New boat comments

[Synful]

Evening guys,

'Bout to make a down payment on a new tinnie from Bills Marine here in Cairns and looking for some comments on my choices. Config is as shown below:

• Quintrex 400 Hornet WB (see info here) and trailer
• Yamaha 2 stroke 30HP outboard HMHL (info here)
• Lowrance X52 Sounder (info here)

Total package including BMT, sounder, rod holders and battery all fitted is $9518.00.

Are there any Quintrex Hornet 400 owners here in Cairns who have any opinions on the boats and their associated performance prior to me signing on the bottom line. All the info I've seen seems to be that the Quintrex tinnies are reliable and not many people have bad things to say about them; the positive comments seem to outweigh the bad ones by about 4 to 1.

This is my first boat and wanted to make sure that the boat is solid enough to get between Double Island on calm days still the right config to get around the rivers and creeks here in Cairns as well chasing Barra, Jacks, Queenies and the like.

If the boat isn't going to be suitable to getting to the Palm Cove side of Double Island on calm days that isn't a problem it was just going to be a bonus that's all.

[megafish71]

G'day Synful, are you sure you want to buy a Quintrex, I have had one (never again). But if you are, have you got a price from Greg at Hunts in Tully. He was almost $3k cheaper for a 200hp 4 banger a few years back. Might be worth a phone call.

Ron

[Tailortaker]

I can't quite comment on that boat but my 1995 Quintrex tinnie is great, I get a bit wet on choppy days but otherwise I love it...
Cheers TT.
________
Xv1000

[Synful]

G'day Synful, are you sure you want to buy a Quintrex, I have had one (never again). But if you are, have you got a price from Greg at Hunts in Tully. He was almost $3k cheaper for a 200hp 4 banger a few years back. Might be worth a phone call.

Ron

Hi Ron,

Thanks for that - it may be worth the drive if I can get it for a few grand cheaper; wouldn't have their phone number by any chance would you?

[Synful]

I can't quite comment on that boat but my 1995 Quintrex tinnie is great, I get a bit wet on choppy days but otherwise I love it...
Cheers TT.

Hi TT;

Wouldn't be going 'outside' on choppy days staying in the creeks and such...

Don't mind getting a wet bum from some spray but a wet bum from capsizing isn't my idea of fun

Sort of decide on a Dory 420 after getting a PM from another member about the hornets in a bit of chop; seems to be a bit cheaper by $800.00 as well

[STUIE63]

Hunt's 4068 2222
Stuie

[FNQCairns]

Synfull, you asked...Consider very seriously one of these instead http://www.quintrex.com.au/BoatRange...yWideBody.aspx if you must go quintrex.

Honestly if you ever plan on sticking your nose out from ANY sheltered waterway the Hornet is not the choice to make. You will cut out 40% of your fishing (read FUN) options when the sparkle wears off with that boat and do 0% more or better with it for the average competent user over say the Dory above.

What you think you want now will change VERY fast when just 5km away there is a wreck/island/creek that the Dory will fish with the other small tinnys but it is simply not worth the effort in the Hornet to battle there and fight home afterwards.

OR seabreeze says the early morning will be nice but might get a little uncomfotable later =hornet probably will not go, V hull = suck it and see get back before it blows up too much, so a fun time was had anyway -priceless!

We get big tides up here lots of water flow for time which causes decent pressure waves at the mouths of our estuary/rivers (also very close offshore like 1km due to tidal flow), when the wind opposes your hornet is not even close to the choice for this and you will encounter it very often, usually unplaned.

Family members, friends will know that sitting up the front in anything but ideal conditions they are better to stay in bed than get flogged around, (I know it has the a marketed (marketing)hull shape) still nothing on a typical V tinny when you need it to be.

They are good boats just the useage up here doesn't suit them unless the owner is a very strict single use fisherman and honestly someone would need to give me one for general estuary/river/close inshore fishing days.

