Madwave

@jeffb5.8 Ofcourse you can put a platform and have a good casting deck out the front but my point is taking it out for his general use. If its say 90% of the time going to be used as a fishing boat he should check out other options where he doesn’t need to go through that hassle. Btw @wrxhoon1 I don’t really mix the oil on my etec it has its own reservoir inside that i fill up. Like @GoingFishing said it is efficient too I launched from Kurnell trolled allthe way to Browns mountain on the way back i went full speed to bundeena ( say 2/3 of the way) fish around the reef and came back and still had some fuel left. Maybe its not the best but does deserve a spot in the mid range and to consider no commercial vessel use a single engine they’ll all have trust issues, torque and power requirements and use few engines no matter the brand. Big commercial vessels will stick to their old diesel engines so there isn’t really an engine thats out there thats the best even though outboards these days are close to being bulletproof lack of maintenance can turn anything into rubbish.

@kanTec If thats the case a cuddy cab can do the job or for more fishing orientated runabout with a benchseat in the middle or the back will do the job better. You need to consider how many times you’ll be taking the kids and the missus and whose going to get more use out of it for that purpose. Don’t forget kids do get tired quick with watersports and would love a enclosed area to sleep relax but bowriders and cuddy cabins etc will halve your fishing space. Also I don’t know your budget but you should check out some hardtop boats too 👌.

@JonD Good point mate, yes I was talking about hours and for general fishing purpose with normal use. And for a reason that could be just my engine... mind you that engine gets serviced every year and gets looked after like a baby. Obviously a 4 stroke honda or yammy would be a better choice but it’ll depend on how much he wants to spend and what the boat has if it’s a second hand. Great insight and knowledge you got but atleast we dont live at an age where 2 strokes used to leave an oil trail 😂.

I’ve got a 2010 75hp etec on my 5m brooker runabout doesn’t really put out any smell and it’s really efficient compared to the yammys and hondas etc so far I’ve done around 250 and its still like new I know alot of people will say reconsider about the resale value but it’s a nobrainer to look at the other way if you’re buying something to keep it. My mate has a same year 90 hp yammy it smokes as well as starts in about 20 seconds which I’m assuming the previous owners didn’t look after it right and here comes the main thing to look besides the hull. Papers, your main focus should be on boats thats got all the appropriate papers that shows the work thats been done to it. Thats what you’re pretty much paying for anyways secondly you can take the boat for a test run if someone wants to sell they wouldn’t be shy for that either and for last like others said having the right traileris important too mind you be careful of galvanised trailers people will just sand or just spray over it to cover the rust so try to find a boat with a stainless steel trailer. I know when you put in all these factors it becomes a pain in the ass but in the long run it’ll serve you well it’s good that others pointed out really valuable points here which tou should feel confident to buy it on your own. Btw do you have to get a bowrider? What type of use you want to get out of a boat? Family, fishing etc?

Maybe some photos, links and info on the boat would help others to have an opinion on the boat but good luck though.

I usually go offshore and need some sort of protection so I don’t get wet. It’s an hassle to set up the bimini with clears etc and they won’t last as long as a hardtop or a big windscreen which I’m getting for only 3k.

Today I’ve called few windscreen shops after having a discussion with a reputable shop who does ally fabrications. Btw I’d like to point out that this process takes time and labour which ends up being expensive, but can be done with the right materials, experience and ppl now as far as I’ve been told to get this done the bow needs to be cut from the top, sanded down with new welding done around. After dashboard raised higher with lightweight materials and side frames the aluminium sheet goes on top and joins the frame and sides so this is actually something possible but out of my budget. As @PaddyT said it is expensice maybe not as bad as a fiberglass fabrication but still. Trying to put a cuddy/half cabin does involve more if not more weight on the structure and effects the balance of the boat @flatheadluke. For now I’ll be getting a new custom made windscreen thats 2m x 1-1.2m with 2 curved windscreens and a middle door to access my anchor. But once these hard times are over and I save up more I’ll be trimming my toenails with a grinder 😂.

