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Proud new owner of 33' Express hull#2
Dear members
Reaching out to say thanks to all on this forum who've helped guide me towards finally owning my own AT. I was originally seeking a classic Formula 233 and ended up falling in love with the more modern and performance-orientated AT's. A special thanks to my friend Jim Agles who found the boat for me and brokered it, and to its former proud owner Dave for keeping it in such good condition all these years and for letting it sell to me! And thank you Pat for guiding me the last 2years and putting up with my countless emails about boat inquiries! 'Bote Loco' arrives to me in Brisbane in just 10days time. I've shipped her to Australia where I'll undertake a series of long-range offshore Great Barrier Reef excursions, targeting remote surfing, kiteboarding, and spearfishing locations. Next year she'll ship to Fiji and do the same there for a season. Looking much farther into the future itinerary, she'll one day be running laps up and down the coast of Baja between Cabo and San Diego. My ideal rig for running long and fast, while sleeping overnight in comfort. Happy boating everybody, and I do hope to cross paths somewhere out on the water one day soon! Sincerely, Lachy |
Congrats!! Gotta post some pics of that beauty, please. Sounds like you have some amazing adventures planned, have fun!
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Very Cool!!!!!!! Make sure to post pics :boat:
BTW, You need one more post on OSO before you can attach pics |
Thanks, Griff and zfrilly!
Oh I see, so this will be my 10th post and hopefully can start adding pictures now. |
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...75467bf1d1.jpg
AT 33 Express #2 https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...dc39807534.jpg Off to get shrink-wrapped https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...1dd6977d96.jpg All wrapped-up ready to load onto the ship https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...b768aabe2b.jpg On the ship! |
Boat looks great. I'm sure the wait for shipping is gonna be a long one!
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I’ll bet that’s the only AT with outboards in Australia!
Sounds like you’ve got some great boating planned, I’d be happy with that boat staying around Brizzy and running to the Gold Coast but you’re going further so take care and enjoy. 😃 Good onya’ mate, RR |
Congratulation! Great looking setup.
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Looks nice! Didn’t know they made those. I wonder how many are out there total.
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Congrats on the new boat!! Dave and Deb are my aunt and uncle. I also know Jim and Kelli. I have been on and driven that boat a lot you got a good boat! My aunt and uncle just purchased a 37' AT that Pat had. This is the 3rd AT for them.
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Very nice and you'll love the ride for sure. My 33 is the perfect balance of speed and ride for us. Also it kept me from having to add on to my shop!!!
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Lachy, I changed my mind - ship her back!
Dave K https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...bf83a93ea.jpeg |
Looks lovely. Unique in Australia, can’t imagine any Aussie shipping that one back to the U.S.
RR |
Sorry to keep you waiting
I'm back!Dropped off the face of the Earth for almost 3yrs. I'm very sorry for my lack of reply since starting this thread! Long story short- Been busy refitting and adventuring on Bote Loco, now 'Vice'.
Dave- A big thanks to you and Deb for selling her to me! And for taking such good care of her all those years. I'm sorry I haven't shipped her back lol And thanks everyone else for the kind remarks. To update you briefly- She's turning heads everywhere she goes here in Australia, as boats like this are very unique here. And to have the outboards makes her truly one of a kind. The refit was mostly just the cockpit, as she was so well setup everywhere else. Very well balanced with the outboards & bracket, plush interior, and great paint. I just reconfigured the cockpit to better suit my individual pursuits (surfing, kitesurfing, camping, freediving, spearfishing, fishing, family outings). I just recently returned from a memorable 7week long live-aboard trip up the great barrier Reef from my hometown of Mackay - Lizard Island and Back. Over 1000nm covered and all with my wife and 1yr old baby living onboard every night. Trip of a lifetime, and what a comfortable rig to do it on. We're already planning next year's return voyage! We just featured in a popular Australian Boating Magazine "the Captain". It's made a great coffee table book for a proud me, but Feel free to share this post to a more suitable section of the offshore only forum if need be, as I am a novice poster and don't know my way around. I'll attach a few extra pics below. It's been a dream 3 years on Bote Loco (Vice), and I look forward to what adventures 2024 will hold for my growing family onboard her. Possibly even a pair of MercRacing V8 Verado 500's on jacking plates :boat: Sincerely, Lachy https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...236e19559.jpeg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...43aaf8e252.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...f8e2f8ba36.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...ee30fa9d4f.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...88eafa973f.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...0d35ccfcdd.jpg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...03e1bbb08f.jpg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...2da1c261e9.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...f5cdd0627a.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...e34dbb7c83.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...49db466a96.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...399bf2ec56.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...25ff9777ef.jpg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...91176fea73.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...ea6dfb3b8f.jpg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...3fbaeb091f.jpg |
Absolutely love this thread/story!
