Hi from another Aussie

Hi my name is Ian and I am located in Brisbane Australia, I currently own a late 80`s 33 foot Riviera flybridge cruiser.

I have owned this boat for 3 years now and it has been the best thing we have ever done as a family, my kids aged 6 and 9 really enjoy boating as does my Wife, infact not only does she enjoy it, she has told me we need a bigger boat!

Our current boat only has a single 165hp 40B diesel volvo and a D/P 280 sterndrive so we only cruise around at 8-10 knots anyhow. Over the last few years I have noticed a few aft cab sun deck cruisers and have been amazed at volume of them, especially the aft cab state room, so our plan for 2016 is to sell our current boat and look around for a 40 foot twin engine aft cab sun deck cruiser for our next boating adventures

Welcome Ian,


Always good to get another Aussie on board.
The aft cabin sun deck cruisers certainly provide a nice roomy berth. (I'm afraid to let my wife see one or I'd have to upgrade)


We look forward to hearing more from you as well as seeing photo's of your boat.

Welcome aboard Ian.
Looking at the avatar pic, does your boat have a customized extended transom?
8 knots cruise is about hull speed for many trawlers.
Hope you enjoy TF. You are not alone in Brisbane.

Yes, hi Ian, welcome, and I was also thinking the same question Bruce put up there. It certainly does not have the usual Riviera transom I'm familiar with, but looks rather good how it is.

My boat is down at Horizon Shores Marina, and if memory serves, there was a vessel just like you describe on your bucket list for sale down there recently, and it may still be unsold, as, trying to sell my boat at present, I can vouch for the fact the market is slow, so it's very much a buyer's market at present. That being the case, and if you are wanting to upgrade, brokers are often keen to trade, which would save you the hassle, (and it is a hassle), of selling yours first. Just a thought..?

Hi, and thanks for the welcome, well spotted on the transom guys, yes it has been extended, it is actually a model `30 that has been extended to `33, it was once owned by a boat builder who did a amazing job of customizing it, he added the stern extension, the hardtop over the cockpit with a dingy davit, hardtop over the flybridge, removed the lower helm and added a huge chest fridge / freezer (that I had converted to 12v), rewired, replumbed and retrimmed the whole boat, he basically rebuilt the whole boat, except kept the existing 165hp volvo and 280 sterndrive, then sold it because it was to under powered for him and did not want to spend anymore money. It has been through a few owners then before I brought it 3 years ago, and me being a electronic and electrical nerd I have improved it further.

I understand the market being slow and would look at trades when the time comes but I would also prepared to take a large loss on this boat just to have the ca$h to go throwing cash offers around for the next boat, I have a few mates who in the last 12 months have been able to pick up some truly incredible deals because they put cash on the table. But I would need to either trade or sell mine first as I cant afford to own two boats. I keep the boat at Ephraim island, right in the middle of the Gold Coast broadwater, which is perfect for going South or North but I find the boating pace of the lower broadwater can be pretty insane if not dangerous and really enjoy heading up through Canaipa through the more relaxed areas ( were actually heading off there in the September school holidays for 2 weeks chugging around)

Cheers Ian

Hi IAn,

FINALLY.... another Riv owner on the forum. I was starting to suspect I had the only working Riv in the world We've just moved back to Brisvegas (from Bundy) but wonlt have the boat down here until mid-October.

Brissy TF numbers are starting to warrant a Tangalooma (or Canaipa, Dunwich or...etc) meet & greet, methinks.

Hi Ian Im also new on TF and wife also wants bigger boat

welcome Ian

Hi Ian

Welcome mate

We are now at Horizon shores moved from Scarborough over the weekend that suggestion of a weekend meet somewhere in the southern end of the bay is a good one I'm in lets do it

Richard

Hello Ian,

Welcome to a US centric forum - something that I am not complaining about however everyone should be warned..... by you joining, we are slowly shifting the centre of mass (I say slowly) to the Southern Hemisphere .

A meet up would be great - One Mile with a BBQ at the Little Ships Club?

Us too, one of the things I have missed about boating here is the promised Horizon Shores Boat Club never eventuated, so organising get-togethers was not easy. Maybe we can pull it off through TF right here. We've got Brian with Insequent up there at Rivergate, now Bracken45 down where I am, Yobbo down there at Ephraim Island at the G/C, and Shufti bringing his boat down in October.

Maybe we could organise a get-together at say, Horseshoe Bay, Peel Island, as being an interesting place - good clean water, safe for swimming, nice beach, bush walks and sort of in the middle. However, maybe best left until late Oct. or November, especially as Shufti's boat won't be back here until about then, and the venue could be elsewhere of course, bearing in mind our boat's probably the slowest to get anywhere. Where will you be mooring your Riv Shufti? Also which finger and berth number are you at H/S Bracken 45..? I'm on J11, over at Westhaven, but your Bracken 45 would probably be in Northaven I'm guessing, in view of the length, or maybe Southaven..?

Whoopsie, we cross-posted Brisyboy, I nearly forgot you, sorry. Where are you berthed? And yes, the One Mile & a BBQ at Little Ships Club could also be good, except they are really tight over access now, and at least one of us would have to be a member, and speaking for myself, I'm not. Are you? If so, great idea, as that's pretty much the same distance for most of us as Peel Island anyway.

Greetings,
Welcome aboard. Mr. Y. So you say Ms. Y is pushing for a larger vessel? Hold on to THAT Admiral for sure!

Welcome on board.
We could take over one day.
Guys I am seriously thinking of heading down the Bay after Xmas. Probably the day after boxing day, weather permitting.
Heading up to Hervey Bay in a few weeks for a bit of whale watching and then to the Bunker group for a bit of fishing etc.
back to Mooloolaba in November.
Home from work the day before Xmas and I think the Bay is a good move. The Sandhills appeal to me. The water is blue and the sand is golden.

For the record - I'm not entirely boat-less. I did bring down the 4.4m SeaJay side-console that my TF forum handle is namesake of. So making it to a M&G anywhere in the bay or jumpinpin is doable for me.

PeterB- we plan on berthing WineDown at scarborough or newport.

Hi all

Peter B
We are on M11 with a 53 footer starboard side and a 60 footer port side makes mine look small

Good trip down on the weekend overnighted at Dunwich and then again at Caniper point then agin at Jacobs Well just took our time with a couple of newbie cruiser friends on board

Caught a couple of flathead cooked on the rear cockpit BBQ had a couple of goldies (xxxx mid strength beer) for our USA mates and generally had a good cruise

Weather was good cruised at about 8.5 knots used 21 ltrs an hour including genny use on 2 x 3208 Cats non turbo just set the guide to destination function on the Garmin 10/20 plotter from the green beacon at Scarborough took a straight line shot between St Helina and Mud Islands down to west of Peel Island and on to Dunwich the auto pilot is a bit old and will not sync with the new Garmin plotter (will get a new auto pilot as soon as I save some boat dollars) so just took the compass bearing from the Garmin and set the auto pilot to that anyway great weekend trip on our lovely Moreton Bay

Welcome Ian
I would join a get together somewhere in the bay. I was a member of Little Ships in the late 80's and I think still have reciprocal right via another Club. But anchorage there is a bit tight for a bunch of us to converge on it. I'm with Benn - Sandhills is as good a place as any.