Size matters ??

3.0 mtr punt for 2 people is around $1200(still heavy , probably around 50kgs or more) . Honda 4 stroke 9hp w/elec start is around 3 grand i think . Someone correct me if im wrong .

Having tried a 3 metre tinny with a 3.3. outboard on the gulf and top end i would recommend at least an 8-10 hp motor.
the rivers up tjhere are big and so are the distances you have to travel.
the 3 metre boat was ok but not quick eneoughto traverse the distances.
On returning home I purchased a 3.75mtre edgetracker with a 15 hp.this combination will do 27 knots with myself and my son on board (thats 200kg).
loading the boat isnt as big a problem as lugging the motor.
unfortunately i think the 15 is to heavy to manhandle and would recommend something a bit smaller but with eneough power to still get on the plane.
cheers
Howard

I have a 3.7 mtr with a new Johnson 15 HP outboard. Only mounted it twice on the roof though. When i do go away with it for a 4wd weekend of fishing, I borrow my mates setup to hold the outboard where the spare wheel mounts on a GQ (rear barn door). It's a fantastic setup It uses the original spare wheel plate where he machined a thick alloy plate using the original wheel studs to bolt it onto. And the motor clamps onto the alloy plate. Really easy to get on and off. The 15 HP is pretty much ok to lift alone..but can get heavy after a long day.

Ange

A 3.7m punt with an 8hp Yamaha 2 stroke is the go I reckon -- I load the punt onto the L/C ( 60 series ) roof rack quite easy by myself and the Yammy is light enough to lay on its back ( prop facing downwards) in the rear of the wagon.
The 8hp Yammy gets the punt up on plane OK.
Should pick up a s/h punt for about $600 - $700
I paid about $1600 or so for the new Yamaha about 4 years ago.
cheers

G'day Alloy C/T
I grew up in Darwin, we used to own a punt; they're great small river & billabiong boats, but you're restricted somewhat if you want to hit a bay, or traverse some open water to get from one estuary to another one. Myself and my StepFather used to unload it ourselves without a problem when I was 12yrs old.
We eventually got rid of the punt and bought a vee-nosed Savage Jabiru 4m.

There are plenty of similar options in this style, edgetracker has been mentioned, the Qunitrex Traveller, and Stacer Proline (my mate has one) to name a few.
The vee-nosed boats are stable at rest, and can traverse open water IF YOU ARE SENSIBLE about the conditions.
Travelling & fishing with a car topper is a compromise IMHO.
Personally I'd go for an edgetracker 3.7m (close to 12' in the old lingo) , as an all-rounder, and get the latest lightweight Honda 4-stroke 15hp, which is supposed to weigh in at 48kgs in it's short leg configuration.
Other people get Tohatsu's 18hp; they're supposedly reliable and rugged engines; I've never used one so I can't comment on their fuel economy/performance.
A two-stroke Mercury, or Yamaha would be my second choice after the Honda.
Two strokes are mechanically simple, and apart from getting the premix calc wrong (some even have injection systems) you just can't kill them.
When we had the punt we used an old 2-stroke 9.9 Mariner running premix in the tank. It was a good engine but very HEAVY . Our friends had a much smaller, 15hp Evinrude which was very reliable and did the job. It was about 80% of the size of the Mariner it seemed, especially after a long day's crabbing in Darwin's notorious humidity (the mudcrabs were worth it though!)
The best thing about a tinnie is that you can poke around the estuaries if it's blowing a gale, which seems to be common when we go away camping and take our big boat.
Estuary fishing can bring great results and isn't as tiring as getting pounded in the open water. Also, you can "read" esturies a bit easier I think, thus making the fishing a little more exciting.
If you're confident enough to lift the 40+ kg of a four stroke Honda 15, then go for it. I think 15HP is a good compromise; you get enough hp to get yourself out of tidal flow trouble, and it's light enough to be carried from the car to the boat if beach/river bank launching.
Anyhoo - I hope the above has helped a bit with your selection of boat/motor

Enjoy your lap :)

I have a edgetracker 3.75m 86kg that I load ontop of my Nissan.The best bit of advice I can give you is to build yourself a trailer you can dismantle & carry with you,my trailer weighs 75 kg & I use parts of it to load the boat on the roof(by myself)You will soon get tired of taking your boat on & off the roof & will find excuses not to go fishing.The heaviest part of my outfit I have to lift is the motor 20hp Honda. Good luck.

If you dont want to get eaten by a croc, I would go a lot bigger then 3.0m!!

Thanks for all the replies folks ,think will settle on a 3.66mt =12ft er and a 10 to 15 hp 2 stroke ,, 2 stroke as to "save" some weight and can share fuel with genny ,, anyone got a reasonably priced rhino style boat loader ???? lol.