Derben boats

 Hi folks, 1st time post so hope its right.

I have recently acquired a Derben 18ft half cab. Stories abound about Derben being built light weight, is this an issue ?

Does anyone have any experience or knowledge of these Derben boats ?

At present looks like transom, stringers and floor need rebuilding by self.

My ears are open to all input good or bad.

Thanks in advance.

Gaz

Ps. 16kg and 11kg pinks 13m water out from Mandurah. Hope the pics work, hehe.


Posts: 198

Date Joined: 08/09/11

derben

Mon, 2019-02-25 05:57

Yep, I own a 5.2 metre Derben. quite a dry ride, I have a 60 Merc on mine, goes well.
The floor on mine was only 5mm ply, I ripped it out and redid it with 12mm , fiberglassed the bottom and the top. Its good now. Only issue I have is in heavy seas down south, it will get airborne on the choppy waves, but that's more operator error.
The Merc is the 3 cylinder , actually mercury used the Tohatsu 70hp block, 963cc, pulls a skier, and uses about half the fuel the old 75 Evenrude did.
My old girl is up for sale as I have a bigger Baycraft now.
If I kept mine I was going to put a pod on it to get a boarding platform , and cut the outboard well out. however now I have the Baycraft , I will sell it as is. Comes with a spare 75 Evenrude.

quadfisher's picture

Posts: 1145

Date Joined: 28/09/10

Mad Max?

Mon, 2019-02-25 17:11

 The history of them is they started in the 70,s by a dude called Max Derben, who made them around the Mandurah area I believe.

 Thery were not anything special , but then again in the 70,s so many different people had a go at making and selling glass boats that they 

 are typical of there time.

 We bought a 1979 model ( 17ft runabout, orange sides , white top, 70 hp seahorse 2 st jonno)  in 1982, so it was bascially new.

 We had it up rivers for bream  , crabbing , prawning , trolling for tailor , pike and macks , it went to mack islands twice , albany , busso for squid.

 repowered with presion blend yamaha 70 in about the early 90,s,,,,,,,,,never any deck or transom repairs but the dash did crack.

 It was stable with 2 on one side and had a ride expected with a flared bow 17ft glass with a approx 15 or 16 degree deadrise.

 I can tell you after buying a haines hunter of a similar size recently , yes the glass on a derben is at the light end of the scale.

 If you were to properly repair and strengthen  the hull , and do your wiring , fuel lines etc etc , theres no reason not to have a servicable boat,

 if its used within its limits ( no its not a f.a.ds boat etc) as they did broach a bit , so learn to trim it , even putting a esky out back etc when needed.

 and fit the biggest , or two, bilge pump(s) you can.

 ( and your photos not up)

 

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quadfisher

Posts: 2

Date Joined: 08/04/18

 Thanks for that info, here I

Tue, 2019-02-26 07:59

 Thanks for that info, here I was thinking Derben as in South Africa. Lol.

Now I understand this boat a bit better I have half a chance of making an knowledgable decision about it future.

Again thankyou.