Alloy Boat - Summer Issue 13

THE 100% ALUMINIUM BOAT MAGAZINE

SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 13

ATTENTION TO DETAIL Makaira Cape Runner 740

YUK OFF

MOULD FIGHTERS

GT FISHING IN THE CORAL SEA

21 YEARS 21 OUTBOARDS that made a mark

MCLAY BOATS CELEBRATE 30TH ANNIVERSARY

also REVIEWED:

FC 700HT

INNOVISION 515 SPORTS

SEABOSS 620HT

PUREKRAFT 550 CC

TOP VALUE TOP SELECTION

From 2.7m

$

3,500

Scorpion 610 Seamaster Cabin

$

BEST VALUED

from

HARDTOP $44,500

39,500

Over 20 models to choose from: • Dinghies • Centre Consols • • Cuddy • Cabin • Open Runabouts • • Cabin Boats • Pontoons • • Hard Tops • Weekenders • • Wheelhouse •

THE ALUMINIUM BOAT SPECIALISTS

DB108

MORRINSVILLE Thames Street West, Morrinsville Ph: (07) 889 7193 Fax: (07) 889 5405 Alan Solly: 021 595 151 Scott: 021 595 150 Email: sportcraftboats@xtra.co.nz

OPEN 7 DAYS OVER 200 BOATS www.sportcraftboats.co.nz

TAURANGA 19 Hewletts Road, Mt Maunganui Ph: (07) 928 7193 Fax: (07) 928 7194 Roger: 027 669 7918 Jamie: 021 795 597 Email: sportcraftboats@clear.net.nz

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THE 100% ALUMINIUM BOAT MAGAZINE

SUMMER / AUTUMN 2017 ISSUE 13

ATTENTION TO DETAIL Makaira Cape Runner 740

YUK OFF

MOULD FIGHTERS

GT FISHING IN THE CORAL SEA

21 YEARS 21 OUTBOARDS that made a mark

MCLAY BOATS CELEBRATE 30TH ANNIVERSARY

also REVIEWED:

FC 700HT

INNOVISION 515 SPORTS

SEABOSS 620HT

On the Cover #13 Makaira Cape Runner 740 - Page 148

REGULAR COLUMNS

BOAT REVIEWS

126 128 190

136

FC 700HT

148

MAKAIRA CAPE RUNNER 740

160

INNOVISION 515 SPORT

168

SEABOSS 620 HT

174

PUREKRAFT 550 CC

POINT OF VIEW NEWS & NOTABLE ALUMINIUM BOAT GUIDE

FEATURES 142

154

GT FISHING IN THE CORAL SEA When it comes to exotic fishing locations, there are few as impressive or as remote as the Coral Sea’s Wreck Reef. By Al McGlashan

MCLAY BOATS 30TH ANNIVERSARY One on One with Steve McLay, 30 years on and still at the helm.

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YUK OFF – FIGHTING MOULD As anyone who owns a boat knows, keeping mould and mildew at bay is a constant battle and whenever one goes into a battle it helps to know the enemy.

21 OUTBOARDS FROM 21 YEARS Danny Casey offers his thoughts on 21 outboards that impressed him from the past 21 years and you might be surprised at what he chose.

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PUREKRAFT 550 CC

A brand that never seems to stop producing new models that over the years have got bigger and bigger.

The 700HT is their biggest hardtop.

Text by Freddy Foote.

Every so often a manufacturer comes along that offers a boat that is outstanding. According to Barry Thompson, the Makaira Cape Runner 740 is one such boat.

Innovision’s latest model packs a lot into a compact, capable package as Mike Rose found out when he took one for a run on Auckland Harbour.

Freddy Foote set off for Rotorua to check out the revised 620 HT model, which he says is a great boat that is underrated.

This classy new fisher is proving popular around the world as either a turnkey package or a kitset.

Mike Rose went to Tauranga to check it out.

ALLOY BOAT 2018 ISSUE #13

POINT OF VIEW

PUBLISHER D&B Publishing Ltd Barry Thompson & Doug Dukeson EDITORIAL Barry Thompson, Editor DDI: +64 (0)9 428 2086 Mob: +64 (0)21 777 355 email: barry@boatmags.com CONTRIBUTORS Freddy Foote, Mike Rose, Mike Broome, Mathew Hewetson, Paul Walker.

ADVERTISING New Zealand & Australia Doug Dukeson DDI: +64 (0)9 428 2328 Mob: +64 (0)21 772 202 email: doug@boatmags.com Alex Ram DDI: +64 (0)9 428 7277 Mob: +64 (0)21 0286 5298 email: alex@boatmags.com Aust: Peter Rhodes DDI: +61 (0) 38786 8993 Mob: 0413154 460 email: pete.rhodes@bigpond.com PRODUCTION Design & Prepress: Annabelle Rose Design Mob: +64 (0)27 427 4559 email: design@annabellerose.co.nz Printer: PMP Limited WEBSITE Momentum Marketing Carl Thompson Tel: +64 (0)21 762 275 email: carl@gomomentum.marketing ACCOUNTS Soraja Thompson Tel: +64 (0)9 428 2086 Fax: +64 (0)9 424 2786 email: accounts@boatmags.com CIRCULATION Gordon & Gotch Ltd SUBSCRIPTIONS Carla Dukeson Pacific PowerBoat Subscriptions PO Box 886, Whangaparoa, Auck. NZ Tel: +64 (0)9 428 2328 email: subs@boatmags.com REGISTERED OFFICE Advertising & Editorial enquiries: 14 Glamis Ave, Manly, Whangaparaoa, Auckland, New Zealand.

Tel: +64 (0)9 428 2086 email: barry@boatmags.com www.boatmags.com Postal Address: PO Box 132 Whangaparaoa, Auckland 0930, New Zealand.

All rights reserved. Reprinting in whole or part is expressly forbidden, except by written permission of the publisher.

Printed in New Zealand ISSN 2324-5255 (Printed) ISSN 2324-5263 (Online)

KERI KERI TO THE BLUFF I recently went down to Dunedin, or more precisely Milton, a small town a few km south, which is the home of McLay Boats, a company that in 2017 celebrated their 30th anniversary. In a one on one interview with company founder and managing director, Steve McLay (See Page 154), he mentioned that while he didn’t start out building boats, it just happened. It got me thinking about how many of our alloy boat brands started and while some did start out building boats from day one, a hell of a lot were general engineering shops that took some alloy, a welder, a design and produced a boat. Usually, this was simply a one-off that the owner of the business wanted for himself and there was no intention of boats becoming a part of the company.

Some, like Ramco, had its roots in a plumbing company, as did Fyran way back in the very early days.

McLay Boats morphed into a boat brand after a very short time, when Steve McLay found people in the Milton area and beyond wanted his boats. Before he knew it, the general engineering business was gone and the boats took over. From small beginnings, McLay Boats has grown into one of the major aluminium boat brands in the country and look like continuing their strong market leadership for years to come.

I am also amazed at how the lower half of the South Island is the home of so many alloy boat brands. Afterall Southland and particularly Invercargill is about as far away from the mass market north of Taupo as you can get. Nestled in the deep south, in Invercargill are Stabicraft, the Southernmost alloy boat builder in the world, Frewza, Kiwi-Kraft/Aqualine and Image Boats. All of which supply boats throughout the country and overseas.

There are now over 70 alloy boat builders in New Zealand, including jetboat manufacturers, and it is interesting as to their geographic spread. There are builders based from as far north as Kerikeri to a few kilometres from Bluff.

Working up the country, you find McLay and Southern/Lazercraft and until recently Finlay and Aqualite in the Dunedin area and at the top of the South Island there’s DNA and Osprey in Nelson.

And when it comes to the North Island it is interesting to see that there are only a few brands built in Auckland, with the majority in the provinces. Napier has Dickey, Profile and Senator, Gisborne has White Pointer, Whakatane makes claim to Extreme and a little further inland is Surtees, Seaboss, Orca and Marco. AMF are on their own in Wanganui.

In the Bay or Plenty region, you find Adventure Boats in Te Puke and Tauranga Kingfisher Boats, Bluefin and Scorpion. FC Boats make Hamilton their home base as do Everyman and Enduro Boats. But when it comes to Auckland, the most prominent city in the country, where you might expect the most builders to be concentrated, there are only a few major brands. Bluefin, Commando Boats, Innovision and Ultimate Boats come to mind. Makaira was in Auckland but they moved way north to the Bay of Islands and Fyran which were once the dominant brand in the alloy trailer boat have ceased to trade.

Unlike the grp market, imported alloy boats have never made much impact into Kiwiland.

Apart from Australian giant Quintrex, we see very little of other brands and nothing from the US. According to NZ Marine stats, in the 2017 year, it is estimated that aluminium trailer boat sales to the local NZ market will run around 1,100 boats, which compared to the grp sectors 800 boats is a significant market share. Kiwi builders are innovative and market leaders and I have said many times that when it comes to pontoon boats and hardtops, we punch way above our weight. It is estimated that 90% of new trailer power boats sold in NZ are manufactured in NZ - and that includes the trailer!

