Karratha what boat?
Submitted by Big Damo on Sun, 2018-10-14 13:14
I am moving back to karratha at the end of the year i have a 12 foot tinny with a 20hp which i may keep for the creeks, but i am looking for a boat that can get me to some good fishing grounds, islands and the likes. I have jumped from ali to poly to fiberglass and now im just confused. So i figured put it to the world and seek some advice.i have a 20k budget. Let me know what you think!
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Faulkner Family
Posts: 18044
Date Joined: 11/03/08
it depends on weather you
it depends on weather you plan on running up onto the beaches . a lot of people go the ali for that reason. glass can do it easy enough but you gotta watch for rocks at the sand level
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
Big Damo
Posts: 93
Date Joined: 06/06/18
Yep beaches are definately
Yep beaches are definately on the cards! I do like the idea of glass for comfort in the wind chop.i just dont want the hassle or stress if im going to the islands with the misses and little tackers
Adam Gallash
Posts: 15648
Date Joined: 29/11/05
6m
Can do the islands in less than 6m comfortably enough but if you want to go billfish and bulk bottomies has to be 6m or more for mine. You can do it in less, just keep an eye on the weather changes as can make a fun day crappy pretty quick.
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Big Damo
Posts: 93
Date Joined: 06/06/18
Definately taking your
Definately taking your advice on board, but all the local lads I work with are saying they have around 5m ali boats. Im not that interested in bill fish but I will chase mackies, cod,jacks,reds,trout,blue bone etc. Do you reckon i need a 6m boat for that?
backlash
Posts: 335
Date Joined: 12/10/10
age old question
I agree with Adam; 6m is not quite long enough to get you out of the brutal wind chop you get off Dampier/Karratha.
I've lived up there for work related reasons twice now; 2002, and 2009. Joining the Nickol Bay Sportfishing Club was great, and the guys will share tips (not spots...) on how to target various species; qute a few of them hold world records; so they are very good fisho's
some of these guys target sails and marlin out of their barra boats; the minmum safe size I'd do that up there would be 4.5m, but it would need self draining decks.
If it were me, I'd flip the 12' boat for as much as you can and then get a decent 5-6m plate centre console; hopefully with a large fuel tank, 4-stroke outboard, and self draining decks.
I do not think that a strict $20K budget will get you into a name-brand 6m long time reliable boating option with the above criteria; espeically if you want to fish out wide for Reds AND barra fish in the creeks
Getting any mechanical engine work done up there costs a lot - labour is expensive and you have a captive market.
Also make sure your trailer is in tip top condition - often overlooked, and as above any repairs can cost a lot, plus take a long time.
You can get away without outriggers if you're gamefishing, or easily retrofit later one when your budget allows; live bait is a big help, but you can also retrofit later.
Here are some options I'd maybe be considering in your budget - subject to flipping the tinny, as you can see from the pricing for some of them - I have tried to provude you with some ideas:
www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/millbridge/motorboats-powerboats/21-ft-centre-console/1197104168
www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/east-bunbury/motorboats-powerboats/sea-jay-5-35-magnum-with-60-hp-yamaha-four-stroke/1197240829
www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/forest-grove/motorboats-powerboats/boat-centre-console/1195384043
www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/sorrento/motorboats-powerboats/trailcraft-475-profish/1192115124
After numerous boats, I now have a 5m plate centre console which does the job I bought it for, and is very cheap to run in comparison to other boats I have owned; you just need to remember it's all a compromise.
Big Damo
Posts: 93
Date Joined: 06/06/18
What sbout a 2007 stacer 619
What sbout a 2007 stacer 619 oceanmaster with a 115hp 4 stroke joihnson ssme year?
Big Damo
Posts: 93
Date Joined: 06/06/18
www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/aust
www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/australind/motorboats-powerboats/stacer-619/1195858536
Big Damo
Posts: 93
Date Joined: 06/06/18
Or maybe
Or maybe this?
www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/joondalup/motorboats-powerboats/6-3m-wa-built-plate-ally-boat/1197694934
Feral
Posts: 1508
Date Joined: 01/11/06
So many options up here I
So many options up here I think you need more than 1 boat :)
Keep the tinny for crabbing and barra, as stated about something in the 5 to 6 meter mark will do the job. I used a 4.5m polycraft cc for a while and it was great but if it blow up it was a slow 10kn back to the ramp . If your not interested in real skinny water fishing I'd go a glass boat to deal with the chop easier. But if casting lures is your thing in shallow etc I'd go Ali (poly uses a lot more fuel and hp for same size)
Enjoy your fishing as its a great place to be
Big Damo
Posts: 93
Date Joined: 06/06/18
So i have decided im
So i have decided im definately keeping the tinny for barra and crabbing. I plan on fishing every weekend so if its blowing up i will hit tgge creeks
Wannafish
Posts: 158
Date Joined: 20/05/12
I lived up there for about 7
I lived up there for about 7 years, and the whole time wished for nothing more than my 5m 1982 Quintrex Centre Console... For me, I found it perfect to launch at Fortesque, Balla Balla, Wickham etc - it would get into shallow water at the top of Flying Foam for camp trips, could sit on the bottom at low tide without worry, towed to Exmouth easy, was great for trips to Delambre, perfect for Barra fishing in the creeks, didn’t use much fuel (90hp Yamaha 2 stroke) and is cheap enough that it doesn’t matter if it gets scratches / dents covered in mud etc....Now living in the South West, I still have it and still think it is too versatile to consider something bigger (or smaller...). I would suggest something similar! (And find a mate with a big boat for the Montes....)
morgs
Posts: 109
Date Joined: 25/10/11
5m
5m will do the job, 6.1 is a magic number for creeks and offshore. will have to be ali for the rocks and lockable storage or empty it every trip. You don't need a big boat to get out wide for a good feed just plenty of fuel to get the distance you need. I had a 5.4m trailcraft with a 115 etec and it spent a lot of time 40nm+ out and the islands.