Boat choice ?

Hi all, new to site. Any and all advice would be welcome. Contemplating purchase of first boat which will be for use along coast of Clare. Thinking along the lines of Warrior 165...Orkney 16 or 19 ft...or similar. Limited experience of sea fishing, have been out with friends a few times a year, enjoyed thouroughly and fancy some more.

It's a dangerous game oscar. Best advice would first to do a Level 2 boat handling course, if you're not experienced in small boats.

Even if you are experienced, it's a worthwhile thing to do.

If it's your first boat, you won't go far wrong with either of the makes you mention.

Where would a guy find such a course? I'd be interested in signing both myself and my 21 yo son up. No preference for either of those boats then? Or any other make for that matter?

ha oscar... welcome to the site.... first things first never thrust the sea... it is all fine getting into a boat and off you go.. but you need to know the basics... there are sailing courese in galway that can be very helpful.. bowwaves would be one of them i will pm you the number if i can find it........ regards what type of boat any one of them is a good choice. but why not get something a little cheaper for your first one... the average price of the ones you are talking about would be in around 6 to 8 thousand euro........

Have a firkle here: http://www.sailing.ie/inside/default.asp?pageId=208 to see if you can find a local provider.

Me? I'm an Orkney Fastliner 16 guy. Not fast, but gets me there and gets me back.

Cheers guys, however ye're not off the hook yet (pardon the awful pun). Lucky, what would be youe suggestion boat wise. My base would be Liscannor or Ballyvaughan. I was advised against Shetland, would you guys agree?

Cheers guys, however ye're not off the hook yet (pardon the awful pun). Lucky, what would be youe suggestion boat wise. My base would be Liscannor or Ballyvaughan. I was advised against Shetland, would you guys agree?

well oscar i have a sheltland and have no worries with it.. it was a x pilot boat out of holyhead with a deep v keel and very stable in the water..i fish out of spiddal and have often went over to clare in it and out to aran.... so it is like a car some people like fords, some like nissan.....

Glad to hear that Lucky, there seems to be much greater value around with regard to Shetlands. The trips you mention are exactly what I would like to be doing. What's the spec of your boat if you don't mind my asking. I did spot a 19ft for sale in Cork.

Glad to hear that Lucky, there seems to be much greater value around with regard to Shetlands. The trips you mention are exactly what I would like to be doing. What's the spec of your boat if you don't mind my asking. I did spot a 19ft for sale in Cork.

i will pm you some photos so you can have a look......

Cheers for the pics Lucky. Your help is mutch appreciated. If you have any more input or thoughts please post.

i have a very cheap shetland for sale. in the tackle for sale forum

Re the PowerBoat course, if your near Nenagh, Ciaran Murphy in Lough Derg Yaught Club is very good and experienced

Also in Kilkee, on the slip, the diving centre a good too, with the added advantage its in North Clare!

Cormac

lots of good advice .......shetlands are great boats for sea we have one 4 the last ten years

I have a 165 now and had a 19' fastliner previously, the fastliner is a good boat, great for up to 4 people and very stable (ie: all leaning on one side of the boat) 2 man launch, things I didn't like was awful slamming in the slightest chop at fairly low speeds, slight flexing in floor, I think they are a bit light for the size of the boat.
If you are not travelling to far they are fine.

The 165 is very easy to launch on your own, cuts the water far better, faster and in more of a chop, of course it still has it's limits!
2 people is ideal and 3 at a squeeze, you don't feel to have the same stability as the fastliner though as they do tend to lean when weighted on one side, not dangerously though, I think it's because it has more of a v hull than the fastliner, good solid construction.
Sorry no experience of other boats, the powerboat course like the lads say is probably a good idea to get going.

though as they do tend to lean when weighted on one side, not dangerously though,.

do you mean when stopped or on the move i have the same thing in the predator when on the move it's fairly sensitive to weight distrubition nothing that a bit of tank and tackle moving wont sort out

Thanks for your input guys. Just had a butchers at your photo gallery seanp, some very nice fish and great times too by the looks of things !!!!

though as they do tend to lean when weighted on one side, not dangerously though,.

do you mean when stopped or on the move i have the same thing in the predator when on the move it's fairly sensitive to weight distrubition nothing that a bit of tank and tackle moving wont sort out

Probably more noticeable when stopped really, both the fastliner and the 165 will suffer from leaning while underway, even a side wind tends to throw it off balance as well, if I am on my own I quite often fill a 25l container of water to sit in the passenger side.

thanks for that, good idea on the water container, i know wind can throw them off i was also thinking of prop torque as a likley problem
glad to here im not the only one with this going on

thinking of a boat, this would be my first one and there seems to be so many out there. Any hints on what to go for?