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Getting A Cabin Built For An Open Boat - Worth It?


abitfishy

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Hey guys,

I'm attempting to sell my 4.3 open runabout and upgrade to something a bit bigger and with a bit more protection from the breeze, spray etc and have an idea.

I don't need anything new or fancy and am having trouble finding what I am after, so have had a thought.....

An aluminium cuddy cabin would be nice, but not much around in the lower price bracket, so I'm wondering if I can track down an older solid large open runabout, say something from 4.8 to 5.2 (5m would be fantastic), is it feasable to get a metal fabricator to make some sort of cuddy style cabin only to bolt onto the hull - then I can get a windscreen made for the top, add steering etc and have a half decent rig for hopefully not too much money......surely a lot less than the $25-$30K for the newish 5.25 cuddys on boatpoint.....

Or is it better off just adding a largish windscreen to the open boat and forget the cabin?

Any ideas on cost for either, or if anyone has had something similar done your experience would be great.

Ta

abitfishy

Edited by abitfishy
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Hi Fishy,

An easier option might be a windscreen and self supporting canopy with a rocket launcher behind the canopy for your rods. You could run clears down to the windscreen for protection.

Surely a lot cheaper and lighter than getting a cabin fabricated.

Just a thought I guess... I'm not sure how viable or complicated it is to do. :1prop::1prop:

Cheers,

or.... what about a rocket launcher with a fibreglass hard top and a windscreen - you could run the clears from the hard top to the screen...???????

Sorry.... I'm board on a Friday afternoon and want to go home!!! LOLOL

Edited by mottyman
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The cheapest way to go about it and I think the best way is as the pix show it.

when fabricating a half cabin the cost of buying allthe alloy and the labour costs would be

far greater.(approx $1800-$2500 minus painting)

The other way isn't that dear.less alloy less labour ($1000-$1500minus painting)

The cost of the wind screen$500-$1000,The price for the canopy$300-$1000

Do I think it's worth it yes .

Hazza

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The cheapest way to go about it and I think the best way is as the pix show it.

when fabricating a half cabin the cost of buying allthe alloy and the labour costs would be

far greater.(approx $1800-$2500 minus painting)

The other way isn't that dear.less alloy less labour ($1000-$1500minus painting)

The cost of the wind screen$500-$1000,The price for the canopy$300-$1000

Do I think it's worth it yes .

Hazza

Thanks guys.

I don't think $3500 sounds TOO bad for cabin and windcreen.

Picture buying a solid older 5m open boat with good beam, high sides, adding the cabin, screen, painting it all up to look like new, steering, carpeting, nice seats, sounder, all the other little bits and pieces one might want - a lot of which I would hope to do myself (with advice from fishraider users) and some of it might have already been done - I can see it being a bloody nice 5m fishing & cruising rig.

Considering what one would pay for a rig like that recently refurbed and ready to cruise - might be something to save a couple of dollars for. But its all dependant upon the initial price of the starting hull.....finding the right base to start at a good price might be the issue

I can see pictures spinning round in my head.......just wish I had deep pockets so money to start the project wasn't the issue.

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Another think that I thought of .

You can buy of the show room floor a 4.5 plate sided Alycraft ,3mm side and bottom for

$4500... That's what I was priced from JD Boat shed.

Now to get to 5 metres in length is not that hard .

A transom extension could be whiped up for around $1000 .

Food for thought I say .

That's brand new, also that it would save time in prep,no corrosion(surprise :1badmood: )

It can be predrilled before painting (helps with corrosion)

Hazza

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Another think that I thought of .

You can buy of the show room floor a 4.5 plate sided Alycraft ,3mm side and bottom for

$4500... That's what I was priced from JD Boat shed.

Now to get to 5 metres in length is not that hard .

A transom extension could be whiped up for around $1000 .

Food for thought I say .

That's brand new, also that it would save time in prep,no corrosion(surprise :1badmood: )

It can be predrilled before painting (helps with corrosion)

Hazza

Cripes, that sounds cheap. It wouldn't happen to be the 450 TANK model would it?

Its got a 2.25m beam which is fantastic too.

The pic on their web site looks a lot shorter than 4.5 - but maybe beaing so beamy it looks shorter, or the angle of the pic.

Edited by abitfishy
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post-1909-1155510202_thumb.jpg

mate i was in the same boat (no pun intended).

This is what i ended up with - 5M quinniewith full covers i paid double figures but defineately not in the teens.

i found her in the trading post.

just another opinion :thumbup:

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post-1909-1155510202_thumb.jpg

mate i was in the same boat (no pun intended).

This is what i ended up with - 5M quinniewith full covers i paid double figures but defineately not in the teens.

i found her in the trading post.

just another opinion :thumbup:

Hey crow,

Looks like it'll do the trick. I'll give ya $5k. Oh well worth a try. :)

Did you get it as it is, or as an open boat and got the screen and covers done for it?

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Hey crow,

Looks like it'll do the trick. I'll give ya $5k. Oh well worth a try. :)

Did you get it as it is, or as an open boat and got the screen and covers done for it?

:Funny-Post: ....... :mfr_lol:

Came as you see it, the full covers were a bonus (not to mention the 115 yammie...hehehe) - as you can see i needed the cover more for my young bloke but i use the front cover often.

i have since removed the back half of the covers, i thought that would be useful on overnighters

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Thanks Harry,

Just read an interesting article in F & B magazine - re the same model boat, good read.

Mate, as soon as i saw her i knew that i was meant to have it.

I take her out off gerringong, out to Broken Bay - and she handles reel reel well!!!

There is plenty of room & my young bloke can stay out of the weather too.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi all , im no expert but i believe that if you were to add a big hunk of Aluminium being Cabin or the like , I mean something substantial not a large screen with alloy tubes and bimmini. then you would have to look at original hull design. look at if this same hull you would be trying to modify (Change Dramatically Centre of Gravity and weight distribution) has been produced with Cabin. Just getting open runner and throwing a heavy Cabin on top may be a recipe for disaster. Certainly if Same Hull was produced by manufacturer with cabin then ok but depending on same weigth , height as production model being installed. Otherwise i would be seeking a Engineer to look at for safety and stability. MY 2 BOB Thanks Dave

Edited by offtap1
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Hi all , im no expert but i believe that if you were to add a big hunk of Aluminium being Cabin or the like , I mean something substantial not a large screen with alloy tubes and bimmini. then you would have to look at original hull design. look at if this same hull you would be trying to modify (Change Dramatically Centre of Gravity and weight distribution) has been produced with Cabin. Just getting open runner and throwing a heavy Cabin on top may be a recipe for disaster. Certainly if Same Hull was produced by manufacturer with cabin then ok but depending on same weigth , height as production model being installed. Otherwise i would be seeking a Engineer to look at for safety and stability. MY 2 BOB Thanks Dave

Hey guys - motyman, that cabin is great, shame I don't have the boat yet to see if its even likely to fit.

offtapp1 - you are right, this might be a problem, I'm probably better (and would probably be quite happy with), a heavier duty fabricated piece for mounting of steering/gauges etc and a decent screen. I can always add canopy/bimini at a later date if I want a bit more protection. What we'd like and what we can afford is often quite different......

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