That little number would certainly open up a few options for you mate and 200 hours is FA.

Agree with Daisy^^

That boat will be fine when the weather is suitable, you could even get out to the marlin grounds.  If the weather turns shitty, no boat is really comfortable.  Yep, 200 hrs nothing on  a 4 stroke, as long as it has been serviced

Jesus dont say anything about marlin grounds you're giving me heart palpitations. :) .I remember last year at the start of our montes charter it didnt look tooooo far out when we started to see fish with bills stuck on their noses. Im gathering if the winds are up there should be at least somewhere sheltered to go? Whats the go with the islands and burrup, can you just rock up and camp the night anywhere, where's the best place to look for such information?

There is always sheltered water somewhere.  Only problem is crossing the channel from Dampier to reach the Islands.  Always get a good weather report before you go out.  It can be dead calm in the morning, then reach 20+ knots by lunch time.  Add big tides to these winds and the waters can be very hazardous.

Also, if you wish to camp on an island, be aware that what was a calm spot in the evening due to a westerly wind can have big waves crashing your boat by the next morning if the winds turn to Easterlies.

I'm unsure of the regulations on which Islands camping is permitted.  I sleep aboard my boat, so technically I am not camping on the island

Meks, check out this link and click on the PDF file for info regarding where you can and can't go.

http://www.dec.wa.gov.au/component/option,com_hotproperty/task,view/id,175/Itemid,1584/

mr_meeks,

IMO you will need a boat around a minimum 16'+ and a 90hp outboard and a good VHF, preferably fibreglass as ali gets very hot in the open sun. There will be arguments for other size and types of boats etc, but that is just my opinion, I lived and fished out of Karratha for 5 years with a Chivers Persuit (17') with a 90hp outboard and have fished many times out of Hedland. Also lived and fished out of Broome for 2 years, but had a 34' boat at that stage. Always take note of tidal movement and speak to the locals about when you can and cant use the boat ramps, at certain tidal levels. Tides can move at around 12knots at times, make sure you have plenty of reserve fuel.

Currently live in Kalbarri with a 17' Stacer with a 90hp, but horses for courses.

Good luck and tight lines with your new adveture,

Cheers

Old Banga!

 anything up to 5.5m gives you the creek options and the chance to launch just about anywhere like withnell bay in winter and run up the burrup hining from the easterlies and then on the good days the ocean is all yours, depends on economy and fuel tank size. go Ali too yes is gets hot but if you have carpet on the decks and some shade (a must have) you'll be fine, measn a smaller motor and a lighter rig too.

Yeah the mrs wasnt going for the little tinnie idea. Moving on to something like this

http://perth.gumtree.com.au/c-Boats-Jet-Skis-boats-jet-skis-other-Boat-17ft-Runabout-W0QQAdIdZ312153232

THATS A BETTER COMBINATION.

OLD BANGA!

Mate, I fish that whole area in my 4.45 when the weather is good. but if you were to go out today you would need a small to mid size ship hehe

True dat websta, 4.5 is perfect for both worlds (brown and blue water) smaller and you limit your bluewater options and bigger is just not comfy in our skinny little creeks and limits launching options.

Sorry but i had a 5.2 thatr could do both great boat shallow draft plenty of room would go out wide no stress.

Not mine now but had to up grade due to family size but still have a flexable  boat.

Keep your options open as size does matter in some cases and not in others.

Had a 5.2 south wind that i would feel comfortale in really shitty weahter but draft suffered a bit.

Now have a 5.6 that draws 250mm of water ......Horses for courses...........

A compromise is good but it is a comprormise in a way, sort, of maybe.

Cheers

 I've got a Trailcraft 485 with a 90hp e-tec on it which is just about perfect as far a balance go's. Tough hull and as strong as a brick shit house when it gets a bit rough,decent ammount of power for the creeks or to fly out wide when its flat. Can launch just about anywhere whitnell bay or back beach or cleavervile and with 120 lts of fuel it has a decent range.

Personally I would never own another pressed alli hull after owning the Trailcraft.

There is quite a few savage/allycraft/stessl etc...type boats around the 4.5 to 4.8 mark for sale. Any opinions on bowriders? eg Cant really spend more than about 18 grand.

http://perth.gumtree.com.au/c-Boats-Jet-Skis-boats-jet-skis-other-Bowrider-Allycraft-W0QQAdIdZ299318996

My Mate bought my 5.2 plate boat, he had a bow rider i thought it was ok took the front seat out and put a casting deck up front.

Had an 80 four stoke pushed it along well..............had a little stessl edge tracker in the early days great creek boat but would not go to far off shore in it.

