Raider 146 blue water boats

[Ahoymark]

Good Morning Gents,


Raider 146 from blue water boats. Does anyone own one, how do they ride, build quality?


I would like to buy a raider for normal surf work up to 1 nm offshore. Only a friend and myself.
It does not need to be the most fancy well build boat on the market, just something to hook up and go fishing.


I have a bigger king cat so need something small.


Any advice on these boats is much appreciated.


Mark

[UmdlotiOnDad]

Not sure on the boat but there's been some pretty bad reviews on builder.

[FishStyx]

Welcome to UA 


Yeah there's been some pretty hectic situations between the builder and a few forums, with legal attempts to censure public opinion on some build failures.


But I think the Raider is a really gorgeous little mono. I've often been tempted but avoided it because of reputation of the builder.


If I could find an old one for a bargain, that faced a major rebuild and refit, I'd strongly consider it as a project.

[Ahoymark]

Thank you for the reply.


Hmmm, seems I should stay clear from BWB.


That is a pitty, the raider looks like a nice little boat and very easy to launch compared to my 226 Kingcat  .


Has anyone bought a raider the last year or so that can comment on the dealer and the boat itself?

[FishStyx]

If I may... What's the intended use? Offshore? And if so, surf or sheltered launch? There are a few lovely options out there.

[Ahoymark]

Hi,
Use is for surf and sheltered launch. Just me and my wife/ a friend. not offshore, just fishing behind the breakers.
At the moment I have a 4.8 meter rubberduck, but deck space is not much and getting to old for this.. Ride is terrible :)

[FishStyx]

Coastal Marine are now building the Ocean Runner, at apparently very competitive prices... A few foot longer but a fantastic boat with an incredible reputation on the water.


 http://coastalmarinesa.co.za/


The Bay Runner would also be a great option.


Then there is the Fusion Range, but I'm lead to believe they are over priced. I can't verify that tho.

[Ahoymark]

Thank you,


Will have a look at the 16 ft african skiff.


I have had a quote from the xpression 440, but somehow the boat is more than double the price of the raider.. Crazy..

[SAfish]

Coastal Marine are now building the Ocean Runner, at apparently very competitive prices... A few foot longer but a fantastic boat with an incredible reputation on the water.


 http://coastalmarinesa.co.za/


The Bay Runner would also be a great option.


Then there is the Fusion Range, but I'm lead to believe they are over priced. I can't verify that tho.

The Fusions are build here in Knysna and are really well built but like you said, they are pricey.

[fishing mike]

Have a look at the yamaha explorer. The 4.65 is a great boat but very small. Motors ..2x 40 is ample  You can get some good buys now on gumtree

[Bwana]

Howzit
We own a Raider 146, 2005 model with two 30Hp Mariner 2 strokes. Our use is exactly as you say - mostly estuaries and dams plus inshore use on Category E with the 1nm depth limit. This boat is seriously good value for money and offers a lot for it's size.
What we enjoy is that it's light, easy to tow and handle on the beach and is comfortable for two or max 3 anglers to fish. The "deep v" hull rides very well and it is not a wet boat (I've run several times in choppy NE and SW swells and it handled very well. Standard specs include a fish hatch and live well which are a bonus on a boat this size.

The manufacturer has had several run-ins with consumers and forums as mentioned, which I researched before we bought ours. Luckily we had the boat thoroughly checked by another boat builder before we bought it and everything has been great so far (we bought second hand so didn't need to deal with BWB).
Check out some of the comments on this thread from forum member "Dugong" on my trip report off Durban for snoek with our Raider last month, he also owned a Raider and the comments confirm it's a good all-rounder:  http://www.ultimateangling.co.za/index.php?topic=760.new;topicseen#new

Here's ours:

[FishStyx]

Gotta admit... It's such an attractive little boat 

[dugong]

