advice for first boat.

[BIG GAV]

Hey fellas, I'm considering buying a small tinnie and just after your thoughts if any. Ideally I want a small tinny with a casting deck 12ft approx. I don't see myself needing more than 15hp engine but I may be wrong.

Is it worthwhile buying a cheaper tinnie n building the deck myself or buy one with it already installed?

I know cheap tinnie a come with old motors so I will replace that when after purchasing the boat. Am I better off buying a newer used motor or just bite the bullet n buy new?

And roughly how long could I operate an electric with a tinnie of this size?

This is a boat specifically for river n lake fishing I've got mates with bigger boats so it would probably never see the bay.

Any other suggestions or tips also welcome!

Thanks

[ducky]

Personally I want a bigger boat so I have an excuse to buy a 12 foot tinny.

Id look for something 5-10 years old that will do the job for another 10 years comfortably. You can bash together a casting deck pretty quickly if it doesn't have one. A proper AGM battery on its own not being charged by the motor will still run for a day or two in most scenarios. Can't go wrong.

I discovered I wanted tin after bashing around the snags on the murray last year. Gelcoat cops a hiding.

[Boonanza]

I have a 12 footer and it is a great little boat and comfortably handles 3 fishing. I have a 15hp Johnson and has no problems getting on the plane with 3 on board with gear as well but I wouldn't get a boat with smaller than a 15hp on the back. This time of year there are some nice boats for sale cheap but make sure the outboard is in good condition and go a 2 stroke :thumbsup:

[Wolly Bugger]

Hey fellas, I'm considering buying a small tinnie and just after your thoughts if any. Ideally I want a small tinny with a casting deck 12ft approx. I don't see myself needing more than 15hp engine but I may be wrong.


And roughly how long could I operate an electric with a tinnie of this size?

This is a boat specifically for river n lake fishing I've got mates with bigger boats so it would probably never see the bay.

Any other suggestions or tips also welcome!

Thanks

That really depends on the size of the battery, how fast you are going and the size of the electric motor.

I had a battery that weighed about 20kg, I have a min kota, with 36lb thrust and a built in maximiser.

That battery would last about 2 to 2/12 days on Googong.

[barra mick]

[quote="Boonanza"]I have a 12 footer and it is a great little boat and comfortably handles 3 fishing. I have a 15hp Johnson and has no problems getting on the plane with 3 on board with gear as well but I wouldn't get a boat with smaller than a 15hp on the back. This time of year there are some nice boats for sale cheap but make sure the outboard is in good condition and go a 2 stroke

thats perfect.

great for lake eldion/murray/goulburn

[barra mick]

Personally I want a bigger boat so I have an excuse to buy a 12 foot tinny.

Id look for something 5-10 years old that will do the job for another 10 years comfortably. You can bash together a casting deck pretty quickly if it doesn't have one. A proper AGM battery on its own not being charged by the motor will still run for a day or two in most scenarios. Can't go wrong.

I discovered I wanted tin after bashing around the snags on the murray last year. Gelcoat cops a hiding.

snags and fiberglass arnt the best mix.

[matty_rotten]

All depends on how much you want to spend. Cheapest way would be to buy on old bagger and do it all your self. You would be amazed what comes up on gum tree these days.
I was in the same 'boat' as you last year. Looked at a couple of cheap boats and everyone just wasnt quit right. Then came across the boat that i bought which was a 4.1 polycraft challenger on a trailer for only $2000 and then i waited a bit and picked up a 99 40hp merc for another $2000. I then saved a little more and and set it up with a sounder,electric motor ect for about another $1000.
so to get to the point i waited and saved for the right boat too turn up and went way over what i wanted to spend but i now have a $10,000 boat that i roughly only spent $5000-5500 on.

[barra mick]

And alot depends on how much you use it

Lots of blokes be lucky to fish 10 times a year....not worth the effort off a new boat

Big gav would use it a fair bit so need something reliable and purpose built

[BIG GAV]

Thanks for all the responses guys! Yes I don't care of the age of the tinny itself as long as it is in good nick! I'd use it as much as practically possible specifically for eildon the Loddon Goulburn etc. maybe estuary if oppurtunity arises. I'm in the process of saving for a home loan and upgrading the Mrs car so after the cheapest I can find. Knowing if need to add to it from the get go I wouldn't want to spend more than 3k for the tinny.

I'd fish less than I do nowadays but I'd get a lot more out of my time on the water. And I'm well aware they are money pits.

So would it be a better option to finds cheap old tinny n trailer, buy a new electric, if I can glide up n down the Goulburn all day on a electric I wouldn't have to upgrade the motor right away.

Why is 2 stroke a better option?

Ducky, I'd like to buy a bigger boat down the line but I'd want something that could go offshore, that way like u I could still justify owning two boats.. But that boat is a long way away!

I'm hoping to have a tinny with me when I go away New Years! But having never owned one I wanna be sure I'm buying the right boat!

[purple5ive]

Jump on facebook mate. Loads of boats for sale there. On various buy swap and sell pages.
I'm sure you can find one that suits your budget.
As for the electrics all depends on what size battery you get. An 120ah agm battery will last quite a while and are around the 250-300 mark. Bcf are also clearing the haswing trolling motors for 450 bucks i think. They are great value.
But if you do your research properly you might pick one up that already has all this installed.

Pro tip.
I'm slowly doing my boat up casting deck, bow mount and sounder install etc.
If i had the option to buy one with everything already installed id do that in a flash.
If you have the time to work on your boat them that's ok. Othewise it will take up valuable fishing time fixing the boat up to scratch.
Also with the casting deck if you can weld then its a bonus. Othewise is easier to get one already installed. I'm suffering with mine cause i can't weld and can only get to a welder on the weekend. Which isn't ideal.