Need advise for buying my first boat

[salthorse]

My first post but very much the reason why I got here in the first place! Very keen to go to sea (bay) and fish. I am located in South East Suburbs of Melbourne and will be launching at Pattersons lake Have an extended family so keen to have a boat which can accommodate at least 7 & preferably 8 (If I am taking out over 6 people it will be for cruise for a very short while - few hours. For fishing it's likely to be just 2 or 3 at any given time.)So I guess I am better off keeping the boat out of water and avoid cost of moor/ regular hull maintenance?Have a 2015 Prado Diesel to tow so limited to 2.5 Tons. So list of bare minimums :
7/8 people = Good seating capability for them
Higher end of permissible Horse Power (so don’t end up with an underpowered boat)
Good fish-finder with big display (to cater for ageing eyesight) & stowing of fishing gear
I would like to restrict my budget to 40K though I could push it slightly if there was major benefit in doing that
Not sure if it needs to be a metal or Glass
Thanks for your advise in advance!

[Chimo]

As a starting point :-
Where are you located?
Prices vary a fair bit depending on where you looking to buy.
$ 40 k sounds a bit low given the needs you want met IMHO

No doubt you should get some good suggestions on here

Cheers
Chimo

[salthorse]

Thanks for the tip. Located in South East Suburbs of Melbourne and will be launching at Pattersons lake. (added to the first post too)

[Noelm]

Be pretty hard to find a boat with seating for 7-8 and if you do find one, there won't be much room for anything else.

[ben475]

It sounds like your going to want a pretty big tub to be comfortable with 7-8 on board for any decent length of time.

[catshark]

hey mate , sounds like you want to take a few out for a fish, 7-8 people and your looking into 6mtr plus boat minimum. As glass boats can be pricey in this size perhaps a good alternative for room and ecomony etc . would be something like a big Quintrex bowrider millienium hull, you can distribute people all thru the boat, you dont want 7 people down the back ......they nice and wide and very popular with familys...outboard power rating reckon you need to see past 150 HP to carry the family..

[scottar]

By Victorian law, 5.5 to 6 metres can only carry a max of 7 (unless the manufacturer states otherwise) . The Quintrex 650 Bowrider has a basic safe capacity of 8 on their website. It will be a crowded little tub though and with that much weight on board I would be thinking smooth water only.

[hweebe]

When u say 7/8 people are we talking adults? Children and will they all be fishing. Reason I ask is it will be very different size boat if Not everyone is fishing.

[Islander77]

I'm a newbie boatie myself, so can't give you any advice here, but from my limited experience:

1) I bought myself a brand new 6m glass boat that is rated for 6 Adults, realistically more than 3 feels crowded. In fact 4 Adults is the absolute maximum I would ever want to see in this boat (that's including myself).

2) Recently went on 8m charters boat, there were 6 of us there (7 with the captain) and I would say that was a comfortable maximum. Sure, you could squize more people, but it would become uncomfortable for everyone.

3) So if you want to have 7/8 adults comfortably, then we are talking 7-8m boat, then $40k imo is very limited budget.

4) large screen electronics is very expensive and you are not going to see it in a low budget large boat.

Reduce the number of people requirement to 5-6 and you are looking at many more options within your budget. Good luck!

[Smithy]

Hard to get that many people and keep under 2.5T.

https://www.boatsales.com.au/boats/d...32&pss=~Length

https://www.boatsales.com.au/boats/d...44&pss=~Length

https://www.boatsales.com.au/boats/d...56&pss=~Length

https://www.boatsales.com.au/boats/d...56&pss=~Length

https://www.boatsales.com.au/boats/d...68&pss=~Length

[Dirtyfuzz]

I like the look of that triumph!


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[tjotter]

...
Good fish-finder with big display (to cater for ageing eyesight) ...

When you look at fishfinders, consider a fishfinder/GPS combo.
Maps (software) are expensive so include that in your budget.

If you look at second hand rigs especially, check trailer is rated to carry the actual load. As a startjng point the trailer will probably will have a capacity label on chassis somewhere (and govt rego renewal may do as well).


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[catshark]

triump looks good, love the bubba's boat test videos on these boats, cant sink em .

[salthorse]

Thanks a ton for some great advs. I think I haven't conveyed my requirements correctly and that has caused the confusion. If I am taking out 6 people it will be for cruise for a very short while - few hours. For fishing it's likely to be just 2 or 3 at any given time. So I guess I am better off keeping the boat out of water and avoid cost of moor/ regular hull maintenance?

[NAGG]

This will need to be a substantial boat - 7-8m Anything with cabin will make it crowded with 6-8 people . If it has rear seats (folding) with 4 people sitting back there - then you will need a pretty big motor on the back as well (200-250hp). ....... Budget will force you to an older boat / motor combination and the potential reliability issues. It's a big ask

Being in Victoria an open boat isn't ideal - but I cant see beyond a bowrider style boat or possibly a center cabin (ideal)

Chris