Have a great boating Xmas and enjoy as much time as you can on the water.

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NZ’s Best Selection & Value to Match!

Over 20 models to choose from:

DB110

• Dinghies • Centre Consols • • Cuddy • Cabin • Open Runabouts • • Cabin Boats • Pontoons • Hard Tops • • Weekenders • Wheelhouse •

From the

To the

420 Bluefin Pontoon

Bluefin 769 Wheelhouse

$12,750

81,500

$

THE ALUMINIUM BOAT SPECIALISTS

MORRINSVILLE Thames Street West, Morrinsville Ph: (07) 889 7193 Fax: (07) 889 5405 Alan Solly: 021 595 151 Email: sportcraftboats@xtra.co.nz

OPEN 7 DAYS OVER 200 BOATS www.sportcraftboats.co.nz

TAURANGA 19 Hewletts Road, Mt Maunganui Ph: (07) 928 7193 Fax: (07) 928 7194 Roger: 027 669 7918 Jamie: 021 795 597 Email: sportcraftboats@clear.net.nz

news

$180,000 GATE PRIZE FOR HUTCHWILCO NZ BOAT SHOW Boaties and fishers at the 2018 Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show in Auckland in May will have the chance to win a boat package worth over $180,000!

The prize, which will definitely be won by one very lucky visitor to the show, is an astounding Surtees/Yamaha Grand Prize that is almost certainly the biggest, most expensive single prize ever given away at a boat show, anywhere in the world.

Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show general manager, Dave Gibbs, says show organisers are incredibly excited to be offering a prize of this size and value.

He says that thanks to Surtees and Yamaha, the Grand Prize will be a “true life changer” for one lucky show-goer.

Although full specifications, photos and videos of this fantastic Surtees/Yamaha Grand Prize will not be unveiled until the New Year, Dave Gibbs says he can share some of the details.

“The prize will include one of Surtees Boats’ ‘go anywhere’ flagship models, powered by a very special pair of the latest Yamaha motors.

“It will have a top speed of at least 43 knots, will cruise comfortably and economically at 20-22 knots and will have a cruising range of over 250 nautical miles.

“It will come with a comprehensive Garmin electronics package, including a 7412 multi-function display, radar, a GT51 down view, side view transducer and VHF. It will sit on a top-of-theline Epic trailer worth almost $19,000 and come complete with a Balex auto boat loader, Loan Star drum winch, Fusion stereo system, Seadek flooring in the cabin and cockpit and on the coamings, as well as a set of Hutchwilco lifejackets and a year’s Yamaha Marine Insurance.

The 2018 Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show will be held at the ASB Showgrounds in Greenlane, Auckland on May 17-20. Tickets to the show are now available on-line at www. boatshow.co.nz with all tickets bought before May 10, 2018, also automatically in the draw to win a powered Viking Kayaks package worth over $8000.

All tickets, whether bought online or at the show gates, are eligible to enter the draw for this amazing Surtees/Yamaha Grand Prize. www.boatshow.co.nz

New McLay for 2018

McLay boats will be releasing a 571 Sportsman hardtop package early in the new year. Having seen a massive market shift into hardtops in the last 12 months and seeing the 591 Sportsman hardtop become their best selling model, the company believe the time is right to introduce a smaller hardtop. Pricing and details will be available early in the new year. www.mclayboats.co.nz

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GROWS While the McLay 591 has been around for a few years now in both Sportsman and Hardtop versions and is one of McLay’s biggest selling boats, it seems that the boat needed a tweak.

Under some discussions with local owners and some Australian dealers, Steve McLay, MD of McLay Boats decided to make the boat a little longer. The new 591 XL Sportsman Hardtop has had 200mm added into the cockpit, to provide some extra fishing space.

No changes have been made anywhere else, so the cabin and wheelhouse areas and transom remain the same as the 591. McLay is quick to point out that the 591XL is an addition to the 591 range and not a replacement.

“The addition of 200mm has had no detrimental effect on the ride and handling and in fact, if anything the extra waterline has improved it”, says McLay. He adds that the boat is now rated for a little extra horsepower and the performance with a Mercury 115 Pro 4S on the first model has proven just how good the new package is. Maximum speed is 36 knots, with a fuel usage of 46.8 lph. www.mclayboats.co.nz

Robust and built to last.

Go through anything, get home safe.

Tailor made with pride

For more information on specifications or unbeatable deals Call 0800 Senator (736 286) Warren Hay Marine: Whangarei 09 430-2666 | Auckland Marine Centre: Pakuranga, Auckland 09 579-7981 | Rollos Marine: Hamilton 0800 804 809 | Harbourview Marine: Gisborne 06 868 8686 | Hawke’s Bay Marine: Napier 06 843-5001 | Senator Factory: Napier 06 843-6882 | Boat City: Paraparaumu, Kapiti Coast 04 298-5931 | Haven Pleasure Boats: Nelson 03 548-5864 |

Mr Boats: Christchurch 03 384-2726 | Mr Boats: Timaru 03 684-4107.

Building great boats since 1995

www.senatorboats.com

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news

NEW SURTEES 750 WORKMATE HT With the introduction of the 750 Workmate Hardtop this summer, Surtees is adding more space and a bigger fishing experience to an already popular series.

A larger version of the 700 Workmate Hardtop, the newest model in the range provides the same level of protection from the elements, but with even more usable fishing space. With 19 rod holders, increased storage and deck space, the 750 Workmate Hardtop is built to accommodate - allowing fishing experiences that can be shared with all the family and friends.

Despite its increased size, the 750 Workmate Hardtop retains Surtees’ focus on superior handling, with a patented Razortech super smooth riding hull and Anti-roll Stability

Ballast Technology for the perfect fishing platform. The 530L capacity ballast offers the flexibility of a lightweight aluminium vessel at launch, with the ability to add weight from the ballast for stabilisation when out on the water. This additional weight can be locked in with the Anti-Roll Lock shut off gate for extra stability when underway.

SiQ technology comes as standard, with safety at the forefront of every Surtees boat. Combined with a 10-year hull warranty, the handcrafted Surtees 750 Workmate Hardtop is available with a wide range of customizable options allowing fishermen to personalise the craft to their style and requirements. www.surteesboats.com

BLA Release new Drum Winch BLA has introduced a new range of drum winches, designed locally and made exclusively for BLA offering a high-quality drum winch at an affordable price.

The 4500 series is an extremely compact drum winch ideal for the smallest of trailer boats, right through to 8500 series which suits most vessels up to 8.5m.

All BLA Drum Winches feature a sealed motor and gearbox with a 316 grade stainless steel drum and body to protect from water ingress and corrosion and come complete with rope, chain and switchgear for hassle-free anchoring.

The motor is fully sealed from corrosion/water with no exposed terminals and can be adjusted in eight positions.

Australian designed and made in China, the BLA drum winch comes with a 3-year warranty. BLA Drum Winches start from AUD 1,296 SRP. www.bla.com.au

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OKUMA MATATA - FISHING WEAPON

Top New Zealand fishing equipment manufacturer, Composite Developments / Okuma NZ chose the Surtees 750 Game Fisher as their new fishing weapon of choice.

The Surtees premium Game Fisher range offers protection for allweather fishing and family fun. The 750 Game Fisher is designed for extended adventures away, from weekends trips to serious game fishing exploits.

Its towability provides range across the country outside the limits of larger launches. The 750 is the complete package with superb handling and a touch of luxury. The Game Fisher delivers the perfect balance of cabin and fishing space and is packed to the gunnels with technology and features.

Marty Johanson, Managing Director of Composite Developments / Okuma NZ, said ‘I was looking for a boat that had size, comfort, safety and offered all the features of a bigger boat. One of the reasons I chose the Surtees 750 Game Fisher was the hull - very quiet, very smooth and a wonderful balance with great stability in any sea.

From the get-go Surtees has been wonderful, they’ve done everything we’ve asked, in fact, they’ve surpassed in a lot of areas’. www.surteesboats.com WWW.BOATMAGS.COM

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news

GULFLAND MARINE’S MOST EXPENSIVE STABI Gulfland Marine, based on the Hibiscus Coast, Auckland recently launched their most tricked out Stabicraft ever and it also came with a price tag just shy $400,000. The 2750 Centrecab was powered by a pair of Mercury 250 Verados, complete with Joystick Control and autopilot.

