New to boating - where to start...

[Ozwatson]

Hi all, from the outset I'll say I'm pretty much a complete boating virgin, and this forum looks like a good place to start before we take the plunge, so to speak.

Background & intro: Officially middle aged, never owned a boat, wife, 2 pre-teen boys. Just completed the training and got my marine licence this week (Brisbane). Not quite sure how it happened but we've suddenly been bitten by the urge to buy a boat and get out on the water.

Type (& budget)? Well, this has evolved from a sub $5k tinnie up to nudging $20k and now settling in around the $12-15k mark. Use will be family cruising on the bay, some fishing, towing the kids on tubes. Not really into open water, no overnight.

What we are looking at: Wifey is keen on the bowriders, but they tend to be more in the $15-20k from what I've seen. A few cuddy cabins around but not convinced on practicality, especially climbing through to access the anchor. I'm probably leaning more towards an aluminium Qunitrex style with lean through screen. Pref 4 stroke, 60hp or more.

My big question:

I'd like some comment on the overall cost of boating (aside from the usual response - if you have to ask you can't afford it). I want to be sure we are allowing enough at purchase time for things like - inspection, rego, insurance, stamp duty, fix a few things - figuring to allow maybe $2k on top of purchase price for this.

What about ongoing costs - insurance, rego, service, repairs,etc. Another $2k /yr?

While we are really keen to get into boating we don't want to end up in a situation where we can't afford it and then left trying to sell it. Contemplating hiring a bigger boat now I have a licence to try it out and get more ideas. There looks to be a couple here in Brisbane.

Ok, enough writing. If you got to the end, thanks for reading and all comments/questions/opinions would be gratefully received.

cheers
Andrew

[dluxv6]

Hi Andrew

Mate try BOAB boat hire they have boats exactly what you want and best way to find out before buying is to try, on the goldy,bribie and Redcliffe so not to far away from u
http://www.boabboathire.com.au/
Cheers Drew

[Ozwatson]

Thanks Drew, I had a chat with the Boab guys at the marine expo on the weekend. Was very useful. I've also been looking at these:
http://brisbaneboathire.com.au/
http://www.smartpowerboathire.com.au/
Strangely I kind of like the idea of the tow & drive as it will give me a taste of handling the boat on the ramp as well as on the water.

[solemandownunder]

Hmmmmmmmm...Beer & chips at the ready

[Crunchy]

Welcome (soon) to the world of boating Oz, a great family pastime. All I can say about the cost of boating is add up everything you can possibly think of and then double it.

[Still_Dreamin]

Beware boat stands for Bring Out Another Thousand

[BGG]

My best advice is to buy as new as you can. This will limit the immediate repairs and upgrades you need to do. It may not tick all the boxes but the quickest way to put the family off boating is to have a failure on the water. Kids get scared, wife hets dirty and the next thing you know, the boat is up for sale or causing arguments. When the family is comfortable with the whole scene, then you can consider upgrading to a rig that ticks all the boxes.
Also, with little or no experience, I'd steer clear of glass boats. They can be damaged quiet easily if you don't know what you are doing. Aim for a new or near new 4.5 metre rig and enjoy.

[liltuffy]

Welcome Andrew, tis a noble pastime and worthy lifestyle you choose to join. If you are the outdoorsy type your greatest archilles heel will be the weather. For the activities you mention you want light winds, sunny days and warm waters, unforunately they often don't coincide with free time, but when they do man you have some great family memories, it's very easy to become addicted.

Costs depend on the skills you have the rig you buy. If you are mechanically minded you could do your own maintenance and servicing - it's not that difficult and it depends on the amount of use you get. A hundred and someting bucks a year for trailer rego, about the same for boat rego, about three times that for comprehensive insurance plus of course fuel.

Take your time, visit a few dealers and see if they take an interest in your needs, do some searches on their reputation, a lot of Ausfishers don't hold back on their experiences but most of all buy something not much more than half a dozen years old. If you are unfamiliar with the pitfalls an older rig may contain a few unwanted surprises.

Cheers

Craig

[Ozwatson]

Aim for a new or near new 4.5 metre rig and enjoy.

Something like this, you reckon? 40hp enough for tootling around Morton Bay or pulling a tube?

http://www.boatsales.com.au/boats-fo...Ridx=10&eapi=2

[BGG]

That general style or even a tiller steer.
I'm not sure about the towing. I've never wanted to get out of a perfectly good boat and feed my bits to things with teeth. Also, check out the cost of insurance if you want to tow/ski.

[BGG]

Here's one with a 4 stroke. I'd say the best brand of 4 stroke but that night start a tornado.
Just sayin'............................................ .......
http://www.boatpoint.com.au/boats-fo...Ridx=22&eapi=2

[thelump]

Just jump in the deep end Andrew and buy a big bugger straight up. Sure as s$%t will be wanting a bigger boat not long after the bug bites. Boats like the one in your link are great for putting around the bay checking things out but as your experience grows so will your sense of adventure and you will be wanting to head further afield. Something like this for instance
http://www.boatpoint.com.au/boats-fo...&Ridx=2&eapi=2

[Ozwatson]

Something like this for instance
http://www.boatpoint.com.au/boats-fo...&Ridx=2&eapi=2

lol. I can just see the kids on their tubes behind this. Might be a squeeze to fit in the back yard though.

[thelump]

Mate you could drag the whole neighborhood around with that. But I was serious about going bigger the first time. When I first moved to QLD I had a 4.5m tinny. I used to take the family over to Peel island in it all the time in summer and it was fine. The issue was after a day at Peel the kids were pretty buggered then travelling back across the bay in the summer N/E slop was a real PITA. Kids just wanted to have a kip. Bit hard in a 4.5 tinny. So it was gone and an 18ft cabin boat was purchased. Haven't looked back. Worth some thought as the Bay isn't always the most pleasant for a small aluminium boat! Especially in summer those afternoon sea breezes really chop the bay up. Good luck either way. It is an awesome past time.

[Crunchy]

Be aware that with the little Bluefin 4.5 there would be some pretty uncomfortable trips back from an outing on the bay. Nothing wrong with the boat brand but just it's going to be a tad on the small size for a lot of the afternoon see breezes that stir up on the bay.