New boat to fish portland vic?

[tinnyfisho]

Looking at buying a decent second hand boat to chase tuna off Portland, just wondering what size hull would be suitable? :water:

[sandef]

nude up would be a good member to ask nothing under 6 mtr (20ft) you have to go a long way out some times and water off portland can be nasty

[frozenpod]

What can you store and tow?

There is an old rule of thumb which is still very true today if you are buying a boat for offshore use 6m plus.

All trailer boats are small in the ocean and the best suited would be the biggest boats that are trailable ie Haines 243L, Formula 233 Gilant 24ft, Bass Strait offshore 24, 23ft shark cat, 2700 noosacat 23-25 bertrmens ect would be all be at the top of the list.

With that being said if you can only tow and store a 6m boat it would do the job it will be less comfortable and more restricted to what weather conditions you can use it.

Our 650F was purchased for offshore use and has been 120km out a few times and 80km plus dozens of times and for us was a good balance of affordable, tow-ability and what we could store.

[ThomasG]

MMmmm, well, I guess it depends how serious you are. The Tuna have been here all year and all of the tuna I have hooked have been by accident, while fishing for Kingy from 500mtr to about 5ks offshore.
When you have 12ft tinnys bringing them in you know they are not far away.
Even now (today) , there are schools of Tuna and Kingy all mixed up together just outside the harbour. They catch them regularly from Kayaks.

Cheers......ThomasG

[mr plow]

I have a 5.5m boat and take it off shore to cliffy which is close to 30k off shore. And are going to be having a go at portland this year.
Just pick your weather

[barra mick]

I have a 5.5m boat and take it off shore to cliffy which is close to 30k off shore. And are going to be having a go at portland this year.
Just pick your weather

yes exactly

I took my 4.75 topender everywhere

[frozenpod]

I have a 5.5m boat and take it off shore to cliffy which is close to 30k off shore. And are going to be having a go at portland this year.
Just pick your weather

yes exactly

I took my 4.75 topender everywhere

On the right day you could cross the ditch in a tiller steer tiny but if the weather turned you would be at serious risk.

Whilst you can go offshore in smaller trailer boats I wouldn't be buying a 5m boat for this purpose.

[cobby]

How long is a piece of string? Start with fuel, minimum capacity of 150l then work from there. Depends on budget, towing and storage and especially experience. Easily doable in 5.5m boats, better in 6+m boats.

Start by looking at what ab divers use. It's their job to be offshore in often **** conditions and they're generally all as mad as cut snakes. Rebuilt Haines v17, 565 and v19, edencraft 565 and 6m, BSB 600, Cootacraft gunshot, coldfront, big ram and rebuilt Formula 233 (edencraft 233, BSB offshore 24 for newer versions) dominate their boats.

[fitzy90]

i regularly fish off Portland in a 4.7m halfcab, the motor and the boat are both looked after and i have all the safety gear so have never once felt unsafe.
The last few years the tuna have been in close so the most i have had to travel is 13kms offshore.

Number one rule......... If in doubt dont go out, pick your days and you will be fine.

[blacklab99]

Obviously, the bigger the better, but a lot have Alluded to the fact that size is not a restriction in itself.
I will be hopefully fishing Portland in a 5.4 meter boat this year ( if boats ready )
size or length depends on what ever the boats configuration is.
But I believe, EXPERIENCE is the main factor.
Get as bigger boat as your comfortable towing storing and skippering and of course you can afford.
I would like a bigger boat, but I have to look at the fact that off shore would only be a small % of my overall fishing,
if your fishing is all off shore, then go as big as you can. Think what else you will be using the boat for as well.