WTB Alloy boat

Hey team ,

Just been giving the nod from the better half that I can finally purchase another boat!
Looking for an alloy between 5-6 meters with a budget of 30k and under.
Seeing as their are a whole heap of clever individuals in here with a lot of experience it seems like a logical place to ask the question of what boats to look out for and what go really good!
I would love to go 4 stroke but I highly doubt that I will find something decent in my price range.
Would love something that rides nicely when things unexpectedly turn rough (even with keeping a close eye on the forecast)
Will be used for mainly fishing and doing pots and a bit of diving with the wife and kids

Cheers legends

My limited experience in Alloy boats Mclays ride awesome and feel super safe. Ospreys are super stable and ride nicer than Stabicrafts if you went down the pontoon route. Every stabicraft I have been on has been a bone shaker under way, from a 389 to a 2400, not sure what it is about them they just feel "sharp" and don't come down soft. Never been on a surtees but there's a few 5.5 workmates around your budget and they seem really popular

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Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

My limited experience in Alloy boats Mclays ride awesome and feel super safe. Ospreys are super stable and ride nicer than Stabicrafts if you went down the pontoon route. Every stabicraft I have been on has been a bone shaker under way, from a 389 to a 2400, not sure what it is about them they just feel "sharp" and don't come down soft. Never been on a surtees but there's a few 5.5 workmates around your budget and they seem really popular

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I'm not sure why the Stabi's seem so popular because most people I have spoken to think the same thing as you!
I do like the Mclays , few mates have had them and seem to rate them

I've got a 5.5 workmate I'm looking at selling. It's an older one with a 90 horse Yamaha. Might suit you. Will definitely be within your budget.

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Originally Posted by madmaori

I'm not sure why the Stabi's seem so popular because most people I have spoken to think the same thing as you!
I do like the Mclays , few mates have had them and seem to rate them

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I've had a couple of Mclay over the years 5-6 M range and then went to Senator I would rate Mclay same as Stabi bone shakers.
They ride super hard compared to the Senator.

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Originally Posted by 25/08 IMP

I've had a couple of Mclay over the years 5-6 M range and then went to Senator I would rate Mclay same as Stabi bone shakers.
They ride super hard compared to the Senator.

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I've got a small Senator and very impressed with it so far even in big seas.

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Originally Posted by BRADS

I've got a small Senator and very impressed with it so far even in big seas.

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everyone that I have ever spoken to rates the shit out of Senator , unfortunately a bit beyond my budget...

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Originally Posted by BRADS

I've got a small Senator and very impressed with it so far even in big seas.

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Yeah they are awesome I've had a 6.20 and 560 both handle big seas and great for bar crossings

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What size senator do you have @BRADS

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The stab-slabs seem to suffer from a very sharp increasing bouyancy curve - when coming down into the water they seem to reach a point very quickly where the reserve bouyancy overcomes the energy driving the hull down and forwards and they just stop in the water... Very stable at rest and safe etc etc but very sensitive to sea state and trimming/weight distribution etc.

Not my favourite tubs to work out of as others have said when you are underway, but fine for stability at rest. There are a reasonable number of boats around at the mo, your budget will basically dictate mid-age second hand so whatever you look at get a damn good going over done on it. Most places that set brand new boats up have their own particular ways of doing it, some are great some not so much. Find someone that knows boats mechanically and electrically and get a good survey report done on the state of these components including if the conductors are sized appropriately for the length of cable and the current they are drawing and also if the battery system is correctly installed. This can be a source of a lot of issues with modern electronics (insufficient power supply), especially once the dreaded green fluff takes up residence. Purchasing the boat is one thing, but buying someone else's cast off problems and having to then do an effectively full refit on the thing to get it running right will take the gloss off the purchase. A good report is not cheap, but a damn sight cheaper than replacing everything!

Have a stabi myself almost 2 years old.first pontoon boat.if I had listened to everything about ali boats and brands I'd still be looking .read heard and talked to people about all sorts of brands . Some horror stories with build quality
. I'm not sure with a ali boat you will ever have the perfect boat.bit go for a ride in some.differnt brands types and see what you think .

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Originally Posted by Chur Bay

I've got a 5.5 workmate I'm looking at selling. It's an older one with a 90 horse Yamaha. Might suit you. Will definitely be within your budget.

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Those 90hp yamahas were and still are the best 2 stroke 90 that was ever made..I've owned a few and such a good engine .although has to be looked after like anything .

There’s some good boats around your price range atm with a secondhand market seeing prices come down as less people are spending. This might help you pick up something nice.

My family and I recently picked up a Surtees 5.5 workmate hardtop and love it. Not as stable at rest as a pontoon boat but rides a lot nicer which was more important to me. Especially when you lock the water in the keel it drives through chop more like a glass boat. The practical efficient use of space in them is awesome too. I was pretty sold on wanting a surtees for a while after first going out in a mates newer 575 hardtop years ago. The price bracket was always just a bit high though but there are things around atm hence we picked up a good deal on the older 5.5 model.

$20K... and a steal at that.

Ex jet boat with 3000L 150 merc 4 stroke on transom bracket, Engine is 10 years old with about 100 hrs from memory. Gauges, controls and hydraulic steering 5 years old. Boat and trailer +_ 25 years old... not a princess, but a solid sound boat and.... the engine and controls have only had fresh water use.

75kph top speed, 125L below floor tank gives a cruising range of 300km at 50kpk. Twin batteries are about a year old. There is a transducer fitted and a second hand Furuno sounder plotter to go with the boat.

Selling because I have a yacht and want the garage space.. stored indoors.

