Quintrex 440 Coast Runner

[suttonscurse]

Hi Guys

I am in the process of buying a town house at Batemans Bay (setting up retirement planning) As part of this I intend to downsize from my 5.25 Stacer (won't fit in the new garage and too big and heavy to use by myself now that the kids have run away).

The other half of the partnership has declared that I cannot have a Hornet (no protection for her, no sun cover etc etc) so I am seriously looking at a Quintrex 440 Coast Runner but upgrading from a Yamaha 2 stroke to Yamaha 4 stroke (both 40 hp) with the option of the transom mounted cutting board and live bait tank.

I intend to use this unit in both the Georges River / lower Botany Bay and also Batemans Bay/ Clyde River - towing it between these locations for 3 day weekends / week long vacations. (tow vehicle is a Subaru Tribeca).

Mostly my wife and myself in the boat (or only myself when i need to hide) and probably chasing bream , Flathead etc with both bait and SP's.

Any feedback / suggestions on this package would be greatly appreciated

regards Bill

[achjimmy]

Hi Guys

I am in the process of buying a town house at Batemans Bay (setting up retirement planning) As part of this I intend to downsize from my 5.25 Stacer (won't fit in the new garage and too big and heavy to use by myself now that the kids have run away).

The other half of the partnership has declared that I cannot have a Hornet (no protection for her, no sun cover etc etc) so I am seriously looking at a Quintrex 440 Coast Runner but upgrading from a Yamaha 2 stroke to Yamaha 4 stroke (both 40 hp) with the option of the transom mounted cutting board and live bait tank.

I intend to use this unit in both the Georges River / lower Botany Bay and also Batemans Bay/ Clyde River - towing it between these locations for 3 day weekends / week long vacations. (tow vehicle is a Subaru Tribeca).

Mostly my wife and myself in the boat (or only myself when i need to hide) and probably chasing bream , Flathead etc with both bait and SP's.

Any feedback / suggestions on this package would be greatly appreciated

regards Bill

Hi Bill

Good luck, only thing i would chime in with is that if considering the fourstroke on a 4.4 i would look at a 50hp or DI 2 stroke.

Edited October 27, 2008 by achjimmy

[The Iceman]

What about a hornet with a canopy?

[stricko4]

Bill,

We've got a Stacer 4.6mt runabout with a 50etec which is very nice for 2 people to fish from. Personally after 3 years of ownership I'd go for a slightly smaller centre/side console v nosed punt for the style of fishing we do which is similar to what you will be doing. I think it would be a bit easier to handle on my own. The bimini we have is nice for shade in summer & you can hide under it if a shower comes over too but generally I think the open style of boat is a better fishing set up. The Etec is a wonderful paower plant too & would recomend it highly.

Whatever you choose I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Paul

[jewgaffer]

Hi Sutton's Curse. Bill for a retirement boat it wouldn't be a bad idea to take a long hard look at a side console with a low profile console built into the side. That way you have separate room in the bow for a small bow lounge or a couple of swivel chairs to cater for your visitors and the new fishing mates just like yourself that you are bound to meet or even live close to down there in Bateman's Bay.

In my honest opinion, having owned around twenty boats, having plenty of working space and cover makes for a good boat and it would pay you to have as much room as you can get in a boat of that size in the first place. For shelter, you can always order a high bimini that won't interfere with your casting at all.

It's a good feeling to stretch out and take a nap in a sleeping bag in a side console when you need to fish overnight, and night fishing is particularly good in the Clyde River.

Cheers

jewgaffer

[pelican]

Call me old fashioned but the boat you have is a good one and there has to be ways so it isn't too hard to handle. Is there any thought of something to make it easier to load on the trailer , moving the trailer, balance point or possibly getting the trailer modified with a foldable gooseneck so it fits in the garage as it may save you the change over costs to a new boat and you know what you've got.

I have seen a garage tilt a door with a nice little modfication flap ( like a big cat flap ) in it that allows the hitch of the trailer to stick out but still have the boat secure. Not the prettiest but better obviously he thought easier than rebuilding a brick garage. Any chance to modify teh back wall of the garage?

A relo swapped boats for all the wrong reasons and after a season of back pain from chop and a flat bottom went back to bigger boat with a better hull shape. As he got more time to fish even though he could pick his days he wanted to be dry and not bashed about if the wind came in or he wanted to stay out a bit longer as weather changed ( ie fish came on the bite). He also found that when he moved back to the larger boat his fishing mates would come out which meant loading etc was easier.

Edited October 28, 2008 by pelican

[suttonscurse]

Hi Guys

thanks for all the advice and comments .

a) being a town house with a sloping driveway from the street entrance it is impossible to swing the large boat into the garage whilst the trailer is still attached to the car and if I was to unhitch it then the boat is too heavy to control on the down slope(apart from the fact that the garage door entry is smaller than the width of the current boat.

I will need to push the smaller boat and trailer in and out of the gargage and hitch it up to the car in the driveway so I will need to be careful of weight.

regards Bill

[a boat]

Hi Bill, the Quintrex is a fine boat, but do yourself a favour and have a look at the Stacer 449 Estuary Master as well. This boat I am sure will still fit and be easy to push around, but it offers the EVO 2 hull with a deeper deadrise at the stern and reversed chines(mate this is nothing new and glass guys have had this design for many years because it works and a fair few other alloy boats have copied Stacer and now have it also). The Estuary Master has 3mm bottom and 2.5M sides, offers a larger beam so better stabilty and much more room and the prices for STD boat only are about the same but the Stacer comes STD with bimini. At the end of the day both are good boats and you might prefer the Quintrex, but unless you price up and check out a Stacer you might not be getting the best boat for your retirement.

PM me if you would like the Raider price on a Stacer 449 EstuaryMaster package and I have lokced in prices from the Manufacturers for the next few weeks so you can beat the price rise that is just around the corner.

Cheers,

Huey.

[suttonscurse]

Hi Huey

Thanks for the interest. I have looked at both the Stacer and Quintrex and you are right , they are both good boats with a number of different features and advantages to each brand.

I live at Carss Park (Blakehurst) and of course am talking to the people around the corner who service my current 525 stacer.

I have decided to stay with an Etec for the new boat and if I can't get a deal with them on the new boat / trade in I will call you and discuss my requirements for a Stacer / Etec package.

keep up the good work . You have established a great reputation.

regards Bill

[suttonscurse]

Hi Guys

I would like to publicise the very professional and intelligent response I have received from Huey (Craig) with the quotation on the Stacer boat package.

There is light years of difference between the service which Huey offers and the unnamed dealer at xxxxx who went out of their way to burn a customer not only with their pricing but in also talking down a trade in.

I now need to think about whether I sell my boat privately and downsize to the Stacer from Huett Marine or keep the current boat (525 Stacer / 90 hp Etec which I love) and examine storage options separate to the garage on the Town house at Batemans Bay.

I can recommend in the strongest possible terms that if anyone is looking to buy a boat or motor etc that they should conatct Huey first.

regards and thanks Huey - its pleasing to be able to recognise profesionals in the Marine Industry

Bill.