Thread: boat advice opinions...

5teve, what is your overall use? Offshore, or rivers etc? Or a mixture?

Also what type of motors (brand) do these boats have?
Whatever the brand, I'd have the motor(s) properly checked by a known outboard pro.

Boats of this size should also have double axle trailers, and a power winch would be very handy.

GQ

this guy
http://www.fishingmonthly.com.au/boa...s/575/575.html
gives the stacer a wrap,,,

the carrabean is TWICE the weight of the stacer,, plus 400 hours is a lot on any outboard,, its a nice looking boat,, not a lot of deadrise,, but its weight(nearly a Tonne) should help it there,,

is the Stacer a EVO hull?

5teve, what is your overall use? Offshore, or rivers etc? Or a mixture?

Also what type of motors (brand) do these boats have?
Whatever the brand, I'd have the motor(s) properly checked by a known outboard pro.

Boats of this size should also have double axle trailers, and a power winch would be very handy.

GQ

The stacer has a 2 stroke Tohatsu which get some nice reviews, nothing special, just good. the carribean im not sure on yet as we havent got round to have a proper look as the owner is away... we have got a guy we can use to give full mechanical on it before we buy anyway so will do that.

usage wise, it will be a mix of offshore and river, fishing probably pulling a donut occasionally and just general running about going to rottnest etc etc.. Mixed use!

yes one has a dunbier twin axle trailer (the carribean) and the other has a trailit twin axle trailer. not sure about power winch.

this guy
http://www.fishingmonthly.com.au/boa...s/575/575.html
gives the stacer a wrap,,,

the carrabean is TWICE the weight of the stacer,, plus 400 hours is a lot on any outboard,, its a nice looking boat,, not a lot of deadrise,, but its weight(nearly a Tonne) should help it there,,

is the Stacer a EVO hull?

Thanks Pedro, we have spent 2 nights looking for info on the stacer and had seen that.. the few reviews say its great for a tinnie but there are so few for sale and so little info about them it seems strange! the Stacer is the EVO I hull (there is now an evoII hull)

with the carribean, from what i have read 400 hours is about equivalent to 40000K's on a car motor. i know that this one has been kept with no expense spared and serviced on time all the time so im not too concerned as one guy on the net has 2300 hours on his engines and says they still run sweet... again it will have a full mech check to be sure.

im not too concerned about the weight as the td5 should pull it without much issues but the stacer will be (i guess) a bit cheaper to run and a more capable tow boat.

a friend goes out on the carribean alot fishing and she loves it... it made her not like her 5.5 haines hunter as it seems to small and too unstable! also everyone has said the carribean is a great boat so im happy about the boat in general, its just the extra cost end of the day 6k is a good chunk of cash BUT its for a boat that is underpriced, whereas the stacer is reasonable money but from a dealer so its unlikely to be a bargain

Thanks so far guys!

Steve

Hi Steve,

I have just gone through this scenario 18 months ago - although that doesn't make me an expert on boats.

I do spend a bit of time over West - and travel out to Rottnest in my brother's boat.

Although I purchased an aluminium boat - to be used primarily on mountain lakes, rivers and also the estuaries/rivers up in the NT - I would not like to be travelling out to Rottnest in an aluminium boat.

The fibreglass boats are sturdy and comfortable - the lockable cabin can also hold a toilet - and believe me - that is a big plus if you are getting into family boating.

The two-stroke? Whatever boat you buy - if it has a two-stroke, then you are going to need a BIG tank if you plan to go to Rottnest etc - or carry fuel in jerries. My brother had a two-stroke (150hp) on his 21ft Mustang and the fuel was a proverbial pain. This might be something you seriously consider. I certainly don't want to add another factor to your decision making process but it may be worth factoring in either the added fuel expense or the cost of updating to a four-stroke sometime in the future.

My boat has a 90hp four-stroke and used less fuel than a 30hp two-stroke over the same trips each day whilst we were fishing up in the Limmen Bight (NT) four weeks ago.

