading some responses.

Mate I am just down the road at Bald Hills feel free to drop me a line anytime.... look forwrd to seeing you and the family out and about in the new boat

[joey_1987]

As already stated, Mercury/Mariner 30hp 2 stroke is the same motor as the Tohatsu 30hp but just painted black. Price the package without the Merc motor and see if it works out cheaper to buy the motor seperately. Cheers, Joey.

[coochiemudlo]

Hi Parrot,

I went thru all this 12 months ago. I considered the poly boat as well but after experiencing "memory" deforming with my kayak (same principle used in poly boats) I went for a tinni. The ply was heavy and if you are the skipper you get the best seat at the tiller anyway. Open boats up to 5 meters can be limited by the weather. A 4.5 tinnie is uncomfortable in chop and a breeze of 10knots or so.

If this is your first boat, then it won't be long before you want to step up into something more substantial. I'm going thru this at the moment. My advise is to try for something 2nd hand but near new.

It took me 3 months of procrasternation and kilometers before I finally picked up of a near new tinni and saved onver $1000. This was a giant step as I (and probably you) had the thought that I was buying somebody's problems. As it turned out I got into a 4.2 Bluefin with a 30hp Mariner, it was 12 months old - had 2 years warrenty on the engine and another year on the hull and trailor. This was a private sale. The boat looked and smelt brand new not a mark of rust or salt stains on the trailor or hull. 4 pfd, oars, all the safety gear came with it.

It was still on 20/1 fuel and had not even had the first "free" service. Very happy with both hull and motor. Friday I picked it up from Mr T's after having had it's first full service (I don't use it all that much). today we put her in at Colmslie and run up to Riverside and back purred on the plane with 3 on board and used about 1/3 of a tank.

when you ask for opinions on hulls and motor's you are going to get opinions both biased and ill-conceived based on reputation and heresay.

Go for a main stream hull - longer rather than shorter - use 4.2 as your minium and the max up to 475. HP a minium of 25 but with a 30 or 40 you will happier 6 months down the track. This size is easy to tow - launch and retrieve. The motor is the most confusing when you see a 30 for $x and another for much less. Thats becaue of the sofistication of the technology. 3 cylinders are better than 2 and an oil injector is better than premixed. I wish I had and oil injected as the pre-mixtue of 50/1 cause plug troube for extending strolling. Good when on the plane but not that hot if you want to troll for 1/2 and hour or so. (my opinion only).

there you go - I din't say one brand was over another. Grab something less than 3 years old and you should have no trouble.

Something that you should consider is that buying a used boat from a deal, is no guarantee that you are protected by a warrenty worth the paper it is written on. The rule "buyer's risk" is worth remembering.

Make sure you insure it and the trailor. Now get out there and buy something. I'll keep you id on hand and send you and offer on mine in a couple of weeks if you like.

Cheers, Coochie

[parrotfish]

thankyou so much Coochie, Joey and MrWong for your great advise its fantastic and i really do appreciate it.

MrWong as im up the road im waiting for the invitation............. I would like to purchase second hand but im just kinda scared all i would be buying is someone elses problems, i see some tempting ads in the local rags but not sure whether to go for it or not.