boating

Oh Wow - How long is a piece of string.

Not sure how much you know about boating but if you don't know much you really should not be taking a boat out to sea. Stick to rivers and estuaries until you know how to handle a boat.

But if you want a nice boat that will do what you want and go out to the Whitsunday islands this one would be nice.

on the contrary (?) the newer outboard motors available today are very economical and may even be considered cheap to run. As for the kind of boat well as already stated How long is a piece of string. I had my "shopping "list for my new boat all sorted and it still took me 12 months to find my new boat .Work out a budget first,write down exactly what you know you want to do,add in a few things you might like to do occasionly and then start talking to boaties and boat salesmen.

What size are you looking at? Fibreglass or ali, forward controls or centre console, amount of weight to carry?

Far too many things to think about other then what i have listed. Might pay to get something smaller till you know what your doing if you havent had much experience with boats before.

One thing is for sure you want a 4 stroke or a Evinrude E Tec outboard if you want economy. Would need a rather large trailer boat to sleep a family, probably around the 5.8-6m mark i would think. Too do it comfortably and safely anyway. A boat of this size will require some knowledge though to operate and alot of money.

If on a budget buy a smaller boat and camping gear. Throw the camping gear into the boat and camp wherever you fancy. We where doing this back in the seventies. Any boat big enough to sleep a family is serious money, then you need a f100 to tow it.
Cheers Pete

Ros,
I'm about to pick up a 4.7mt centre console alloy boat, and I'm probably getting a 60hp Suzuki 4 stroke outboard to power it.
I chose this motor because the information available indicates they are economical to run, quiet and very reliable.
Suzuki make engines much larger, from memory 300hp is available.

Maîneÿ . . .

Having a reasonable amount of experience on Morton Bay I would say you need at least a 6 metre boat.
Something like a Whittley Monterey or similar that carries up to 7.

Morton can be very deceptive Its depth varies greatly and the wind can come up quickly and conditions change.

On a low tide you can actually get out and walk on the Middle Banks and Gilligans Island.

We had a Monterey and it had a Honda 90 and going to Tangalooma from Bribie it used about 19 litres an hour cruising at 23 knots.

Originally we had a 5 metre boat and its quite a surprise gow much each additional metre actually makes.

A navigator is a worthwhile aid and follow someone who knows the bay and plot a track to use for later.

After only going out 4 times one year we sold the boat and bought a van which we didnt use at all for 1 year.
However now live in it .

The suggestion of going and camping is far more practical as not much room to sleep in a boat that size.

Are you talking trailer boat or cruiser that you can steam to the Whitsundays, more info on this one is important mate and the amount of money you want to spend makes it a whole different story to.

Hi name not found, its a little hard to recommend a specific craft given there is no mention of budget, however as a former shipwright that worked and played in those areas, i can offer the following. For stability, performance, comfort and fuel economy, a multi hulled, preferably twin hulled vessel would be best, especially given the sometimes unpredictable depths of sand bars etc through there. The only thing with multi hulled vessels is they have a very different seagoing motion than single hulled craft, something some people have trouble getting used to.

Engine wise, really the only choice are 4 strokes. They are quieter and far more economical than their 2 stroke siblings.

Of course ideally, you would go for a craft large enough to run diesel inboards however not sure the budget would cater for that.

All this of course is only my opinion and like the Tojo/Nissan argument, there will always be people that disagree, which often makes for interesting discussion :-)

Good luck and happy and safe boating.

WOW... thanks guys the information is helpul and gets me thinking.
I have had a lot of experience with boats having dived in my 20's off moreton island heaps and also interstate.
I've had a dingy since I was 18 and am now 53.
Currently I have a 13 ft tinnie with a 15 yamaha 2 stroke. It's great we can launch it off beaches on the inside of fraser moreton etc. Just took it up to Dingo Beach and took it out every day. Also went to south Mole and daydream, long islands.
I do dream about getting a bigger boat one day and have great respect for the issues you face at times on the water.
I might get an 18 ft half cabin with a suzuki 80 and and take my 15 for a spare.
Not yet ready to make a move on it all, but thanks for the tips.
Regards
Ros

PLEASE remember Moerton bay is one of the most dangerous and treacherous stretches of water in coastal Australia. Do not approach it lightly.

It is shallow with a long wind reach and lots of commercial and recreational traffic.

The waves can be high close together and steep sided, Summer storms can turn it from a mill pond into a mass of whitecaps in a very short time.

I have seen a lot of pleasure boats come to grief out there ( including myself many years ago )

Join the local coastguard, do their boat handling skills courses, get some experience and pick the brains of the local members about your boat choices.

After years of boats I now have a 10 ft plastic walker bay with a 2hp outboard and small sail.

it is just perfect for Margo and I. So it is not only finding the right boat for you it is also finding the right boat for the conditions you may face on the worst day.