North Australian FISH FINDER TM forums

Looking at getting a new boat around 5-5.4m sc/rear been looking at 520 formosa and trail craft profish. Have been told formosa are wettest boat and trailcraft are wettest vice versa.
Will be used up in territory for 12 months then be takin down to nsw coast fishing offshore and in the larger dams. Any info would be appreciated
Thanks

Don't buy a Formosa as they are friggin wet mate...

For something different check out the US built Pioneer 186 Cape Island boat. Good cross over between a flats, river and offshore fiberglass boat. They seem reasonably priced new (cheaper than a new formosa or trailcraft anyway) and look / perform heaps better. They road tested one on adventure angler today with a 150 on the back and it looked the goods. I have been out in both boats you mentioned and they were very wet and slapped hard in the chop.

If your heart is set on an alloy boat, I can highly recommend a Custom Works NT boat. I have used mine up here and chased marlin off bermagui with it as well.

Thanks yeah want a alloy boat I will check them out. I was talking to a bloke about formosa he said old models were wet reckons the new ones are good. Suppose just take a test drive to see for my self. What are your thoughts on a quintrex topender more so for down bermagui merimbula

I've had a topender millenium hull. It was a good dry boat and was relatively smooth in the bumpy stuff, would recommend them if your main priority is staying dry. Saying that I had some very wet sh..ty trips home in it. I've got a formosa 550 rear C/c and I do get wet if it blows up but I don't think there are many open tinies that you wouldn't. If you were going for a forward C/C they are a substantially drier ride. My old man has a trail craft down south, it's the wettest, hardest riding boat i've ever been in. If comfort is your thing I wouldn't recommend it. I'm happy with my formosa, the build quality is excellent, it rides well, I've been in the same hull (forward C/C) in big seas down south in it rode really well, this was one of the selling points for me. They are also one of the best priced plate boats around. I got mine with a 150hp Suzuki and c-channel trailer for under 40K.

Mate I saw plenty of 4.5 - 5.5m quintrex millenium hulls cruising around the inshore waters at Bermagui / Batemans Bay but only the bigger versions further offshore. I'm sure they would be fine with the right conditions as they are a great little boat and I used to own one before the custom works boat.

Can't go wrong with a sea jay mate, have a look at the new 520 velocity hulls, just did a fit out on one and bl..dy nice boat

Dont discount glass boats i reckon mate have a look at ocean whaler.i have had one for 4 years now .

5.6 unsinkable...........

Cheers guys would go glass if was just ocean fishing but parking it at our rocky dams in the high country wouldn't end wel. I had a look at the seejay today on net look nice

Sorry mate about my previous post...

I have 580 Formosa tomahawk centre console and I really rate them. Not sure why people say they are wet but I totally disagree. Any open boats is wet depending on the conditions .

Last year we were coming back from field Island into the mouth of the South. My boss and his mrs were in their 5.4 trailcraft and I was in my Formosa. It was fairly rough and he struggled to punch into the chop . I didn't think it was that rough as you sat on about 40km. Boys being boys he wasn't going to back off.

As we got into Brooke creek they pulled up along side and they were dripping wet, totally smashed while we had nothing on us .

The ride in was that bad that he got the sign off to buy a Formosa.

I like the millinum hull , they are a great and dry ride in a small chop but do bounce around to much when the waves get bigger. Press hullld are prone to cracks and most quintrex owners would had some issues with cracking.

6 meter fish seeker seams to stand out for me .Being a commercial fisherman in a past life, I had the opportunity to own a number of plate and glass boats in the 5-7 meter range , including a formoser and a top ender . I just bought my second one should not have sold the first one , wasted a lot of money on six other boats inbetween .

Ocean Master or Stabicraft?????? Although I have been wet in mine plenty of times

fff1964 wrote:Dont discount glass boats i reckon mate have a look at ocean whaler.i have had one for 4 years now .

5.6 unsinkable...........

That's what's they said about the titanic lol

Depends on what your budget is really, I rate sea jays but if I had the money I would upgrade to a stabi half cabin, especially if your heading down south. Winter in a open boat would be a nightmare

Big difference in dollars for a OM/stabi . Like comparing a lambo to a Holden.

DIffinitely check out the pontoon style boats if you that in your budget. They do ride better and heaps drier then any conventional hulls.

Check out a boat from NT Unique. His boats are very solid and are fast getting a following in the NT. Takes a while to get one built but worth the wait. Prices aren't bad either. he could set you up with some one to go for a run in one to get an idea im sure.