How hard is it to buy New boat!!!!!

[ozskippy]

So I finally sold my tinny and now the search for a new boat begins... And isn't it a search , the more I look the more confused I become, i fish almost solely plastics these days, 90% bay 10 % estuary but am now looking to get something that can take me outside also to explore and have a crack at some of the monsters of the deep... I am looking at a 5 m side console and the top 5 contenders at the moment are the
Tabs territory pro 4900 80 Suzuki 4 stroke
Clark dominator 485 same motor
Haines signature 485 sf same motor
Gale force 4.8 with 90 Suzuki 4 stroke
Cross x Country 4.75 with 70 Suzuki 4 stroke

They all have their pros and cons over each other but how do you decide.. So please tell me you thoughts on these or any others that I would consider in that price range.. I want new or near new eg 2010...

[Stephen Wilson]

Are we talking new????
if so go the galeforce there are a few boys around sth east QLD that use these for everything from bream to offshore....
Ben Godfrey, Nigel Webster just to name a few they are well priced. Tony at Galeforce will customise them how ever you like........
this is what "I" think of these boats others may disagree but lets try them outside or in moreton with a bit of breeze
Tabs ...wet
Clark...... wet
Haines.... ok but at 4.85 it seems small when you put it up against the galeforce
CrossXcountry....small boat for its size you would have to pick a calm day to use it outside if it starts to blow head straight in.
I have a boat that is perfect for inside and out and as they dont make them anymore the Galeforce would be my pick other than something from the states...... you really need to go out and try some of these boats
these are my thoughts

[Alexc123]

Personally i'd steer clear of TABS,every one i've seen at boat shows has left me very unimpressed at the standard of welding on them,ugly as hell imho,i'm sure they work ok though.If you're in QLD i'd give Origin boats a look,havent seen one first hand,but the ones on their site look quite good,run by the guy who owned fisher and have quite a few government contracts and all built to order so you can pretty much have whatever you want. I was personally looking at the 4x4 models myself they seem to recently have added a 4.8m to the range,sealed self draining deck,underfloor buoyancy etc i got a quote on a tiller steer 4.6 a few months back and it was only 2-3k dearer than building a similar one myself from a kit from memory.

[ozskippy]

Yeah thanks Stephen I am going to try and get out in a few this week. They certainly do look very stable.. Loved the Haines just concerned about the small freeboard when outside ???. What would you recommend when looking at boats from the states??

[ozskippy]

Thought about the centre console squidgy but just like the side better.. Hoping I can balance it up with the batteries from the electric

[Brad Y]

Got a galey 4.8 with 90 etec. Tony builds a very tough boat. Goes shallow and deep fine. Finish is a little average but is functional. Just make sure you keep in contact with him during the build process.

The good thing about the galey is you can fish inside the boat and lean up against the side which is above my knees. Thus getting a bit more pulling power when going out deep. In shallow the casting platform is stable as hell. Im half tempted to get a removable platform for the back fabricated up as well. That way it will allow someone at the back to fish higher when need be.

Fished exmouth last week in 25-30 knot winds and was fine. With any open boat you get wet quatering across chop in those winds, but we fished in conditions where others werent comfy in. Speed wise im getting 30 knots 3 people up max. One up your looking under 40 knots.

For any boat doing bay work go the centre console. The side console is too prohibitive when your hooked up to larger fish that take your round and round the boat. Plus it lets you take more people out without having to worry about weight distribution. One steering, one either side of the console and one in front works fine in the galey. Side consoles your leaning to one side then if you use the batteries to level it up and you take a second person then your leaning to the other side. Ends up needing trim tabs.

The 4.8 galey centre console is a big 4.8 when your in it. The 6m one is frickin huge!

[Stephen Wilson]

I love the Pioneer 22 baysport they have a smaller one as well but any of the bayboats are great they have so many to choose from over there but it is a lot of trouble bring one in. Myself if i did it i would travel over there to buy one..... But if i had to buy Aussie pretty hard to beat Galeforce he also builds them for sportsfishing charters at Exmouth and Harvey bay
they are not finished as good as USA boats but they do come up pretty good
what part of brizzy do you live????

[ozskippy]

You I looked at the pioneer but cold find any already in Australia ..
Pm sent

[Brad Y]

Photos of my galey as requested

[ozskippy]

Mate looks sweet, nice ridE

[ozskippy]

Pm sent to brad y

[Alex]

Originally Posted by Brad Y

Photos of my galey as requested

It's a very nice fishing machine Brad!

[kingy1978]

How about the Streaker 4.85 or the Barcrusher 5.00? Both rigs look very nice indeed. The Barcrusher's have a bit more floor space inside plus you can go a centre or side console and leccy mount on the bow.

http://www.streakerboats.com.au/Stre...tournament.htm

http://www.barcrusher.com.au/models/...els/535xs.html

[ozskippy]

Yeah I looke at the bar crushers but they priced at over $50 k, well above what I want to spend

[lukehollis]

I'm selling a trailcraft profish 4.5 if Ur interested mate pm me.