G'Day Paul, have been on a relatives 640 Sports cab numerous times. Great cruising boat, big & Roomy great for multi purpose use, but far as getting out into a big sea they have one of the roughest rides i have ever encountered. The 140 Suzuki 4 stroke was a good unit on it.

Trailcraft has recently this year gone into receivership. So no longer making boats... something to think about.

Cheers big fella, thats the kinda info im after. Dont really like the sound of the rough ride tho. Got a suzuki 4 stroke on my boat now, great motor.

I have the 5.4 trailblazer.Fantastic boat.
I go out deep in it and it handle the rougher weather well.
Like all ali boats they are a rougher ride then glass but you dont have the wieght in the ali like glass. Both have pros and cons, just a matter of wieghin up what is best for you.

thanks Rodrat, yeh i guess no matter what type of ali boat it is its gonna be a rougher ride. Is it fairly stable when not motoring along or does she rock around alot?

Very stable, i fish all over rockingham in it and we dont get that many flat days. I bought it for the type of weather we get here.

Sounds good mate, thanks for ur opinion.

Gday Paul

i have a 2004 5.6m trailcraft runabout and have not had a single drama with it.

Not sure if its the type of boat your looking for but its up for sale if your interested in it.

Hi Paul

I have a 2008 6.1m TRailblazer with a 150hp Verado on the back... Fantastic boat, but I knew the pro's and con's of ali as Rodrat mentioned...

It isn't too often that I fish closer than the back of Rotto (generally at 100m mark for jigging sambo's / amberjack or around Derwent & FAD's), unless trying for pinkies in close.

Boat is light (easy to tow, easy to get on and off of trailer, great on fuel), but as with any ali slaps around more than a glass boat in choppy seas - but I just slow down and take the comfortable option rather than smashing it back in to the ramp (and destroying my back).

I bought the Trailcraft as it was the best value for the price. Big, wide boat - no regrets from me.

thanks bones, thats the kind of thing im planning on doing with it. yeh i got an ali boat now so i know how rough a ride they can dish out , but like u said just back it off and cruise home.

yeh looken at second hand boats and they seem to be a large boat for the price, mite have to get serious and take 1 for a test drive

I looked around for a long time was set on the trailcraft as no other boat has the deck room.I had a trailcraft 5m runabout some time back was a good boat. I then got a carribean 18 and the differance in ride was unreal. I now have a haines hunter and i don't think i would go back to ali. I have had days out from Two Rocks and have passed 6,6 sportcabs getting a hiding .In saying this you will sacrifice room but it is well worth it imo.Good luck with the up grade,lets know what you end up with..

Ive got a 5.5m trailcraft (2006) and think it is great for a fishing boat.  Lots of deck and pretty simple in design and layout.

As everyone has said, you get bumped around a bit when its rough when compared to glass. 

The main reason I chose a trailcraft was the simple layout.  It is easy to clean, not too many things that can break (like cup holders, fancy deck lighting etc etc). The bigger deck makes it easier to chase big fish around the boat.  Most importantly it tow's well and is easy to launch off the beach.

A couple of friends that have 6m to 6m+ trailcrafts with 90's or 115's on the back and to me the boats feel underpowered.  Your 150's aredefinitely the go.

Good luck

thanks guys, yeh im likeing the trailcrafts coz of the ample deck space and the simple design. the boat is gona be a fishing/diving and surfing boat so yeh no need for fancy stuff. Well im glad that no ones has come up with any bad experiences with trailcraft boats so i mite get serious and take 1 for a test drive. thanks for all the different opinions, ill let use know how i go.

also mite have a 2007 480 quintrex coastrunner forsale soon if anyone is interested.

cheers, paul_86

i have the trailcraft profish 5.4m - pretty happy with it:)! I admit that it's not the smoothest ride though i have alot of trust in the build and safety of the boat - don't hestitate going 30-40nm out in it....



I have a 90hp optimax on the back - on a calm day i get around 35knts

thanks mate ill keep an eye out for that.

yeh im gonna look at either a 610 or a 640. I got a ford ranger with 3 tonne tow cappacity so i shouldnt have a problem either then. thanks for ur opinon mate.

My next door neighbour has a 640 sportscab.

Ride is good for an ali boat, the extra deck space for fishing is excellent.

Hardtop is brilliant for mounting all sorts of accessories.

Steve

Know what you mean - had a spring snap on me on the way out of my driveway heading to Challenge Marine for my 20 hour service last year... While in the yard the other 3 went....  All replaced, with "bad batch" blamed.

Paul - I find the 6.1m a great size... It has heaps of space... (But, if I could afford it the bigger the better... ) 

Andy, if I knew then what i know now I would of gone the 640 Malcolm Douglas,  a beautiful boat.  I believe they made a few even bigger, sigh.Bones, every time i launch the boat and park up i do a once around the trailer, good chance to check it out without crawling under.  Quick question if i may, is the blue marine grease suitable for bearings?

Go Glass dude :)

Been out in a few trailcrafts, not a bad ride, but at the end of the day its still ali, and still bangs in chop.

Just my preference, I'd never go back to ali now, good still being able to cruise out at 25 knots or more in a 15knot Easterly and coming back in a 20knot SWster doing the same speed.

Mate i recentlt sold a 6.1 Trailblazer that was powered by a Yamaha 200 4stroke, boat went like the shower of shit and didnt play up on me once, yerr they bang around but i reckon they are quite good in the rough if you know how to read the water. The price on the trailcraft is also good for what you get, they are a strong hull and they are very stable for fishing.

BOOZEHAG

Just another unsolicted opinion on something offtopic ...

But a couple of people mention that they are very beamy, and ali+beamy would bang a bit, as with any of the jackman-based designs from what I can tell.

The barcrusher and surtees offerings should ride a little nicer with a finer entry and perhaps be a little cheaper to power as well.

I was looking at a 660 Trailcraft but got talked into a glass boat. I am glad I made the change. My mate bought one and the ride was shit house to say the least. His missus wouldn't go out with him for ages.  His now added more wieght to the cabin in the way of 500kg of sinkers and the ride is surprisingly good for an ali even in the rough.

At the end of the day I have found that fishing all day on a glass boat you return in fairly good shape, but when I go out on an ali boat I am absolutley knackered by days end.

Like previous posts have said, good deck space, good layout and light so you can add weight.

Have just brought a new 6.1 Trail Craft. What a boat plenty of room to move no where as bad a I thought in the rough. It gave a good smooth ride and with 140 hp it has plenty of get up and go. I have owned glass boats all my working life and that amounts to 4 boats over nearly 40 years. My car loves me when I tow this boat, it's easy to get in and out of the water, it doesn't roll like glass boats and is easier to handle in big seas. It does slap a bit but what boat doesn't I have certainly not felt the jaring ride that I have read in some of the comments about these boats, mind you I was born with the ocean and have learnt to respect its power and have learnt how to handle boats in rough conditions. Having this boat has got my blood going again and all I want to do is get out there in it and show people what a quality boat really goes like.

As for Trailcraft going out of business it certainly was nothing to do with the quatity of the boat that caused it.