24 Bay Rd, Invercargill Ph 03 214 4573 | Mob 0274 368 055 E: dean@imageboats.co.nz DB228

Follow our tour on

IMAGE BOATS TOUR DATES December 2017 27-28 Dec Whanganui 29-31 Dec New Plymouth January 2018 1-3 Jan Taupo 4-6 Jan Rotorua 7-8 Jan Tauranga 9-12 Jan Whitianga 13-14 Jan Auckland 15-16 Jan Whangarei 17-21 Jan Bay of Islands 22 Jan Hastings 23 Jan Wellington 24 Jan Picton 25 Jan Kaikoura 26 Jan Christchurch 27 Jan Moeraki 28 Jan Invercargill

Versatile Family & Fishing Boats Water Taxis and Charter Boats

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ALLOY BOAT 2018 ISSUE #13

a 2600 and now the 2750. Launched in Auckland, he drove the boat to the Bay of Islands and managed to stop on the way to fish for Hapuka. Using the Skyhook, he reported catching his fill of Hapuka in record time, with the Skyhook holding him on station over a 250m pinnacle. www.gulflandmarine.co.nz

World class custom built Aluminium Pontoon Boats

FT243

Image Boats has a reputation for customized aluminium boats. Ranging from 5.8 to 11.3m they combine Safety, Strength, Durability, Quality & Performance to produce the perfect allrounder.

The electronics package included a Furuno TZ 15.5 MFD, Waasp 3D and 1 kW transducer. Added to that was an extensive range of communication and entertainment equipment.

Based in the Bay of Islands, this is the third Stabicraft the owner has taken delivery of, stepping up from 2250, then

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26 Echodale Place, Nelson, NZ. Phone: +64 3 548 7887 | E: lloyd@osprey.co.nz

www.osprey.co.nz

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AMF On a RolL The reputation for building high quality alloy boats has seen Wanganui based AMF Boats enjoy a very bouyant few years both locally and overseas. The company head into 2018 with a busy order book and plans for restructuring of the Pro Sport side of the buisness.

Things may have appeared quite on the AMF front, but in the past 5 years AMF have been at their busiest, with a $5.2m, five rescue boat contract for the United Arab Emirates Coastguard completed, along with numerous Pro Sport boats and earlier this year a second AMF 950 RIB for North Shore Coastguard to replace their first 9000 hour AMF 950 RIB. The UAE contract included 2 x 1170’s, a

9m and 2 x new model 10.5m RIBs. The 1050 is powered by twin inboard diesel jet drives, with one being an open back hard top version and the second being a full walk around centre console model, thus expanding the AMF RIB range into yet another class.

In addition to the new builds, in 2017 AMF have produced a new Pro Sport brochure, combined their two websites into one new website, and attended the Auckland On Water Boat Show in October of 2017.

The Pro Sport series has taken a back seat to the RIB builds in the past couple of years, so Brian Collings (Managing Director of AMF Boat Co) is looking into selling this part of the business.

“ I am looking for someone who can give it the full attention it needs with the demand still being strong with a cult following of dedicated fisho’s”, says Brian.

With 2018 looking to be a very busy year ahead, AMF are also on the hunt for new team members who are passionate about quality aluminium boat building and are looking to grow the team substantially.

With 33 years of aluminium boat building history to draw on, it is very satisfying to the owners of AMF to see the results of their boat building philosophy of unbreakable high performance in alloy being achieved. www.amfboats.co.nz

White Pointer Big Boat Range In the previous issue of PowerBoat magazine we somehow dropped off a few of the models in the White Pointer range as part of our 9-12m Cruiser Buyers Guide. www.whitepointerboats.co.nz The full list should have read: White Pointer 9.20 Custom Cruiser 9-40 Pro Sportsman 9-40 Custom Cruiser 9-70 Pro Sportsman 10-50 Pro Sportsman 10-50 Custom Cruise

LOA 9.20m 9.40m 9.40m 9.40m 3.10m 3.10m

Beam 2.85m 2.90m 2.90m 2.90m 2.90m 2.90m

Style Sedan/Open Sedan/Open Sedan/Open Sedan/Open Sedan/Open/ Flybridge Sedan/Open/ Flybridge

Clear polymer anticorrosive protective coating Nyalic marine kit

Marine touch-up kit

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IN STOCK

NOW!

Call or email direct from Nyalic NZ.

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Ph: 0800 692 542 www.nyalic.co.nz sales@nyalic.co.nz

DB105

As used by: McLay Surtees Extreme White pointer and others... New Product Kits available direct from Nyalic please

news

OSPREY LAUNCH THEIR BIGGEST BOAT

WATCH OUR MCLAY VIDEOS

Stoke based alloy builder, Osprey Boats recently commissioned their biggest boat to date, an Osprey 980 Extended HT. The 9.8m water taxi has a beam of 2.8m and is powered by a pair of Yamaha F250s and is in survey for 35 passengers + crew.

This stunning new Osprey is working on Lake Wakatipu mainly as a taxi to and from “The Hilton” to Queenstown viaduct. It will also do the Walters Peak, Cecil peak runs upon demand.

This follows on from the 8m Milford Sound “Shuttle” Te Namu which was commissioned last year. www.osprey.co.nz

Check out www.boatmags.com or go to our Facebook site to see the latest videos on the McLay 561 crossXover and the all-new 591XL Sportsman. There’s also a video about McLay Boats and their 30 years in business.

ALLOY BOAT 2018 ISSUE #13

DB221

An innovative new design delivering a smoother ride and superior stability. Whether you are looking to land that trophy fish with your mates or take the family out for a day of fun on the water, Innovision Boats excel in every way.

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Bluewater Export to Noumea

Bluewater Boats recently shipped their first boat to Noumea, an 8.5 Portofino.

A relatively new model, the wide beam (2.8m), 8.5 will be used primarily for tuna fishing . If all goes well, there is also a possible order for a second 8.5 Portofino that will be set up as a dive boat.

The first 8.5 Portofino was rigged with a Yamaha 300, which gives the boat a top speed close to 40 knots. Bluewater Boats built the boat tough with 6mm plate on the hull and 5mm topsides. www.bluewater.co.nz

DB239

SPECIALISTS IN 7M – 10.5M CUSTOM BOATS

w w w. w h i t e p o i n t e r b o a t s . c o . n z

Call +64 6 868 6519 or ton y@whitepointerboa ts.co.nz

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FUNCTION WITH FORM SINCE 1992

ALLOY BOAT 2018 ISSUE #13

BOAT TEST

FC700 HARDTOP

The FC700, the biggest model in the FC Boats range.

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D O GO R E K O LO

BY FREDDY FOOTE

With a growing cult

following, FC Boats appears to be the it brand on the market at the moment.

Freddy Foote checks out the FC700, to see why the brand has become so popular with kiwi boaties.

The caged transom is a great feature and a great place to fish.

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BOAT TEST

FC700 HARDTOP

The FC700 is a boat that will appeal to a wide variety of users.

In just a short time frame, the growth of the FC Boats brand has been quite rapid. The company started with a small range of versatile and tough runabouts, and ever since it has grown to cabin boats, centre consoles and the larger hardtops as we see here with this FC700 model.

Currently, the FC700 is the largest model in the FC Boats range, and sits above the FC620 HT – the only other hardtop currently available.

the breather pipe in the bow. Lock the ballast in place and away you go. Fantastic in rougher sea conditions.

All Rounder The FC700 is a boat that will appeal to a wide variety of users; the serious fishers into game fishing or soft baiting, to those who want a big roomy boat with enough space to store all the dive gear and the ability to get out to a favourite spot quickly and comfortably. It’s available in either open hardtop, or an enclosed version.

Where the FC700 is different to its counterparts is the configuration and use of space. The extended gunnels give an extremely dry boat and also allow you to walk around the cabin to access the flat front bow area for an extra casting/fishing area.

On our test day, Max Christensen spent most of his time up there casting baits trying to lure in a couple of big fish. There are not too many other boats on the market in a hardtop configuration that give you the ability to cast from the foredeck.

Moving aft, across the stern there is a healthy sized boarding platform on either side of the outboard pod. Both sides of the transom are caged and a section of the cage can be dropped down to allow access in and out of the boat. Neat feature. Also means, if you want to bring a big fish on-board you can do so via the port or starboard walk-thru.

Stable Ride A number of brands experiment with stability systems, each doing it in slightly different ways to achieve the same thing. The FC700 has two stability systems built into the hull design. Aft there is a flooding keel, which fills with water when the boat is at rest, making the craft ultra stable. One you put the throttle down, the water quickly drains out.

Add to that; there is a controllable ballast system. Next to the helm, there is a ballast lever that enables the skipper to bring the desired amount of forward ballast (about 200 litres) on board. To fill, you open the valve, put the boat in reverse and within a matter of seconds you have taken on the chosen amount of water ballast.

This can be observed by looking through the viewing window at the base of the valve control, or by simply seeing the water come out of ALLOY BOAT 2018 ISSUE #13

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Good coaming height for fishing and a stable platform.

The paint from the exterior follows through to the interior to finish the dash.

