Boating advice

[sam bros]

Hi Raiders, 

I've recently sold the tinnie to upgrade to a bigger boat. I've never been offshore and would like some advice.

Im looking at boats around the 4.5m to 4.8m range, Just wondering if this is big enough to get to the fads off sydney.

I know weather is really important but I just want to know if it is suitable and safe to do so.

Thanks 

Edited June 9, 2017 by sam bros

[recurve]

I would rather have something bigger than a 4.8 to go to the FADS. If you have not been offshore before as a skipper you may want to bed in some skills confidence before you venture too far off shore. Even just a couple of k's out things can be very different than what they look. Of course there are days when you will be able to go but EMO a 5.2 or above boat designed for open water is best.

[sam bros]

Yep obviously I wont be going offshore straight away

Its just something in the near future when i do get more experience. 

 

[Ric001]

Hey mate. I have a stacer 4.5 that I go out around 5 islands at pt Kembla and that is plenty on a good day as conditions can change so a quick run to port is good. I've been around boats since a kid and wouldn't take my 4.5 to the dads. 18ft in the old scale is great for outside work. 

Ric. 

[rickmarlin62]

depends on what you intend buying...some 4.8s handle well some don't..i have a 4.8 vsea and take it everywhere..but I have many years experience on the ocean..vseas and haines ..cruise craft..there are a few I would take to the fads but not a fan of tinnies in this size....its hard to explain but some hulls just handle and ride better because of hull design..deadrise..draft..width..many factors..if you can go bigger do so..always better to have more size..good luck with your boat hunting..rick..ps I run twelve miles to fads up here and sixteen to the shelf up the coast..even broughtons eleven mile...rick

[tyrone07]

More then enough mate once you get your confidence and skill level up, I've got a 5.2 meter centre console and did quiet a few trips to the fad just had to pick the days, but my mate has a 4.8 centre console and we did trips in this comfortably at all.

[GoingFishing]

Hi Sam

i have a 4.6 quintrex renegade SC and i have been to the fads many times and sometimes further.

the guys have raised some valid points in that obviously larger boats are made for offshore fishing and can handle conditions much better, that being said, if you study the conditions right, have all the required safety equipment, get some experience and of course exercise safety at all times, a smaller boat is fine. 

i spent 6 months exclusively fishing inside the bays before venturing outside and when i first ventured outside i did so incrementally. Learn the different conditions that the sea can produce, and how your boat can or cannot handle them.

If u operate your boat responsibly you significantly reduce the risk of any incidents happening. For example i have seen some guys in a 4m tinny full throttle trying to gun it to the FADs, this is recipe for disaster. 

Most boating accidents are a result of the skippers negligence or lack of experience and those are not dictated by boat size !! 

As long as you exercise some common sense, and keep safety at first thought you should be safe and will have plenty of fun doing so.

 

Edited June 9, 2017 by GoingFishing

[PaddyT]

Its the skipper, not the boat. a decent, well built tinnie will manage a run to the FADS in good weather- no probs- usually the roughest part of the journey is leaving the heads and coming back through anyway. Learn your boat, learn the weather (and that doestnt mean reading Seabreeze) and learn to read the sea and you should be fine. Take small steps at first, go on a nice day on the weekend , the FADS off Sydney are pretty close in anyway and on the weekend their will be heaps of punters hitting them so you wont be alone.

[shakey55]

I take my 5m Seafarer v-Sea out several k's and this boat handles most seas.  I always take my fishing buddy when going wide.

There a many boats around the 5m size that would be good, but I totally agree with PaddyT, it's the skipper and his experience more than the boat.

Get some offshore experience before just venturing out. 

Good Luck

[kingfishbig]

Boat size is actually very important when going a significant distance offshore and part of being a 'good skipper' is recognising this. Which FADs are you talking about by the way? There is one near the Peak and I think some of the others are a bit further out.  I'd be looking at something at least 17.5 to 18 ft with a good moderate to deep V hull, ie plate aluminium or fiberglass.

