welcoma aboard mate, sounds like you know what you want on the tub already, one thing that is handy is a deck wash, when setting it up put a y junction on it so you can have the hose running into a livebait tank built in or even an old esky converted (thats what im looking at doing on mine )

Thanks for the welcome.

I have a fair idea of what will be going in. In getting this far with the process I have been in and out of a bunch of boats. I've also fitted a couple of boats out, but there is always things to learn, and its much better to get things right from the get go.

I've only moved over from the east in the last year. My impression is live baiting is a bit less common over this side, but is a habbit I've brought with me. I'm having a live bait tank plumbed in under the floor.

Really been enjoying the fishing over here. Nice to see most WA natives appreciate how good the fishing is, and take a responsible view to stock protection. Its a refreshing change from over home.

Ive got an ali thats suffering from a reasonable amount of electrolisis.

I have a dream of building myself a kit boat one day and Ive always thought with all the fixtures I would use aluminium rivets with an aluminium stem (theyre hard to get hold of but you can get them)

and also you know the rubber grommets electricians use, they would work a treat to put a seal in between any bolted in instruments to stop the bolt and nut touching the aluminium directly.

You can get kits with different sizes from blackwoods, RS etc

Its a small thing most people wouldnt consider when rushing to get the boat finished so they can go fishing but i reckon its well worth taking the extra time to do.

Anyway good luck with the new toy mate.

hi choongy
i like
level flotation
one of those transducer mounting panels so your not drilling directly into hull
storage. can never have too much of that

Sounds like you are in the right track there. By the way you must have a pretty good missus. A lot of wives and partners would have said, expanded family, get rid of the boat.

Choongy, if you are going custom drop painting the hull, just extra $$ and you could spent that elsewhere.
Yeh live baiting is a little missnoma here, we are starting to incorporate it as a fishing option, but we, like you, have moved to WA. we are looking at live baiting/slow trolling for kingies etc. My next project on my CC is the electric motor on the bow. easy to just hover and drop jigs/plastics and slow troll live bait.
If you take the kids and wife out then you may consider collapsable/folding seats. good for sitting on then drop down and provide cushioning for the legs....
Targa bar is another option but put as many holders on as possible. my boat has 8 rod holders and I head out with 8 rods....ha ha, but i would have more
Not a fan of underfloor kill tanks so I would add a bigger fuel tank for those longer trips.
Seat up front of console that is extra storage.
If family around a drop down ladder from the bow railing.
Electrolosis is easy, just disconnect yor leads from the battery after every trip so make it easy access.
cut storage boxes into the console for slide out tackle boxes etc
washdown hose/pump is a bonus for the kids hosing off the salt after a swim.

Which company you looking at? Some really good custom builders over here.

Another good way to reduce electrolysis is to coat any stainless screw that is going into the Aluminium with Duralac. Duralac is a sort of paste that comes in a tube. We just put a little bit on the thread of each screw just before you screw it in. Sounds painstaking but it isn't so bad once you get in the habit.

if you getting salt and fresh deck washes... dont use the same pump... pain in the ass.

Fold under seats is a great option.

As for engine's well all as good as eachother really. On aly try stay to the quietist engine you can find.

Etec's are pretty quiet.

the Merc 4stk, I have heard (And onnly heard) you can get a vibration noise on ali boats. But only from comments from others.

edit: vibration noise at low revs.

my mercury 2 stroke vibrates at low revs but its cos the hull needs a nother weld in it on one of the ribs - easy fixed with a double plugger - also when i bought my mercury brand new the motor rattled apart not far out of hillaries - but intook it back to the shop and they gave me a new one - which has been fine - my dad has a yamaha two stroke which is very quiet and reliable - fuel effficent as well.

if the tank is to far forward you will be nose diving through waves wen the tank is full.

Choongy, I'd be interested in pics/progress report of your new centre cab. You haven't mentioned who's building it yet???
The missus & I are looking at having a boat built too... most likely a centre cab because she isn't keen on a centre console.
daz.

i think if i got a new boat build it must have a anchor winch
also plenty of deck lights

Hi welcome to the site. We have two young kids and all four of us go out in our boat too.

It is good to have somewhere out of the weather for the kids to go when they want to have a break from fishing.

We have a 12v plug for a portable DVD player in the v berth. It means we can stay out fishing for longer and every one is happy.

A transom door - particularly if you have a dog... Also easier to get the small kids in & out.

stubby holders and a good dry area for keys,wallet and mobile phone

Thanks for your thoughts guys. A few of the suggestions are already on the list, but that's good to get confirmation that things are on the right track. A couple of others I would like, such as a freshwater wash down, but might fall outside the budget. Still, you only get one chance...

Wakemaker Marine are building the hull. Another mate in the industry will be doing the fit out. I've been very impressed with what I have seen of the work they are doing on the boats they are building currently, so have high expectations.

Electrolysis is something that worries me. I know you can help a lot through proper maintenance, like a thorough wash down, and isolating batteries, but have seen a few well cared for boats suffering more than they should. As many holes as possible are to be cut out pre-paint, and screws to be coated with Tef-Gel. Never heard of Tef-Gel previously, but believe it is similar to Duralac.

I am leaving the inside and floor unpainted. Mainly to save a few dollars (already gone over budget, that was always going to happen) but also to allows me to tinker about without cutting into new paint. I've opted for checkerplate floor. If it gets too hot, I guess I can get a bit of carpet for the back deck. I coated the inside of my current boat with Nyalic, which after 9 years seems to have worked really well, so I may do that with the new boat.

