Small fishing boat advice needed please

Was hoping to get a little informal advice from you boat lads if you dont mind..

With the recession in full flow, I've decided now would be a good time to buy a small fishing boat, given that prices on used boats are low.

It will mainly be used around dublin, wicklow and wexford. No long off-shore trips as it will be my first fishing boat.

I'll be keeping/using it from a trailer and think that maybe a 14/15/16 foot matched with a 20-50hp outboard would be ideal.

It will be towed with a Landrover Defender, so no worries there, but something relatively easy to launch would be prefered.

I like the look of the seahogs, and have read that the cathedral hull is very stable.

Would like something with a small cuddy/shelter for protection from the elements.

Does anybody have a thoughts, recommendations, or pointers that I should be looking out for.

I have been looking at boats in the UK, plenty of selection/variety there, and for €2k, I'd have a decent enough boat, with a few toys onboard, back here including my transport costs.

Wouldnt want to spend anymore than that on my 1st fishing boat though.

Perhaps you know of somebody selling something in Ireland? If so let me know, cash waiting

Any help/advice greatly appreciated.

£ 2k
i hope you have another 1 or 0 to put along with that 2

and for €2k

Thats €2000 John

Plenty of 1/2 decent (I think, refer to topic) boats in the £1250-1500 bracket for sale in the UK, prices really seem to have tumbled since when I was looking last year

Any advice John on my original post

I doubt that you will get a decent boat with a reliable engine for €2K.

Have a look at the following websites: fishingboats.apolloduck.ie/, fishingboats.apolloduck.co.uk

http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/cate ... hing+Boats

I've been keeping an eye on a few boats on ebay.

If the sellers information is to be trusted regarding previous/current use, servicing, condition etc then I dont see why I shouldnt get a reasonable enough starter boat for 2 grand.

Its a sign of the times that prices now are as much as 1/2 or in some cases even less than what they were this time last year.

Anyway, whilst I appreciate your response Stan I'm really looking for some constructive advice regarding particular makes/models, hull type, ease of use, potential problems to look for etc, and also to enquire does anybody know of a boat for sale here that may meet my needs.

I'm no greenhorn were buying/selling is concerned and I'm familiar with apolloduck (and similar boat classified websites), where 99% of the boats are way over priced (in my opinion), a bit like carzone.ie is for cars in Ireland.

Any genuine advcie would be really welcome, thanks

I doubt that you will get a decent boat with a reliable engine for €2K.

Have a look at the following websites: fishingboats.apolloduck.ie/, fishingboats.apolloduck.co.uk

http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/cate ... hing+Boats

Agree completely with Stan. You'll also need a reliable auxillary engine or a strong back and oars (only joking - get the engine).

Try the search option on apolloduck http://fishingboats.apolloduck.co.uk/search.phtml and http://fishingboats.apolloduck.ie/search.phtml and put in your price range. And then search for the type of boat you are thinking of.

You'll need to have a survey done and that could cost €200.00+ depending on the distance the surveyor has to travel. The last price I saw was €12.50 a foot plus €0.50 cent for milage. And insurance - €200.00+.

As for type, I've a Shetland 18' with a cuddy cabin and 50hp Mercury which was 3 years old when I got it. It's fast enough (20-22 knots) and is quiet stable at sea. I am happy with mine. I got a new Johnson 6hp as the auxillary. I was looking at a 2nd hand one but I thought that if your at sea and you main engine goes you don't want to be relying on a 10 year old yoke to get you home.

If you've a choice of trailers get a double-axle one as it's easier to pull and less wear and tear on the vehicle - I use a Defender to pull mine.

Best of luck with it anyway.

Thanks for the comments slowarm.

I'd be familiar with the survey/insurance side of things having owned a 24ft sports cruiser a few years back.

Is your 18 footer easy enough to launch/retreive? What would the weight of it be?