Once in the cockpit, one of the first things you notice is the passive live bait tank, which is located low down on the floor in the centre of the transom. Passive means that it fills itself when at rest, and water can be kept locked in until you choose to discharge. The system works well, and we kept a number of live baits in there swimming around throughout the day.

The cockpit is fairly sizeable, with long side shelves running part way under the coamings. Rod storage options can be found at the bait station, in the coamings or in the rocket launcher above.

Incidentally the rocket launcher can hold 13 rods.

The cockpit floor is finished in teak toned SeaDek, which is carried on throughout the boat. Also available in a grey colour, it is really nice underfoot and easy to wash and keep clean.

The seating configuration consists of identical king/queen seats for both port and starboard, with large storage capacity available. This is accessed by lifting the after facing queen seat on either side.

Further seating is available aft via the large removable upholstered chilly bin. This bin seat was available on this boat as an option.

The helm is finished with grey paint, like the outside of the cabin, and see’s a large Simrad MFD in the centre, with the Mercury Smartcraft instrument alongside. The small storage shelves on either side of the helm, provide a great place for keys and cellphones. A handrail runs right along the edge of the forward dash area and is great for passengers when the trip home gets a bit rough. Forward in the cabin, there is more space to store gear out of the way underneath the bunks.

Great Performer Our test day conditions were glassy smooth with hardly a whisper of wind until we ventured further out into the Firth of Thames. We launched from Kawakawa Bay and made out way up the outside of the Chamberlins Islands before cutting through the channel south of Rotoroa Island and chasing a few work ups, getting ourselves some small baits for the live bait tank.

From there we chased the workups up the Eastern side of Waiheke Island and around Horuhoru Rock where we managed to catch a few sizeable Kawhai, Unfortunately the the Snapper remained elusive.

The 700 hull slices through the water with ease and the wellengineered forward ballast system certainly adds another dimension for rough water performance and stability. There is excellent visibility forward through the curved windshield, and plenty of headroom to stand at the helm while underway. Sliding side windows also provide extra ventilation into the helm area.

The FC700 is rated for outboards from 200hp through to 250hp. Our test boat came fitted with a Mercury 225hp Verado 4S. We squeezed 35 knots out of it at 6000rpm, though post test we discovered that the trim tabs had failed on the return trip home, so we felt that had they been functioning properly we would have seen a slight increase in speed and slightly better fuel figures.

Since the test, better performance figures have been achieved, by fitting a 15P Enertia propeller that pulled a few more rpm and

Another signature FC Boats feature, their passive live bait tank.

Walkthroughs in both corners.

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BOAT TEST

FC700 HARDTOP There’s a healthy sized cabin forward.

Plenty of storage available underneath the seating.

achieved better economy.

The 225hp engine was well matched to the hull and provided good punch out of the hole and mid-range torque. Simulating a normal day on the water for such a boat, we had four adult passengers, a load of fishing gear, chilly bin, camera gear, the works! The boat and engine combination performed exceedingly well.

Back at the ramp, the FC700 is easily handled back onto its tandem axle trailer. The ramp was deep enough, so we choose to motor it up onto the trailer and winch it on by hand the last metre or so.

Overall, a great package. One of the better-looking hardtops on the

SPECIFICATIONS

market with some of the best features. I love the live bait tank set up, the caged transom, the SeaDek finish and the forward casting platform on the foredeck. As tested this rig was $140,000 with packages starting from $99,995. In the market for a 7m hardtop?

The FC700 should be near the top of your list.

Boat Supplied by: Fish City Hamilton Phone: (07) 846 6675 www.fishcityhamilton.co.nz

FUEL & PERFORMANCE DATA

Model:

FC700

RPM

Knots

L/h

Priced from:

$99,995

1000

4.0

4.2

Price as tested:

$140,000

1500

4.5

6.3

Type:

Hardtop

2000

6.0

10.0

Construction:

Alumnium

2500

7.0

15.2

LOA:

7.05 m

3000

8.0

25.6

Beam:

2.5 m

3500

11.0

32.5

Deadrise:

19 deg

4000

20.0

36.0

Height on trailer:

N/A

4500

24.0

42.3

5000

28.5

57.0

Trailerable weight: 1995 kg Test Power:

225 hp

5500

31.0

78.0

Propeller:

Revolution 4 15P

6000

35.0

88.0

Power options:

Outboard

HP Range:

200 hp-250 hp

Fuel capacity:

280 litres

Trailer:

Tandem

Notable Standard Items

Notable Options on Test Boat SeaDek, two tone paint, 225hp Mercury Verado.

FC Auto Stabilising Chamber With Separate Forward Ballast System, FC Dual Positive Buoyancy System, FC Dry Riding Gunnel System, Twin Sliding Side Windows, live bait tank.

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Seadek covers the side decks.

BY AL MCGLASHAN

ON THE BITE CORAL SEA GTS When it comes to exotic fishing locations, there are few as impressive or as remote as the Coral Sea’s Wreck Reef

You don’t even need a boat to catch fish at Wreck Reef.

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T E A G R

B A R R I E R sville

Town

Saumarez Reefs

ch Airlie Bea R E E

Wreck Reefs

F

pton Rockham ne Gladsto

R

emote locations are always a big drawcard for me when it comes to sports fishing. For a start, due to their remoteness, they don’t tend to see too many lures, baits or jigs. Which means the fish are hungry and ready for action. So when the opportunity came along to join the crew from Reality Fishing Charters for a trip out to the isolated and pristine Wreck Reef, located 450km north-east of Gladstone in the Coral Sea, there was no way I was going to miss out.

Even better, I would be going as a host for top-rating US Outdoor Channel show, Trev Gowdy’s Monster Fish, so we’d be performing in front of a massive audience. No pressure whatsoever!

I did a little research prior to the trip and was fascinated by some of the history of the remote isles, including an incident involving notable explorer Matthew Flinders who, while on a convoy with three square riggers, hit the reef in 1803 – hence the name. The Cato and Porpoise ran aground, while the Bridgewater narrowly missed the reef and then promptly sailed off, leaving the others to their fate.

Ironically, at the time, Flinders was on his way back to England to submit the first nautical charts he had completed of the Australian coastline, many of which we still navigate by today. Being shipwrecked wasn’t going to stop him though.

Unbelievably, he rallied some of the crew and rowed all the way back to Sydney and then returned to rescue everyone left behind, all in the space of six weeks – a very impressive feat, with none of the navigational aids many of us take for granted today.

SEAMOUNT-AINOUS My research also revealed that the reef is part of a series of atolls that make up a seamount that rises thousands of metres from the sea floor and spans more than 25km from Bird Island to the West Islets.

While not as challenging as Flinders’ first visit to the area, our own voyage was not all plain sailing, with a 30-knot southeasterly blow and accompanying swell keeping us on our toes. Still, being on a large and stable cat such as the Big Cat

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The reef is part of a series of atolls that make up a seamount that rises thousands of metres.

Reality, under skipper James McVeigh and his more than capable crew, took the heat off somewhat.

At the end of a 38-hour steam, and with the wind still howling, our first destination was a safe anchorage behind Bird Island. With the seas still lumpy, we opted for a bit of island exploring first up and it was immediately obvious how the island earned its name – it is literally teeming with thousands of sea birds, nesting and flying in all directions, with an accompanying chaotic racket.

But we had come here to fish so, as soon as we pulled up on the beach we started flicking lures around. And it only took seconds before mate Tim Milat was hooked in spectacular fashion. He had cranked his lure almost to his feet when a rampaging GT (giant trevally) exploded out of the shallows in a savage and ferocious display.

Hooking up almost on the beach, it turned out to be one of the shortest GT tussles I’ve ever seen, with the fish beached with what I took to be a totally bewildered look on its face. As it was dispatched back into the shallows, Tim flicked the lure again and, proving the first hook-up was no fluke, had an even bigger GT at his feet in seconds.

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STICKBAIT SMASHED But the next cast brought a sense of reality to the occasion – Tim and his expensive stickbait were completely smashed. Not to be outdone, I was similarly savaged a few minutes later and we were both left wondering what else lay in store over the following week.

While the wind kept up for the next two days, we had to wait until day three for a shot at a spot known as The Ledge. Jutting out from the reef edge, it drops down nearly vertically some 50m. It looked really fishy and we kicked off, hooking up almost immediately with an explosive surface strike, which was exactly what we had hoped for – until a dirty great cuda stuck its head out of the water.

As good as The Ledge looked, we struggled with the stickbaits and even my trusty old Roosta popper failed to draw any attention.

Nevertheless, the fishfinder was alive with activity down deep.

Intrigued, I couldn’t help myself and sent a jig down.

It barely touched the bottom before I was on. A short, brutal fight ensued before a fairly decent GT popped up. Then, on the next drift, I backed it up with a rather startled looking coral trout before an even bigger GT jumped on. It made for some awesome jigging, but we had a bit of a problem. We were under strict instructions from

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He had cranked his lure almost to his feet when a rampaging GT exploded out of the shallows

Big Cat Reality’s tenders are fully equipped for Wreck Reef’s bruising encounters.

the US producers of Trev Gowdy’s Monster Fish to provide surface fishing action so, as hard as it was, we had to leave the bite, but not before Tim added a dogtooth to the mix.

