New Venture for BigFella and his family!

[BigFella]

G'day Gang,

Well its been a lot of hard work and hours of sleepless nights but my family and I are embarking on a new business venture!

I have posted this elsewhere in here, unofficially so thought I should make it official!

I have, in my past business life sold products and endorsed items for which I have had direct contact with.

Either through personal use or personal ownership!
I have never and will never sell anything I don't believe in 100%.

So, this led me to building "Solders Point Boat Hire"!
A boat hire business with a difference!

At "Soldiers Point Boat Hire" you will find a fleet of Polycraft's popular 4.5 Drifter in tiller steer configuration, fitted with bench seat (ice box incorporated), Bimini top, powered by 15hp Mercury's!

We also have a couple of 19ft Pontoon Boats from "Sunshine Pontoons NSW" fitted with Stereo, C.D. player, Bimini top, esky and powered by a 30hp Mercury (EFI 4 stroke).

In January 2010 we will add a Polycraft 5.3 Warrior front runner to the fleet, Bimini top, Stereo, C.D. player, Marine Radio and powered by 115hp Mercury (Opti-Max) a first for the Port Stephens!

There are other boat hire operators with centre console boats, dedicated to fishing?

Our 5.3's are Family Orientated for the Family who for one reason or another had to leave their boat at home!

Hire of the Warrior's will be restricted to operators holding a current boat operator's license in conjunction with a brief questionnaire based around the Waterways Safe Boating Handbook!

And then there are our fleet of single and tandem Kayaks!
For the young and young at heart!
Hire for an hour or a day!

We will continue to offer for sale the entire Polycraft Range along with our popular Pontoon Boats!

In mid 2010 we are launching a BRAND NEW range of Sports Pontoon Boats!

"Southern Cross Pontoons"
In conjunction with our new supplier based in the States, we have been busy designing a range of Pontoon Boats that are guaranteed to change the way you look at Pontoon Boats for ever!

There are Triple Pontoon Models with capacity's as high as 225hp!
A dedicated fishing Model that will carry from 40-75hp!
Cruising Models with in built toilet (cassette type), privacy screen, bbq cooker!
Along with a model specially designed for the hire operator in mind, vinyl floors, sturdy seats, solid Bimini top (optional lowering arms)!

visit www.soldierspointboathire.com.au or drop in for a chat at Soldiers Point Marina Sunset Boulevard Soldiers Point NSW.

Contact and or bookings can be made via our website or 02 4919-1234.

"Soldiers Point Boat Hire" where it's as easy as 1234.

[fishmagnet]

Well done Big Fella,

Its about time someone started a decent boat hire business in Port Stephens. The only boats you where able to hire there up till now were enormous punts with motors suited to a 3m tinny or a 3m tinny with motors suited to kayaks.

Best of luck with the venture mate.

My 5.3 Center Console is going well. I just need to get a decent T Top for it now.

[Stealth]

Cheers BigFella for the big venture ahead
May your business boom and grow with success
Congratulations All the best to you and your family
Tony

[kkw]

Good one Glenn. I am sure that the runabouts will get high demand. Good luck with the new venture.

[Zutta]

Well done mate! :)

Congrats on the new venture , looks like u have it well sorted!

So do you still have the boat yard Glenno?

[poly]

its been going a good 6 months now Glenn, hows the the demand building will we be seeing more boats added to the fleet, a 5.99 would be good along with a 4.1 and 4.8

Paul

[BigFella]

Thanks for your thoughts guys, much appreciated!
The Boat Shed is trickling along, not setting any record!
But it is winter, and we have had some terrible weather!
The poly's are standing up quite well, no dramas to speak of!
The 5.3 Front Runner finally arrived and is being fitted up as we speak!
Very excited adding the 5.3 / 115hp / bimini / clears as there is quite a lot of interest for high powered runabouts on the bay!
I believe this will be the only permanently moored high power boat for hire in the Port Stephens area?
Should be commissioned mid week, I will post some pics and a short report later!

[John Webster]

Gday bigfella
We hired one of your pontoon boats a few months ago and were very happy with your professional service and really impressed by the pontoon boat.
We had 2 families on it and the kids enjoyed it.
I would highly recommend you as someone to do business with.
Thanks for great day out
Cheers John Webster
(spudweb)

[BigFella]

G'day John

Its feed back like this John that makes it all worth while!
Thank you!