Boat is in Murchison,so a long haul from where you are

Attachment 242748Attachment 242749 .Attachment 242750

I'm going to be selling my mclay this year 7.5m cruiser, hardtop, lockup cabin, custom lifted floor, 225 yamaha 4 stroke, trim tabs, top range garnin sounders plus all the electric bells and whistles, optima blue batteries etc all newly rewired throughout, anchor winch etc, but will be looking around 110k

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Originally Posted by Larskramer

I'm going to be selling my mclay this year 7.5m cruiser, hardtop, lockup cabin, custom lifted floor, 225 yamaha 4 stroke, trim tabs, top range garnin sounders plus all the electric bells and whistles, optima blue batteries etc all newly rewired throughout, anchor winch etc, but will be looking around 110k

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Only 80k over his budget…

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Originally Posted by Fat belly Dog

What size senator do you have @BRADS

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Only a toy mate compared to most 4.8, but was within the ops budget of 30k
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...f6a13cc8d7.jpg

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My thoughts are

1) package boats come with the least hp motor to boat ratio , great for you and a couple of mates fishing but add divers / cray pots or any other amount of weight your going to be pushing the motor hard / to its max burning fuel..so look for a well powered second hand boat

2) boat slap and / or bashing is more about the driver than the vessel, reading the conditions, trimming of the motor, reduce speed and cruise home rather than punching full on into a running sea , the same for a following sea launching off waves ease up pick a path, balance your boat, move weight..dive gear to the front giving the boat some weight, on the nose, get the crew to stand and brace for the ride home,

Absolutely some boats run better than others , our older stabi is very flat bottomed and requires us to run off shore on an angle then back onshore with the swell / chop behind us on many occasions.

Senator are a great boat , but the person at the wheel / throttle makes a hell of a lot more difference than hull design.

3) motor is everything, do your research , check the prop for damage, is the steering loose , look at all connections and hoses. Remember you cannot walk home if the motor breaks down.
Get them to start it from cold not pre warmed up.

4 ) boat stands for bring another thousand ( VC quote) check the trailer bearings , rollers are not seized …salt water eats everything so the less supprises the better!

Stabi flat sided pontoon, some are extra wide giving now days, giving better internal space.

Osprey and kiwi craft are rounded pontoon which takes up internal room but very stable at rest.

Senators fished out of one which was a very simple model two seat and heaps of fish storage space , the other the used up the space for comfort , which leads me to my second point , visualise the boat full of gear, cray pots , dive gear, fishing mates …every boat looks huge empty but dump gear in it and space disappears very quickly.

Underfloor fuel tanks verse tote tanks another question.

The old man has a 6 meter stabi loves dive tanks up front and the crew foward , big under floor tank with a large 4 stroke yam hanging off the back ..all food for thought.

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Originally Posted by stingray

Stabi flat sided pontoon, some are extra wide giving now days, giving better internal space.

Osprey and kiwi craft are rounded pontoon which takes up internal room but very stable at rest.

Senators fished out of one which was a very simple model two seat and heaps of fish storage space , the other the used up the space for comfort , which leads me to my second point , visualise the boat full of gear, cray pots , dive gear, fishing mates …every boat looks huge empty but dump gear in it and space disappears very quickly.

Underfloor fuel tanks verse tote tanks another question.

The old man has a 6 meter stabi loves dive tanks up front and the crew foward , big under floor tank with a large 4 stroke yam hanging off the back ..all food for thought.

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Thanks mate appreciate the advice!

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Originally Posted by stingray

Stabi flat sided pontoon, some are extra wide giving now days, giving better internal space.

Osprey and kiwi craft are rounded pontoon which takes up internal room but very stable at rest.

Senators fished out of one which was a very simple model two seat and heaps of fish storage space , the other the used up the space for comfort , which leads me to my second point , visualise the boat full of gear, cray pots , dive gear, fishing mates …every boat looks huge empty but dump gear in it and space disappears very quickly.

Underfloor fuel tanks verse tote tanks another question.

The old man has a 6 meter stabi loves dive tanks up front and the crew foward , big under floor tank with a large 4 stroke yam hanging off the back ..all food for thought.

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If and I repeat if you can find a 601 Aqualite then I highly recommend you take it for a spin. 23-degree hull with reverse chines designed by Scott Robinson. I have seen a couple come up that would fit your budget. Just not as common as other pontoon brands mentioned.

I have its big brother the 645 and if you are ever up this way your welcome to come out for a spin.

The aqua lite is the aussie name for kiwicrafts if I'm not mistaken ?

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Originally Posted by Quackers

The aqua lite is the aussie name for kiwicrafts if I'm not mistaken ?

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No not correct. It's Aqualine. I was told it actually went to court as considering they are both alloy pontoon boats the name was just too close. Not sure of outcome.

I've got a 5.2m Mclay which I've had in 2.5m swells and handles that pretty well. It was 30K new with a 60Hp 2 stroke Merc on which pushes it pretty good. Bought it about 5ish years ago so prices have gone a bit wonky since then

maybe a bit too late,

Kev & Ian’s in Manukau - Auckland is closing down after 30+ years,
was told all stock must go by today, some silly bargain on offer.

Wow shit .good time to buy a stabi from them

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Originally Posted by BRADS

Only a toy mate compared to most 4.8, but was within the ops budget of 30k
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That looks perfect for down at blackhead 😜

After a whole heap of researching and talking to people I think I will go with a pontoon of some sorts.

Hopefully pick up something cheapish mid winter.....Frewza by all accounts seem to be really good bang for buck....Senator must be a bit out of reach but you never know when someone wants a quick sale!

Cheers for all of the input team much appreciated

I really like "pontoon" style hulls and am on my second one. They prove their worth when you end up in weather that you shouldnt be out in.
The older ones were notorious for being hard riding as were most early alloy boats. You could negate this by not driving like an idiot though.

Also the older carbureted 4 strokes were not particularly great in the reliability department so something to be mindful of.