Cheers.

 

To have all of that working space would be mean!!!

 

 Good project for ya - look forward to progress pics.

For me it is the perfect spearfishing boat. We are already in a wetsuit so the odd bit of wind blown spray really isn't an issue.

I was quite amazed at the amount of storage than can be put into the console when done properly.

The other dive boat I head out in is a 6.5m RIB with a CC - just awesome for the rougher conditions and incredibly dry.

Where in the country do you live? Im in Auckland, so we get a fair bit of decent weather as well as crap days.

Are you planning on long trips? Overnight? Out wide?

Small boat? Then the Cc will give you a heck of a lot more room, it just needs to be planned out well and have enough storage spaces.

med - large 5.5mt + then id be happy with a cabin, its warmer, drier and more sheltered, and being at that size allows decent fishing space in the rear.

Id agree with others above, at times I do wish I had a cabin (only on the crap days) but most of the time I love having the ability to fish all around.

Got full wet weather gear for winter - essential

However if you've got kids and intent on taking them out, I'd go a cabin.

you can see in photo (ropes),I started to play with the idea of getting some side curtains made up to form a cabin for winter, the purchase of good quality wet weathers sorted that out.

sadly this will probably go once my daughter is old enough to come out more often, where I'll be upgrading to a cabin or something more like a scorpion walkaround for a bit more shelter.

Personally I reacon CC's are more exhilerating at top speed too, might as well get as much fun ou of your time on the water

If your style of fishing involves bait fishing at anchor I reacon cabins are more suited - cause you can go up cabin for a snooze when nothings biting

 however,if I take a mate and can't stand in the middle, with a chop + cross wind some ones going to cope it!

Keep in mind mine is a low sides pontoon, great for diving and getting large fish aboard though

cabin are for pussy's

The photo's of the new Whakatane harbour master's Extreme 8.5m Game King centre cabin had me dribbling....

A few mod's will be made and then added to the range...

Here are some photo's as promised. Started last weekend and have purchased the gear to start the console. The photo's show the side console that was in use. I put in the centre to give me an idea of how much room I will gain. A T Top sounds good. Will check out the site given. Cheers.

I have thought about a CC, but dont think thats the best option - far too small to provide any significant shelter from wind blown spray; most of which seems to come from the side (water kicked up by the bow, then blown on-board from the side). The extra fishing room, would allow say 4 people fishing; but, I really feel thats far too crowded in a small boat.

A full cabin, also seems undesirable; as it takes more space out of the boat, adds more weight, and is still too small to allow sitting in it; and makes accessing the anchor very hard.

So - the ideal I feel - is a small foredeck (with anchor locker under), no superstructure at all, screen that wraps around both sides (to intercept that annoying wind blown spray). And a centre section of the screen that hinges away, allowing easy leaning through to work the anchor.

I'd certainly suggest putting the batteries in the console to keep the weight out of the stern.  I found my CC was a bit stern-heavy and had a permatrim fitted as a result.  Battery was already in the console so would have been even worse if it was down aft as well.

 

Get the widest console that your boat will support and put a full windscreen in - a wrap around the console one if you can and plenty od grab rails. I have had only C/C boats (2) since 1988 and find them perfect as an all around fishing platform. The only issue is lack of shelter but a set of wet weather gear solves this even if it is the $30 Mitre 10 pvc set.

 

Generally the C/C versions of boats run better and are easier to power than cabin versions due to the weight distribution being more central. I'm currently running a 5.35metre heavy Ali C/C 

 

I've got 27 fishable rod holders in a 360 degree pattern, some fixed, some swivel and 16 storage rod holders around the console. So whichever way the boat is drifting we can fish. 

Cheers Pasoce.

Check out these clips from the boat http://www.youtube.com/user/madfishing1 - http://www.youtube.com/user/madfishing1

 

 

Have a casting platform up fron that has a pull up locker and provides a lot of extra storage plus the casting palform makes the fishing up front a lot easier.Sure you catch a little more weather on occassions but  nothing that a decent jacket wont fix. I have angled rod holders all round the boat but also stuck 4  vertical ones in at fron n back and when its a roaster of a day i put 4 poles in ans hook up a tarp for a suncover.Quick n cheap and all stores in the casting platform storage.  thinking of gettign a 100 litre or so fuel tank installed in the console itself as seen it done on another few cc's and better than having twin totes and spares.

 

Some old pics of the casting paltform as cant find camera right now.

 

 

 

About to do the same thing.Heres hoping it sorts the handling as really cannot fault my boat otherwise.Might be able to recommend them then..  cross fingers.