One of the biggest issues with fishing such remote locations as Wreck Reef is that it is largely unmapped. As a result, it’s hard to know exactly where the fishing hotspots are. There are detailed charts available for plotters but, as we discovered, they can be very inaccurate. On one occasion we identified a deepwater ledge that just screamed dogtooth – however try as we did, we simply couldn’t find it anywhere on the plotter.

ON THE JOB-FISH While searching for another phantom hotspot, we came across a few uncharted bommies, which looked very fishy indeed. In fact, on my first cast, a huge green jobfish emerged and smashed my stickbait straight off the top. Tim followed suit with another equally big fish, which set the wheels in motion for a great session. It was literally non-stop jobfish, although the GTs remained elusive.

Back on the mothership at lunchtime, Jim and Reg Pennie, who were fishing nearby, reported encountering heaps of GTs, including a monster in the 40kg range. As it turned out, they were in the thick

DB216

Thompson Marine Ltd 31 Fairy Springs Road, Rotorua | 0800 95 95 90 | 07 348 4997 | office@seaboss.co.nz Auckland Marine Centre 277 Ti Rakau Drive, Pakaranga, Auckland | 09 579-7981 | sales@aucklandmarine.co.nz

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w w w. s e a b o s s . c o . n z

of the action, while we were only a short distance away with not a GT in sight.

After lunch, we targeted the new GT hotspot, casting a mix of stickbaits and Roosta poppers, but it was as though the jobfish had followed us to the new location, only with a few trout.

Scratching our heads, wondering what to do next in our quest for some solid GT action, the water suddenly erupted as Tim’s lure hit the water. There was no question about the culprit – it had‘GT’ written all over it. After missing on the first After lunch, we targeted the new GT hotspot, casting a mix of stickbaits and Roosta poppers, but it was as though the jobfish had followed us to the new location, only with a few trout.

Scratching our heads, wondering what to do next in our quest for some solid GT action, the water suddenly erupted as Tim’s lure hit the water. There was no question about the culprit – it had ‘GT’ written all over it. After missing on the first cast, it came back with a vengeance and Tim had a solid fight on his hands.

As good as the long rods are for casting PE8 braid and above, when it comes to fighting GTs, it can be brutal. Add in the fact that we were in an oversized plastic bucket and it only made things harder, but Tim kept the pressure on and soon had a solid GT coming to the boat. It was then that we saw a much bigger fish trying to steal the lure off it –it never ceases to amaze me how the smaller ones always seem to get the bait first!

CLINGING ON Right at the boat, the big fella had another crack, but somehow in the confusion the smaller fish became unstuck. The pressure ripped the lure from the water, the result being GTs one, us zip. There was no time for commiserations as I cast out in the vicinity of the first bite and, with a couple of sweeps of the stickbait, the water erupted and I was on. For some reason, I had downgraded from my heavy GT outfit and was running a PE5 Shimano Grappler rod matched up to a Twin Power reel loaded with just 50-pound Sufix braid. It’s a great outfit for kings, but big GTs take things to a different level and I suddenly found myself clinging on for dear life.

With a bit more luck than skill, I kept the beast out of the coral and eventually had myself a solid Wreck Reef GT. Super aggressive, they really are perfectly suited for sports fishing, and they love lures, especially near the surface and fight like runaway freight trains.

Importantly, because GTs actually taste terrible with incredibly tough flesh, they are ideal for catch and release fishing. Eager to take advantage of the crystal-clear waters, I decided the fitting way to see this particular lump of a fish off was to jump in and join him.

Donning my dive gear and trusty Aquatech housing, I slipped into some of the clearest water I have ever seen. It looked like it was barely a few metres deep, but I was actually in almost 20m of water.

As I followed the fish down, I was mesmerised by its motion – until

Jim Penny with a solid dogtooth caught off the back of the mothership.

Wreck Reef boasts some of the biggest green jobfish to be found.

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I realised how deep I actually was. With lungs screaming, I shot back to the surface, leaving the GT to his own devices. Still, it was a memorable experience following a muscular GT back to the depths in such clear Coral Sea waters.

Over the years, I have been on a lot of charters, many of which are set up to ‘spoon feed’ their guests so, from my point of view, they don’t really ‘earn’ their fish. It suits some people, but I’ve always followed the DIY approach, which is exactly what Reality Fishing Charters is all about.

Skipper James McVeigh worked in the dive industry for decades, but tired of the high maintenance and low returns from the bubble blowers. Then a group of enthusiastic anglers approached him to take them out to explore the remote reefs and the rest is history.

HANDS-ON Instead of a standard charter trip with guides, McVeigh decided to target serious anglers who wanted to do things their way. It’s a growing market as not all anglers want to be handed the rod but have a deckie do all the actual work. On the good ship Big Cat Reality, you need to bring your own tackle and can fish as hard and as often as you want. Each morning, they send you out in the tenders and from there it is up to you.

Having said that, they haven’t spared any expense in the tenders as they are fully rigged, with sounders, plotters, rodholders and lean bars to making casting really easy. Powered by the new Mercury four-strokes, they are economical and punch along at a good speed. Considering the fish being targeted, they certainly give new meaning to the concept of big fish, small boats.

I should also add that the crewmen are extremely efficient with their safety procedures and really do run a tight ship, monitoring all the tenders with regular radio skeds. And, even at night, you don’t have to stop fishing. McVeigh often sits the boat on deepwater pinnacles so guests can jig for dogtooth.

In between fishing sessions, McVeigh and his crew make sure you feel looked after on their large 24m mothership.

Almost 10m wide, Big Cat Reality was built in 1973 as a mothership for the Cairns black marlin fishery. While she’s not a new boat, at 165 tonnes she is incredibly seaworthy.

Accomodation is basic the way most Aussies like it, but where this charter really stands out is in the service provided by the crew.

They simply can’t do enough for you, the food is exceptional and the liquid refreshments are very cheap.

If you are looking for an action-packed angling adventure, find out more at: bigcatreality.com.

SIMPLY SUPERIOR NEW 3D SONAR AND AXIOM MULTIFUNCTION DISPLAYS Superior RealVision 3D sonar displays fish and underwater structures in stunning, lifelike detail.

And with gyro-stabilization, RealVision 3D automatically compensates for boat movement on open water, delivering the best under water imaging anywhere.

Blazing fast quad core processor, all at an affordable price.

The fishing was so frantic, the hardest part for the author was keeping a straight face.

Contact your local Raymarine dealer or call Lusty and Blundell 0800 522 726 or visit www.raymarine.com

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BOAT TEST

MAKAIRA CAPE RUNNER 740

The Cape Runner 740 is available with a single outboard from 225hp right through to 350hp,

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ATTENTION l i a t e to d

Every so often I get to experience a boat that has something special about it that makes me realise just how damn good Kiwi boat builders are. From a brand that is not well known, the Makaira Cape Runner 740 is one such boat.

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BOAT TEST

BOAT REVIEW

Makaira Cape Runner 740

MAKAIRA CAPE RUNNER 740

Like the rest of the boat, the seating design is optional.

Mac Tubes and Tuna Tubes for live baiting are a standard feature of the boat.

The big flat dash means you can just about have any size MFD you want.

It wasn’t because of its appearance, performance or layout that particularly attracted me to it. It was the construction and the way the boat was built. Plus that every aspect of the design and construction of the Cape Runner 740 is carried through to the rest of the boats in the Makaira range. Currently, that comprises eight models from the Coaster 640 through to the 1200, all of which are still dedicated to sports fishing.

Take a step back and the man behind Makaira (Latin for Marlin) is Allan Shaw, a Marine Systems engineer /welder who did his time working to Lloyds standards with superyacht builder, Alloy Yachts. Shortly before Alloy Yachts closed their doors, Allan set up his business to build a boat to go fishing at the Three Kings.

Appropriately named the King Bank 940, it quickly attracted a customer who ordered one for himself. With a second order on the books, he realised that his dream of starting a boat building business was now a reality. With the need to expand his West Auckland premises and with the future in mind, he moved his boat building enterprise to the sunny North.

Now building from there own fully in house purpose built facility

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Waipapa, Kerikeri, he has asmall dedicated staff of highly qualified builders producing purpose designed alloy sportfishing boats to a selective market. They are somewhat bespoke, as with only 4-6 a year, thefactory has the capacity to build over 20 boats a year. Allan prides himself on being able to deliver the perfect product to the highest possible standard for each client. Each is anindividual product that takes precision and time to build to such a high standard.

“All of our hulls are naval architecturally designed by Jarrod Hall, with a full weight study using MaxSurf software, carried out in the design stage, to ensure all our boats perform. We don’t cut and hope like some builders”, says Allan.

