Top 5 budget boats for beginners

With many people now re-evaluating what is important in their lives, and coming to the realisation that there is more to life than work, more people are turning to boats and boating as a great way to enjoy quality time with family and friends.

And why not? To quote Ratty from The Wind in the Willows: "Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats."

Top 5 picks:

As a life-long boating and fishing enthusiast, I can wholeheartedly agree!

If messing about in a boat sounds like fun to you  – and it is – then perhaps it is time to commit to buying yourself a new boat.

Of course, setting out to buy a boat has its challenges. How much should you spend? What type of boat is going to suit your needs? Will you be boating and fishing with just your best mate, or with the whole family tribe?

With these questions in mind, we have scoured our vast library of boat tests to pluck out five of our recent favourites - five current model budget boats that are ideal for beginner boaters.

Instead of selecting (say) five forward windscreen runabouts or five cuddy cabins we have chosen craft across a range of configurations and budgets to suit different inshore boating applications.

So, without further ado, here are our top five budget boats for beginners. The boats are not listed alphabetically but in boat size/price order.

One of the best tiller-steer open boats available right now is the Stacer 389 Territory Striker. I consider this boat to be a cross between a traditional dinghy and a low-set vee-nose boat because it has a vee-nose bow and bottom shape, but combined with the high topsides of a big dinghy.

The 389 Territory Striker is the largest of four models; the others include the 349 short-shaft, 349 long-shaft and the Striker 369.

The boats are pretty basic and affordable in standard form as they have unpainted hulls with just two big cross-thwart seats, a glove box, anchor shelf, bow and stern rails.

Chuck a tiller-steer 20hp to 25hp four-stroke outboard engine on the back of this tidy little rig and you're good to head out and explore your local waterway for bugger-all cost.

Our test boat was outfitted with several desirable and recommended options including a low-set carpeted plywood floor, the bow casting platform, a bow-mounted electric trolling motor plate, a bow cleat, and a fuel tank rack in the stern.

The test rig also featured a white painted hull, which looks great but is by no means necessary.

On the water the Stacer 389 Territory Striker is a terrific performer; it runs to a top speed of 24 knots when paired with a 30hp outboard engine, and delivers excellent stability and a decent ride in choppy water.

With a single-axle trailer and a 20hp to 25hp outboard on the transom, expect to pay between $12,000 and $15,000 for this terrific package, depending on options.

More information: www.stacer.com.au

Moving up in size, price and capability, we come to another tiller-steer model, the Makocraft 445 Commander HD. This big, open tinnie has a traditional vee hull bottom with a rounded bow shape and high topsides.

Like the smaller Stacer, this Makocraft has two big cross-thwart seats inside, but it also has a carpeted half-floor and front casting deck as standard features.

Buyers also gain fully welded side decks, side storage pockets, a reinforced foredeck with formed anchor well, welded bow roller and cleat, bow and stern rails, fuel tank racks, an outboard engine splash well, transducer bracket, and a pair of transom boarding steps with handrails.

At 4.45 metres long (4.65 metres overall), the Commander HD is the smallest of three available models, making it ideal for a mix of estuary, bay and impoundment boating and fishing.

The larger 460 and 490 Commander open boats will give you some offshore capability, but for inshore boating, I reckon the smaller model is the craft of choice.

The 445 Commander is also available as a deluxe Pro series model, while the larger size boats can also be ordered with a side console helm station.

The basic, standard 445 Commander HD is rated for longshaft tiller-steer outboard engines up to 60hp but achieves better than adequate performance and a top speed of 22.5 knots when paired with a 30hp Tohatsu four-stroke outboard engine.

Package prices for the 445 Commander HD Open range from $16,000 to $19,000 with outboard engines in the 30hp to 40hp size class.

More information: www.makocraft.com.au

No compilation of entry/budget boats would be complete without at least one forward-steer alloy runabout, and the best on the market right now is the recently updated Quintrex 430 Fishabout.

Available with standard and Pro levels of interior fit-out, the 430 Fishabout is a terrific boat for beginners.

