Down To Sea In A Tinnie
The Sunday Age
Sunday February 24, 2002
DELIVERING fun without fuss, the tinnie celebrates the Australian way of life. We take to the waterways in these basic boats as a matter of tradition. With an outboard on the tail, an Esky bouncing about the floor, bait and tackle, and a crew daubed in zinc cream, the tinnie paints an enduring national image.
For thousands of Australians, seat-of-the-pants boating still holds plenty of attraction. But thanks to a whole new generation of more demanding recreational boaties, the tinnie has evolved into a truly refined craft.
Anglers who cultivated their own tinnies, adding backyard-built accessories, have inspired new production lines. Today, you can find everything from swivel seats to live wells, tackle drawers and - how good is this? - Eskies built in.
Such is the competition, seldom a week goes by without a new model rolling out. And to ensure they have wide appeal, there are tinnies to suit all budgets - anywhere from $5000 to more than $50,000.
The latest line-up targets family boaters. There are bowriders and runabouts founded on hulls of daring design, packed with amenities to assuage Mum, with the muscle to pull the tykes on water toys in the wake.
While you still get low-maintenance, impact resistance and light towing weights, the new generation of tinnie also offer elan and cruising comforts. Here are some new models from the major players. Contact your local boat dealer for more details.
Allycraft Aluminium Boats in Queensland has released a hybrid fishing and family boat, the 4.75m Safari, which combines a centre console for fishing with a bowrider design, complete with forward seating, for the small fry. Another quality Queensland-made craft is the 425 Mangrove.
Bermuda, a branch of Mercury Marine, is fitting its US-made stern-drive motors to aluminium boats. A new range of Bermuda tinnies from 6.1m to 6.5m is being made under licence in WA.
The extra weight of the stern-drive motor, positioned low in the hull and inboard instead of outboard, is said to improve the ride. The four and six-cylinder inboards generate less noise, fewer fumes and better economy than the customary cantankerous outboard. At dealers soon.
Australia's biggest aluminium boatbuilder, Quintrex, has been aggressively marketing its adventurous Millennium hulls, which generate a smooth ride quite unlike your traditional bum-numbing tinnie. The boats run flat on the water, with a sharp forefoot that cuts the waves and flare in the sides to shed spray.
Most of Quintrex's new tinnies have also been designed with four-stroke outboards in mind. A so-called Maxi Transom, which has added buoyancy for carrying a four-stroke motor, allows it to perform with minimal power. Designed for angling in places like Dartmouth, the new 5m Quintrex Hornet Eclipse has casting platforms and a snag-free interior.
A live bait tank, underfloor fuel tank, sports side console and a Lowrance depth sounder is included.
Local boatbuilders Savage in Melbourne are embracing grass-roots boating with the new-release Kestrel Sportsman, a lightweight 4m runabout which can be towed behind a hatch.
With a 40hp outboard you can kneeboard in its wake, gad upriver to a picnic spot, or drift across the sound for flathead.
For anglers, Savage has relaunched its Jabiru range of flat-water fishing boats designed to range far and wide on big rivers. The 470 Jabiru Pro can carry a 60hp outboard and comes with casting platforms, swivel seats, optional helm consoles and covers.
Stacer is making a song and dance about its new EVO hull. Like the Quintrex Millennium, it has a cathedral-like shape.
The most impressive models, the 5m Easy Rider bowriders, have wrap-around windscreens and shapely hulls to rival glass boats for style.
Orange-based Webster makes aluminium catamarans whose twin hulls need just one motor. There is huge floor space and reassuring stability.
With a single motor, preferably a four-stroke, running costs are negligible.
Contact this column at lockwood@intercoast.com.au
© 2002 The Sunday Age
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