I thought I was the only one on here who actually stayed on their boat, Starting w/a pregnant wife and ending w/a one yr old! You sir, are my hero! love the pixs as much as the story! Love to see Oz by boat. I like your idea on repower and the plates. I think you would see Big Bang for the buck. I have a twin OB 25’ Checkmate w/hydraulic plates and love them! You can pick a speed, set the tabs, trim etc, then raise the plates and watch the speed go up w/o touching anything else! To me, this is one of the biggest advantages over the IO’s. I’m on my 3rd twin OB vee and have run them both ways. W/o plates, set up for top end, the motors are so high that docking in any wind/current is a huge PIA! Took a while to remember to drop the motors before coming into port! The other advantage is in shallow water, which you are seeing. Ive taken my IO owning friends in water they can’t get close to! I think I saw that boat on Craigslist when you bought it??? Back to the repower, I too am an OB guy. Specifically two strokes. But w/the new MERC 4 strokes, everything has changed. I have passed on larger (than my current 25’) hulls due to, IMO, being too big for twin 225/250 two strokes. W/the new 450’s and 500’s that totally changed that. Now, all of a sudden, a 33’ Powerplay, a 29’ Progression, your boat would now rip, w/o requiring triples. Love it! Please keep the pixs and stories coming. Cant believe missed this originally but have now read everything you’ve written 😉 |
Ripper story and pics, so good to hear the whole family enjoying the boat to its fullest potential.
Aus has a beautiful coastline, and no place better than where you are, Mackay and the Great Barrier Reef. Keep enjoying yourselves. :) RR P.S. I thought Twin OB would appreciate this story, it reminded me very much of some of the cruising stories he and his wife have enjoyed. :) |
Killin it, what an adventure!!! I love the set up…..
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Killin it, what an adventure!!! I love the set up…..
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Cheers Fellas :)
I'll try keep the pics coming. Twin OB- Great to hear your thoughts mate. I hear you 100% on all, amen! |
Twin OB- I'd be keen to hear some of your cruising stories and see some pics! :)
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You have redefined the meaning of a sport fishing boat!!!
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As you’re writing that, everyone else on here rolled their eyes as they’ve heard all my stories 20 times!
In all seriousness, you are off to a great start. If you don’t already have a Bimini top, you’ll want one. We lived in Florida for 9 yrs and st the time we had a twin OB 24’ Sonic. W/the top up, we did multiple summer weekends on the boat. Also shelters the cabin entrance from dew/rain Yeah they’re ugly but totally changes functionality of the boat. And that’s w/no AC on the boat. We also have a 2 man Walmart inflatable to get to the beach. Another trick to staying on the boat, especially w/no AC, is to make sure and find an anchorage/dock where you tie up bow into wind. And shade whenever possible. we also carry two Dahon fold up bikes for exploring at port. Cool lil boogers and on our 3rd set. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...b720a1eda.jpeg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...77b98620b.jpeg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...19cfddee6.jpeg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...685476dd5.jpeg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...7ec7e7539.jpeg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...33106d3bf.jpeg All the storage under the sun lounge was filled w/a big block Chevy when I bought. It holds the bikes, 2 chairs, table, grill, 2 anchors, dinghy and the collapsible bucket. Lots of other tricks if you’re still interested after this bock!