I recently put a permatrim on my Surtees 4.7 CC which I found was a bit tail heavy, especially when both totes were full.  As for what Tin Tub found, it made a huge difference.  The boat now planes at a lower speed and much easier to trim. 

Used it alot to fish the meat balls for YF tuna best day landed 4 at once cant beat the ability to follow fish around your boat in a multiple hook up.

Am running a side consul frewza now. Another great boat.

Big thing I have learned from owning open boats PLAN to be able to remove water from the boat fast as a wave etc will come on board sooner or later it will happen one day.

CBF

Whk

If you have a bilge pump - it might not move it fast; or it might not work (due electrics out).

Scuppers seem fine on a big (high) boat; but not on small low one, as the hole has to be too low and tends to take water in as well as out.

Bailing - ok, you need a suitable bucket; but I guess it will take a lot of effort and time.

Another thought - having greater reserve buoyancy would be helpful, so the boat will stay floating higher long enough to get water out.

 

I guess another reson  for keeping the batteries up safe and dry. 

 

Just on the permatrin plates.  there's a shop in Te Puke called Marine and Boating that has a good stock of trim plates call Aqualiift that look real good and cost less than some of the others I have seen around.  If your considering one it may pay to give them a call.

Luckily my CC is a pontoon hull with self draining floor so she won't sink, even if filled up by a wave. If you're solely relying on keeping water out to keep afloat, then you'd have to be damn confident that your boat is larger than the waves coming at you, and have a good large volume bilge with auto-switch.

If your in trouble on a bar, bilge + buckets are not going to be much help at all.

On my previous CC which wasn't a pontoon my choice of days to go out was alot more confined. But in asying that, alot of the smaller CC's you'd not really want to be out in the ruff stuff.

 

Definiatly agree with Tin tub avoid it in the first place but......In the centre cab I had the battery up high. Had two bilge pumps in a sump the first an auto the second was a high volume on a switch on the dash which ran from the house battery in the cab. I also had two lockable scuppers that i opened if it got rough or the bar crossing looked suspect. Never had an bar crosing incident in that boat mabe I was always aware of the failings of the design. But stuffed up with the Rayglass one day and thanked the gods had a cabin on the front that day.

CBF

Whk

 

Re the point about having buoyancy in pontoons - I agree I expect to have a lot of water on board at some time; and think its comforting to have the pontoons.

 

It cost $1050 to transport from Invercargill to te Puke. Still ended up significantly cheaper than its identical competitor, Stabi.

 

Mind you, I've got carried away (dont we all?) - and spent heaps ($2,000 and rising) on extras. AS well as TAS, I have BEAS (Boat extras aquisition syndrome).

 

 

I had a good chat with a boat builder on the weekend about building a new centre console around 4.6m long and 1.9m beam, and I will be helping with some of the 3D design in terms of its aesthetics and what additional items are to be added, what it needs and sizing etc.

It seems like the general lot have commented on the lack of storage and also the lack of weather shielding. But most are very happy with the amount of walk around space over the entire deck.

A couple of things ive thought about including which of some were mentioned before - 

- Casting deck, better use of available deck space, added storage or possible buoyancy chamber.

- Shifting fuel and heavy items to the centre console or below it for better weight distribution.

- T Top, im keen on putting together a design which will allow for a foldable structure for ease of trailering and storage.

Id really like to hear input from you guys that have a heap more experience than me on boating so lay down some of your thoughts. Oh and btw I currently own a 4.2m Sea Spray Cc.

 

Great for family days which tend to be in better weather as they disappear up the front if they get sick of fishing.

 

Will post a photo if i can find any

Its as strong as a brick ****house,rigid as, maybe a little on the heavy side if you haven't got pontoons to stabilise it, maybe?. It works really well on this boat.

 I'd previously tested a bluefin CC prior to getting this one and the Top flexed heaps which was too frekish for me.

Most important to remember to take it down before backing into carport, come bloody close a couple of times

 

I put some 32mm pvc pipe inserts into the 40mm ones, I flare one end by heating up with a hot air gun and forming over a beer bottle to stop it falling through, this way I can go either way.

this is the best of I have of the boat, I take a coupe of the console and put them up, might help with some ideas.

 

(if you thought you were just gunna just get throttle and boat photos you be kidding your selves 22kg at the top 23kg at the bottom, never teach you kids to fish!!)

this was my first CC a few years ago...

after trailing almost every CC decided to go to a pontoon designed by Scott Robson...

 

Pascoe

I see the frewza's have a few side mounts on TM.

cheers

/B

From what ive read, side consoles which they have quite a few of in ozzy are ment to be driven whilst sitting and are mainly for inshore. It is also a bit off balance.

Do a google search on' side or centre console' there are a few discussions about it.

 

 Photo's as requested.