Yellowfin Plate 7000 powered by Mercury 200hp - SC
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Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au
It’s been a while since we’ve jumped in a Yellowfin Plate boat, which are manufactured by Telwater on Queensland’s Gold Coast. The last ones we tested were powered by Evinrude outboards. Interestingly, the now discontinued Evinrude’s owner, BRP, is still owner of Telwater boats. And Telwater boats are now packaged with Mercury outboards. Got it? Simple! The 7m Centre Cab hull we were presented from Yellowfin Plate arrived on a Telwater Move trailer, and was rigged with a Mercury 200hp V6 outboard. It’s a rig that’s put together for Telwater
Main: Here’s the rig you get to sign out for the weekend if you’re a Telwater employee – a Yellowfin Plate 7000 hull on a Move Trailer powered by a V-6 200hp Mercury outboard. Sweet. Above: It’s important that the people who make the boats get to experience what it’s like to use the boats they build. “This boat has only been put together since November 2022, so there have only been a few trips for this rig – Hervey Bay, Tweed Heads and some night fishes,” Telwater’s Adam Crossley said. “You can handle all water conditions in this.” Other inclusions for this boat included a big Simrad multifunction display in the helm, an anchor winch and a toilet in the centre cab. Like all Yellowfin Plate boats, this is a sturdy,
easily maintained rig that is suitable for most things you can throw it at around the country. It has an above waterline, self-draining hull. Made of aluminium checkerplate, it is designed for getting dirty
and then easily getting clean again. There is a transom door that folds inwards on the starboard side. Across the transom there is a battery hatch which holds the cranking and house batteries and isolation switches. Above this there is a bait station which holds rods, drinks, plenty of tackle boxes and the messy side of your bait rigging. In the port corner of the transom is a plumbed live bait tank with clear window so that you can see it from the cockpit. The cockpit itself is quite large. There are some fulllength side pockets to keep your easily accessible gear at hand, and a deck wash to help you stay civilized during a session. Moving forward to the centre cabin, and the helm is comfortable. On the port side there is a large, sturdy cabin door which encloses the semi-bunk and toilet area. On the right-hand side are your flush-mounted sounders and gauges. There are very sturdy handrails on both sides.
It was noticeable that this boat was not fitted with Mercury’s digital throttle and shift. After driving DTS controls, cable controls seem to feel a little bit stiff and less adjustable than their modern counterparts. I would definitely be opting for DTS controls as well as the maximum 225hp rated outboard for this boat. Cockpit visibility is good, and while driving you rest on a massive centre seat box which acts as the bulk of your dry storage. Economy in this rig is pretty good. At 3,500rpm and 39km/h, you get 1.7km per litre of fuel burned. Combine this with a 380L fuel tank and you get well over 500km of theoretical range. Drive wide open at 66km an hour (5,200rpm) and your economy drops to a litre per kilometre. This rig, as tested, costs $138,500, although package prices start for less. You can check in with one of the 15 Yellowfin Plate Boats dealers around the country to start pricing up your dream 7m Yellowfin Plate.
SPECIFICATIONS Although the 200hp is adequate for the 7000 hull, we’d recommend the 225hp maximum rated horsepower engine. It’s the same V6 platform as the 200 and the same weight. staff to use on their weekends and time off. It makes sense that the staff that make the boats get to experience what they are like on the water. The rig is supplied 116 MARCH 2023
on one of Telwater Move trailers – rated to 3200kg. It means that anyone with a 3.5 tonne rated twin-cab ute can sign the boat out and take it for a run.
Length ................... 7.01m Beam .......................2.4m Max HP......................225 Capacity......... 7 persons Standard fuel..........280L Hull weight..........1075kg Top sides ................ 4mm Bottom sides ......... 6mm Depth .................... 1.25m
There’s definitely enough space for a couple of people to travel comfortably behind the console.
