First time boat buyer looking for some advice

[Pjpolly]

Hi Guys, We will be moving to SFB soon and I am considering a fishing boat purchease. First off will be for rivers, Gamtoos and Kromme, but maybe I need to go for a Cat E launching out of SFB harbour. Dilema is, RIB or hard hull, cabin for nights on the rivers or open boat? Towing capacity is not a problem and I would not want to take more than 4 up at any time. My first boat purchase although I have done a bit (very limited) bottom and trawling at sea but noyhing on rivers and estuaries. Just a few pointers would be great. thanks!

[FishStyx]

I'm almost at the stage where I can say, I've owned them all. RIB (both types), Solid mono, cathedral and cat, cabin boat and quite honestly, it all comes down to personal preference.


My 5c...


I'll never own another RIB. Too much maintenance.


I doubt I'll own another cabin boat (but that could change in the future). Biggest gripe with them is fishability and you need to go quite large to have any sort of semi decent overnight capabilities (18'6 and up)... Also, they are heavy and need lots of hp.


I'm not into watersports so bowriders and the likes are out.


I do like my little cathedral centre console for dams and rivers. It's a fantastically stable boat that floats in a really skinny amount of water, light, easy to single hand.


Going bigger (4 occupants) I'd opt for a mono or cat (whatever your preference). If it's EVER required to go offshore, then a twin motor installation. I'm also a center console diehard. All my fishing is done 360 degrees round my boat. If trolling is your thing, then an FC is a consideration because it's a dry boat. But FCs on a river are a PITA.

[Pjpolly]

Thanks FishStyx, that all makes perfect sense. I was tending to shy away from inflatables and for sure having to creep around the cabin of a small cabin boat to fish all round will be a pain. Well noted comments!

[stephenrplumb]

I would say boat buying is a bit like camping. The main difference is that you can rent camping rigs and see what works and what doesn't. I am not sure what the equivalent is with boating?


If you can skive a ride on others boats in your planned area of operations that would be a huge advantage.


When we are far offshore I am glad I have two reliable motors on the back. I loved the ease of operation and towing of our little rubber duck, but I am not as in love with the lack of shade, and space. For our current needs my ace glider is a much better fit. For the shade alone I would not like a centre console, as you can fit a much larger canopy on a forward consol, but I agree that for fishing performance it is hard to beat. That being said the ace glider has front seating and my son bagged a couple of fish with poppers and jigs off there, while we were slow trawling in sodwana, so you can certainly fish off the bow, but not like a CC.


If you want the option of venturing out of protected waters, then make sure your boat can accommodate this. We saw guys in Dbn way out past the 1Nm mark with jet skis and tiller operated rubber ducks and I guess that was working for them.


The main thing is to just make sure whatever you get does not limit your activities later. Every boat is a compromise and good estuary boat, will probably be no good at sea and quite useless for waterskiing etc. Perhaps also find out what is popular in your area of operation as the boat builders do seem to know what the local conditions require.


I bought CatE would be fine, but we now regularly find ourselves wondering if we need CatB as we have bumped up against that 15Nm limit a few times.