Hi


I am getting a bit over my little runabout and the fact it is not safe to take outside.

I had a look at formosa plate boats and like the 5.2 meter bow rider as it looks like an awesome family boat that can do a bit of fishing offshore as well (not trawling for marlin)

anyone have any experience with this brand? or can suggest another brand?

Jack

Jack if you look at one of the other forums at the moment there is a big discusion an alloy versus glass
In my oppinion glass is far supirior to alloy a lot quieterand smoother
but maybe get jumpys opinion

2 of my mates have those 4noses jack
both happy with them

for a family boat Id go with Glass... Leave the Plateies to the clowns like JG....

Nah, have to admit, if you want a full time fishing boat go a platy, for a family boat a glass one! ;)

Yeah right as if jack is going to listen to a pair of potato's

Guy said he wanted to upgrade not downgrade to glass

The Formosa is a beautiful boat, the Bowrider would be perfect. Just think about it mate. Cushions and seats up the front with the family, or if you go out by yourself convert the front to a casting deck with an leccy motor. You have the protection of the windscreen and the bimini, the deep v for cutting through the chop, you have the transom on the back to help you get in and out of the water..

If me and Dad upgraded i'd go for something like that, i love Bowriders, perfect alrounders imo

I can't think of one good reason to have a plate boat in preference to a glass boat.

But then again ewe have probs thinking @ all
To many goose pills

Towing weight maybe, from what I see the glass boats seem to get heavier for the same size boat. I only have a 1600kg rated tow bar and am not planning on upgrading that and include a tranny cooler. Car can easily handle it though.

Price? Bar the bayliner which does not really look like a boat that can handle the rough stuff most glass boats tend to be more expensive. Bayliner 185 looks like a serious fun machine with mercruiser and very nice pricetag, but I don't think it should be taken outside.

Also with a glass boat I'd be scared to go close to anything that could damage it but with alumium I know it can handle rocks fairly well. This issue is not a major one, just need to adjust my skills :-)



Jack

my 5.5m glass boat only weights 500 odd kg...

my overall weight is less than 1500kg...

I don't think there's a huge difference in weight either Jack and at the size you're talking about it wouldn't worry you anyway.
I doubt if my rig would be much more than 1000Kg if that. (5.2M cuddy)

Price is another thing altogether, I was thinking secondhand and to me it seems fibreglass are cheaper than plate but I stand to be corrected on that. I guess to be fair you'd have to price identical rigs.

Damage? It always seems to me that people think glass boats are fragile and I don't believe that's the case. Although I don't run my boat onto rocks I never worry about running it up onto a beach or leaving bumping against a wharf. (I should get some of those giant tampons I guess)

Then there's the transom/stringer rot but it's not nearly as prevalent as people think and can easily be avoided by sealing any penetrations properly. This is also more than offset by corrosion both electrolytic and galvanic in plate boats.

Build quality & strength, fibreglass boats are molded in one big piece and start off life in that shape where plate boats are welded up from bent pieces of metal totally reliant on the skill of the welder. If you're talking about pounding a boat for the next 10, 20, 30 years I'd choose glass over plate every day of the week.

All the rest of the stuff like warm, smooth, user friendly, quiet, better handling go without saying.

I can understand Jumpy having plate boats given his background but for someone who just wants to buy & use glass is for me.

Bowriders... PFFTTT! Gotta say I'm not a fan, great while your kids are keen but that probably won't last long.

If I didn't already have a boat I'd go & buy a RumpusCraft... top boat IMO.

Not trying to start a boat war or rain on your parade Jack merely putting forward another point of view.

Going by your requirements I would suggest a Polycraft frontrunner 5.3, store it on rocks if you like, run into wharfs, smooth quiet ride. Price very attractive.

Won't fade or yellow in the sun, no need to repaint when those little oops moments happen, weight 720kg approx, trailer 350kg approx, engine 90hp etec-150kg....plenty to spare for fishing gear and fuel......

Whadya reckon Poly

I recon your sick!!!

But would be better than a plate boat for a family boat...

I must admit, IF I were to be in the market and have the $$$$ to buy a new boat, I would be seriously looking at a poly.
I have been dead set against them for a number of years solely based on the fact that I like making all things needed for my boats and with the polys I have felt excessories would be a nightmare to fit.
Lately I have been thinking IF I were to get/find a poly that had all the stuff where I wanted it, it might be a worthwhile thought.
Dought if I would ever see a poly with the layout I would want, so catch 22 still for me.
Glass is comfortable but heavy, alloy is workable, you can treat it rough as guts and is light enough for minimum amount of horse power and towing vehicle.
Alloy wins in most compartments with me, but as I say glass is comfortable.

no that's were you are dead wrong Frank, its very easy to fit accessories all you need are basic wood working tools.



yep I do think a 5.3 front runner would be a good buy, why not send a p.m. to bbjohn i know he would be only to happy to give you all the info on them

http://www.polycraft.com.au/model-range/530-warrior

Paul

Another point I should mention is the ergonomics.

I like to be able to stand up & drive looking over the screen without having the wheel down near your knees.
Sit down & drive looking through the screen and have good foot support at the same time.
Full head room & side clears completes the package.

I'm not just saying that because it's what I have, there should be plenty of boats out there that would fit the bill.

The only short coming with mine is my feet don't comfortably reach the floor while seated but there are some footrests.

In my previous boat the seats were so high you felt like a cocky on a perch, remember Majed had the same problem with his old boat too.

It's a big decision to make if you're going to spend a lot of money.

Just worth Noting about weight for ya Jack.....

