12ft boat
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: Newbies Corner
Forum Description: If you're new to fishing this is the place to ask any questions about getting started ...
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=140020
Printed Date: 28 Jan 2026 at 1:11am
Topic: 12ft boat
Posted By: Hopkins
Subject: 12ft boat
Date Posted: 27 Aug 2025 at 6:06pm
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Alright lads let me have it , all and any opinions welcome. Sold the buc 550 classic 6 months ago due to lack of use, big running costs and never coming close to the fish v dollar return i see on the kayak. Now looking for a small boat under 4m to do the same things I can on the yak, access remote locations with easy launch but get where I want to faster and also further on good days. I've narrowed it down to Mac 360. Smartwave 3.5 & FC 385T. My favorite of the 3 is the FC. All about the same price new, but big variations in the second hand market. As said above would be great to hear what you have to say. Also not fussy and happy to hear about other brands . Frezwa, scorpion, ramco, etc , etc. |
Replies:
Posted By: MB
Date Posted: 27 Aug 2025 at 9:37pm
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I like V-shaped hulls and own an FC 560 which is great, but if I was looking for a smaller boat, I'd go with a pontoon hull for stability. You're not going to be bashing out over the horizon in it, so ride is less important than stability in my opinion.
Another thought, if you want easy launch, then an inflatable would be ideal. Not my cup of tea, but no boat ramp or even trailer required. Some people out there are having big adventures with them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFiKIggxEJU&t=25s&ab_channel=RoKKiTKiT" rel="nofollow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFiKIggxEJU&t=25s&ab_channel=RoKKiTKiT
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Posted By: Pcj
Date Posted: 27 Aug 2025 at 11:09pm
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Goo old sea nymph v13,go just about anywhere,miss mine
------------- "Times up" |
Posted By: Keith C
Date Posted: 28 Aug 2025 at 8:30am
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Can't talk about the FC but both the SW and Mac will do the business. Snappa Geoff is testimony to the Mac but if you go Mac ensure you get high sides. She can be a very wet boat. I chose the SW over the Mac as it had a drier ride and was more comfortable ride in my opinion. Take a look at the hulls of each and you will see why. And yes, you can push both Mac and SW with 15HP, but look at a bigger motor for when the water cuts up. I went 30HP on both my SW3500. If buying either, ensure they are on a bunk trailer and not on rollers. The hull deforms on rollers. Also, ensure the stern is straight on the keel and doesn't have a 'beak' at the stern (hull is deformed and won't perform as needed). |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 28 Aug 2025 at 6:34pm
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I've only fished from one but the little Stabis (1400?) really impressed me. Even with only 20hp it went ok. 30 to 40hp would fly. Very stable and like all boats that size pretty much a one or two man boat ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 28 Aug 2025 at 7:10pm
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Actually here's one well worth considering. While I've never been in one I have seen a couple and they are very well built. It's an Allenco tiller steer 4.5m, they are very solidly built and I've a couple of mates with bigger models one of which I've fished off and they are well built, well thought out boats. I've spoken with Harvey Allen a time or two and that man knows his stuff, he has a great reputation. Harvey 027 634 0825 https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/boats-marine/motorboats/listing/5283671552?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExZTBPSHVhbXdHMjVUVlpNNAEeyVI1ObaoFqq3HR9jWZ5hr_xSL4TwuRMmlFEGr6mEvjQbD808jLwoXNm-AjY_aem_RgPlBE4sY_RsBKgFAR-mxQ" rel="nofollow - https://www.trademe.co.nz/.../motorboats/listing/5283671552 ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 28 Aug 2025 at 7:20pm
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I don't know the cost of an Allenco but I doubt it would be the cheapest option but they are bullet proof and Harvey offers customised boats
------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: Kandrew
Date Posted: 29 Aug 2025 at 7:55pm
| I have a quintrex 370 dart that gets me everywhere I need to go in the lower firth. Great little boat wide beam and very stable I can stand to cast soft baits around. |
Posted By: Hopkins
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2025 at 7:53am
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Thanks for the responses guys. Keith where do you take your SW, really like them but the low gunwale on the 3.5 has me a bit cautious, Kandrew thats good to hear, how much hp you running and would you feel it was big enough to have two kids on board ? |
Posted By: Keith C
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2025 at 9:08am
Over my West Coast bar at Urenui on a good day, else out of New Plymouth or in Tauranga Harbour. One I sold is now being beach launched locally on the West Coast. |
Hopkins wrote:Posted By: Kandrew
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2025 at 4:26pm
I run a 15hp Merc on it and have taken 3 adults out in it but it was a bit gutless. Fine for 2 adults and I’m 100 plus kg. They are rated for a 20hp which might be better with 3 pob. No centre seat gives you plenty of room also dragged the kids around on the ski bisket no problem.