All aspects of a boat are completed in-house from cutting plate on their CNC Router right through to paint, upholstery and complete fitout of the boat. One of the secrets is the full-length longitudinal girders and frames are fully welded and not just tacked or stitched, which Allan says adds to the rigidity of the hull and also eliminates any hull slapping noise. A run from the recent Auckland On Water Boat Show to Gulf Harbour in a short

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The central live bait tank is one of three.

Overnighting is available with an infill. A plumbed in head is fitted under the squabs.

choppy sea proved that convincingly.

Because all the frames and girders are intact with no space frame of structure, there is plenty captive buoyancy under the sole. There is a lot of construction in the boat that adds to its rigidity and exceptional rough water ride. For example under the cockpit sole are four full-length girders, the same number of full-length stringers, an 8mm keel bar and eight frames. The 7.6m x 2.6m hull of the Cape Runner comes with an 8mm hull as standard, with 5mm topsides and 4mm superstructure. Dry hull weight is 2000kg, with a trailerable weight of around 3000kg with fuel.

Another aspect of the design is the plumb bow, which while not traditional in alloy boats, is a growing trend, with custom based alloy boat builders. This has two main advantages; increased waterline length and greater volume in the boat. For a 7.4m boat, there is a lot more space forward than some competitors boats of a similar size.

While the boats are not built to Lloyds Specs, you wouldn’t know as the finish is exceptional in every aspect of the building process. Plus with that 100%, A1 quality you also get a boat that has been designed from the outset to perform to its marks and as Allan points out; “We know exactly what our boats will do on the water while they are still in CAD stage….there are NO surprises”.

them for Blue Kohera”, says Allan. He added that they usually have all four rigged and ready, so there’s no time lost when you need a new bait in a hurry, or getting tangles in the bait tank.

Mac tubes are common overseas but not so in New Zealand. Not being big on game fishing, I didn’t even know they existed. You learn something every day.

In the centre of the transom is another live bait tank, with a custom made bait board above, flanked by a battery and switch storage locker and the step through, to the boarding platform.

It’s not a self-draining cockpit, but the deep sump and pump soon get any cockpit water away.

While there is limited rod storage under the coamings, you can get 11 tubes in the rod rack, so that’s probably going to cover all you need for a day’s fishing. Gaffs and tag poles can be stowed either side of the cockpit.

Down the centre of the cockpit are storage lockers forward, plus a 390-litre fuel tank and a deep kill locker aft. The alloy deck has been finished with Seadeck in the workable cockpit space and Frontrunner carpet in the area under the hardtop.

Like the rest of the boat, the seating design is optional, but Allan feels that the layout we had in the test boat is practical and efficient. The seating both sides are built over alloy units, each with storage areas built-in. To port is a couple of handy tackle or gear draws, plus an 85-litre fridge. To starboard, there is storage under the helm seat and space aft for a pull out 90-litre cooler bin.

The seating layout has a hinged backrest so you can have the option of a single seat facing forward or transform the aft seat into a day lounge on the port side. Aft of the swivelling helm seat is another rear facing squab with high backrest.

The dedicated fishing aspects don’t stop at the cockpit, with the Cape Runner 740 sporting a collapsable tuna tower on the hardtop. This can be erected very quickly and is used when you need some height to watch your lures or and spotting fish schools.

Fish Welcome When you promote a boat as a dedicated sports fisher, then you have to make sure the cockpit is designed for the task. The Cape Runner 740 does all that and more. While being very much a custom build, each owner has very much duplicated the main features, which have been tried and tested. Most noticeable for me was the pair of live bait tubes. To port, there is a couple of tuna tubes and opposite on the starboard coaming a quad set up for keeping mackerel alive.

“We fish Kingfish international events and a lot of light line tackle comps, so the Mac tubes are perfect, although we tend to use WWW.BOATMAGS.COM

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BOAT TEST

MAKAIRA CAPE RUNNER 740 Big Dash Fisherman love big screens and the dash of the Cape Runner 740 means you can just about have any size. Our boat was fitted with a Furuno TZ12, and there was still plenty of space for the Honda Garmin engine management, Fusion MSARA70 stereo, ICOM VHF, and controls for a Lewmar Profish 1000 anchor winch and Zipwake controls.

Add to those the usual array of switches and there was still room for more.

Yes, the forward cabin is roomy enough to stay overnight with an infill between the two berths. A toilet is plumbed in forward, with a privacy curtain also available. Fully lined throughout, the cabin reflects a warm appeal

Outboard or Sterndrive The Cape Runner 740 is available with a single outboard from 225hp right through to 350hp, with our boat running a Honda 250. If you prefer a diesel or petrol sterndrive, then you will need to look at the Cape Runner 750, which has been designed SPECIFICATIONS Model: Makaira Cape Runner 740 Priced from: $NZ191,000 (with Furuno TZ12) Price as tested: $NZ225,000 Type: Hardtop Construction:: Aluminium 8mm/5mm LOA: 7.60m Beam: 2.60m Deadrise: 18 deg Height on trailer: 3.4m Trailerable Wgt: 3000 kg (fuelled) Power: Honda 250 Power options: Outboard Only Propeller: Lexor 16” Fuel capacity: 390 Litres Trailer: Alloy Manufacturer: Makaira Boats Ph +64 21 121 8889, info@makairaboats.co.nz www.makairaboats.co.nz

explicitly for sterndrive power from 225-300hp. The main difference being the hull is 100mm longer to carry the extra weight and the fuel tank capacity is increased to 450 litres.

Honda four-strokes have always been known for sipping fuel through a very thin straw, even at higher rpms and cruising speeds and the new BF250 is no exception to that rule.

Trolling at 1750rpm, the fuel-efficient Honda 250 on the Cape Runner was only using around 7 lph, which gives the boat a range around 300 nm. If you are planning a long offshore trip to the Three Kings from Houhora Harbour you need know you have plenty of fuel for the 150nm round trip and a few days fishing. At around 21 knots, the Honda 250 will burn approximately 25 lph and give you a range (based on 90% fuel load) of 250-260nm.

Somewhere between 3500-4500 rpm is the sweet spot for this engine, where it uses 1.4 to 1.5 lpnm.

Honda’s BF250 is a high-performance 3.6L VTEC engine that incorporates technological advancements from both Honda’s automotive and marine outboard engine lines. Integrated into the BF250 design is Honda’s Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control (a.k.a. VTEC for short).

VTEC works to vary the lift and duration of the intake valve opening to deliver optimal performance at both low and high rpm, resulting in peak performance at all speeds. The technology provides a broad, flat torque curve and smooth power delivery throughout the engine’s entire operating range.

During my assessment of the Cape Runner 740, I was impressed with the on-demand power of the Honda, with no dead spots and loads of low down ‘grunt’ to get the boat up and moving. Also extremely quiet right throughout the power band.

I also found that in the choppy seas during the test, the Zipwake tabs work well set in the automatic mode. They let you drive the boat while they do all the trimming. If you don’t agree with what they do, then you can switch to manual and set the boat up the way you want.

Maximum speed was 35 knots, which was plenty for this boat and while much more is attainable with more power, I question the need for it.

Loaded The boats come from the factory very highly speced, so there is not a lot you need to add. Painted hull is extra, as are the electronics, but a lot of what you expect to be extras features on the standard package list. Certainly, the Makaira cannot be faulted when it comes to building quality, especially in the areas that an owner never sees. Full marks to Allan and his team for producing an exceptional alloy sportfisher.

The wide access to the boarding platform allows you to drag in a reasonably large marlin aboard.

FUEL & PERFORMANCE DATA RPM 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 5000 5500 5900

Knots 4.0 6.0 7.5 8.5 11.5 17.0 23.5 27.0 30.5 33.0 35.0

L/h 3.1 6 8.8 12.4 18 23.5 30 38 48.8 63.4 85

L/NM 0.780 1.000 1.200 1.500 1.600 1.400 1.300 1.500 1.600 2.000 2.500

Range(NM) 450 350 290 230 210 250 270 230 210 170 140

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The makaira Differnce

At Makaira Boats we are a passionate team of aluminium boat builders and game fishers who live and breath boats and sport-fishing.

Our aim is to build the best quality offshore aluminium sport-fishing boats on the market.

Makaira Boats: 24a Klinac Lane, Waipapa, Bay of Islands.

Contact Allan: +64 21 121 8889 info@makairaboats.co.nz

www.makairaboats.co.nz DB245

PURPOSE BUILT ALUMINIUM SPORT-FISHING BOATS

30 Years & still at the helm Interview with

Steve McLay To be in the boat building business for 30 years is an accomplishment in itself but to still be under the same ownership is even a more significant achievement. For Steve McLay, that three-decade journey started in 1986, when he made the big decision to move away from his general engineering business and concentrate 100% on building boats.

