Help with chosing a new boat please

[Maverick]

Folks,

We're moving up to Townsville and now that I've got rid of my old fibreglass boat, I'm looking at buying a new one for up there. I'm looking for an aluminium boat to get me around Magnetic and Palm Islands (and a bit further) as well as a boat I can easily use up the creeks for barra. I'm only looking at spending up to $15,000 and the boat has to be new or nearly new with little hours on the clock. I'd prefer a cuddy cab for night fishing although I think it'd be out of my price range for what I want. I've been looking at the Ally Craft 410 Scout, 425 Navajo and 455 Fish Master Cuddy Cab.

Any suggestions on the Ally Craft's I've been looking at or any other boats suggestions (different brands) would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Cheers, Mav

[Silver_RX]

I have heard tails about allycraft hulls. I am kinda in the same boat (pardon the pun) at the moment, although my budget is smaller. I would take a look at quintrex, stacer and sea jay - they seem to be some of the better boats getting around that I have seen.

[jaybee]

Hi Maverick
It can get fairly choppy out around magnetic, and if going cuddy cabin i would look at the nautiglass or yalta, older hulls i know but with a new 50 hp yammie on em or similar can look around $7 mark second hand. But then if you are looking for tin then i would go heavy duty stessal or quinnie, hope this helps although it is my personal choice. Wouldnt look for anything under 4.7 if you are venturing out around magnetic either. but then locals from up there would be better suited to tell you.
cheers.

[Mad_Barry]

Mate, for that sort of $$ new, I've seen the 4.5m poly thingo's, 50 hp honda, trailer, rego's, saftety gear etc. for about $15000.

Which would be about the smallest you'd want to be in heading around over there

To go bigger there's usually a selection of 4/5 + m alloy centre consoles on the second hand market up here, but cuddy's in the smaller sizes aren't as popular, if that's what you're chasin, then you may want to look around & grab one down there before you come up.

[Lachie1]

g'day fellas,
We have got a savage 485 centre console with a 60 johnno on the back and its great for what we do. We have been up creeks and rivers and out in the ocean and it handles great and with spray dodgers you don't get that wet when the bay really turns it on. The only problem is that on night trips you got no where to get a bit of shut eye . You can usually pick one up with all the gear for $10-$12,000. Good reliable brand that will do the job for you.

Cheers, Lachie

[Big_Kev]

Theo at Wondall road marine has a very nice looking 4.55 cuddy used for sale at the moment .
Or people seem to go for the Blue Fin 4.5 mtr Warrior will fit your price and is a good boat for the dollar .
I just bought a center console 4.75 and should end up at around that figure and be doing much the same as you will be .
Cheers Reel Hard

[Jonno]

Hi there, just took delivery of my new 5.35m seajay venture half cab from stone corner marine, with a 115 yamaha. You would not believe how little water the boat needs to run in for the size. I believe the sea jay is the way to go.

[Big-D]

Yes, Quintex is the best boat to buy.

[coasty]

i now have a forward control with windscreen and canopy. its nice but i want to go to a centre consule . as for sleeping overnight ,unlike wimps, realmen sleep on the deck.
well under a bimini cover anyway.

[krazyfisher]

hi the polycraft are atleast worth a look check out there web site www.polycraft.com.au they have side center console cuddy cab etc they are 4.7m overall length and go well in the seas around that area which can get very choppy and there price is good

[whiteman]

Maverick

I've been up this way for about 12 months with a 5.3m Quinnie Cuddie with a 115 Yammie on the back - sits on 25 knots all day if necessary.

This is a great boat for the open water and it's done plenty of miles around The Palms (about a 24k run from the ramp). Anything smaller and you can get very wet and bumped around when it blows up - I know, I've been out on a smaller boat and it was painful! I live up at Balgal so go out of Rollingstone Creek.

However, this is not a creek boat. Most of the creeks up here are severely silted and you need something light to push across sandbars and to launch from some of the more remote spots.

I wouldn't try and buy a boat to handle both as they have extremes of conditions you shouldn't comprimise. Work out where you'll do most of your fishing, buy a boat to suit, then bum a ride in a different layout for those other days.

Oh, and join a fishing club like mine at Balgal Beach or the Townsville Sportsfishing Club.

[Jagboy]

My Advice, Don't buy a Seajay I have a 4.95 Venture cab with a 90 yam, and I've just about rewelded the whole Boat its the bigest piece of shit I've ever owned.

Reg Jagboy

[Marlin_Mike]

I have heard tails about allycraft hulls. I am kinda in the same boat (pardon the pun) at the moment, although my budget is smaller. I would take a look at quintrex, stacer and sea jay - they seem to be some of the better boats getting around that I have seen.

Believe none of what you hear and half of what you see Silver_RX.

I have an Allycraft 5.1mt Reef Prince Centre Console, 75HP Mariner. I take it out in all weather. The hull is one of the better ones I've owned. Never cracked a weld or damaged the hull. It all comes down to how you handle it. Drive to the conditions and you'll have no problems. Bash them in rough weather and you'll stuff any hull.

Go for the Ally Craft Maverick, they are a decent boat and like any brand, look after her and she'll bring you home every time.

Mike

[bushbeachboy]

Hi Mav,
My advice would be to join a club first and go on a few trips in different boats to see what might suit you best.

Whiteman is correct with his advice about not trying to do everything with one boat. The creeks and rivers here are very silted up at the mouths, hence very shallow at the mouths. If you want to do some blue water work, get a good vee hull (your old fibreglass rig might have been perfect). If you want to chase barra etc, a punt is the best bet, just don't expect to cross the bays with it.

There seems to be an impression in the southern parts of the country that the area inside the GBR is a 'lagoon' ie smooth water. From Townsville, the reef is about 40 NM, yes Nautical Miles not km. The wind blows almost constantly (and is often 15 knots) and there is enough water out there to make some nice sea conditions.

If you wanted to start a bit cheaper, a vee hull tinny in the 4.5 - 5 metre range will give you lots of options, and most of them will easily handle a bit of a sea if you drive sensibly.

Something like a Quintrex Hornet, which is really a glorified punt, is not really suitable for bay work, although I expect to be burned at the stake, drawn and quartered, shot and beheaded shortly for saying such things about Hornets. And there are people who go out wide with them too.

Enough war and peace. There is lots of fishing to be done up here, both creek and sea, and plenty of fish. You'll have a ball when you get to know the area a bit and the lifestyle is very relaxed.

Cheers mate

[PinHead]

How did this get dragged up? It says it was originally posted on 22.11.2002.
Probably onto 2nd or 3rd boat since then.