The pickup date (Wednesday next week!
) has finally been set for Dads new weapon for his retirement (whenever that will be), am making this topic for future reference as SkeltonCraft have minimal information out there in the boating industry for NZ.
A quick run down of what she is and why it was selected compared to others on the market.
Firstly, the struggle to flick the 520 Lazercraft around at my parents place is exactly that. It is a mission, us younger folks it is no dramas but for my parents, its just an incidient waiting to happen and the risk with injury / damage is to either boat or house or them is simply not worth the hassle, hence the downsize to something ideally in the 4.3-4.5m range.
After looking at every possibility on the market offered in NZ the search was narrowed down, now although my parents boating desires now is considerably different to their offsprings boat use. (with age comes wisdom and selects decent weather windows and the option to not freeze in the ocean every weekend) The intended purpose is for when Mum and Dad retire they are able to enjoy a day out on the water hassle free and if the weather gets a bit snotty can slowly chug home nice and dry and warm, while trying to obtain the comforts of the lazercraft (although we are well aware that simply no boat will ride as good as lazer)
Pontoon boats got scrapped fairly quickly.. Their construction materials are simply thinner alloy to keep the weights down and also more welds more things to go wrong. Their beams across the market are terribly narrow for length and then the internal beam is horrendous. The ride of a pontoon boat is going to be like hitting brick walls compared to the where we have come from with the lazer.
Mclays, FC boats quickly got ruled out for various reasons and obviously the last standing contender was the .45 Magnum by Skelton Craft. (it is what we went for after all)
Firstly I would like to say, that Mark and the team at SkeltonCraft have done an exceptional job, everything we have thrown at them that has required some thought and 3D CAD planning. It has been executed brilliantly, they have gone above and beyond for us and they are based in Taupo and have a range of boats and will actually listen to what you have to say. The build process did take a lot longer than expected the price you pay for good workmanship and when suppliers take a bit longer to get materials and others bits and pieces the delays that are out of their hands however the delays do all add up but it is all good.
Secondly, Elite Auto Spray in Taupo have done a fantastic job on the painting of the boat. Big props to these guys. The finish is amazing.
Thirdly, Pacific Coast Marine & Diesel in Whitianga for being absoutlely good buggers and having the big heart sitting in their workshop since ordering the motor at the boat show (also for having the sharpest pencil out of all the dealers from Taupo to Whangarei.)
The .45 Magnum:
- 4.5m length
- 2.2m beam
- 17 degrees deadrise
- 60L underfloor tank standard (100L underfloor tank is what we have gone with)
- Foldable centre cab (2.1m so fits in a standard garage)
- 5mm hull, 3mm sides
- Custom build Alloy trailer by Skelton Craft
The extra's:
- Scrapped the dive ladder that comes standard. Pointless extra clutter on the transom.
- Scrapped having a wash down pump.
- Scrapped the live bait tank that is built in with the chopping board. (personal preference, lucky dip fishing isn't high on the families priorities, would never get used)
- Tow bracket added to the Chopping board to be able to wakeboard / ski / sea biscuit.
- Opted for no cleats, less tangles with float lines and can use the handles / bowrails for ropes at ramps / pontoons.
- Viper Rapid 1000 drum winch
- Got the hardtop / centre cab thing strengthen so I can stand / sit on it when out wide for marlin.
- Painted in Holdens Poison Ivy Green (was hard finding a colour that would stand out and not blend in with the ocean and have Mum and Dad agreeing to it!)
- Nyalic everywhere else that hasn't been painted
- More fish holders than you can shake a stick at, more importantly a few on the hard top part. Ideal for the dive flag. Nice and visable.
The sparkie stuff:
- Garmin ECHOMAP 95SV paired with the GT51M-TM (600W) transducer
- GME VHF with a 1.8m Aerial and a AM/FM splitter
- Fusion RA70 (I think from memory) with just two 6 Inch 200W speakers mounted in the dash.
- White / Blue LED lighting kit with a dimable switch the entire way around the gunwales
- Windscreen Wiper
- Bilge pump
- Navigation Lights
- Twin Batteries, 780CCA decided against having one starter and one deep cycle, just have two starters.
- USB chargers for the GoPros / Phones.
The heart transplant:
- Suzuki DF100B
- Single digital Suzuki gauge
- NMEA Kit to pair GPS speed from the Garmin to the Digital Gauge
- Hydraulic steering
After all of the above being considered the boat name has been selected to be UnderGunned as we think that fits it pretty well.
Special Thanks to Steps for letting me pick at his brain and mull over ideas and have good relative input.
Krow for the input with the future lightbar because it will be coming.
Muzzfishing for saving us a few bucks with the input on the transducer and how Burnsco swap them out and then just have to make up the difference!
Appreciate it a lot guys. Looking forward to getting the motor slapped on the back and finishing off a few things that need to be installed and getting her out on the water! Bring on the next few weeks!
Photos to follow from today little trip to Taupo.
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