Originally Posted by lachyG
(Post 4888664)
Twin OB- I'd be keen to hear some of your cruising stories and see some pics! :)
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Bencini231 :ernaehrung004:
Great setup Twin OB! You've so much cabin space and well configured. That's a nice big cockpit box. Mine, having being built from as an OB boat, didn't have any significant cockpit storage. So I added the box in but not full width so there was room to fish two blokes out each side and easy transom access. It doubles as a fish filleting workbench with all the blood & guts simply washing/slipping off the back. Or a meal time food prep table. High seating in calm weather. And a surface to rack the sliding surfboard racks (which run on harken sail track). I store my surf kites, SUPs, and kayak in there. The bulwark doors fold down and create sun lounges. Inside these bulwarks is lockable storage for rods & spearguns. I like the folding bike! And hear ya on the inflatables. For tenders we use an inflatable kayak and two standup paddleboards. Marina's are few and far between along this coastline and so we're mostly at anchor, bow to wind. This plus multiple cabin fans gets us by ok without aircon. I ripped out the original aircon as I wasn't bothered to convert it from 110v-240v, or to carry a generator either. The old aircon space became storage for an additional 25gal freshwater bladder which I use on extended trips. In hindsight however, with the 400 amp hrs of lithium I now have onboard I probably could have run an aircon unit! For long trips where we're at anchor for days straight without running the engines I roll out a 300w solar blanket on the bow which keeps up with the fridge/freezer. Before our big 7week liveaboard trip, I had some canvas work done. An extension piece for the existing bimini for extra shade at anchor, plus a dodger for extended nights at anchor when you want some shelter from wind and rain. All can be zipped on or stowed in under 5min. It's not sexy, but does the job :) A few more pics below; https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...025451590e.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...98915227a5.jpg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...4b2afc467a.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...ab1f6269de.jpg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...26bd4e692d.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...0746b3ae3a.jpg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...5ae968ebd4.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...a1e70ac1e8.jpg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...e45816a0da.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...6c8eefef9b.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...445aef4c78.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...37dd4c3a55.jpg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...5f4cf0c614.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...4e262cf8bb.jpg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...d453b19ca2.jpg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...e046f83328.jpg |
Oh- and I can't forget my wife's pot plant! lol
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...51b035e44f.jpg |
Very well thought out/engineered! Your boat is huge compared to mine. All the way Around. Beam, length and depth! Cooking is the challenge on mine. i just bought a fold up propane stove that stores bellow the counter in the galley. It either goes to the beach w/us or a picnic table at a marina. We normally boat on Lake Erie and it’s weather is very volatile so staying the night on the hook in this boat, doesn’t happen often. We had cabin cruiser before this which we did do. That lakes waves are very close together making it nasty chop! We have a favorite island w/a Long Beach peninsula we used to say at all the time. Due to its location, one side is always calm. Went to bed one night w/it being dead calm. Woke up at 2 AM w/the boat rolling 3’ - 4’ waves. Didnt have a windlass on that boat so all done by hand. Absolutely no artificial light on that end of the island and the clouds rolled in too! Near zero vis! Had the Mrs run the boat from the bridge while I shouted orders from the front deck. That beach/sandbar is only 40’ or 50’ wide it’s last 100 yds and only rose 1’ or 2’ above the water line! Made it to the side no problem but definitely a white knuckle deal! A cruiser went down off a shoal a few miles from there and had 5 on board! All survived. My boats are always projects. To help w/cost but also for me improve to our standard. Amazing what you ended up with! Heres a weekend on the same lake, different island. We are lucky that most areas have class A marinas anyhow 😉 Questionable forecast for weekend and we gambled! We had too much fun there Sat so chose to gamble on whether for trip home Sunday. The blue dot in the radar is us and it was moving left to right. Kicked our asses last 3 times we were there! https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...d00631dce.jpeg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...25432064a5.png |
Welcome back to OSO. Great pics and thanks for sharing. Beautiful family and what an incredible trip.
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