Cheers

G'Day fellas

Some good advice here already.

I'm moving up to Karratha in a few months, definately getting a tinny. Narrowed it down to the 16 - 20ft quintrex bow rider (an all round boat for what we want).  Looking for some advice on what is considered too big for the river system up there?  I don't think there's much difference in draw between 16-20, but am a rookie in this field.  Ideally I'd like something that can go offshore fishing (not too far) but also up river a bit to explore, but am mindful of the foot creep setting in once you've got one.  Any advice is appreciated.

Cheers

SWB

Some quite large boats get into the creeks.  You need to study the tide book, plan to enter the creek when the tide is rising, or at high tide.  At low tide, most creeks cannot be enterred.  So if you go in at high tide, you only have a few hours before you will be trapped.  This doesnt matter too much, as the best fishing is at low tide.  Just have to wait 8 hours for the tide to come back in so you can get out.

Every creek is different, and they change each year due to the wet season / cyclones.

Mate and I went out in one of those 14 foot hire boats on a pretty blowy day. wasnt very comfy but we made it across and back no problems. Would go 16 foot or so minumum if I was going outside. I have a creek tinny now with a 15 so outside is probably out of the question for me unless we are in a good spell of no wind. But the creeks are being kind to us so far.

Steve

Sussed out well 1st and fished LB for the first year. Some fish this way, but nothing compared to getting out.

Settled on the roughness of an Ali. Then size. Since I am not a true brown water man, prefering the blue, chose a 5.4 Trailcraft. Rough as guts, and like all Ali's a bumpy ride if and when she blows up.

Just small enough to go the creeks if I have or want to, but thats about the limit IMO.

Agree, plenty of water, extra fuel and shade almost a must. Winter daytime temps about 28degress, summer, just fkng hot.

You can always find a lea around islands, with easterlies hug the burrup, just watch the exclusion zones around the gas plant(s). Them b/tards came to chase me off when on a real Easterly blower I had to tuck in tight to close for them.

Westerlies can be a bit rougher crossing Dampier straight but nothing mayor, and we go fishing almost every weekend bar cyclones. Then head north and use East/West/ and Malus for leas.

Northerlies can be bumpy getting out of the island, then just head west and use East, West and Enderby as leas.

Real fish (not always) arent caught in lea areas, but you can and will catch a feed in some skinny water, and some areas shallow are great sportfishing with poppers and lures for anything from trevors, NW snapper, Queenies and often coral trout. I seem to get more CT's with poppers in the skinny than plastics, jigs and bait deep. Im just no good deep it appears, but the size drops off close in.

Get to know the markers and dont shortcut corners around island, especially the East Intercourse Tip. Numerous boats have tried and failed.

As mentioned above if you want to sleep/camp on an Island there is no go areas. Jay Burgess post is correct as I recall but you can get heaps from DEC or fisheries here, so wait until you arrive and then check it out. As Pale Ale mentioned the wind/tide can change and leave you high and dry, or worst beached.

I mostly use a Reef anchor, but when anchoring off a beach I use 2 oversize sandies, one dropped as I come in, one dragged onto the beach, and then pull the now double anchored line to where I prefer the boat to settle for the night. Dont trust nothing with respect to this. This was my mayor factor in going Ali, I was worried about rocks, reef etc in this situation, and you cant beat Ali for ruggedness.

I fish with my fiance and she is more off a fanatic than me and drags me out all the time. I say no when it is to bad. I am lucky in this way but she also bloody outfishes me for total catch, but I target fish is my excuse. So it was chosen for safety first, and now with a ETEC reliability.

However all off us up here have seen tiny tinnies somehow going out in 20+kts wondering WTF.

So in retrospect a 5m, 90Hp would be the best off both world. Just leave as much room at the back as fishing space. Dont get a Cabin thats large, like the one in your second choice. With your budget you should be able to get something nice in that category.

Cheers and pm if you want some specific advise.

Love it up here!!!

Neels

Well it looks like this sucker is going to be it for us.

http://www.allboatbusiness.com.au/haines-hunter-5-3m-runabout-4600/

Engine is not as great as I was hoping but we like the hull. After a month trolling the net and a week in perth looking, discovered the money we had wasn't going to get the perfect boat in the time frame we're working to anyway. they accepted 18 grand subject to ocean trial and mechanical check/condition. The allys we looked at that we could afford weren't exactly impressive. Seemed really shallow when you stand in them, like knee high to the top of gunwhale. See how it goes in a few weeks when we give it a fang anyway.