Formosa boats

[big_steve001]

Hey guys I'm starting to look at getting my first boat and am looking at getting a decent size plate boat somewhere in the 5.5 - 6 meter size would be ideal and I want to keep it under 50000. I am looking at the Formosa centre cab in the 5.8 size and just want to no what people think of these boats and if anyone owns one and could tell me how it goes that would be great. Also is it possible to put and secondary fuel tank just to get a few more litres in it. Cheers steve

[bf90]

have a look along the bottom of the formosa hulls the last time i looked they are like a roller coaster ride. They sure do look a smart boat but imo the bottom of the hull is just not up to standard. have a geese at the tabs boats, I know I could have bought a new 6.1 meter half cab with a 140 donk for 45k, now that is good value in my books and they are a very strong boat. I ended up buying the 5.4 tabs as the 6.1 would have been a little too big for me to handle on my own.

[Mrs Ronnie H]

Hi
We own a Formosa 5.2 runabout and love it. Brother has a 5.5 Centre consol and we have done many trips out to the Banks and stayed overnight.
It handles well imo and would not hesitate to recommend these boats. We have a 90 suzuki and bro has 115 hp and both go well. The thing i like most is the high sides - and they are very stable. If you want info on adding another fuel tank or upsizing or adding anything give Duncan a ring at Formosa and I know he will be only too happy to advise you.

Ronnie

[Fido]

These boats are made just up the road from my business. I have been there many times and they are well built, the staff are proud of their product and the owners are always helpful with customer needs. They have done other excellent work for myself.

[WalrusLike]

..... the staff are proud of their product....

That's so good to hear eh. It works well for everyone when the staff are on board to make a great product. Off course the owner must also be a force for good in the business. When that happens the customer, the staff, and the owner all do well.

Pride in workmanship is such a good thing. Lovely to hear.

[Boat Hog]

Steve, I know that there are those on Ausfish who will readily bag the Formosa Boats. I have always admired their lines but have never seen one in person, so I won't comment on their finish or handling etc.

I would suggest that you make a trip down to Coastal Powerboats at Burleigh (new premises - 2 Junction Road). The staff there are very helpful and you can compare the Formosa range with Stessl, Horizon and Goldstar boats in a similar price range - you will pay a little more for a Goldstar but you can see for yourself why. Each range has a Cente Cab style and all are available matched with quality Suzuki Four Strokes - what more could you want? Gee ... I should be working there!

Just my suggestion. The staff there can advise on fuel capacity upgrades etc. Good way to compare apples with apples, as they say!

Cheers,

[theangryangler]

Mate i currently have a 09 formosa 520 center console with a 90 honda 4 on the bum 110 L tank. have done around 20 hours so far since getting it. IMO they are very well built boat and can take a real beating, i have had the floor up once just to have a sus about and the reinforcement suprised me! it really was chalk ad cheese compared to a brooker 5m i used to have which was quite minimal in this regard. few weeks back was at curtain during the day not that nice a weather but just fishable bout halfway back acrooss to shorncliffe when the wind turned to an unforecasteed 30 knot WNW picking up the swell to the biggest i have ever encountered in the bay 2-4 M with whitecaps, first time i have ever worn my life jacket whilst crossing the bay as well but the boat handled it excelently!!! was quite a few waves where all i could see was the sky and a lot of banging about but that is to be expected from a tinnie. looked at the center cab but in that size -6M we forund the cab was very tight and small and rather pointless if we had of gone that way would have got the cabin over the center cab as it has a deeper bunk. some on here will trash due to personal experience but as with all boats from any builder some just have issues but mostly they dont.
let us know what you decide.
The angry ANgler

[big_steve001]

Thanks for the comments guys and I no that everyone has different things to say about the boat so I suppose the best thing to do is have a look for myself. I went for a drive today down to burleigh and had a look at the boats but the yard was closed and from I can see they look the goods and a good finish so will have to look closer and maybe see if there is a way of a test drive. Thanks guys

[bay cruiser]

just another option... check out my Mclay 586 in the classifieds section. A true plate boat with lots of bells and whisles

[Blackened]

Thanks for the comments guys and I no that everyone has different things to say about the boat so I suppose the best thing to do is have a look for myself. I went for a drive today down to burleigh and had a look at the boats but the yard was closed and from I can see they look the goods and a good finish so will have to look closer and maybe see if there is a way of a test drive. Thanks guys

G'day

You may full well know but seeing as you're at Thornlands, the Formosa factory is at Capalaba on New Cleveland Rd. May be worth dropping in there.

Dave

[rosco1974]

the angry angler, u sure the waves where 2 - 4 mtrs.i know i wasnt there but have never seen anything bigger than 2mtrs in the bay myself and with a 30knt w/nw winds i think u would be struggling to get over 2mtrs...if it was 4mtr bay swell/windchop it would of seen my jocks soiled even in the 2400kc i have let alone a 5.2mtr tinny.havin trouble believin 4 mtrs in the bay either that or your 4 mtrs is alot smaller than what i call 4mtrs
cheers rosco

[ben_460]

maybe a typo? 2.4m?

are the searod models with the ballasts any better/worst?

[rosco1974]

yeah mate i think you maybe be right in the typo

[theangryangler]

the angry angler, u sure the waves where 2 - 4 mtrs.i know i wasnt there but have never seen anything bigger than 2mtrs in the bay myself and with a 30knt w/nw winds i think u would be struggling to get over 2mtrs...if it was 4mtr bay swell/windchop it would of seen my jocks soiled even in the 2400kc i have let alone a 5.2mtr tinny.havin trouble believin 4 mtrs in the bay either that or your 4 mtrs is alot smaller than what i call 4mtrs
cheers rosco

no this was not a typo the average wave on this day was around the 2m mark with a few that would have been 3-4m from gutter to crest and yes i was crapping myself the trip that usually takes me around 45 minutes took me over four hours that day. as stated i have never seen it like that before in the hundreds of hours i have been out there. and the tinny was struggling to get up the bigger waves with quite a few almost dunking the motor as i could not climb up the face of them due to the size.I honestly thought i was gonna be swimming back.
Fair enough if ya claim its crap.... such is life
next time ill take some pics for ya

[bigjimg]

Are you gonna go to the boat show? check alot of brands out under one roof.Just good to have alot of boats around to look at.
I've been in a 33ft O'brien game boat that was slowed to idle speed during an unforecast blow.That had waves pushing up onto the wavebreaker screen on the flybridge.....That was a barrel of monkeys.Jim