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Spoilt for choice but cant decide

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Category: General Forums
Forum Name: The Boat Shed
Forum Description: Discuss all things boating.
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=130801
Printed Date: 30 Mar 2024 at 12:06am


Topic: Spoilt for choice but cant decide
Posted By: Humpy
Subject: Spoilt for choice but cant decide
Date Posted: 13 Apr 2019 at 11:05pm
I’m looking to buy a new smallish boat around 15 foot, centre console for salt & fresh water flyfishing and a bit of jigging/soft plastic fishing. Must be easily launched by 1 and capable of fishing 3 comfortably. I have read all the topics on this forum re the different choices and am finding it hard to come up with a winner. I am hoping viewing some at the boat show will help but not all boats (Frewza?) will be there to view and owners experience is more important to me than how they look at the show. I have looked at and researched FC430, Stabi 1410 Frontier (maybe 1550 but a bit big), Smartwave 420/480 (480 maybe too big),Quintrex Renegade 440/460 & Frewza F14/16. I want casting room, stability, safety and a dry, comfortable ride with seating for 3. Will definitely be a 4 stroke on the back (no preference) and Minn Kota on the front. Don’t want glass due to some rough launching spots. I know this topic has been covered extensively but any comments from owners or others who have researched and purchased would be appreciated in helping me decide. As this will be my last boat before retirement I need to get it right. Will be used in the inner Hauraki Gulf and Rotorua & Taupo lakes.



Replies:
Posted By: Bounty Hunter
Date Posted: 13 Apr 2019 at 11:32pm
was going to suggest FiGlass Fireball but seeing you prefer ali alloy - perhaps Supreme 450?

i still like 'glass for comfort- very easy to get it refurbished to new every few years...


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No disintegrations!


Posted By: spin king
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2019 at 8:40am
whatever you so don't buy a new smartwave


Posted By: MB
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2019 at 8:43am
I’ve been doing my internet reasearch too. I’ve yet to hear a bad thing about FC Boats.


Posted By: Humpy
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2019 at 9:30am
Thanks but can I ask why not to go with the Smartwave? They seem good value for money.


Posted By: spin king
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2019 at 9:49am
they have been sold to new company a little while ago and are not up to the standard of the old company,


Posted By: Humpy
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2019 at 10:08am
Cheers


Posted By: Joker
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2019 at 10:21am
Your comments "I want casting room, stability, safety and a dry, comfortable ride " suggest the FC430 would be the perfect choice - IMHO there isn't a dryer C/C on the market in this size and you really, REALLY dont want to pick one of the wet ones.

I had the slightly longer FC500 C/C for 3 years and couldn't fault it - we went everywhere in it. Also dont discount the trailer on the FC430 ... its absolutely superb with very easy launching and retrieve capability.


Posted By: Steps
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2019 at 2:17pm
Could you expand on that spin King?
Are you saying that macs are not well built or not good for purpose as well? .. Or the international renowned playgrounds and tanks not up to scratch?
If you are going to bag a product or company at least back it up.
If you go thru threads in these forms you will find the company is held in good reputation for both product and after sales service and back up.


Posted By: 700 LTR
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2019 at 3:09pm
I'm pretty sure he said smartwave not Mac's?.....


Posted By: 700 LTR
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2019 at 3:34pm
I have an FC390, I would go for a FC430 out of all the brands you mentioned above. 


Posted By: spin king
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2019 at 3:48pm
Originally posted by Steps Steps wrote:

Could you expand on that spin King?
Are you saying that macs are not well built or not good for purpose as well? .. Or the international renowned playgrounds and tanks not up to scratch?
If you are going to bag a product or company at least back it up.
If you go thru threads in these forms you will find the company is held in good reputation for both product and after sales service and back up.


I have pmd you directly steps but yes I believe the smartwaves are not being molded properly


Posted By: Steps
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2019 at 4:13pm
Originally posted by 700 LTR 700 LTR wrote:

I'm pretty sure he said smartwave not Mac's?.....