That’s why I’m looking to get that checked out, have a professional opinion and get someone to do a proper job. I believe its 3mm all around then again I’m happy to move my 75ltr fuel tank under the floor and compansate that with that weight. Btw this isnt to crush or break the waves and swell it’s simply to have protection. I dont want to sound like a smartass but I need solutions rather then a no. If its the hull and side thickness if its the boat size or the ribs or anything else that matters I want that done. Nobody moves out of their house simply because of a different design idea or a broken tap or while they need to upgrade their wires. Everything can be worked around I know there are different aspects and stuff that matter in regards to this but as I stated my situation earlier it is what it is. I can’t buy another boat and I don’t want to. If anyone has any other opinions or ways for some protection while I’m trolling I’d love to hear that. Today I met with someone at traffic who had a larger perspex glass on his boat and he suggested me the same thing please guys I need opinions and solutions.

Hi there guys sorry for the late reply as I was still doing a bit of research. To cut down the costs and have the most fishing space possible I’ll be going with an hardtop instead of cuddy/half cabin. I’ve spoken to someone on this form who has a fabrication business and I’ll be getting him to have a look at my boat this weekend, I want himto draw some sketches and deal with all the rocket science for me so it’ll add value and be unique and hopefully the hull doesn’t change as much fingers crossed given its hardtop and I want it to be mainly made out of glass but yea @Swivelfish. @Rebel @shakey55 Nah I’m the type of guy that doesn’t like to take the bullet with this type of stuff, yes budget could be a problem when it comes to buying and selling but down the track I know I didn’t buy anyone’s headache. I rather keep something thats mine and look after it well. Btw the other reason why I don’t want to sell and buy one is because my missus wants a kid so I bought my boat thinking it’s my last chance to fly under her radar hahahah.

@campr I think having a bit of weight at the front on new ally boats would compensate weight distribution and make it handle rough conditions better, as @PaddyT stated the boat might burn a little more and might not be able to turn sharper etc but it’ll definitely have pros over its cons unless it has effects on the structural integrity. I have a 75 litre fuel tank at the front and it makes a difference compared to having it at the back. Also I need to ask what would you rather over your old lazeabout that had a fiberglass top? or what could make it better?

Thanks @Busy-livinI’m calling few fabrication shops to book few appointments. @PaddyT My family comes to catch bait fish/squidding once every few weeks or so and I’m more of a guy who goes out for trolling pretty much once a fortnight and even if the weather is bad I’ll try to find somewhere protected to fish. Space isn’t my main issue as I want something that’s convenient for me for my liking. So I don’t mind loosing a bit of space as long as I don’t get wet, take water in from bow and feel safe I also rather a cozy area to relax, sleep continue my fishing the next day if possible. @kingfishbig the bimini probably had better days but these days it just tends to be a pain in the ass, last time I had it on we were about to crash the boat to the south heads because it came off and half the canopy fell over the steering blocking everything there and the other top piece which had rocket launchers fell on my wife’s girlfriend’s head 😂. It wasn’t a good situation to be in and tbh after seeing that happen I wouldn’t have that when I’m offshore as all sorts of things can go wrong and don’t want to add any risks. Someone at work pointed out a hardtop fabrication, taking out my benchseat from the back to make it adequate and to get a tent at the back to sleep in the whole area. Seems like a good idea but I’d like to get your opinions aswell. Hopefully I was able to explain myself and my needs so you guys can think about the whole scenario and point me in the right direction.

Hi mate, actually not a bad idea... can I installthem on aluminium boats? Also can I move the steering up by cutting the dash out so I can have some space to sleep aswell.

Hi there guys, few months ago I was able to land a good deal on a 2010 500 Discovery Brooker boat. Overall I’ve always loved runabouts given their versatility and thought my family would loved it as much as I would but they don’t go fishing as much as I do or they like to stay in enclosed waters besides my dog 😂 so I’m at the point of thinking of a cuddy cabin conversation. Now before anyone suggest selling the boat and getting a cuddy/half cabin I know it doesnt involve all the hassle but the reason why I want this conversation is because I love this boat and I can’t literally point out anything that’s wrong with it. All my other boats were around 4-4.5 metre in size and wasn’t able to handle swell at all, given their draft and hull wasn’t deep and/or boat wasn’t stable enough. I’d like to know if such conversation is possible or if it does exist I know people whose done Center console conversations on cuddy/half cabins and runabouts but didn’t see a runabout to cuddy cabin conversation. ps: Did see fiberglass runabouts converted into cuddy/half cabin but for this topic my boat is a 5m aluminium. Boat pics: https://imgur.com/oaxGVyl https://imgur.com/RlouJHN https://imgur.com/x1s15ld