Stinger Longboats ?

[shawn]

I'm thinking about getting a new boat. The style of boat I am looking at,is a longboat. I have done a lot fishing out of a 5.8 metre Southwind Longboat. While the Southwind is a great boat, there is a few things I think could be better.
The boat that I have been looking at is a Stinger Longboat. It is made in Brisbane, which would be handy for me. I'm looking at only getting a hull and doing the rest myself.
Any thoughts on this boat would be appreciated, either good or bad. Check out there web site and see what you think. www.webteam.com.au/stinger
Thanks......Shawn. ???

[Dr_Dan]

Look like nice boats. Of course a bit hard to tell without actually taking one for a spin. But very nice looking indeed. Just out of curiosity, how do their prices compare to other longboats around??? Definetly think that the 730 or whatever it was would be a BEAUTIFUL boat. I live in Townsville, and have seen the aquarium boat out and about. VERY SMOOTH LOOKING INDEED. [smiley=2thumbsup.gif] [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]

GOod luck with the new boat when it arrives!

Cheers
Dan

[krazyfisher]

nice looking boat also have a look at www.goodwinglass.com.au same sort of hull and will customise it for you

[Kerry]

I'd be asking lots of questions about how the transom is connected to the sides and bottom.

Cheers, Kerry.

[krazyfisher]

why is that kerry can you explain abit more

[Wesley_Pang]

Shawn,

Fibreglass and 4-strokes are probably the way to go for Longtails on fly.

What don't you like about the UB580?

I had a look around the Southwind site. It would be interesting if the Stealth came in 6 meter center console version.

There's not a perfect Tuna flyfishing boat in the Australian Market. Not enough demand I guess.

Wes

[Kerry]

Krazyfisher, what I understand (saw) they had an issue with the transom flexing and the result was the rear end trying to break away from the rest.

Really there wasn't much that supported the transom anyway apart from the method it was attached to the bottom stringers.

One would hope that this problem has been fixed as it appeared more to be in the construction/design around the rear end. This was on the 7. whatever model.

Cheers, Kerry.

[shawn]

G'day guys,
I went to the Stinger factory yesterday, and had a look at the 619 project boat. I was pretty impressed with the result so far, talked to the owner Murray Hallam about the boat for a couple of hours. He built the boats up in PNG for 10 years, before moving back to Australia and setting up in Brisbane.

The things I think could be better in the Southwind are,

1. The two raised platforms (front and rear) have raised lids on them. If you are standing on them casting, you have to be very careful where you put your feet. Add a couple of metres of swell, and its not hard to lose your balance.The front is obviously worse than the back.

2. The sides are a bit low, especially from the console back. So it is hard to lean into the sides when you are fighting a big fish. The taller you are the worse this is.

3. I want to chase billfish and other big fish, and I want to be able to jam myself in the back corner when I'm hooked up. You can not do this in the Southwind because of the shape of the rear end.

Murray was more than happy to do some customising, in relation to making the front casting deck larger. He also said the console can be moved up to a metre each way, which will be good because I want to have a seat behind the console and still have enough room to fish.The price is $11 900 for the boat without a motor or trailer, which is comparible to most other boats in this class. The project boat should be finished in 3 weeks, so we can do some water tests with it.
Kerry, how long ago did you see this? ???the transom looks as strong as any other boat. So they might have fixed the problem? ???
cheers.....Shawn.

[Kerry]

Shawn, time certainly flies but it was about 3-4 years ago and the boat wasn't all that much older.

From memory the transom is more like a straight dingy transom, no well at all and just relied on the brackets/gusets to the bottom of the hull. This one had a 90 hanging on the back and it was fairly obvious why it was flexing. Have an idea it never went back to the factory (can't remember the politics either) but was fixed locally.

Also that same boat had cracked most of the SS awning structure but not sure if that came with the boat or was an add on.

Cheers, Kerry.

[Big_Kev]

Sounds like an interesting boat Shawn.
Is there a web sight to have a look at these boats, and where in Brisvegas are they made.
Cheers Kev