One bloke I know who moved up here from central NSW lasted only 3 months before selling his M hull Hornet, even he said he tried to stick it out but couldn't and now has his first V tinny and is happy as (after owning 3 previous hormnets). I would only go with him if I got to sit up the back all the time which meant I had to drive and I would rather not drive if possible.

Anyway each to their own you will have fun in no matter what you choose, I don't hate them or anything like that, just the list of common sense fishing options with a V tinny vastly outweighs the same list in a Hornet for the eqiv price and size.

cheers fnq

[FNQCairns]

Hi TT;

Wouldn't be going 'outside' on choppy days staying in the creeks and such...

Don't mind getting a wet bum from some spray but a wet bum from capsizing isn't my idea of fun

Sort of decide on a Dory 420 after getting a PM from another member about the hornets in a bit of chop; seems to be a bit cheaper by $800.00 as well

Who was that masked man? great minds think alike....

[Wahoo]

hi Andrew
im with Scott (fnq)
i just made a call and i can get you a 4.29 sea horse deep V, belco trailer
30hp merc
smooth water safty gear 12m rego
lowrance 240 anchor rope chain for $ 8600 all brand new

Daz

[Dr_Dan]

Def would be looking at something with a bit more of a V. Even wanting to fish in the inlet, tide against wind = some pretty sloppy chop in there. Have fished around cairns for a number of years in a 14ft V tinny. Loved it. Could get you into pretty much any place mates vnose punts could, but on the days they would have to um and ah about heading out, would easily get me out to double, the wrecks, kings point, fitzroy island. Long trip, sometimes a pretty rough and wet trip! but as FNQ says, that's half the fun (when i was a young bloke anyho.......)

Only time i'd consider v nose is if buying a boat purely as a creek boat, car topper etc, and if i had another boat (dreaming now) to get me out into the inshore/offshore or larger rivers with.

In saying that, your best bet is to get out in a couple of different boats, see how they suit YOUR needs.

[disorderly]

Some great advice above,Andrew.
You can take a V nosed tinny anywhere..You might get pretty wet and it might be slow going if the swell and chop picks up but they are pretty versatile.
The stacer that Daz has priced there sounds like a good value entry level tinny.
You would have no problems chasing mackeral around the wrecks and islands in reasonable conditions once you gain some confidence with the boat.

Should have added that with the money you'd save you could afford to upgrade to a decent sounder.

Scott

[Kleyny]

I've gota 06 4.6m dory.
couldnt be happier

[Tailortaker]

I've gota 06 4.6m dory.
couldnt be happier

Does that have a 60hp and a black ausfish stickers on it?
________
Kitchen Measures

[wazza66]

I have the 445 Dory with a 40 Yamaha and fish anywhere I like(canals,creeks offshore) off the Gold Coast.

As long as you know the weather forecast and respect the sea and your ability you should be fine.

I'd give the the hornet the miss and go for something with a deep V hull for versitility.

Good Luck,

Wazza

[Synful]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the great advice; I think that I will be changing my mind for the Dory 420 now after re investigating all the information available, I was mad to consider the Hornet in hindsight after looking at all the facts.

Stuie: Thanks for that will give them a call either tomorrow or Saturday morning to see what I can get and if it will justify the driving.

FNQCairns: Not wrong - think that we were thinking alike That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it I had hoped to use it to get out to around double island but again; after reading and researching properly this time, I am definitely better to go with the V nose hull.

Daz: What model Lowrance is that? Had a look at the Lowrance site and couldn't find a 240 there anywhere. By my calculations that price is about $38.00 less that the comparable Quinnie; that from Affordable cars and marine?

Disorderly and Dr Dan: Yeah guys, wasn't planning on trying to do a Steve Fosset and will definitely get the hang of things in the estuaries first before even considering going out to Double Island. Don't want to make a pest of myself to the coast guard guys; they've got plenty of better things to do asides from rescuing a goose who should have learnt his boat before venturing out where he's never been