Yep.. And the manufactures are?

And who makes macs?


Posted By: 700 LTR
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2019 at 4:34pm
I have no idea, all he said was smartwave.


Posted By: Catchelot
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2019 at 4:51pm
If you want comfort and smooth ride then forget Stabicrafts unless you want a sore back and pounding knees...bloody awful ride.Thumbs Down

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"The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever." - Jacques Cousteau


Posted By: lizid
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2019 at 7:04pm
After a trip back from the Rangitiras (only occasional whitecaps) in a Stabi 630 HT, all 3 of us walked funny for days. If that is what a big one is like I can hardly bear the thought of a shorter one.


Posted By: Humpy
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2019 at 8:04pm
Thanks for the comments, especially steering me clear of the small Stabi as I have a buggered back from a motorbike accident. I really liked the FC430 but by the time I got it to the spec I wanted it was more expensive than the standard Quintrex Renegade 460 cc or sc. I was in Trent’s from Troutpro’s Renegade on Rotoiti and really liked it. It has some great features as well as being a little bit bigger. It has casting platforms front and rear, in floor lockers, in floor 77L fuel tank, Ali trailer, carpet throughout, rails as standard and much, much better seats for my back. I’m leaning towards the Renegade at the moment but still researching.


Posted By: RC1
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2019 at 8:30pm
Originally posted by spin king spin king wrote:

they have been sold to new company a little while ago and are not up to the standard of the old company,
what a load of cra.... they are well made hulls and they perform awesome.


Posted By: Crochet Cast
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2019 at 10:02pm
I have a Stacer Outlaw 469. Absolutely stoked with it exactly the same use as you. Made by Telwater same as Quintrex. For what you want ideal IMO.


Posted By: Humpy
Date Posted: 16 Apr 2019 at 7:19am
That Stacer looks nice and set up exactly as I want. Who did you get it through?
Cheers


Posted By: Kevin.S
Date Posted: 16 Apr 2019 at 3:12pm
Just seen there is a 1 year old FC430 for sale on the FC boats FB page, all the extras and 28 hours on the motor.  $15k in Cambridge.


Posted By: Crochet Cast
Date Posted: 16 Apr 2019 at 3:25pm
Hi Humpy. I got it from The Boat Place in Tauranga.


Posted By: OuttaHere
Date Posted: 18 Apr 2019 at 10:02am
Originally posted by Catchelot Catchelot wrote:

If you want comfort and smooth ride then forget Stabicrafts unless you want a sore back and pounding knees...bloody awful ride.Thumbs Down

We're hooning around in a 1550 Fisher these days and it seems relatively good? Guess it depends how you drive it, we've been out in some silly conditions for a 4.7m boat and I haven't shrunk yet.

1550 Frontier would be a pocket battleship, and honestly I don't think you're going to be out when it's rough in any of the boats you've mentioned, it's just not their ballgame.

1550 Frontier is very, very expensive for a boat that size though.


Posted By: JustAnotherSpearo
Date Posted: 18 Apr 2019 at 1:13pm
Originally posted by Rozboon Rozboon wrote:

We're hooning around in a 1550 Fisher these days and it seems relatively good? Guess it depends how you drive it, we've been out in some silly conditions for a 4.7m boat and I haven't shrunk yet.

1550 Frontier would be a pocket battleship, and honestly I don't think you're going to be out when it's rough in any of the boats you've mentioned, it's just not their ballgame.

1550 Frontier is very, very expensive for a boat that size though.

At which point (wind in knots / chop size wise) does the 1550 frontier have to drop say below 25mph to be comfortable? Just out of curiosity


Posted By: shaneg
Date Posted: 18 Apr 2019 at 8:32pm
25 mph is quite fast , anything less than basically flat and under 10 knots of wind... most these boats in this size won't do 25 mph in any sort of comfort to not at all.
A stabi will do it cause they are built tough .. but people generally al built mostly the same, not so tough.
I'm off to the Mokes from Leigh this Saturday ... in my old decrepit 490 stabi... will be leisurely ride out and back as will have my 19 yr old daughter as crew.


