New Boat advise!!! opinions needed!!

[kingy1978]

I've sold the Mako ETT now cashed up and ready to buy my next boat. I had almost made the decsion on a Makocraft 515 Max Frenzy for about $35,000 then add a Kota, HDS 7 sounder etc.....

The style of fishing I do is HB's and SP's for bream of course plus a bit of bay work and the odd trip light offshore chasing reef speices kingies and the odd tuna. Even now and then a bar crossing too.

I thought maybe a glass boat might be better for stability, offshore ride and safety.

Things I want in the boat are high sides for bracing against when offshore, good all round access either side or centre console, casting deck up front, something 6 metres or under in length so its fits in the garage, a boat i can mount a bow mount leccy on, something not too old (less than 150 hours) and a livewell is not super important either that or a kill tank would be good though.

I have posted a photo of the Trophy 1703 which for me pretty much fits the bill. Have any of you guys been in one of these before? What did you think about the ride? How do you think i would suit my purpose? Can you give any other boats to consider? somewhere up to 35,000 would be good. I don't wanna import either - too hard basket for me.

I've put a photo up of the Trophy 1703 CC.

http://www.boatingvermont.com/2005/t...80_image02.jpg

Thanks guys hope you can help!!

[Emo]

The trophy looks like a nice rig, are they in your budget range?

[lukeyboy]

Man that boat looks awesome... One thing id offer is side over centre console. Just find it easier to get from front to back and vice versa. The side is a bit unbalanced under power 1 up, but I find I stand up in the middle of the boat and steer from there most times.

Also multiple seating positions is key for me. I have 5 in mine that I can move the 3 pedestal seats to. If out with the kids, they are at the back with me nice and close, but if am out with mates 2 or 3 up put them up the front to help keep the nose down.

I have a 4.35m stessl angler with a quite deep V can do bay, estuary and light offshore. 20 knts in PPB, reefs off barwon heads on good days and shallow estuary. Great fishing platform with heaps of room and really seaworthy for a small boat.

Other thing is if you go ally... has to be plate. Ride is so much better due to the weight, i find in mine in chop, instead of backing off, she handles better if she is pushed. Sits over the top of it and if bigger stepper ones come through, can cut through it.

Love my angler

[Bear]

http://www.boatsales.com.au/boats-fo...ed-bnbis-stock

If it was in WA I'd have probably bought it by now.

[kingy1978]

the Makocraft Frenzy has 4mm plate bottom and 3mm sides super strong. seeemed like the perfect option for me but I've never owned glass and I love the soft ride and and flexability of the fishing options they give.

Bear, sexy boats those Scouts I reckon - I've seen that one before its been up for a while now. I don't like the side helm seat much prefer the bigger seat with the swinging back rest. mostly there will be two in the boat maybe three on the odd outing. The sides are really low too..... :-( I reckon if I was gunna spend 35,000 on this I'd just buy a Haines 485sf - side console very low sides and limited offshore options. I think the Trophy 1703 hull high sides give a bit more protection and better fishability offshore.

Still..... Wow those big arse Scouts like 25 footers and the like are so so sexy mmmm twin 200 E-Tec's...... Massive overkill but so nice and so expensive

There are Trophy 1703 advertised at the moment around the 35K mark with reasonable hours and nick... One thing though How do you mount an electric to one of these?? Do you just wack the bow mount on the wide guunnels??? I hate it when people mount em' and the motor mounted sits right in the middle of the casting deck. I assume you can mount the motor on the correct angle so it sits along the gunnel when in the upright position.

Cheers.

[kingy1978]

How about this scout Bear??? Very very nice....

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Scout-185-cen...item3a5a08cc8c

[cheers]

Formula 15.

www.bushy.com.au/my_boat.asp

[Gudgeon]

I purchased 8 months ago a Seafarer Vantage 4.85 (aka Haines 485SF)("RIVALE hull) for my Victorian Estuaries and Bays. I specifically wanted a low freeboard Fiberglass hull.

But if you're wanting something with higher sides, then the Galeforce boats have a fantastic reputation:

http://www.boatsales.com.au/boats-fo...aspx?R=7584123

[lukeyboy]

Next door neighbour at Mallacoota has a formula 15 with a 90 on the back. Must admit I fell in love with it. He has taken it to gabo and had to push back in some serious weather. Was a blast on the lakes, so stable and nice high sides for kids as well as leaning against

[ruski]

Have you thought about a Southern Star? There's one on tournament boats at the moment with a 135 Opti

[Emo]

Originally Posted by ruski

Have you thought about a Southern Star? There's one on tournament boats at the moment with a 135 Opti

That was one of my thoughts too.

AKA Lewis typhoon.

[Dror]

If you want the higher gunnel height to brace your legs against it is really going to rule out most if not all of the bay boats and such.
The Trophy would be a good option. Don't be fooled by stories of quality issues on the old Trophy's, the new boats are chalk and cheese compared to the ones ten years ago. You can fit an electric to the bow on the gunnels without too much drama. You just angle it along the gunnel so it doesn't overhang into the boat when stowed. The biggest issue is reaching in under the gunnel to do up bolts.
The photo shows how I had mine mounted on the Trophy bay boat I was using. The gunnels are similar.

Cheers, Dror

[kingy1978]

yeah those southern stars look real nice

uuuMMM... I saw this one and WOW 150hp HO

http://www.boatpoint.com.au/boats-fo...aspx?R=8540877