Thread: Small boat advice and options

heavier boat will also need a bigger motor to get on the plane

Suzuki make a 15hp 2-stroke that weighs 33kg though so that's cool

Originally Posted by gimp

Suzuki make a 15hp 2-stroke that weighs 33kg though so that's cool

They make the lightest no battery required electronic fuel injected fourstroke too, now that is cool!

But 4strokes = dollars and a couple of grand buys a lot of fuel when you are only burning a couple of liters per trip.

I just fished 5 days in the sounds for about 20 litres of fuel, covered well over 100km..


e: bad at maths. finished an 11 and about half the 24

4WD Hiace mate. Go anywhere.

Originally Posted by gimp

I just fished 5 days in the sounds for about 20 litres of fuel, covered well over 100km..


e: bad at maths. finished an 11 and about half the 24

Yep, that is what makes it hard to justify a fourstoke on a small boat.

In bigger boats where you do longer trips with more hp they start to make sense economically but not in the less than 20hp market.

Originally Posted by 40mm

4WD Hiace mate. Go anywhere.

Not great on fishing room tho unless you cut the back off it....how many horse do you need to get it on the plane?

Thanks. I will be using it in good conditions off Wairarapa coast, Wellington and up east coast and further north on holidays. Am leaning towards Mac360 if I can get a system with wheels that means I can handle it. Do people think I will be able to? I like the idea of a robust pontoon. I have a 4WD ute but also want to launch in wee nice beaches without surfing ute in there. So hand launching would be good. The RIBs just make me a bit uncomfortable re shelf life and having to worry about punctures etc. Tell me if I am being silly and dreaming to launch a Mac360 easily.

Originally Posted by gimp

I just fished 5 days in the sounds for about 20 litres of fuel, covered well over 100km..


e: bad at maths. finished an 11 and about half the 24

Catch any fish @gimp?

Originally Posted by Hiawatha

Thanks. I will be using it in good conditions off Wairarapa coast, Wellington and up east coast and further north on holidays. Am leaning towards Mac360 if I can get a system with wheels that means I can handle it. Do people think I will be able to? I like the idea of a robust pontoon. I have a 4WD ute but also want to launch in wee nice beaches without surfing ute in there. So hand launching would be good. The RIBs just make me a bit uncomfortable re shelf life and having to worry about punctures etc. Tell me if I am being silly and dreaming to launch a Mac360 easily.

I will Tag @madjon_ in here for ya for his opinion but if you go that way I would be going with pushing the trailer out and pulling it back in on a rope with the vehicle if keeping the vehicle out of the surf is an issue.

Originally Posted by Shearer

Catch any fish @gimp?

https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....03/#post944989

Another option for retrieval of trailer could be a portable trailer winch like these. I've never used one, but an idea.

https://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/tra...2503184466.htm

Whaly Boats NZ | Gallery

Saw one of these. They look stronger and lighter than a Mac360. Looked at the Whaly 310. The bow is set higher so would be drier but I wonder if it could create issues in waves getting under it more. Especially with one person at rear on a tiller steer. Check out the you tube clip of them bouncing it off stuff and hitting it with an axe? Unreal! Looked at a Mac360 today briefly. Actually quite a big boat and heavy. The Whaly looks to use space and design better and is lighter. What do you think?

Originally Posted by Hiawatha

Whaly Boats NZ | Gallery

Saw one of these. They look stronger and lighter than a Mac360. Looked at the Whaly 310. The bow is set higher so would be drier but I wonder if it could create issues in waves getting under it more. Especially with one person at rear on a tiller steer. Check out the you tube clip of them bouncing it off stuff and hitting it with an axe? Unreal! Looked at a Mac360 today briefly. Actually quite a big boat and heavy. The Whaly looks to use space and design better and is lighter. What do you think?

Personally I don't like the seats along the gunwales, cuts into the usable space to much, throw a chillibin in there and you have nowhere to stand.

Also is nice being able to stand right along the side when pulling/playing fish or hauling pots and nets.(big advantage of these stable little boats) Imo the interior of the mac is a better design.

The whaly 310 is a bit smaller and there is only 10kg in the Hull weight.

The smartwave has a much better looking hulk than either with good downturned chines so will be the driest of the 3. My experience with the macs is they are a pretty wet boat, the whaly looks no different

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If you go that way definitely get a or make a bench seat,sitting side saddle like that would get old fast.

In the specs its only rated to 10hp which I found a bit odd, at over 100kilo and 3m long I would have thought a 15hp would be minimum for two adults and gear.
Then I looked in the testimonials and there is a vid with a guy with the 270 that upgraded to a 15hp in order to get on the plane with 2 POB.

It doesnt appear to have a lot of usable deck space but everything is a compromise with boats.

At the end of it only you can decide what is right for you but I think I would prefer a smartwave or mac.

FYI there are 2 local ladys with 3.5 center consol smartwaves, they are commonly sold with 15hp as a cheap package deal....its not enough, both of them have upgraded to 25 and 30hp.