FOR DIGITAL READERS CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE VIDEO

Steve McLay has been at the helm of McLay Boats for 30 years.

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How did you get into boat building?

I started Toko Engineering in 1980, with business partner Alvin Stephen, concentrating on farm equipment and general engineering and we had a great business based in Milton.

In 1985 we built a couple of alloy boats and in that same year I brought out Alvin’s share of the business.

I found that there was a lot of interest in the boats we built and before I knew it I was in the boat building business. In December 1985 I changed the name to Toko Engineering & Marine, making boats alongside the general engineering business.

I got Alvin to build the trailers under the Toko brand and he has remained doing it ever since.

The 591 XL Sportsman is the latest edition to the growing McLay Boats range.

When did the boating side start to take over?

By the end of 1986, I had sold seven boats and I soon realised that the boat building side of the business had a huge potential to grow. One of our first models was the McLay B1800 and by the end of 1987, we had sold 40 boats. Interestingly we still see some of those boats around today and recently we just completed a repower on one that was 28 years old.

We did nearly 200 of the B1800 over the next five years as well as introduced new models and started to grow the range. By 1989 with both the boat building and general engineering businesses running in tandem I had to make the call as to whether I wanted to be full-time boat builder or general engineer.

Boat builder won out and in 1998 I changed the name of the company to McLay Boats. Over the following years, we expanded the business, set up a nationwide dealer network and acquired a few more factories to cope with the demand as the first factory just wasn’t big enough. I have to admit that I never envisaged the company would grow to what it is today.

In 2006 I acquired 2 hectares of land at the northern end of Milton and designed a purpose-built a one-stop 3800sqm factory. That made for a few challenging years having big mortgages and on top of that the GFC, but I don’t regret the decision to invest in the new factory. It has made production so much easier and more efficient.

Had the GFC struck before we built, I would have probably delayed the decision for some years and who knows maybe still not had the new factory.

Steve personally tests all his new models and catching fish is a great way to check them out.

A famous shot of one of the first B1600s crossing the Taieri Bar taken around 1986.

McLay Boats first hard top.

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30 Years & still at the helm: steve mclay What has been the main reason for the brand’s success?

We make a very stable, good handling boat at a realistic price. Right from boat one, we have always prided ourselves on producing a good quality product both from a construction point of view and also how it performs on the water. Clients appreciate both and our repeat business is a testimony to that. We have owners that upgrade their models as circumstances dictate and while there are plenty of other brands to consider, it’s always pleasing to see them repurchasing a McLay. The reputation of the brand has grown and grown and that has undoubtedly been bolstered by an active dealer network and from owners who promote the virtues of their own McLay to their mates. Resale value is also a great plus for our owners, as the boats hold their value and it’s interesting to see how the prices hold up even for some of our earliest models.

We produce a quintessential South island value for money product without compromise.

It’s that simple!

S! E I

R TY E S AN

*

S AR S S W

R

Attention to detail is obvious in every McLay that leaves the factory.

Savwinch Boat Anchor Winches

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W YEA E N 7

Introducing the new Savwinch SSS Winches!

316 Stainless Steel from top to bottom! *316 Stainless Steel Motor *316 Stainless Steel Gearbox *316 Stainless Steel Motor The preferred Winch for McLays!

International Award Winning Electronic Fast Fall System!

Drops your anchor almost as fast as you can drop it!

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TOKO TRAILERS LTD SPECIALISTS SPECIALISTS IN IN LOW LOW MAINTENENCE MAINTENENCE TRAILERS TRAILERS

Toko Trailers is a family owned and operated business with over 30 years trailer manufacturing experience.

Specializing in NZ made low maintenance boat and domestic/car trailers.

Alvin and his highly trained team can custom design a trailer to suit your needs.

Phone 03 417 8727 97 Union St, Milton, Otago email: tokotrailers@xtra.co.nz www.tokotrailers.co.nz

Where are your markets?

The North Island has been our biggest market for many years, and we are currently enjoying healthy exports to not only Australia and New Caledonia, but also Europe, in particular, Sweden. The South Island has remained a strong market for us and by virtue of our location, the McLay brand is still hugely popular in the lower half of the island.

The Australian market has been a hard market to break into, but we are continually increasing our presence there as more dealers come onboard. It is important to be able to supply the boats that are ordered, so having a select group of dealers, strategically placed around Australia and New Zealand is important. Nothing worse than not being able to supply the demand. We know our capabilities and run our business accordingly.

Congratulations to Steve and his team on their 30 Year Anniversary – proud to be McLay Boats trailer supplier….

CONGRATULATING McLAY BOATS ON 30 YEARS

U-DEK

BY ULTRALON

SMART, CUSTOM DECKING SOLUTIONS FOR PROTECTING YOUR BOAT

www.ultralonfoam.com

The B1800 was one of the company’s best ever selling models.

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DB246

McLay build around 200 boats a year, with the average size now increasing to over 6m

30 Years & still at the helm: steve mclay The premises at Milton is a purposebuilt one-stop 3800sqm factory.

Released a couple of years ago, the crossXover range has proven extremely popular.

How have the designs changed over the years?

boats when the hardtop market came about we were right into it. Our first examples could be described as a little ‘agricultural’ in appearance, but they have been a continual changing canvas and today’s boats are nothing like those of two decades ago.

A boat needs style as much as performance and handling and that’s where getting the look of a hardtop is so important. I think we have done better than most in our industry.

I also give all my staff a lot of credit for our success and they, like me, take pride in every boat that leaves our Milton factory.

Without them, there wouldn’t be a business.

Massively, would be the best way to describe the changes over the past 30 years. Trends and styles have changed and I have always had a passion for continually redesigning existing models or adding new ones. Even when we know we have a great model, that sells well, I still look at ways to make it even better. That may be as little as adding 200mm to the cockpit as we have just done on the popular Sportsman 591 and added another model we simply called the Sportsman 591XL. Often this is driven by clients and dealers and I am always happy to take notice of what they have to say.

We have also seen a significant move into bigger trailer boats, especially hardtops and that has its challenges, especially in the design and production aspects. We don’t build pontoon or rigid inflatable boats as such, but we have had huge success with our crossXover series which incorporates the buoyancy and stability aspects of a pontoon boat but without compromising the aesthetics of the hull.

While in the early days we did a lot of runabouts and cabin

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What’s the future for McLay Boats ?

I now have my son working in the business and obviously, I would like to retire in a few years and see the company maintain it’s market leading presence. There will be a lot more boats coming out the doors over the next few years. As for new designs, that will be determined by the market and if there is a change in a particular direction that is financially viable, we will certainly look to follow it.

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SPORTSMAN HARDTOP 591 XL PACKAGE.

Go to our website for Most models specifications and pricing or get down to your local available with dealer for details the light weight Mercury 4 stroke outboards

MCLAY BOATS ARE AVAILABLE FROM DEALERSHIPS NATIONWIDE:

DB255

WHANGAREI: Warren Hay Marine, ph 09 430 2666. AUCKLAND: Fish City, Albany, ph 09 476 4282.

HAMILTON: Fish City, Frankton, ph 07 846 6675. WHAKATANE: Oceansports Marine Ltd, ph 07 308 4241.

NEW PLYMOUTH: West Coast Marine 06 759 0939. WELLINGTON: Boat City, ph 04 298 5931.

MOTUEKA: Bays Boating, ph 03 528 5200. CHRISTCHURCH: Powerboat Centre, ph 03 389 1146.

DUNEDIN: McLay Boats Milton, ph 03 417 8135. INVERCARGILL Marine South ph 03 218 2700

BOAT TEST

INNOVISION 515

Little

BIG BOAT INNOVISION’S latest model packs a lot into a compact, capable package.

TEXT BY MIKE ROSE

The seventh and latest offering from the board of passionate fisherman and ex international sailor Simon Minoprio is also his smallest to date. Although named the Innovision 515 Sports, it certainly doesn’t look, or feel, like a 5-metre boat.

That’s probably because, despite is nomenclature, it isn’t.

It actually has an LOA of 5.25m and a beam of 2.25m. It also has the trademark Innovision plumb bow, meaning most of that LOA also translates into waterline length.

As every boatie knows, and we again had (literally) banged into us in the choppy waters off Tutukaka, when it comes to a smooth ride in less-than-smooth seas, there is no substitute for waterline length.

Simon is building his still fledging business, and his growing reputation, on his boats’ ability to handle the short, nasty chop that is so often a feature of the relatively shallow coastal waters that surround the north-eastern part of New Zealand.

He also likes using the phrase “big little boat” to describe his designs: vessels that occupy a relatively small footprint

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and are therefore easy to power, garage and tow, while being able to safely navigate through sea states that would normally challenge boats of this size.

