makocraft 370 HD (Stessl EdgeVee 380 HD) ??

[slapstick]

I think it's time to retire old faithful
I have 11.5 ft DeHavilland Topper that came with an 8 HP outboard. Whlist it's done sterling service with a 15 strapped to the back, I'd like to move to a hull more appropriately rated and sized.

I've been keeping an eagle-eye out for secondhand stuff and have recently cast my eye further afield to consider new stuff. I'm looking at Quintrex, Stesser etc but stumbled across the makocraft at Pacific Marine today. Specifically the 370 HD. It looks like it ticks all my boxes for metro fishing and will take up where the Topper leaves off. The price seems right too ...

Anybody have any relevant experience with makocraft and the 370 HD in particular? Looks to be the same boat as the stessl edge-vee 380
not surprising I suppose

cheers

[Beeracudda]

Yes I owned a stessl 380 HD with a 30hp Yamaha, you will not find a wider boat in its class, very very stable but with that you don't get a nice ride in chop

have seen some cracks in the weld down where the back seat joins the hull, a mate had the 425 HD and had more cracking issues, but we both drive our boats pretty hard and in some bad chop at times so maybe not typical. I loved this boat and am kicking myself for selling it, as a little tinnie it was a great boat.

[slapstick]

thanks for the feedback.

30HP eh? The "recommended" (by which I take to mean "minimum worth bothering with") motor stessl recommend is a 15. I have a just run-in 15HP Yammie 2-stroke and was planning to use that. I don't have any plans to load the boat to the gunwhales .... 2 up fishing will be the norm so I figured it would be okay. The max rating is 25 so I'm aware that I'm powering at the low end of the scale.

Did you ever run yours with a motor that small? If it planes I'll be happy I don't really need much more than that!

cheers,
Slap

[Beeracudda]

Mine was max HP according to the Stessl build plate, but I'm sure a 15 would be ok I've had 4 big blokes in mine with no problems, you would need one on the back seat and one on the front seat when getting on the plan probably with a 15hp, but once your on the plan IMO it would be fine.

[pegasus]

Hi, owned a mako 3.7 HD, 15 hp Merc 2 s - mainly fished self or with the lad-river close shore and fresh, no problems- not overly fast- 35 km ph WOT on a gps, also popped in a light floor and cast platform.Wide and 80 kg from recollection- I have seen a few lads with them as car toppers- with some good setup as lifters etc. I thought they were a pretty good rig.