I had a 146 Raider and the build was good, I also know two or three that were crap (one started breaking in half as there weren't enough bulkheads) so it seems a bit of pot luck that said its a very nice small boat, based on the Dolphin hull, rides well and very dry compared to my 14' 6" Skivee I had before it, best motors are 25/30's as the 40's are too heavy and an overkill IMO.
 I see the Oceanrunner  is mentioned, I own one now and its brilliant but its a totally different option as it is 18' so quite a bit bigger all round - although it runs very well on 40's.
The Atlantic 440 is the exact same hull as the 146 Raider (and Expression 440 AFAIK) - Pic is the Atlantic440

[shu vawda]

Speak to tri boating.the guy to speak to is Ugan: 031 9025377


They do a few good mono's,one of them being the ace craft.you can chat to them about pricing but they are reasonable and do a good job.

[Ahoymark]

Thank you very much for all the reviews.


It is very sad that a great hull like this gets a bad name by someone not doing their work properly..


So now the question is, take the gamble for 70k and order a raider or pay much more for a other identical hull..


I think if there is like a bad finish to the boat I can live with it but if the structure is a danger due to not enough bulkheads etc than it could cost my life..


This was my first post and I want to say thank you for all the informative information from all of you.


Looks like I will be driving the rubberduck for a couple more years and safe until I can afford a boat that is proper build.


 

[FishStyx]

Like so many things in life, you do kinda get what you paid for... Except when that bargain of a lifetime comes along (mostly only in the used market) and that's where you will potentially find the best bang for your buck... New boats lose value very quickly... As an entry, look for a good used hull a few years old with a motor that has been looked after and serviced at the correct intervals. It's not the "minefield" that so many folk make it out to be. You can generally spot scammers from way off. The ideal to look for is a quality boat that has lost it's "new boat" value but still in perfect nick.

[John F]

Sound advice Martin!

I can't afford / justify a new boat.... so I go to the other end of the spectrum... find a good proven hull as a project and rebuild it to my liking... planning and  getting ready to start a project on an Acecraft 660DV... doing bulkheads and stringers all the way up!!!!

[Jeeva]

Hi I have a yamaha explorer 14.6 ft in excellent condition with a single 70hp yamaha 4 stroke engine that has 106 hrs only. Boat is immaculate, I used it once. Due to ill health I am selling. Asking R155 K

[Whaletail 2019]

Reeva hi there, could you please send me a few pics of your boat if still available ? You can email to jacov@cybersmart.co.za


Thanks.

[Jerome R]

Good Day all

I am replying to this topic regarding the Raider 146 built by Blue Water Boats.
I do understand that the last post on this topic was in April this year and I do apologize for not responding earlier, however I am not an active member on this forum.

I thank you for all your comments on the Raider which is built by myself, but I would like to point out there is a lot of hear say and half truths on some of the negative posts. I have been building the Raider since 1999 and have literally built hundreds of these boats for the local and export market it is I great little boat that is dual purpose as an entry level offshore or a family recreational boat for the dam etc. I have always kept the pricing as low as possible with the mind set of this boat being a starter boat for those wanting to enjoy water sports and did not have a huge budget to go out and buy the more expensive options on the market, with saying this the boat was always built to a high standard with safety at the top of the list, practicality and styling followed. The hull could either be fitted with a single or dual motor options under deck fish hatches, live bait wells, etc. were not standard features and would have to be requested on order of the boat.

With there being so many boats built and second hand boats being sold privately there were boats that were ordered without under deck fish hatches, wells etc. and were modified to suit the new owners application or layout. These alterations and modifications were done outside of my control and there has been 1 boat that I am aware of that had a crack through the hull due to bulkheads being removed to make way for fish hatches, the boat was not broken in half.  I did have a run in with this particular owner as he was under the impression that the boat was built without the supporting bulkheads. I cannot be responsible for any modifications or alterations that is carried out once it leaves my factory. All my boats carry a manufactures warranty but this will fall away if alteration have been done by a non approved workshop.

It is 20 years since the launch of the first Raider and the brand is still going strong with many happy customers.

My factory doors are always open to anyone wanting to view our build process.