Outsie fishing

[David and Karen]

Hi there

I have just joined this forum. I am 64 years old married and all children grown up and 7 grandchildren. My wife and I ordered a Quintrex 481 fishabout at the 2018 boat show in Sydney.  Whilst at the dealer yesterday to chose colours we sat in a 510 Cruiseabout and thought about the front seat, extra storage including floor, some hatches etc. We are not experienced in boating yet but do a lot of caravaning so the boat will be used lets say 2 times a month by ourselves and proberly one weekend day a month with one or two grandchildren. The questions are.

1.Do the experienced ones out there believe the 481 quintrex fishabout is of a sufficient size to take 3 or 4 persons outside fishing on a good day. I have no intention of going out very far no more than say 1 k off shore.  Were I live on the central coast of NSW we have a large waterway Brisbane Water. It would be nice to know that our new boat will meet our needs.  The 510 cruiseabout is 2 sizes up and a bit more room but is this overkill. Your thoughts would be very much appreciated.

David

[PaddyT]

Ok - to your first point that you are not experienced at boating- first step would be actually get on board a few boats - on the water- maybe see if you have a couple of experienced mates and go in their boats- see what works and what doesnt. A 481 tinnie is capable of "offshore" work but rememeber that 1-2 k's off the coast can actually be a lot bumpier than 10 k's out where you dont get wave reflection off the coast. In a boat of that size 3-4 would be pretty cramped-especially offshore- I run a 5.4 m Center console and 3 POB is the most I run with offshore- and i dont have seats and canopies and other crap that gets in the way. My general recommendation is "bigger is better" but get some personal experience before buying. Brissie Waters is a great waterway for boating and fishing as is the whole Hawkesbury system. Either boat will do that job but again having more bodies on board will make the whole thing less comfortable. Get the trailer set up for "drive on/drive off" and pick a nice windless day and a ramp with no tidal run and practice the launch /retrieve a few dozen times before moving onto more challanging situations- I am assuming because of your caravan experience you can comfortably reverse a trailer. Good luck with the process and enjoy the boating- ask a few more questions too!

[frankS]

David and Karen. A very big welcome to the site, I hope you both have a long and enjoyable time here and I'm sure the guys will help you to enjoy your new toy.

Now, the boat will be fine for going outside on a reasonable day. Now don't get upset but it's not the boat but the skipper that usually gets in difficulty out in the salt. Most boats can handle quiet rough conditions in the hands of someone who knows what they are doing, you have admitted you don't know. My advise would be to get some experience at handling the boat in protected waters before even thinking about going outside, and then get someone with experience with boats to go out with you and teach you how to handle a boat. It's not like driving a car and a wrong move at the wrong time can bring you unstuck even in quiet mild conditions.

Hope to have many more discussions with you as the time goes on and you gain more experience and confidence.

Frank

[David and Karen]

Hi there again and thanks for the replys. I had a 4.2 quintrex fishabout about 30 years ago and only used it a few times then sold it due to lack of use, as at the time I was working 2 jobs and the wife was working and just did not have the time. I have been to the last 2 fishing classics at Evans Head with a couple from our caravan club and he has a Haines Hunter about 6 metres (memory) and have enjoyed that (apart from 5.30am get ups) going outside 1 or 2 k however he has been out a lot further than that  on many occassions outside Newcastle area. Since coming back this year my wife and I have made a decision to start up again (spend the kids inheritance) and perhaps take the grandchildren with us (not all at once) lets say about once a month may even let my children come sometime as well. We intend to fish/cruise Brisbane Water, Hawkesbry River and the bay area with the opportunity to outside if we wish on a good day. I have asked my friend and he rightly so states it is up to us what we feel comfortable with as well as many other things and the boat sales person made a good point that it is like the caravan purchase you start with a small one then go bigger then come back in size over the years. I don't want to purchase one and then wish I had got a bigger boat   then on the other hand find that a bigger boat might to big to handle. At this point of time whatever we purchase the wife and I will be just learning the does and don'ts in Brisbane Water and may not go outside for 12 months ? We would be quite happy with the 481 fishabout (size wize) if it ticks all the boxs. So am I putting to much thought in this and go with the size of the 481 which is about 4.9 in length with the 510 being 5.4 in length and aout 10 cm more in width. Thanks David

[Berleyguts]

Welcome to the site, David and Karen!