Formosa 520 BOW ; 5.35m 600kg
Haines Sig 540f ; 5.33m 560kg
Haines BowRider 520 ; 5.35m 475kg
Polycraft Frontrunner ; 5.30m 760.00kg


If ya wanna go offshore I dont think a bowrider is a great option.. Great for the bay or the rivers though!!

There's always larger tinnys too, they have their own special niche in the market.

What's the story KK, I know you don't use yours much but are you happy with its performance?

unbelievsble

Not one of them has ever owned a platey jack but they're all experts on what you should get

Hilerious ha ha

Never owned a haines and you talk them down...

Oh and plenty of posts of you bagging out poly's on here and how many of them have you owned!?!?

Never owned a plate boat but went in a stabi and your within a few days and recon the stabi would eat your for breakfast too..

Its a forum isnt it? place where people pass on their opinions?? Otherwise he wouldnt have asked?

Have you been stealing fed's goose pills?

I dont particularly care what boats people have or own

I'm just goodarus @ taking the piss out of peeps
The question in this thread was in regards to a plate boat & here you all are throwing everything from plastic to glass @ poor jack

Spud you can reckon all you like you've yet to do any serious boating/fishing offshore to form an opinion on which boat would have another for breakfast

The only thing i'll seriously say about any of my boats is that i allways feel safe in them & i've fished some horror conditions

Didnt hit a nerve did we... Maybe I was just taking the piss too.. But I got the bite!

I recon ive probably seen some conditions out there... Only difference is when they conditions were bad, you stayed in bed and we donned the wet weather gear, pulled in a reef and headed out into it.. We were not scared of a bit of wind and some waves breaking over the bow..

Was actually suppose to go to Hobart in 1998, I Raced all the qualifiers and then had to pull out due to commitments to another class. I was abroad JBW the afternoon their relatives went down on Winston Churchill. (RIP) Ive seen 50kt+ winds, been rolled, had boats completely submerged by massive swells breaking over the front of them, Hit by lightning and caught in a water spout.. I recon Ive seen some weather!

Oj Jumpy, you must have forgotton your pills today!!


Jacks Question?


Read which is written my friend, your own words....

Thus, were are suggesting other brands for Jack.. Other brands may include glass or poly boats!

Just a question?? Do YOU have any experience with this brand of boat?

Difference between me & alot of people is that i'm sensible i pick my days to go for a fish but if conditions change as they often do i dont have to run with tail between my legs.

It's what's called having confidence in the boat & the ability to assess whether it's time to head home or not.


And dont bring poofy sailing boats into the equation those poofy thing rely on wind to work & with wind comes shitty conditions

The day you hit a nerve with me you'll know it

In the meantime keep dreaming about those poofy yatch's

What part of that don't you get Jumpy, I made it bold to make it easier for you.
You just don't get it.... DO YOU?

Why dont ewe just ask jack ewe brurry irriot
Q was in relation to boat he mentioned or a similar platey

Not a glass or plastic boat

He wants a full boat

Well Well Well the goose has arrived

Read again goose he said brand not glass or plastic

Think i know jack a bit better than you twits & what he's after

And ewe geese bothered reading the bit about his concerns about weight issues ewes would've jerried

But gooses dont jerry they just Honk

HAD you read my post, you would have seen that my glass boat is lighter than the plate boat, so weight is irrelevant! Thus why we pointed it out to him!!

Here it is again for you!!

If you look at post #9 you will see that Jack is looking outside the square, not blinkered like some GoogleBoys in here.

Jumpus GooDarus & quintrex101 what a combination.

Honk Honk Honk

WOW!
Change the subject and large text, Jumpy must be wrong...... again.

Tell ewe what goose
I'd rather have twit top on the boat than a goose anyday of the week

One can teach a twit top a thing or 2

One cannot teach a goose esp one who still lives in the 50's & does all his fishing/boating on a computor

Another change of subject, HaHaHaha! We're on a roll!

Wind his spring up a bit tighter Rumpus we'll get a backflip out of him yet.

It all goes to charactor reference

Yours

You seem to know alot with all info gathered from the net very little 1st hand knowledge

Get with it Fed it's 2012 but your still living in the 50's

When you actually get off your arse do a bit of fishing/boating who knows i might even take you seriously

Theres always a twit top on your boat!!



Says the one driving the blunt nose alloy boat, you know theve invented Fibreglass now, much comfier and quieter ride...

If I want repeats I'll go and watch television.
Haven't you got any new material Jumpy?


HaHaHaHaHa!

The goose has got a gosling now

Hey FED, I think he is spending to much time with them Mexicans and starting to turn into one.. Believing the stuff coming out of his own mouth?


JACK, hope this meaningful discussion was helpful before Jackass Goodstorius came and had to wreck it.. Just like he does on Fishnet!

Speaking of fishnet did you see what that guy called him?

Which one? There are to many? ;)

Spud i knew ewe didn't want to be a potato anymore

But really why a gosling ????

Must've been the lure of the golden eggs huh

Check your PMs Rumpus, too funny. HooRoo.

I'll leave you 2 gooses to lick each others poop holes

Some of us do actually go fishing/boating & not just dream about it

I've got gear to prep

Geez good discussion......just offering up a suggestion, not gonna offer any explanation, end of the day Jack will buy what he likes best and suits his needs....

I didn't say anything about Fiberglass as i've never really looked into them, always seen some Haines Hunter 530 with 115hp ETEC on the back and they have always caught my eye. They look like a great boat but i'll stick to my 460 alloy boat, not plate, not poly, not fibreglass, but at the end of the day i still catch fish

how true is that.

Paul

Ha

Ewe guys dont get it

I was baiting the goose from the start

And now it seems i've got a gosling to do battle with

See what happened when i left ???

The geece had nothing to talk about

you really do live in your own world dont ya!