I can only say what boat I would go for and to do the job you want, I would go the Caribbean - heading out into the blue-water will be much more comfortable.

Originally Posted by Barra1

Hi Steve,

I have just gone through this scenario 18 months ago - although that doesn't make me an expert on boats.

I do spend a bit of time over West - and travel out to Rottnest in my brother's boat.

Although I purchased an aluminium boat - to be used primarily on mountain lakes, rivers and also the estuaries/rivers up in the NT - I would not like to be travelling out to Rottnest in an aluminium boat.

The fibreglass boats are sturdy and comfortable - the lockable cabin can also hold a toilet - and believe me - that is a big plus if you are getting into family boating.

The two-stroke? Whatever boat you buy - if it has a two-stroke, then you are going to need a BIG tank if you plan to go to Rottnest etc - or carry fuel in jerries. My brother had a two-stroke (150hp) on his 21ft Mustang and the fuel was a proverbial pain. This might be something you seriously consider. I certainly don't want to add another factor to your decision making process but it may be worth factoring in either the added fuel expense or the cost of updating to a four-stroke sometime in the future.

My boat has a 90hp four-stroke and used less fuel than a 30hp two-stroke over the same trips each day whilst we were fishing up in the Limmen Bight (NT) four weeks ago.

I can only say what boat I would go for and to do the job you want, I would go the Caribbean - heading out into the blue-water will be much more comfortable.

Thanks for that, if it wasnt an EVO hull (see the link posted by pedro) then i wouldnt have a decision to make! i know allys run harder than a grp, but the evo is by all accounts a hell of a good hull... apparently! remember this is also 6m of boat too.. so not the typical tinnie!

the point about the toilet in the lockable cabin is a good point... not much privacy on the stacer for that!

as far as the fuel goes i have been looking into that also the tohatsu from what i can gather uses around 55lts an hour at the limiter (WOT) and around 28lts/h at about 4300rpm (if only it was the direct injection tohatsu as that uses harly anything in comparison!) the stacer has a 100L tank the carribean has a 205L. The 175 engine i havent a clue on at the moment.. we wont be running to rotto every weekend tho, maybe just once or twice a year at the mo... im sure it will be cheaper than paying $70 each on the ferry!

all opinions are sought and valued so thanks for yours...

Steve

The Reef Runners are very safe, strong and last forever and they dont mind decent swell, an engine of good capacity is needed, they are really nice boat. While alloy boats are light and strong, the old Glass hulls have alot in there favour, strenght, sea worthiness, dont bounce around as much, give you a nice ride, but they are heavier, fuel consumption will be higher then alloy. A typical problem, too many boats, cant take them all home.

5teve, my Tohatsu story:

(Back about 1980): 18hp bought new, owned for about 3 years, traded for the purchase price, on a Tohatsu 40hp.

Both engines were excellent and never once had any probs with them, despite little regular service (and plenty of use). I was more than impressed by these motors.

At the time Tohatsu motors rated the 'horsepower' at the prop (dunno if they still do that), unlike some other brands which are rated at the head. IE the 40hp was roughly equvalent to a 55hp Merc or Evinrude.

Some glass hulls under heavy use can get cracks (like the boat I have here, which cops a hammering), and can lead to osmosis.

If it was me, I'd like a good long run (in the ocean) on both of the boats you're looking at, before making a decision. I think hull design is probably more inportant than the material used.

We had a 'Carib Dory' for a while some years ago; a 4.5m f'glass jobbie with a quasi tri-hull design, the ride was appalling, on anything but very flat water.

Cheers, GQ

I would go late model 4 stroke if possible. A lot cleaner and much more fuel efficient. We spend a full day on the water with a new 70 Honda on a 4.8m centre console and use about $50 fuel max.
I like the Stacers, Razorlines etc as they are a good fishing, family and skiing compromise, and are aluminium.
Just being able to come up with $55k for the one I want.