I fish outside in a 4.5m side console. I pick my days. When it has blown up, the boat handles it, no problem ... I just get a bit wetter! I usually fish solo but it’s fine 2 up. I have fished 3 offshore but I mainly stay in close then, trolling the washes etc. for bonito or drifting for flathead etc.

If I was you, and the extra cost of the 5.1 Cruiseabout was not an issue... and I had the right tow vehicle for it... I would go the Cruiseabout in an instant. It’s a good boat and I reckon you’d appreciate the extra room. To get your sea experience, spend lots of time in the lower Hawkesbury, pick your days and fish Broken Bay and around Lion Island, spend some time trolling along the headlands from Barrenjoey to Whale Beach and even Avoca. You will soon learn how she handles and you are not far from home if it does blow up. You’ll get some fish in these areas and in time, you’ll gain more confidence in your boat and your abilities. I spent a lot of time as a young fella fishing in other people’s boats. I learnt which hull types I am more prone to seasickness in, so I avoided them (always glass boats for some reason). When married life finally settled down and I could afford a small used tinny, I bought a 4.0m Stacer with a 25hp Yammy and spent a lot of time fishing out of Broken Bay, just as I described. I learnt a lot. The 4.5m side console with a 60hp motor suits me to a T... but I have been dreaming about a 5.5m centre cabin plate boat... ??

One other thing, IMO, it is better off going for the maximum recommended hp. Don’t be tempted to opt for the smaller motor that dealers usually offer to give a more attractive price. ?

Good luck in your journey and I look forward to seeing lots of fishing reports!

Oh... and factor in for important safety and navigation equipment: marine VHF radio, EPIRB, PFDs, fishfinder and GPS. ?

Edited August 9, 2018 by Berleyguts

[fragmeister]

Hi David and Karen and welcome to Fishraider,

I Have a Quintrex 5.7 Lazeabout which is the Fishabout with a few more features.

It's a little bigger than your boat but as Frank says its all about the Skipper.

I go out past the heads nearly everytime I go out but I always pick days like this Friday for example

The swell is about 1M and the Swell period( the distance between the wave peaks) is also good.

So, in summary, small swells a long way apart. I like it like that because I want to get to and from my fishing locations fast. I could go out in moderate winds and perhaps 1 .2 meter or more swell but it would take all day and eat into fishing time.

The other factor ( sometimes a bigger factor) is the wind speed and direction.

The winds this Friday are coming from the NNE so even in close in outside the heads there is not going to be any protection from the headlands.

The wind waves after about 11:00am are going to start to get unpleasant particularly pushing into them and you will need to travel very slowly or get very wet.

I wouldn't say it was unsafe necessarily to be out in moderate winds but it can get very uncomfortable if you push too quickly through swell or wind waves. Quintrex hulls are not the softest ride and if you come down hard off the top of a wave it can really jar the kidneys.

If I go out tomorrow I will probably come back in around 11:00am and avoid the winds.

So, in summary, if you want to so outside in your new boat pick a day where the following conditions apply and you won't go wrong. As you get more experienced you will be a better judge but always err on the side of caution.

1 Meter or less swell, More than 10 seconds wave period and light winds.

Cheers

Jim

 

 

[David and Karen]

Thanks to everyone so far I appreciate all your comments. 

David

[Swivelfish]

Good questions. I learned the ropes in a 12 ft tinny with a 15hp up in cairns, so mostly calm seas etc. i am now based in auckland and do regular trips in a 455 quinnie with my mate, 2 up is awesome, 3 is ok. 4 is a squeeze. Storage up front is sufficient for most outings. Get some mate to go with you the first few times. We go 15k offshore easily. Good info on this thread, get the max hp. A 4 stroke will give you the reliability but is heavier motor than 2 stroke, i had a 16ft fyran with a two stroke 60 on the back and it was awesome, not just for speed, but the ability to shoot out of potentially tricky situations. Get the safety gear. Lifies especially for the kids.good firm fit required. I have the old 475 bay ranger caprice with cuddy, its bloody awesome but not as easy to manhandle as the boat u r looking at. I think u will love it, but get a mate to show u the ropes ????