Posted By: JustAnotherSpearo
Date Posted: 18 Apr 2019 at 8:41pm
Crickey. So spine shattering for stabis in real world conditions???

And the only thing that usually stops me from doing the cruise speed of 27-30mph in the little lazercraft is when the prop exits the water too often still a soft ride though. Cant imagine going slower than 25mph unless its 20knots+


Posted By: MB
Date Posted: 18 Apr 2019 at 9:07pm
Lazercrafts are something else in terms of a good ride!


Posted By: shaneg
Date Posted: 18 Apr 2019 at 9:08pm
Great boat the laser. And fast.
If you you want race a stabi in a bigger following sea, the stabi will keep up but unlike you we will be mostly dry. Put your boat in a big chop and it won't do 20 knots without a similar bone shattering experience unless it 7 meters plus.


Posted By: shaneg
Date Posted: 18 Apr 2019 at 9:14pm
A laser ain't an amf, and recall saw one of those slow down a bit in big head sea with chop a few weeks ago .
All very well to say your boat goes good in the hauraki gulf on a nice day.


Posted By: JustAnotherSpearo
Date Posted: 18 Apr 2019 at 9:38pm
Didnt mean to hit a nerve mate. The weakness of the lazer is crosswinds. Anything over 20knots starts pushing the nose around and in order to keep her straight you have to turn into it causing the chine to dig in. Only way to fix is is by countering the weight to lift the chine up or turn into it and go head on and give it the berries.

Following sea is basically the best possible wind direction just hammer down full steam ahead only restriction is the prop getting out of the water..

But I think this is getting side tracked from the original post. I shall wave to you as you go by to the mokes on Saturday have a awesome trip ill be somewhere by the chicks / mokes trying to chase marlin with a speargun.


Posted By: shaneg
Date Posted: 18 Apr 2019 at 9:54pm
No raw nerve or offence caused. I actually like lasercrafts and have raced in against one from north reef after jigging session that went to just before dark. . They won but was a 6 meter boat with bigger horse power.

Good luck on spearing a marlin this weekend. I have friend called shane who also does this and got one last year. Not easy task so you have my respect. Should been at oceans last year, we had em schooling round boat ignoring our lures.


Posted By: harryh
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2019 at 11:16am
Have a look at these, heaps of room, 6mm bottom either 100 or 150 litre fuel tank and handle the rough awesome.
 


Posted By: Crochet Cast
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2019 at 1:32pm
Nice boat Harry


Posted By: OuttaHere
Date Posted: 25 Apr 2019 at 9:36pm
Originally posted by harryh harryh wrote:

Have a look at these, heaps of room, 6mm bottom either 100 or 150 litre fuel tank and handle the rough awesome.
 

Good looking boats, but now we're into a 16ft boat, approx 1 ton on the trailer, probably suits a 90hp outboard.

Considering this thread started with OP asking about 14ft boats that cost maybe $30k tops and would probably all go pretty good with a 30hp motor it doesn't seem like a useful recommendation.

May as well say that Matt Watson's Stabicraft 2750 Centrecab seems to go pretty good, apples and pears.




Posted By: harryh
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2019 at 8:40am
Hey Rozboon
 
Are we talking about the same thread. This one was started mentioning no price and had the likes of F14 and F16 Frewzas and 15ft boats mentioned that can be launched in rough areas, 4 stroke, and no mention of price and was going to run a minn kota. I thought the boat seemed pretty relevant.
 
Cheers


Posted By: Schampy
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2019 at 4:54pm
I quite like the look of the Stabi 1550. Well thought out, practical design. Base boat starts at about 35k then with extras,seems to sky rocket from there unfortunatly. Can someone shed some light as to why a 65 liter underfloor fuel tank costs over $2000 to put in. Yet in oz they are now standard and the asking price still appears less than what we pay here, they are built down south and shipped right?. How does that work.
Its very easy to take that 35k boat to nearly 60k. 
Ladder, rocket launcher, biminy, paint, bait tank, underfloor tank. 70 hp donk will push price into 55k easily. havent added electronics or winch yet. Frightening.