[Doug]

"Thanks for great day out"

Obviously BF was on a day off and that nice Mrs Big Fella was in charge. Same thing happened when I had the houseboats.....laugh1

[BigFella]

"Thanks for great day out"

Obviously BF was on a day off and that nice Mrs Big Fella was in charge. Same thing happened when I had the houseboats.....laugh1


"same thing happened when I had the house boats" as if DOUG!!laugh1

Besides, its not about you?doh

Geez, some blokes just have to be the centre of attention!shock

[BigFella]

5.3 Warrior with bimini fitted!2thumbsup
There are also clears but you will have to wait for the final photos to see them!pointlaugh

[Keithy P]

Nice Looking rig Biggie!!!


It is a pitty bout the dead weight on the rear thoughdoh

[Pirate Pete]

That looks way bigger than my 115 Johno . . . . . . . . . . . & I thought that Black was meant to make things look slimmer.

[poly]

Glenn will the punter"s be aloud to tow a skier with the 5.3 And is that a 2/ or 4stroke motor I don't know a lot those black motors ?????????????
Paul

[BigFella]

Glenn will the punter"s be aloud to tow a skier with the 5.3 And is that a 2/ or 4stroke motor I don't know a lot those black motors ?????????????
Paul


Yes Poly, customers will be able to hire water skis, knee board, Chariot(tube), or they can bring their own gear and ski their little hearts out mate!
A unique vessel in hire, we believe one of the first for the state!

"The Black Curse", the jury are out on this for a few more days!
As soon as she fires up and I get the sucker out on the bay then I'll be able to tell you what she goes like!
I was dumbfounded to learn this 115 Opti-max is a three cylinder! I forget the cc's but I think it is around 1300cc's?
Apparently they have an air pump to help atomize the fuel, then fuel and air are injected under extremely high pressure!
The Opti-max's I have seen at the ramp are all loud and very noisy!
So time will tell?

[BigFella]

Nice Looking rig Biggie!!!


It is a pitty bout the dead weight on the rear thoughdoh

,,,,,hey Keefy bit late now to tell me you dont like Black mate!(agro)

[Keithy P]

A black E-banger I could live with...

A black Opti-whacker doesnt interest me.

Seriously though, my mate has the same donk on a 6m trail craft and he loves it, I havent been out in it, but I have never noticed it to be noisy coming in the the wharf. He does say that its pretty economical too.

[John Webster]

re Doug's comment earlier
We tried to convince Big Fella to come out for the day but he looked too busy on the computer .........
typing replies to someone called Doug on the PBO website
cheers again John

[poly]

Glenn before I buy a new car the wife and I all ways hire the same make and model first and well drive it like its owe last drive, we have found its a great way to see if we like that make, so when the time comes to get a new boat we will be hiring the 5.3 and with luck there maybe a very quick pontoon to check out as well.
Paul
yippy

[BigFella]

Well the Mercury was fitted so I took it for a blast up to Nelson Bay last Friday.
No wind, perfect conditions so I opened the big girl up, nose trimmed up, looking to the sky, and then buzzzzzzzzzzzzz!
Shit what have I done, the mechanic told me to hold it pinned for a few minutes?
Bloody hell just my luck, brand new donk stuffed!
Bloody black curse I thought!

Hang on, as I lifted the throttle the buzzer stopped!

Feed it in again, through 4500 heading towards 5000, passed 5500, 5600, 5700 and just as we hit 6000 buzzzzzzzz! Bloody hell, I'm on the rev limiter!

Awesome, throttle off just enough to stop the buzzer, then settle back in for a quick run down the bay!
Have to say I was very impressed with the Merc's performance! Had to keep lifting off the throttle to stop the over rev buzzer driving me mad!
45MPH @ 5999rpm constant speed for a few k's!
Mechanics have ordered an 18pitch prop to see if we can drop the revs a tad!
This is going to be one quick hire boat! Hmmmmmm, second thought,,,,,, no way!
We have an opertunity to cash in on a truly unique market!
Will keep you updated with the new prop when it arrives later in the week!

[poly]

so will the bigger prop give you more speed???????????????????

:):):)


Paul

[Pirate Pete]

Thats fair flying Biggie My poor old low tech Johno 2 Stroke pushes my cuddy at 34Kt or about 39 miles an hour piratesign piratesign piratesign

[BigFella]

yeah Pol, what we are hoping for is a compromise on rpm over speed.
If we load he power up enough and effectively drop the engine revs to say 5800 or 5600 then the ground speed should remain about the same?
We dont want any more ground speed, just want the rpm to be a tad lower, operate in a safe envelope, rather then on the limit all the time!
And lets face it, if it'll do it the punters will test it! Thats a given!

