Second Hand Boats

[ATrezise]

Hi all,

Im relatively new to powerboating and am looking at getting a boat for estuary/river fishing and maybe going over the bar to nearby inshore reefs on calm days.

My first of probably many questions is about hull age ? How old would be considered too old to bother with ? Do aluminium hulls or fibreglass last longer ?

The first boat that has caught my eye is a 1998 Quintrex Dory 4.4m (I think), centre console with a 2000 model jonson 35hp 2 stroke outboard. Safety gear and a sounder for $5600.

Anything I should be particularly looking for when buying second hand ?

[CR@ZY OS@M@]

thats not a bad price.

my last boat was my first which was a centre console quintrex topender.

it had a 60hp four stroke but then after a year i upgraded to my current boat that i own now.

as for aluminium is all i know,much lighter to tow then fibreglass.

to the site

Edited January 15, 2007 by Crazy John

[ATrezise]

After talking to a work mate this afternoon, Im going to cool my heels and not rush inot anything. His comments on the Dory were along the lines of, not the best boat for going offshore at all, thin aluminium used therefore light, but not as strong.

So Ill keep looking for a while yet, save some more money and get someting more suited to what I want. As well as the fishing tasks I mentioned previously Id like to be able to take the family for trips etc too.

[Guest Aron]

Take your time Andy there is allways boats for sale, best thing to do is to decide what type of fishing you wish to do, how many mates you want to take, how long your trips are going to be.

Dory's are a great estuary boat, but would be a bit uncomfortable outside and overnight as they are open.

Alluminum or fibreglass?? - both have positive & negitive points, work these into you equation along with budget and im sure you wont regret it.

[mrmoshe]

Hi Andy and to the site.

If you want to try out the Quinnie Dory 420 withn a 30 HP Suzuki...I highly recommed

you rent one for a day from one of our sponsors... www.trailerboathire.com.au

We took two of them out on Pittwater again yesterday and they performed flawlessly.

These are brand new boats in top condition.

It might give you some idea of their handling and capabilities.

You can't take them off shore due to insurance regulations but in Pittwater at least, you'll get some idea

of how they handle and how much room is in them.

Good luck with whatever boat you finally decide on.

Cheers,

Pete.

Edited January 15, 2007 by MallacootaPete

[namesay]

Take your time. THere are lots of boats out there. A general rule is you get what you pay for. THere will be a constant debate on aluminium /fiberglass and this and that motor. Just have to go out with a lot of people and see for yourself. Cheers Kelvin

[johnno]

It has just taken me 9 months and about 5 different type and size and style boats i was looking at

As kelvin has said take your time look around

see whats out there and available to you for your price range.

My wife told me just go buy somthing as i was doing net searches after searches and the wife was sick of me

not deciding but i got to a point and knew what i wanted and i am very pleased with my purchase.and fits me and my curcumstances nicely.

[Guest DV8]

Andy

I have the little brother of the Dory. i love my boat though I need to be real careful and watch the weather forecast when going offshore. To be quite honest I don't believe quintrex are the best hull on the market. Having owned one, I look at other boats and they just seem a little bit better finished in terms of the tidiness of the welds. My boat is unpainted and now 6 years old, and beginning to look tired. I mght consider a painted one if I buy alluminium again, though other raiders may have some thoughts on this too.

Opt for a good solid trailer. I went a budget version and it is light and flexible,making heaps of noise. Due to the flex my boat has also developed hairline cracking.

take your time. The longer you put it off, the more you can save $$$ for the boat you really want. Bear in mind you will become more adventurous and before long you will outgrow your boat like I have. At the moment I am one frustrated reddie fisherman as with the current winds we are experiencing it is hard to get outside.

The only thing I know about fibreglass is to have a real good look at the transom to make sure it is not soft. it is generally the first place they show signs of aging.

regards

Davo

[chrisg]

Andy

The first thing you must do is pin down what you want the boat to do. Do you want to fish mainly lures in which case access around the boat is a must , or if you want to stay out overnight then shelter might be needed etc etc.

Write it all down and start to narrow things down. Geoff Websters Secondhand Boat mag (the yellow one) is a good thing to have to hand so you can check out boats as and when you see them.

Most importantly look at every single boat you see, even at the traffic lights...it will all pay off.

Cheers

Chris