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Posted By: Transformations
Date Posted: 31 Aug 2025 at 9:26am
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Goes a bit over the 12ft mark but another option might be the 4000 Fatcat, very stable, light and gives you heaps of deckspace and runs well on a 30hp. I can launch/recover my 4500 easily on my own.... ------------- We don't know what we don't need till we've got it |
Posted By: Shilo
Date Posted: 03 Sep 2025 at 5:31pm
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2nd the FatCat 4000. (they are 3.8m so 12' 5"). Because it is a cat it leaves the monohulls behind with fishing area and stability. I have a centre console one for harbour fishing use. 40hp parsuns on the back and electric motor on the front. The hull and electric motor allows me to cruise in only 20cm of water depth. Very easy to launch and retrieve solo, especially since the trailer is a tipper as well.  |
Posted By: Kandrew
Date Posted: 03 Sep 2025 at 7:20pm
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Posted By: Keith C
Date Posted: 03 Sep 2025 at 8:12pm
I migrated from the Smartwave 3500s to the Fatcat 4000 because I wanted more room. My Fatcat has a double console and T-top and the 40HP, which makes it a bit more cumbersome than the Smartwave, so I wouldn't try single-handedly launching into surf. I think Hopkins was asking about a small boat to do solo launches and, in my opinion, a tiller steer Fatcat 4000 (at 3.8m loa and 2m beam) might even be at the upper limit for a solo launch off a beach. |
Posted By: Hopkins
Date Posted: 05 Sep 2025 at 1:47pm
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Again thanks for the reply lads. Keith great to hear you were able to use the SW to its full potential. Kandrew that's a tidy looking rig mate. I like the price point of these as well. there is a 2020 370 dart at family boats going for 10k, is this good ? going to have to do my homework and get out on one before i make a decision anyways. Yes i can really see the advantages of one of those fatcats, unfortunately out of my price bracket and not exactly what im looking for as Keith mentioned. |
Posted By: Keith C
Date Posted: 05 Sep 2025 at 8:17pm
| Hopkins, do yourself a favour & do a sea-trial on the SW3500. I've had Frewza and Stabi under 14 foot and the Smartwave is "stable as" for what you want. It is also a fraction of the price of the pontoons 2nd hand. |
Posted By: Kandrew
Date Posted: 06 Sep 2025 at 4:09pm
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I agree the smart wave is a great little boat and would do anything you want. I’ve also spent many hours driving small ribs and have always been impressed how well they handled the sea conditions. I driven 4.0 ribs from manly all the way up to the top of kawau island in 26 knots chasing sailing boats and had no problems. You just need to get one with good tubes as leaks on older ribs can be a pain and remember the tubes don’t like fish hooks so I would make it a habit to net every fish. |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 06 Sep 2025 at 5:04pm
I reckon I would puncture a rib every trip  ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: Kandrew
Date Posted: 06 Sep 2025 at 6:48pm
| Actually the other little boat that gets forgotten is the Seaforce Scout, great boat plenty of room and stable there’s one on trademe. |
Posted By: Hopkins
Date Posted: 10 Sep 2025 at 3:48pm
| Thanks for all the input guys, i think I'm sold on the SW 3500. Just need to find one that's not underpowered or overpriced or both! |
Posted By: JKJK
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2025 at 1:48pm
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I’m also looking for a new small boat - must be super easy to launch, even here in Whangaparoa, Orewa, Hatfields where the beaches are incredibly shallow Not getting the SW3500 - it’s a bit too small and sits really low in the water. Currently got a True Kit discovery and it’s a great little boat, but it’s like sitting on a surfboard, it’s really really low. Ppl above who have a Fatcat, what’s it like in the shallows, can you drag it right to the waters edge and then easily push it back in again? Even on a 4500? Let me know please My other possible choice is a kingfisher 390, that looks really good in the shallows Cheers |
Posted By: Sufishent
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2025 at 3:47pm
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I have a 15' Marco tinny that I have solo launched at Hatfield Beach. My preference is to use the long flat concrete ramp for mid to low tide launches and retrievals - less worry about bogging in soft sand as I tow with a normal sedan, so no 4 x 4. The car doesn't go anywhere near the water - I park above the water line, disconnect the trailer/boat from the car and push it into the water manually (there is a slight slope on the beach and ramp). I need about knee deep launch to launch. Retrieval is the reverse with one exception - push empty trailer into water, winch boat onto trailer and use a 5m or 10m strop to tow the trailer onto firm ground. The biggest issue is if there's any sort of groundswell at Hatfields - and I won't go anywhere near it in an Easterly. ------------- You can never have enough fishing tackle |
Posted By: JKJK
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2025 at 10:55pm
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Yes I was definitely planning on doing the whole disconnect trailer, push it in the water thing. Keeps the car outta the water which is useful But I was asking about bringing the boat right up to the waters edge line so I can do beach hopping on the many little beaches up here you can only access by boat. So yeah that’s why I’m interested in knowing about shallow water performance of the fatcats since they’ve been mentioned here before Btw have you seen the ramp at Hatfields lately?? It’s pretty rough with some seriously large chunks missing. I wouldn’t drive on it |
Posted By: Sufishent
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2025 at 9:30am
No I haven't and thanks for the heads up. Were a few bits missing last time I was there so time to go and have another look ------------- You can never have enough fishing tackle |
Posted By: JKJK
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2025 at 9:50am
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The other boat on my list is a stabi 1450 tiller version. Theres usually plenty available a couple years old with 50ish hours for a better price There never seems to be any kingfisher 390/450 or fatcat 4000/4500 2nd hand available tho, I guess anyone who has one is holding on to it Fatcat is top of my list for now mostly cos of how much space it has |
Posted By: Keith C
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2025 at 10:05am
| I can push and pull my Fatcat 4000 on and off the sand single-handedly with ease, and I am past retirement age. 20cm draft with motor up, so if you are willing to get your feet wet, you don't need to beach it. |
Posted By: Transformations
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2025 at 1:10pm
 Fatcat 4500 works fine in the shallows, if it does ground a bit the just wiggle the arse from side to side a bit and she comes unstuck. At Shelly beach if we come in at low with an incoming tide I ride her up onto the mud/sand at speed and just step off the bow. By the time I've got the trailer down and ready we just wiggle her back into the water and onto the trailer. I can launch and retrieve without getting water in my gumboots....unless I do something stupid  ------------- We don't know what we don't need till we've got it |