The 430 Fishabout is also a "proper" boat in the sense that it has a steering wheel, forward controls and a slick-looking curved windscreen that opens out to provide lean-through access to the anchor well.

With the latest 430 Fishabout, the windscreen is also mounted on a raised alloy pad/platform to lift the dash and steering wheel higher so the boat is easier to drive whilst standing up

Inside the new 430 Fishabout, there are two new, improved bucket helm chairs as well as a removable full-width padded bench seat for the kids and the crew.

Other standard features include moulded plastic dash inserts with a port side glove box and storage nook, cup holders, low-set bow and stern side rails, wide side decks, side pockets, carpeted floor, and a new, full-height transom with boarding platforms and a telescopic ladder.

Upgrade to the Fishabout Pro model and you also get a bimini with envelope, marine radio, burley bucket, ski pole, cutting board, upgraded helm seats, cockpit lights and more.

On the water, the Quintrex 430 Blade hull delivers excellent performance with class-leading levels of ride comfort, dryness and stability.

Power options range from 40hp through to 60hp. Expect a top speed of 27 knots with the maximum size motor.

Package prices for standard 430 Fishabout models range between $27,000 and $32,000.

More information: www.quintrex.com.au

Bowrider boats are great for large families as they have lots of seating and storage space. We've tested a heap of them over the years and one of the stand-outs for build quality and affordability is the Savage 485 Beach Comber.

The smallest and cheapest of three Beachcomber models, the 485 series boat is big enough to take five adults in comfort, yet small and light enough to tow easily behind a family-size SUV and launch off the beach or boat ramp.

As you would expect, the 485 Beachcomber has plenty of seats. They include two pedestal helm chairs, a full-width aft bench seat, and seating for three up forward in the vee-shaped bowrider compartment.

The bow seating area is a bit larger than in some rival models, too. The extra size is achieved by moving the anchor well from the foredeck back to a locker under the centre bow seat cushion.

Other key features include a curved, centre-opening windscreen with grab rail, poly-plastic moulded dash and fascia consoles, bow and stern rails, a large glovebox, side storage pockets, hull paint, a 70-litre underfloor fuel tank, auto bilge pump, boarding platforms, and hull flotation to basic standard.

The Savage 485 Beachcomber has a moderate deadrise, high-sided vee-hull which provides an excellent combination of ride comfort, stability and safety.

When paired with a 90hp Mercury outboard engine, the boat accelerates to a top speed of 35 knots.

Priced between $35,000 and $43,000 depending on selected options and engine size, the Beachcomber is a great value family boat.

More information: www.savageboats.com.au

Horizon 485 Scorpion Cuddy

Another great option for families is a medium-sized cuddy cabin such as the excellent, affordable Horizon 485 Scorpion.

With its high cabin structure, the 485 Scorpion has a surprising amount of cabin space, along with three-quarter-length vinyl upholstered berths that are great for kids.

The tall cabin also provides ample weather protection and makes it feasible to fit an overhead bimini whilst retaining full standing headroom underneath.

Storage lockers beneath each cabin berth combine with cockpit side pockets and floor bins to provide ample storage space.

Other features include a modest-sized rear cockpit with carpeted floor, dual pedestal helm chairs, folding rear bench seat, wide, welded, rolled side decks, 3.0mm pressed alloy hull bottom and topsides, underfloor foam flotation (to basic standard), and an 80-litre underfloor fuel tank.

Below the waterline, the Horizon has a conservatively designed vee hull that is just right for novice boaters. The bow has a sharp enough vee shape to cut through the chop, but this fine angle moderates as it flows aft to ensure the boat retains good stability.

The 485 Scorpion is rated for outboard engines up to 75hp, but you can get away with as little as 60hp as fitted to our test rig.

Paired with a Yamaha 60hp four-stroke outboard engine, the Horizon cuddy tops out at 28 knots at 6000rpm. That's not especially fast, but the smaller size motor does keep a lid on purchase and running costs.

Expect package pricing for the Horizon 485 Scorpion to be in the $35,000 to $42,000 range.

More information: www.horizonboats.au