Thread: Show us your boat

Great to see people asking for advice about boats – let’s build a thread to store information and opinions from members.
Maybe a bit about your boating and fishing experiences, past and present.
The boat market is huge in New Zealand. Spare cash that was spent on overseas trips is now going into luxury items like boats.
It looks like boat prices continue to increase as demand outstrips supply of new boats and equipment – amazing to have long waiting lists to get a new boat.
Just post a few pictures and details of your boat and what you use it for – brand, type, motor, electronics, trailer, kayaks etc – if it floats – it will be interesting.
We could develop a database of valuable knowledge so anyone looking at buying a boat can refer to it as part of their decision-making process – there are lots of old boats around, many are solid and in great condition.
It's not a pissing contest, just ongoing information from members for all of us to absorb and enjoy.
I will start from my 47 years of owning boats – two more to follow if it gets any traction.

Boat 1 - 4.6m Fleetline Saphire 1974 – 65HP Merc – a solid boat made by Fibre Glass Moulders - it was a great setup – used it heaps at Taupo, Wanganui and round Kapiti Island. An easy boat to launch off the beach at Paraparaumu. Pic of my Wife and a close fishing and hunting friend – also the first of my many Labradors that always came fishing.

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Boat 2 - 5.5m Fleetline Solitaire – 1978 – 115HP and 7.5 HP Mercs - used it heaps at Taupo and Wanganui. She was a great setup, a solid boat made by Fibre Glass Moulders who also made Haines Hunters , heaps of power from the straight 6 motor – it performed well in the sea off Wanganui. It had a Marlin chart plotter that was great for finding fish and reefs off Wanganui. We ran a few long lines and caught plenty of blue cod and gurnard. A handy size in a domestic garage with a removable dodger. Got involved in lifestyle block developments so put it in a shed for about five years. Got it out and ready to start up then noticed the alloy cooling circuits on the side of the motor were corroding – had a new cooling side installed and it was fine. We changed to a larger boat and this one spent many years as a family ski boat.

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Boat 3 - McLay 5.95 Fisherman – 1996 – 115 and 15 HP Mercs – used it heaps at Taupo, Wanganui, and South coast off Makara – launching at Plimmerton. A great setup for sea fishing but very bouncy in rough water heading home – just about jar your teeth out. We used to look across Cook Strait and wonder if it was feasible with a larger boat. So decided to go bigger and back to fibreglass.

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Two more to follow – if there is interest.

My first boat. A FC 430. Initially went halves with a mate, then paid him out for his share.
Was a great boat. Very stable and roomy. Zero shelter though and could get a bit wet. Used to fish on the Far North, Coromandel and Manu Bay. Caught lots of fish. On the few occasions I have been checked by mpi they told me we had the best catch seen that day.
Not quite big enough though.
Earlier this year we traded it in for a Surtees 5.5m workmate.





So much more room than the old boat and much more shelter. It's way less noisy when underway as well. Got a 90 2 stroke Yamaha. It's a fairly old set up but runs pretty good.
Only downside is the lack of fishability up front. No regrets though.

Old zodiac 380 with a 25hp mariner on it, wish I could justify a big flash boat but not at this stage. Wee girl gets us from A to B, good to dive from gets up and goes with three blokes and dive gear no worries and getting to hunting spots or picnics on the lake etc.

Old inshore fishing boat.
Travels slower than the speed of smell, its a really stable boat and great to take kids out in as the sides are quite high. Plus since its so slow the kids can all have a drive.

I use it for setting nets and long lines mainly, has a "well" in it for keeping fish alive too.

Originally Posted by Mohawk .308

2012 5.8m surtees with a 140 Suzuki. Good size boat but still easy enough to launch by myself. Really need to use it more, still less than 200hrs on it!!Attachment 181508

Yeah. I've seen it sitting in the drive a bit

Originally Posted by norsk

Old inshore fishing boat.
Travels slower than the speed of smell, its a really stable boat and great to take kids out in as the sides are quite high. Plus since its so slow the kids can all have a drive.

I use it for setting nets and long lines mainly, has a "well" in it for keeping fish alive too.

Proper boat. Nice.

im running a fc 465 with 60hp 4 stroke
awesome harbor boat most of my fishing is harbor fishing in 1-5m of water

Im one of those fools that have the pleasure of building them for those on the waitlist for new builds.

Times are looking tight though as far as engine supply goes. Got told the other day that Yamaha (if i recall correctly) are no longer going to supply outboards for repower. All new engines will be sold to a new hull.

No boat as such, but this thing is a fish killer!

@norsk that third photo is a stunner

Here is a few shots of mine in action over the last couple of years.

Stabicraft 1410 with a few MODs.
Wouldn't trade it for anything, love it









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10 ft parkercaft.
Bottom worn thin from grandad dragging it up and down beaches....leaky rivets....etc 2hp then 8hp yam 2s on it.
Would plane me and the kids and a net when the kids were smaller.....probably plane a max payload of 200-210 kilos.
Unstable,low freeboard dubious boyancy if swamped but it could be carryed down a beach by me and a child it was light.

I welded up cracks and rivets etc but she had just done her time.....Still in service but as a row boat only.

Built my own pontoon dingy to replace it.....specialist low draft ultra stable flounder netting boat.....then they banned set nets.

So from 3 boats to just one now....the fryan 450 Ventura 40 hp Johnson 2s on that , its like a 440 but has a flat floor and a 4mm plate hull instead of a 3mm pressed hull.
For a little boat it rides really well but is a wet ride in a side on sea, I've welded on a flat bar strip to the chine in the forard 3rd which helps a lot.
Nice and quiet at ankor too.
40hp is just adequate really....or maybe I load it up too much or both.
60hp and stand up cuddy it would be a bloody great boat.

FC620HT, with 150hp Mercury.
Simrad evo3 sounder do everything thing. Autopilot. Fusion noise maker. Twin batteries. Electric winch. Wired for electric reels, and extra sinker holders next to gunnel rod holders.

Good boat in general.
Things I'd change /add if I specd it again - sinker holders from the begining, maybe some kind of draw under the bait board for tackle, a center of cabin grab rail, storage box under drivers seat (currently a pedestal), solar charging on roof for trickle charging batteries while stored, maybe a permanent installed 240v bat charger (just plug in 240v and walk away) - haven't had a battery issue yet, but I'm paranoid about always being able to start.....

521 sportsman Mclay with a 60Hp Mercury 2 stroke.


had it 4 ish years and been maybe 100hrs on it max. Been out from Foxton mainly and only 1 exciting tril tp Whanganui in 2.5m swells.
Gets up on the plane without too much trouble

After a bit of a false start on the sounder front I now have a Raymarine Axion 12 inch which is pretty good

This is where it usually lives

Originally Posted by Beaker

sinker holders next to gunnel rod holders.

Far out that's genius !!! Never even heard of them before.


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Had a 6.6m Southern, Sold it last year as I just found it too difficult to manage on my own. If I am honest I don't really miss it
banked the cash to use for a new smaller boat but.............................I'm too tight to spend it now.
Just before it went to its new home


And from a long time ago on forum hunt