[jeffb5.8]

HI David

I did the same thing as you 2yrs ago, I went out to buy a Quintrex 480 or 500 and came home with a Stacer 539 Bow rider. Mainly because of the number of people it fitted, I can take two families since the kids are all under 12yr.

My Tips>

1. Get the biggest bought you can handle by yourself, Friends and family never come as often as they think they will.

2. If its going on holidays with you big is not always best, especially if you go a little off the beaten track

3. I went the bow rider as it takes more people, mine fits 7 in the rivers and 6 in open water, even then fishing with 4 is the max, I don't and wont go outside unless its a nice day, I'm not that hardcore of a fisherman.

4. Work out what you want, casual fishing with family leisure days is what I wanted, So I went the Bow Rider, there is advantages to having the run about with the extra room at the back and there is advantages for the bow rider with room at the front, my wife doesn't fish so she sits at the front and reads a book, away from the bait. Kids sit at the front when underway so I can see them, unless its rough.

5. Get the biggest fish finder screen minimum is 7" but a 9" is better and a good radio to listen to sport, music or the news while floating around having lunch and waiting for that rod to buckle over.

6. Drive on drive off trailers are great

 

I use mine in the Hawkesbury / Syd Harbour and the kids fish for maybe a hour, then its exploring and finding beaches to go swimming and bush to explore, We do the same in Port Stephens we leave the crowded Shoal bay beach and cross the bay and find beaches with only a few people or go looking for Dolphins.

Then get the 3 person tube out and everyone has a go.

There is so much you can do with a boat and so many different boats to chose from, but don't panic, whatever you buy you will enjoy and love it.

 

 

 

[JonD]

If you could perhaps invite someone with plenty of boating experiance to hop on your boat to show you the ropes would be far easier than getting advice this way.

Simply being shown how to launch and retrieve and how not to hold other users up at the ramp and give you the confidence to know how to do it each time is far easier to be shown. 

Heading out in the calm only to get hit by a quick storm can be daunting but there are normally ways to work through such situations without the slightest of hassle. Learning anchoring techniques from someone who has done it hundreds of times can be way better than learning things simply by yourself (anchor retrieval can be tricky at times).

As for boat size, both should be fine, infact there really isn't that much difference in the two you mention. Trouble with boating is that it can be very easy to keep talking yourself into a slightly bigger more expensive outfit. Personally Ive moved back down in size simply because I can do more from a smaller boat at a far more economical price. I used to fish the shelf with a 3.85 sea wasp and always felt very confident in that little Haines, moved to a 4.45 formula to reach the the 50km sea canyons etc. Now I use a 5m rib for 80km offshore range, none of this I would recommend to anyone without lots of boating hours.

Good luck with the purchase, what ever you decide should be good.

[locodave]

Mate if you want to go outside I would look at the 510 Sea Spirit. Has a cabin, will take a wave better, offers protection from elements, grand kids will love it, you can go outside etc. The list gets better!

[David and Karen]

Thanks again for your wisdom. The wife and I are going to stick with the 481 fishabout.  We came to the conclusion that we are buying it for ourselves first I supose then the rest of the family. I will now endeavour to relearn the regs and get some assistance from experienced friends and help the wife get her license as the boat is for both of us to enjoy the rest of our lives.

David

[PaddyT]

Good one-enjoy! Keep asking questions and you should get a lot of help here

[browncrab]

You and the missus could spend a day at the boat ramp on a Saturday or Sunday watching boaters launching and retrieving. You will see some do it the right way, wrong way, easyway and hard way. You could ask the boaters questions and in sure they should happily be helpful. Get to know the local boat ramp and its users.