[JonD]

I used to fish confidently in my formula 15 out to the 1000 fathom line, which is basically a Haines 445. I've owned bigger boats such as the 540f Haines signature and also fish offshore in mates much bigger boats but none give me the confidence I get from my little rib. My rib hull is actually only 4.2m but the tubes take it out to 5.2, powered by a Yam f70.

Ive done several rescues in my little rib pulling people from areas bigger boats were reluctant to head into. Rough bar conditions are now more of a fun place and something we now look forward too after a day out at the seamounts 50k offshore. My kids love the boat and have built up great confidence in poor conditions, they love driving when it's rough.

I'm legally able to take 12 adults onboard and even if all of the five chambers were to get bitten by a crazy mako the hull floats independently. Stability is unmatched as the tubes are to big to go underwater. Downside is the lack of room. For years I thought they were far from usable for fishing but I've now clocked almost 500hrs in 18 months where before 50 hrs per year was the best I could manage heading out through Narooma bar.

Edited June 19, 2017 by JonD

[JonD]

5 minutes ago, JonD said:

I used to fish confidently in my formula 15 out to the 1000 fathom line, which is basically a Haines 445 (weather dependant) I've owned bigger boats such as the 540f Haines signature and also fish offshore in mates much bigger boats but none give me the confidence I get from my little rib. My rib hull is actually only 4.2m but the tubes take it out to 5.2, powered by a Yam f70.

Ive done several rescues in my little rib pulling people from areas bigger boats were reluctant to head into. Rough bar conditions are now more of a fun place and something we now look forward too after a day out at the seamounts 50k offshore. My kids love the boat and have built up great confidence in poor conditions, they love driving when it's rough.

I'm legally able to take 12 adults onboard and even if all of the five chambers were to get bitten by a crazy mako the hull floats independently. Stability is unmatched as the tubes are to big to go underwater. Downside is the lack of room. For years I thought they were far from usable for fishing but I've now clocked almost 500hrs in 18 months where before 50 hrs per year was the best I could manage heading out through Narooma bar.

 

[Short]

10 hours ago, JonD said:

I used to fish confidently in my formula 15 out to the 1000 fathom line, which is basically a Haines 445. I've owned bigger boats such as the 540f Haines signature and also fish offshore in mates much bigger boats but none give me the confidence I get from my little rib. My rib hull is actually only 4.2m but the tubes take it out to 5.2, powered by a Yam f70.

Ive done several rescues in my little rib pulling people from areas bigger boats were reluctant to head into. Rough bar conditions are now more of a fun place and something we now look forward too after a day out at the seamounts 50k offshore. My kids love the boat and have built up great confidence in poor conditions, they love driving when it's rough.

I'm legally able to take 12 adults onboard and even if all of the five chambers were to get bitten by a crazy mako the hull floats independently. Stability is unmatched as the tubes are to big to go underwater. Downside is the lack of room. For years I thought they were far from usable for fishing but I've now clocked almost 500hrs in 18 months where before 50 hrs per year was the best I could manage heading out through Narooma bar.

^^ What model RIB is yours Jon D? I was thinking about getting a rib or thundercat/zapcat inflatable. Local boat ramp is very sketchy and swell and being able to beach an inflatable and man handle it to launch is appealing....

[JonD]

Ive got a zodiac 550 pro tour 2014 model. I was just talking to a guy today who has a 7m+ plate boat with inboard diesel for sale about an upcoming trip Im doing involving around 500-600km around the bunker group of islands. His reason for the sale of his 7m boat was because he has a small stabicraft with a honda 50 that he feels more confident in when fishing far offshore, he's also done the same trip Im about to do in his little 4.90 stabi.

Just to add the tour model is narrower than the other pro series. 

 

The wide angle of the gopro makes the water look far calmer than it real is.

Edited June 20, 2017 by JonD

[recurve]

That is a cool boat. This time of year I would not give up my hard top though. Staying warm is too important to me.

Old man has a 7m Stabi with enclosed cab. That is a go anywhere boat and have been in some terrible conditions in it fishing for BlueEye and never ever doubted its worthyness. 

Bangs hard though, not good for the knees or back and they are expensive boats. Always a compromise with any boat.