Posted By: JustAnotherSpearo
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2019 at 5:33pm
Originally posted by Schampy Schampy wrote:

Its very easy to take that 35k boat to nearly 60k. 

Our family never considered a stabi due to weight / impractical for our purpose. however, logically speaking being pontoon and all that jazz, more material required and more welding and man hours required, would mean more cost id imagine?

Mum and Dad just went over 45k for their new setup, 4.5m walkaround / foldable hardtop centre cab thing with 100l underfloor tank, 100hp suzuki with 1 digital 4inch something suzuki guage thingy mcbob with NMEA stuff wired up to the garmin 95sv with 600w transducer + VHF + gas pedestals +  anchor winch and then the what seems to come standard nav lights bilge pump etc etc.
45k also includes the alloy trailer the boat will sit on.

60k seems extremely high! 



Posted By: Crochet Cast
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2019 at 7:31pm
Humpy. How’s the search going?


Posted By: Humpy
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2019 at 7:36am
Hi Crochet Cast, I’m hanging out for the boat show In case there’s something new I haven’t considered. There are a couple of local options I’m exploring but I’m leaning towards the Quintrex Renegade 460 side console with a Yamaha F75 on the back. It’s the perfect length and has a 77L underfloor tank is standard which is a bonus as I don’t want to bugger about with portable tanks again. This boat just seems to tick all of my boxes and with the options I want including the Minn Kota comes in around the $45k mark (without sounder). I really want lots of casting & walking around space which this boat has and also has casting platforms front and rear as standard. Lots of storage too and carpeted which will reduce noise. Aluminium trailer with folding drawbar.
Appreciate all the comments, they’ve been very helpful, thank you.


Posted By: Kandrew
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2019 at 9:24am
Mate I’ve got a 3.9 mtr quintrex and it’s a great little boat for harbour fishing, I do get smashed around a bit when the wind comes up. I’ve also got a 6.0 mtr tinny with a checker plate floor, easy to clean just hose it out. My mate has a 5.0 mtr quintrex with the standard carpet over ply floor. Real pain gets bait scales and crap stuck to the carpet all the time. Have to be real careful with anything slipping down under the floor that can cause corrosion.

You also need to watch the resale value. I’d look at a FC plenty of room we’ll built and easy to use. I’m looking to sell both boats and buy a new FC520.


Posted By: Crochet Cast
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2019 at 10:12am
I think the Renegade would be perfect for what you want. My Stacer is very similar (same factory) and handles big chop with a much better ride than I expected. Stable at rest and the wide beam is awesome. I would push for a sounder at that price. I wouldn’t go smaller than the 75hp motor. I have a removable ski pole and can barefoot a skier or tow a 3 person biscuit with ease.
Cool little boats and the 460 is a great size by yourself or fishing up to 3 with comfort.


Posted By: Humpy
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2019 at 11:33am
Thanks Kandrew. I really like the FC boats, that’s where ii started this hunt it’s a shame there’s nothing in between the 430 & the 535 though as the 430 doesn’t have the same open space as the Renegade and the 535 is too big for my purpose. I did price up the 430 and it became very expensive even to get it to a spec which was less than the bigger Quintrex and it had a smaller motor. Take on board your points re carpet but I don’t use bait and do a lot of catch & release. Luckily trout don’t have scales (but they are slimy buggers). Cheers


Posted By: Humpy
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2019 at 11:38am
Thanks Crochetcast, I agree, I think it’s the perfect compromise and a great size for me by myself or with wife or a mate for the day. Still talking price at this stage, it’s the accessories that kill you! I recon there’s a huge margin on anything additional they add to the standard spec but it all makes life easier. Looking to add a Catch n Release if it’s not too ridiculous price wise although you can’t use them on some ramps. Be great when getting the boat on the trailer by yourself though
Cheers



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