[Giffo]

Drive it like a rental !!!!!!!!!!yippyyippy

[BigFella]

Drive it like a rental !!!!!!!!!!yippyyippy


Hey giffo, isn't that what 2 stroke means in Aussie bloke language?
Does here mate,
2x stroke= To drive vehicle/boat/motor-cycle as if one paid for the privilege.

* Standard hire-car start-up = two pumps of the throttle, turn ignition key to start position, on start-up push throttle to floor for maximum revs!
* Standard hire-car parking sequence = drive vehicle in relatively straight line make slight swerve to r/h/s/ pull steering wheel hard towards l/h/s/ applying hand brake so to lock rear wheels and slide into parked position at kerbside!
* Standard hire-car over-night park up sequence= keys to remain in ignition, windows in the down position stereo at half volume for maximum effect!
* Standard hire-car return= "No worries mate, I've already filled the tank" "couldn't get a park so the car is round the corner"! "are you sure mate, I was positive that dent was there when I hired the car" "what do you mean we traveled 300k's over the maximum allowed, we only had it 24hours".
,
,
,
,
,
,
"mate, I dont know how that got there! I've just returned it for my mate!"

[poly]

wait till you hear some one say I know boats Doug tells me its the worst thing a hire boat owner can hear
:D :D :D
Paul

[Doug]

True, Poly - it used to make a cold shiver run up my spine. Only thing that's worse is, "I'm a yachtie"! They have this overwhelming desire to put out two anchors, and usually lost them both. piratesign:eek:

[BigFella]

wait till you hear some one say I know boats Doug tells me its the worst thing a hire boat owner can hear
:D :D :D
Paul


So true, I have had a couple of those and yes they are the nightmare of all hire operators!

One of the funniest I have had to date was three Chinese women. Two in there mid 20"s and their grand mother well into her 70's!
I did the paper work and proceeded to take them to their boat, the first 20' something hopped in very careful not to over balance as she sat down! The second 20' something nearly fell in as she hesitated half stride and wobbled her way in! The Grand mother, who was over 70 jumped in virtually ran across the middle seat and perched herself in the drivers seat and started yelling instructions to the other two in Mandarin like an old hand!
I bet she had seen her fare share of boats in her home land thats for sure!

[chin]

I know what you mean Glenn, here's a couple of pics I took in Vietnam of a 200 year old woman throwing a cast net like a champion, and her catch.

[BigFella]

,,,,,, two young women in the mid 20's came in one Saturday afternoon and asked for a Drifter, they just wanted to go fishing for a couple of hours?
While doing the paperwork we usually ask some random questions, to try and ascertain their knowledge of boats and boating, you know just to make sure they could handle a boat on their own!
When our conversation turned to work the second girl said she had just finished a three month stint on a trawler up north, apparently this was her third straight stint and she was looking forward to chilling out for a couple of days before she drove back up to Cairns for another stint at sea!
They both joked the previous two nights were a blur due I suspect to the partying they were enjoying!
I was impressed and told her she probably had more sea hours than I did, and I should be getting tips and advice her!

She just laughed and grabbed her Plano Tackle bag slung it up over her shoulder and strode out towards the boats! On their return they had a bag full of flat head and a few nice bream!
Obviously they could fish better then me too!wtf

[BigFella]

well here are the clears fitted!
Had to fit them this morning with the wind blowing and the water white capped all the way across to Lemon Tree Passage!
Dont create too much drag, kept us dry!

[Will]

Looking good BF! Is it quick/easy to set up & undo?

[BigFella]

Looking good BF! Is it quick/easy to set up & undo?

Yes, its in three pieces with zips in the top and snap studs on the screen.
works a treat!

[DvrDve]

WHAT chicks on boats ?
next they ll be running the country- OOOps too late!

[sweeden]

One of the funniest I have had to date was three Chinese women.

What happened BF? Did you lose a bet to have to date 3 chinese women? laugh1

[BigFella]

What happened BF? Did you lose a bet to have to date 3 chinese women? laugh1

Good to see the standards are still running high as ever!pointlaugh
Well done Sweeden!yippy

[BigFella]

,, the mechanics fitted a new 18in prop and bingo ringo!

Job done, now she runs the same speed (45mph) at 5800rpm WOT.

Sweet!

Could still possibly run through 6000rpm with single operator, no passengers on board but time will tell.