Definately agree with you on the aux engine, I'd not be up for rowing 5 miles back to shore

Hi Mark i have bought a few boats over the last few years and have just bought another last month. All from the UK and all from the internet mainly boatsandoutboards.co.uk. I have got great deals and i have also got stung with a dodgy engine.
Its worth having a good look at the boat and more importantly the engine, a new engine can set you back alot and second and ones can be dodgy, nothing worse than being landed with a lovely boat and a dud engine. Various tests and inspections can be done compression tests etc and they can be organised in the uk for a small enough fee.
I would agree that you will pick up a good bargain but ya know yourself if it seems too good to be true it prob is.
Gimme a shout if i can be of any help.

Thanks for the reply cormology, you might pm me your number when you get a chance so I can pick your brains a little further

So the vibe I'm getting so far, is that the condition of the engine is really what I've got to look out for more than anything else, would this be a fair assumption?

I'm aware that engines are very expensive pieces of kit alright, and wouldnt fancy having to change one early in my ownership of the boat.

Would it be reasonable to expect a 5-10 year old engine to be in decent order if its been serviced/maintained correctly ?

Any makes/models of engines that have a better reputation for reliability/durability, also any I should steer clear of?

hey mark as you know ive got a sea hog commodore, and it has the cathedral hull, personally i prefare this type of hull on anchor, although in any sort of rough weather she will slam alot, but as ive seen these boats are unsinkable, dont think you will get one with with a decent engine for 2000, but hey, if you pick up the smaller version, its just as nice having been out on pete,kd,s sea jeep,

launching is very easy to be honest on both these boats, but hey we shall chat on sat,
and i think its def more important to make sure the engine is v good, (sorry know very little about em)

Is your 18 footer easy enough to launch/retreive? What would the weight of it be?

Definately agree with you on the aux engine, I'd not be up for rowing 5 miles back to shore

It's ok launching and retreiving; you could manage on your own but it is better with at least one other. The Defender handles it well, but I need to use a rope as an extender for the trailer, which came with the boat and looks like it was a home made jobbie. The boat weighs about 750kg if I remember right and the trailer is around 200kg.

When I bought mine I brought two friends with me who know boats. They looked at the hull itselfs making sure there had been no major repairs made to it. They looked over the engine and said it was perfect and showed me what to look for/do - clean grease off various parts to make sure it was not covering up rust, have the engine/propeller sat into a barrel of water and run the engine up, examine the seams/corners and the transom where the engine is mounted for signs of wear or cracks. They even noted that the rubber band/edging around the boat was still in good nick and there were no signs of major impacts meaning previous owner looked after it.

well mark must say the finest fishing boat i've ever fished on was a warrior 195, brian whelan's in fact (if your reading,mate!) it has a loud novelty air horn too. dennis's commodore is a beaut too, their very popular for a reason. a lot of lads have them. the sea jeep which is a good bit tighter might be your only bet mark, it will comfortably fish two lads, maybe three at a push. but even a two grand i'd say you will be hard pushed to find one with a decent engine, but like you said you are the king of bargain hunters. just don't buy one with holes in it!

Informal advice it is, for what it's worth.

There's no hurry. Take your time to size up your opportunities. Don't be rushed into buying a boat, any boat, just cos you think it might get away on you. Don't worry, there'll be another perectly fine boat available later. I spent most of last year nearly buying boats. One thing or another went wrong with each deal, and it was only lately that I got one. I'm delighted with what I got too.

So, don't be rushed.

Most folks will tell you all about their own boat, and other boats that they may have owned. It's all terribly subjective. Their love may be your hate, and vice versa. Best thing to do is experience it for yourself beforehand, if possible.

And indeed it should be possible, with the help of the good folks on this site. I'd reckon just about every common, popular angling boat is owned by someone on here. Sort out in your own mind the type of boat that appeals to you, and ask on here if you could tag along the next time someone on here is out on theirs. See it in action first hand.

