Wanting to fish 4 adults or cruise with 4 adults? Fishing 4 adults in any boats less than say 5.5m gets a bit crowded quickly.

Maybe a bigger surtess - a 475 maynot be big enough to fish 4 comfortably and ski behind?

Have you considered mclay 550 or 571? Powered by 90hp for skiing?

Figlass cavalier great value - 115 four stroke, all electronics , underfloor for under 50k just? But maybe less room than equivalent tinny but better for water sports?

Any reasonable quality, modern 5.5m boat should get you anywhere in good conditions - way wide , even game fishing is an option with a bit of experience. If launching bays - wide of noises, tiri easy.

The answers to your original questions mentioned Browns Bay and Murrays Bay - I got the impression Hagrid7 was planning on beach launching? That answer may impact on the recommendations coming through. Beach launching a 5.5-6m boat may require something more grunty or real 4WD capable?

Good point, JustAnotherSpearo, re the 'length over all' versus what is probably better described as the practical length. The Surtees 495 is one of the most obvious examples. My FC465 runabout is the FC430 hull but with a different transom - however, the forward steer gives me a lot more room for fishing than most boats in a bigger size range. And way more than the Surtees 495.

A neighbour up the road has the Extreme 570 Game King, which is a very, very nice boat. Deep V though, and they use a small tractor to beach launch. A small SUV would have trouble beach launching that boat, I think.

There's a Surtees Workmate in a similar size, and the McLays I saw at Fish City certainly looked nice. Though more boat than I was after.

I have a friend with a very nice 5.6m FiGlass and it's a nice boat, but as has been mentioned, a very different kettle of fish to a tinny.

I do want to put in a good word for Redfinger (Russell) above, who's in the boat yard at Fish City Albany. they have the McLays, FiGlass and FC Boats, as well as some trade ins. He was extremely patient and helpful for me - also a first time boat owner - and had no hesitation in sorting out a sea trial etc. As others have mentioned, that's what you need to do, along with having someone call a spade a spade when you're looking at boats.

Take someone along with you who knows a lot about boats, as well.

agreed - you can take a'glass boat back to the manufacturer every few years for a tidy up that will cost very little and bring it back to new - try doing that with a dented/scratched/stained alloy ali boat.

You can easily beach launch if you know what you're doing and are willing to take a little time to do the process.

There is no 'bad' boats in New Zealands market. No room for them, all have their advantages and disadvantages.

Those Mclays are a whole lot of boat for the dollar.

I have a 2.4l Rav 4 awd - only have a modest centre console 4.3m fc430 but has four stroke engine and a bit heavier than you would guess- wouldnt want to be launching much over 5m with my wagon. Can easily beach launch at waiake or browns bay.

The big question is actually how often you will want to take 4 people out - or if most of the time it will be 1 or 2 people. That makes a big difference to the size of the boat. 

The best advice I got was to start out with something manageable and learn on it. I ended up with a Surtees 4.85 and its been great. Can launch and retrieve single-handed, store in the garage and its now caught lots of fish. Five years on and I'm starting to look at 6m boats but that little Surtees has been great.

 

I'm on the committee - let me know if you want more details and I'll send through.

These are the only videos I could take photos off that show our layout, ignore my father in the photo but this should give you an idea. Our set up is purely for spearing. We can have 3 fishing comfortably. 4 Is possible at a squeeze. 4 spearos is not a problem, two up front one sitting each side whatever or on the chilly bin.

We have a lot more room than most with a 520 boat, max load we have had is 5 Adults to the poor knights (2 on the seats, 1 on each gunwale (sides), one on the chilly bin).

If we take the canopy out fitting 4 to fish is a lot easier and a lot easier.

For space, look at the beam and the distance in the cockpit between transom and the seats; thats the area you have to fish in. Thats how you should judge how "big" it is for fishing purposes

I have a surtees 485 and am very happy with it: for its size it has a lot of fishing area. Having said that, you couldn't fish 4 comfortably: 2 is fine, 3 is a bit of a squash, but maybe i just like a bit of space around me. Its not just space to stand and watch a rod in a rodholder. You have to cast, work a lure, deal with your fish while someone else is doing the same etc etc.

No, I haven't towed.  I have 60 hp 4=stroke.  The boat is rated to 70 hp.  When full (I have had 5 people on board) it is slow getting onto the plane