Guide to Buying Your First Tinny

You can’t beat the simplistic pleasure of recreational boating in a small aluminium boat. I don’t believe it matters who you are or what you own; everyone needs a tinny in their life! If you’re buying your first tinny, this is the guide for you. And if this is your first boat ever, you’re making a great choice! The key to boating life is making it simple and FUN! A tinny provides that gateway.

The word “tinny” is generic to all aluminium boats, but let’s keep this article applicable to the smaller craft up to around 4.5 metres. Tinnies are easy, and they’re robust and lightweight especially when compared to fibreglass boats. You don’t need access to the Bank of England to fuel them or their towing vehicle. They are relatively low cost, light to transport, easy to store, and easily manhandled for storage and access to tight environments. Tinnies provide the vehicle to explore many sweetwater opportunities.

My Favourite Tinny

If you were to ask me what my favourite tinny is of all time, I would answer virtually any 4-4.3 metre V-bottom craft, usually constructed from 1.6mm to 3mm alloy and powered by a 25-40HP outboard, preferably with electric start. I have owned many makes and models, and all are mostly similar in construction, ride and quality.

With that said, I have also owned a 3.5 metre Savage Jabiru (pointy-nosed punt) for around 25 years and only just replaced the original 15HP Johnson electric start outboard, all from 1991! It was a good purchase, costing me just $2,500 in as-new condition in 1998. So, with registration for the boat and trailer, equipment and safety gear updates, insurance and service, it has probably evened out to cost me around $500-$700 per year, and the experiences and memories have been priceless!

Types of Tinnies

There are several factors to consider when deciding which tinny is right for you. As a rule of thumb, the flatter the hull, the more stable the craft will be on the water. However, it is also obviously harder riding in the chop. A hull with even the slightest “V” (commonly called deadrise) has more of a knife point cutting through the waves and creating a softer ride. Hence, V-bottom boats are commonly associated with more extensive, open waters as they can handle significant chop, swell and waves. They also form a fine, wave-piercing bow to reduce hull “slap” and associated spray.

Duck shooters like “punts” for their flat bottoms and associated stability; however, they aren’t suited to rougher water. Punts have terrific applications as oyster boats and similar commercial operations. They plane easily, requiring lesser horsepower.

Pointy-nose punts and their variants have gained enormous popularity among recreational boaters. The massive estuary, inland and the freshwater recreational fishing community love them because they offer a little of the best of both worlds: stability and wave-piercing entry. A V-bottom boat may sit slightly deeper in the water than a punt; however, the draft difference is negligible and often exaggerated.

Layout

I don’t like any craft smaller than 4.3 metres set up as a runabout or a side console. Small craft are very sensitive to load distribution. Placing the driver/passenger too far forward or on one side of the hull creates poor balance and heightened risk, especially in choppy conditions.

Hence, rear steer (tiller) and centre console units are most certainly preferred. Smaller units generally don’t have the space for a centre console and benefit significantly from the driver’s weight at the rear.

Small boat transoms (the stern) come in 15” (short shaft) and 20” (long shaft) options. I often hear people wanting to buy a short-shaft boat because they are under the misconception that they have less draft for shallow waters. That is not true! The longer transom height allows greater freeboard whilst providing the same draft.

Weight and Horsepower

Of course, the larger the boat, the more weight and horsepower are required. Engines up to 15HP are easy to pull start and reasonably light for manual tilting but can get more difficult in higher horsepower.

To generalise the construction of tinnies, we generally find roof-toppers made from lighter-weight 1.2mm aluminium, with V-bottoms and pointy punts generally transported on a trailer and built from stronger 1.6mm alloy up to around 4 metres. Over 4-metre boats can grow quickly in weight, with heavier 3mm construction being common, and obviously, the horsepower requirements grow proportionately. Selecting the highest recommended power option for your craft is always good, especially for larger passenger and load capability.

Towing

Tinny packages up to around 4.5 metres generally come under 750kg tare for boat/trailer/motor; hence, trailer brakes are mainly not required. However, be careful, as many small vehicle manufacturers recommend low towing weights. Many tinny buyers will fit them out with options, including larger or twin fuel tanks, electric motors, multiple batteries, flooring, casting decks and hatches, seats, safety equipment and all their fishing/diving or other water sports equipment. All of this will affect the towing weights.

It is also worth noting that you can’t go boating at night without appropriate navigation lights and watch out for life jacket and safety equipment regulations that vary from state to state.

I recommend including a depth sounder/GPS combination in your Christmas gift request list. They certainly add to your boat’s overall pleasure, ability, and safety. Rivers and lakes especially can become difficult to navigate without them. Consider an EPIRB when travelling to remote or offshore destinations for added safety. If you buy second-hand, look out for corrosion, cracks, and repairs.

Small boats in this size range have many construction options, including plastic, inflatable, and even folding alternatives, but most theories and rules remain the same.

The Wrap

A tinny may be your first, last, or another boat for your collection, but let’s hope I have helped you make an informed decision on finding the right boat!  For over half a century, I have enjoyed many of my best boating experiences while broadening my world of exploration in surprisingly small boats, and I hope you do the same!  

If you’re just beginning your shopping journey, check out the great selection of aluminium boats for sale at Only Boats and get a fantastic deal. If you’re looking for boat finance, try our boat loan calculator or get in touch with our team of boat finance specialists at Credit One today. We do boat loan pre approvals, and can guide you through everything from used boat finance, private sale boat loans, secured boat loans, and more.