Small Cruiser for Botany Bay/Sydney Harbour

[Jo-Anne]

Hi Everyone

I am planning on purchasing a small cruiser that I can move between Botany Bay, Sydney Harbour and Pittwater/Broken Bay. It can't be too large as I would like to get it under the low level Woronora River bridge, as that is where I live.

Does anyone have any suggestions on the minimum length? I am looking at an older style, similar to the Halvorsen, but not necessarily a Halvorsen.

Thank you

[boden36]

Jo-Anne,
I grew up on Halvorsen style cruisers in Cowan and really love them but would not use them in the way you are suggesting.
Firstly, they will roll like pigs outside, and the 15 miles from North Head will take you around three hours in good conditions.
Secondly, old wooden boats need work. I have vivid memories of trying to sleep under plastic sheets during the first downpour after a hot summer week, and of helping Dad cut out chunks of rot, not to mention worm below the waterline.
It may be worth looking at a diesel powered semi displacement cruiser of fibreglass construction. May not be quite so romantic, but in the end you will probably find it more useful.
Regards,
Richard.

[Boracay]

What about a trailer boat?

I'm thinking something like this.

Sydney Harbour is a very expensive place to keep a boat and Botany Bay is probably not that far behind. There are quite a few launching ramps scattered round the place, so one could be on the water in a similar time frame to keeping a boat in a marina.

Do check bridge heights on charts or even those authorized maps available from the Maritime Authority, that your vehicle will tow the boat and trailer and that you are fully familiar with launching procedures.

I'd rather have a boat parked outside my front door than sitting on a mooring.

[Ozbullwinkle]

It all depends on your budget, how many people would you like to have on board and if a trailer boat powered cruiser would fit the bill then you could launch it easily at any of these locations.

If a trailer boat is in the mix I highly recommend the Cruisecraft Reef Ranger which is 18 foot which I used to own and have gamefished extensively up to 30 miles offshore and it was a very good sea boat. The outboard powered ones perform best.

Here is what they look like.

[Jo-Anne]

thank you for the quick reply. I wasn't expecting such a quick, clear and local response from such an international forum. It was the 'Halvorsen' look I was after. I had been advised by someone else to steer clear of the actual Halvorsens as they were all ex rental in the size I was after. As a child in the 60's we spent quite a few boating holidays on the Hawksbury at Broken Bay and I guess our family 'lusted' after them from that time and we had a commercial boatshed renting out wooden rowboats and putt putt launches so I have a background in looking after wooden vessels. Really a bottomless pit.

I wanted to take advantage of the closeness of the other harbours living on the Woronora River but in reality I don't know how much I would actually make the trek and I need a low, (no flybridge) vessel as the Woronora River bridge (low level) is pretty low. We only live a couple of hundred metres from it and I am just getting back into boating after a few years absence.

Thanks for the advice - there appear to be a large number of options available at the moment. A lot at totally unrealistic prices.

[Jo-Anne]

Thank you Boracay and Ozbbullwinkle.

I don't want a trailer boat as I am fortunate to have a waterfront with pontoon and the potential to have a mooring within eyesight of the house. My budget is probably mid 50's but would go higher.

[Ozbullwinkle]

The height of the bridge on the "Wonny" will restrict you in the potentials as you have said.

Here are a couple that I found with a quick search that both look very clean and roomy & you would have quite a bit left in your kitty if the first one fitted the bill. You could easily modify the mastheads so that they layed flat to get under the bridge.


Used Timber Sharpie for Sale | Boats For Sale | Yachthub

Used Jack Clark 36 for Sale | Boats For Sale | Yachthub

[Coops]

A possible could be a Cruise Craft Executive. They made flybridge and sedan versions and in todays market you should find one at that price. Honeymoon 26 sedan is another but i am not sure if they would be suitable offshore at all. I am a sailor, but have a friend who is a "stinker' and he has talked of these before. May help, may be rubbish info i am giving you, but you can check them out.

Coops.