Is level floatation a requirement these days, or is it just positive floatation? Under floor will be filled with foam, which hopefully will never be needed.

Wakemaker do nifty seats that drops down out of the transom/transom door. They fold up, so padding is on the inside, which protects the upholstery, but means no padding to lean on. Couple of hundred $ each though. Need to have another look at them. If they are strong enough to stand on, they could double as a mini casting platform, and get the nod.

Signed up for the Merc 4 stk today. To be honest, there are others I would have picked ahead of Merc, but it came down to price.

Fuel tank is to be 150L. I will pretty much rely on Mark to know where best to set it. His boats are designed by a naval architect (Billy Plug), so hopefully should end up somewhere sensible.

Might bump up the lighting, was only planning on two lights, but a couple more might be a good addition. Haven't had anything to do with LED lights, are they the go on boats?

Pulling the anchor is about the only exercise I get these days (and wrestling with sambos). Im getting anchor storage in the floor forward of the cab. Essentially set up like a kill tank for the anchoring gear. This is so I can enclose the space under the foredeck for storage.

Not mad for kill tanks, as I prefer to drop any fish I keep into the esky.

Also gone for eight rods in the targa. Don't use them all every trip, but the day you leave one behind is the time you need it. I do a lot of lure casting, so I'm trying to keep the targa forward a bit to keep a bit of clear space overhead.

The plug for the DVD is on the list. The kids are happy to come out, fish for 20 mins, eat anything onboard for another 20 mins, harass livies in the tank for a bit, then start getting a bit restless. Hopefully the mind neutraliser will keep us on the water for a bit longer.

Our mutt is not much of a mariner. Haven't had her on board since having the kids. Be an interesting mix with a brainless kelpie/rottie cross, a 2 year old and a 5 year old. Just add fishing gear, and you are on Funniest Home Videos for sure. The transom door is in though.

Stubby holders-mandatory.

Again, thanks for all the input. A lot of people on here very generous with their time and info. If I can work out how its done, will stick up a few picks as she comes together.

Cheers
Choongy

Don't know how far off shore or how much you will travel with the boat, but I think 150 liters is not enough, since it's a custom build, I would put in a bigger tank. I you travel with the boat, having to refuel every day makes it a real pain.

Spend the money for LED lights, so if you fish overnight, you don't have to worry about a flat battery.

Install 2 batteries and a VSR with isolator, so your cranking battery will be only used for starting and the other for everything else.  The VSR makes charging on the go a no brainer.  See Blue Seas, they have some good stuff.

Install a underwater light in the transom, makes squidding much easier, just don't get blue, they don't seem to like it.

Makes space for both VHF and 27mhz and external speakers or you will never hear anything on the go.

Install and electric winch.

Decide where you can mount tank racks, if you ever take up diving, you will have one less headache.

It sounds like your going to need a bigger wallet.where do you stop all these things sound great but most take up room and add weight so don't go overboard ,get the things you will use when fishing the rest leave behind ,its easy to spend other peoples money, good luck hope to see some pics down the track..

hey choongy have you thought about a nice solid roof instead of them cheap biminis had a mate that had a nice solid roof it even was removable for those nice days

you might know since your going through the process, if or when i build my kit boat i was planning to not paint any of it, just leave it aluminium grey.

Do you know if they do anything other than give it a sanding after welding? ie do they spray a clear laquer over it or anything or just leave it completely bear aluminium?

if you dont know thats fine, ill find out when i need to :)

G'day Brian

I probably didn't give the canopy enough consideration. The two things the bimini have going are wieght and price. Not sure how often I will do so, but have the idea of taking all the top off when fishing the creeks. Hopefully this will be easier with a light bimini.

Cheers
Choongy

Hi.

Think about a solid top over centre cab. With a slide out ally frame and roll out Bimini top for rear end.
Can have rod holders at rear of solid. with a zipped section along front of Bimini to get to rods.

Fuel tank.
Think about getting made. or buying, a "wing tank". 40\100 ltrs.
Make a coupla tie down points for somewhere in boat for when you going out wide.
Maybe put recessed floor in cabin sect. to take it..
Or make it as a raised floor sect. for whenever.
Then you not stuck with extra weight Normally.

I take a 40 plastic when we go wide.(100ltr tank. 90 Opti 5.25 Stacer)

Mate has a 6.5 mtr Trailcraft. 225 Supercharged Merc on back.
You think that thing gets along in a hurry.. (Still farkin Bangs though).

Has Stepped up floor from entry to Centre cab, forward
Spare tank extends step floor aft. about 15 in. Width of boat.Baffled.
Lotsa extra petrol. And in shed whenever not using.
Just a thought.
Twin Anchor well is good too. Reef. and Sand. Separate. Complete. In case you lose\cut off one.

Clear glass in Screen. Dark\wet\raining. You cannot see through tinted. Plastic scratches too easy.
from my Yachtie days.

Have fun. and have a coupla midship cleats welded on too. They very handy for allsorts.
macka17

Was getting an average 7 litres per hour on a general fishing day on a 6 metre plate ally rear centre console. That included 51/2 thou revs spot to spot a bit of trolling and of course moving from spot to spot with 4 people on board on average. So you should safetly get 2 days out of ya 150 ltr tank with more than 20% to compensate. Hope this helps a bit.