As for the package itself whatever you do decide on for boat, engines and trailer:

Well as for boat: it either floats or it don't. you'll figure that out quickly enough. you'll see the big holes in the hull......

Pay much more attention to engines. If it's a second hand one get it checked over by a competent marine specialist. Someone who knows what he's doing. How far out to sea is too far for you if your engine gives trouble? It's about 4 or 6 feet for me, about as far as I can reach with a boathook to pull me alongside the quay again. Seriously, never mind the bells and whistles that come with the boat, concentrate on the engine.

Don't talk to me about trailers right now. Just make sure the wheelnuts are torqued tightly correctly, and not finger-tight on one wheel....

FWIW.

Sound advice there alright, cathederal hull boats like the seahogs are very stable, but will 'slam' in rough weather, unlike vee hulls which will cut through the swells.you should pick up an older seahog, such as the 15ft Hunter or 16ft shortie, fairly cheap ex UK, good luck with it anyway man.

give me a shout and we will go for a spin you never know we may even wet a line gret excuse to get out

All excellent pointers, and exactly the type of feedback I was looking for.

Cheers lads.

It's definately noted to pay special attention to the engine, not be rushed into a quick buy 'cos it looks a bargain, and show due diligence to the boats structural integrity.

Perhaps I would be best looking at a boat only purchase, and look for a decent engine seperately.

Boat only lots seem to offer decent value, I guess most novice buyers (like myself), want to buy the whole ready package, to save the extra hassle.

I suppose I'd only really be looking for space to fish 2 or 3, maybe 4 on the very odd occasion, so the sea jeep may make a sensible choice. A few up for sale aswell

Wouldnt be heading out in rough seas, so I guess the cathedral hull may be the best choice, particularly as I dont have the best sea legs

I experienced some serious slamming in my searay 240 a few years ago, all I'd say is I'd rather avoid that again if possible...............


I thought it was fun at the time, but once I'd got back to dry land the reality dawned on me


Sounds like a plan to me denis, let me know when.

I have boat rods/reels, but will need a bit of help with appropriate rigs if you dont mind

As mentioned the engine is the most important part. I would stay clear of anything that looked anyway rough. Obvious neglect is easy to see when you lift the cover. I would certainly ask to take the boat for a good long spin. Yamaha, Mariner,Suzuki, Honda and Mercury are all good engines. Next you will want an engine that gives you enough power. With a Seahog you will want to get on the plane and so will need an engine with enough horses to do this.

If you are towing the boat any distance the trailer bearings should be checked or your boat make end up in bits on the road. I saw this happen years ago.

The condition of the boat should be obvious. Check for any major repairs. It is not as easy to make a bad boat look good as can be done with a car.

Good luck in your purchase and I look forward to seeing pics of it loaded with big, big fish on the site!!!!!!!!

have a look on www.donedeal.ie


derek

I've been doing a little looking for you on the usual web sites. TBH, your going to get stung with a dodgy hull or engine for €2k or perhaps something that just isn't suitable.

Kepp looking and keep saving and you might be able to pick up a cracker at about 5k. Just to put it into perspective, a 5 year old 25 - 30 Hp engine in good condition is likely to set you back close to €2k. Your engine is your lifeline at sea, don't comprmise here. If your looking at anthing in particular, post up a link here and we'll all give you as much advise as we can.

Something like a seahog, Sea Hunter (older 16ft) or Shortie (newer 15ft) would be ideal and they have some decent width and at a push can fish 3. Each of these will need at least 40hp to get them on a plane and push them along nicely.

IMO, Don't bother looking at anything in the UK for under €4.5k You could end up spending money travelling to see a piece of Sh!te.... you know yourself. By all means Travel around Ireland, this costs nothing and you never know when you might find something nice.

Good Luck,

Kev

Thanks for the additonal post lads, the advice is duly noted.

I'll post a few links over the coming week to see what you guys think.

Once again to all who replied, many, many thanks


Mark