The 515 Sports is a great example: despite being constructed from certified marine grade 5083 aluminium, it has a trailerable weight of just 1300kgs and, on our test boat at least, is powered by Yamaha F90 outboard. Although Simon rates the 515 for anywhere from 75 to 130hp, the F90 proved more than adequate. With two reasonably large fellows on board we managed to reach a respectable 34 knots in the calm water inside the heads. Cruising-wise, 4000rpm gave us 22 knots at 15.3lph and 4500 gave us 26 knots at 20.3lph.

Outside the heads was another matter. With a confused and often not very pleasant 1-metre chop, it was not the sort of water many 5-metre boat owners would choose to go out in, certainly not for fun. Even fewer, I suspect, would the run hard out across, down and into those seas. Yet, not for the first time, Simon’s design surprises. While no boat of this

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Tight turning, even in choppy conditions, is not a problem.

size would be comfortable charging into this sort of chop, the landing was nowhere near as harsh as experience had taught me to expect. There was also no tendency to stop in the troughs, that buoyant bow had us quickly powering up the next face.

Running across and down the waves was, as one would expect, even better. The ride was always predictable with no hint of yawing or wanting to broach.

As the accompanying pictures show, the ride was also surprising dry, the 515’s hull directing the spray down and aft, and, most importantly away from where we were standing.

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Smart interior When a boat is described as “entry level” there is a perception that it is something pretty basic; a sort of bare bones offering that can be added to and dressed up as finances allow.

The 515 does not really conform to that model, probably because Simon is such a perfectionist. As a result, with a “price from” of $62,000 and a “price as tested” of just over $80,000, it is more likely to appeal to those specifically wanting a very smart offering in this size of boat.

There is certainly very little of the bare alloy one would reasonably expect in an entry level vessel. Most of the

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BOAT TEST

INNOVISION 515

The 515’s plumb bow increases its usable waterline length.

A practical baitboard, livebait tank, big side pockets and a treadplate floor.

Small certainly does not mean basic.

aluminium surfaces in the front half of the boat are painted white and those that aren’t are covered in frontrunner. Further aft, in the cockpit proper, the most visible surfaces, the coamings and transom top, are all fitted with a smart grey anti-skid while the floor is treadplate.

The twin seats are of the box variety, upholstered on the front, top and back, meaning it is equally comfortable to stand and lean or perch on top. Both also feature an aft-facing folding queen seat.

The compact dash is large enough to accommodate the Yamaha gauges, a Raymarine A78 MFD, Raymarine VHF, Blue Seas DC switchboard and the control panel for the Maxwell RC6 windlass. There is also a handy carpeted side locker, just for’ard of the throttle control, which is ideal for car keys, cellphone, sunglasses and the like.

There is an even larger locker over on port for the crew and a wide grab rail across the cabin entrance will no doubt be warmly welcomed by those who choose to stand.

One aspect that particularly appeals is the raised return separating the 515’s cuddy cabin from the cockpit. Not only does this double as a comfortable footrest, complete with anti-skid, it also ensure items placed in the cuddy stay there, rather than

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sliding aft into the unprotected open space of the cockpit.

The windscreen is an attractive 5-panel affair although Simon does offer the option of a walk-through for those so inclined.

As one would expect from a boat of this size, primarily designed for fishing and diving, the cockpit is a simple, uncluttered space.

There is, however, everything one needs for a successful and enjoyable day out. Under the floor, for’ard of the 125-litre fuel tank, is a spacious underfloor locker, complete with gutter, that can be used for dry stowage or, with the optional kill tank bins, as a place to stow and keep cool the catch.

There is also a livebait tank under the port side walk-through to the platform and an aluminium bait board, complete with four rod holders and a towing knob. Rightly recognising that one can never have too many rod holders, regardless of how small the boat may be, Simon has installed another four per side in the gunwales and another six in the fold-down arch that supports the bimini.

Rather than run two relatively narrow side lockers on each side, Simon has opted for a single deep one and installed a handy Jabsco washdown system in the port side one, sensibly close to the livebait tank.

As with all the Innovision boats I have reviewed, the 515’s

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The coamings slope outwards and, thanks to the protective antiskid and flush-mounted rod holders, are easy to both stand and sit upon.

Everything one needs in a boat of this size, easy to see and operate.

The cuddy is solely for stowage.

engineering is of a standard one would expect on a far bigger and much more expensive vessel. The battery is safely stowed in a carpeted transom locker, which also neatly guides all the cabling and wiring from the helm station, down through a tidy tube and the smart connection points below, to the engine, pumping systems and fuel tank.

Summary The 515 Sport is Innovision’s fifth model and the smallest yet. Like its predecessors, it has that eye-catching plumb bow and distinctive reverse sheer topsides (the transom at the waterline is wider than at the gunwales).

It also has the brand’s notable ability to handle rough water and uncomfortable chop, although obviously not to the same degree as its bigger siblings.

The 515 is by no means the most affordable boat of this size on the market but I would hazard a guess that it is perhaps the best built and the most well appointed.

While it may not fit the budget of a cashstrapped first timer wanting to get on the boating ladder, it is likely to appeal to someone seeking a manageable, inexpensive-to-use runabout that is both easy to launch and retrieve by oneself, and capable of safely handling a moderate sea if one should spring up.

SPECIFICATIONS Model & Model: Innovision 515 Priced from: $62,500 Price as tested: $80,790 Type: Cuddy Construction: 5083 Alloy LOA: 6.25m Beam: 2.25m Deadrise: 18 degrees Trailerable weight: 1300kg Test Power: Yamaha F90 Propeller: 16” 13 ¼” HP Range: 75-130Hp Fuel capacity: 125 litres Trailer: Innovision Custom Alloy Boat Supplied by: Innovision Boats, Simon Minoprio, Ph +64 (0)21407000 E: simon@innovisionboats.com

FUEL & PERFORMANCE DATA RPM 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 5000 5500 6000

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Knots 4 5 7 8 11 17 22 26 29 33 34

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L/h 2 3.4 4.7 8.5 10.3 13.2 15.3 20.3 32.5 37 38

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With an aft-facing folding queen seat, the twin box seats are upholstered on the front, top and back, making it is equally comfortable to stand and lean, or sit on top.

This boat could be protected against the effects of corrosion, oxidation and discolouration.

The ideal cost effective product to protect your valuable asset. www.nyalic.co.nz

T H E N AT U R E O F M O U L D & M I L D E W As anyone who owns a boat knows, keeping mould and mildew at bay is a constant battle and whenever one goes into a battle it helps to know the enemy.

Exterior fabrics require protection, although good quality UV resistant materials are the best bet.

We recognise mould as a white, or greyish,“fuzz” that appears, almost everywhere, under the right conditions. The words “mould” and “mildew,” although they have technically different meanings, are used interchangeably in this article.

Moulds perform a very valuable, even critical, function in nature. Their mission on earth is to digest, and therefore get rid of, the organic world.

Without them, fallen trees would never rot and disappear, dead birds and animals would pile up and the world would soon be piled high with all manner of dead, unpleasant things. In other words the decaying process is nature’s way of recycling and moulds are major recycling tools.

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Mould spores are very small and light and can move freely through the air on even the slightest breeze. Mould spores are so small it has been estimated that one square metre of mouldy drywall. When fully colonized, can be home to more than a billion of them! They are so light that they can hang in the air for days and can travel on the wind from Hobart to Auckland in a week. British meteorological sampling aircraft have reported mould spores crossed the North Sea from Denmark to England in only two days.

Mould spores are hardened containers and each one possesses all the DNA required to reproduce. There’s no need for a male and female spore. If, in their travels, they bang into a solid object, they rebound

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If the boat is not properly ventilated, especially when stored, the fabric suffers and deteriorates

and continue on. High or low temperature have little effect on moulds as they waft from place to place. I once forgot a piece of left-over pot roast that somehow got shoved to the back of the bottom shelf of my fridge. It was in a lidded plastic container and yet within less than a month it had grown more “hair” than I had. Researchers have concluded that many moulds are so hardy they can lie dormant for up to forty years before “hatching”!

If a mould spore, in its travels, bumps into a moist object it will stick, and if the object remains moist for 24 hours, the spore will begin to grow. Mould is one of the few natural organisms that can grow, and reproduce, without light. The shell breaks open, revealing a single body.

Then groping arms, called hyphae, begin to grow, octopus like, from the body. As the arms grow, more hyphae grow from them, and more from the new arms and so on.

Mould feeds by excreting enzymes through the hyphae. These enzymes break down the organic materials, making them digestible to the mould, which then absorbs the nutrients directly through its cell walls.

When the hyphae start feeding on items that would poison the mould, they “spray” the poison off into the surrounding air, as a gas, and digest and consume only the non-poisonous content of the material. It is this gas that gives us the “musty” or “rubbery” smell we often associate with mould and mildew. Generally, by the time one detects the smell, the mould has gotten a good hold and is growing rapidly.

Many people have a bad reaction in the presence of mould some times and not at other times. The reaction depends, not on the presence of the moulds themselves, but rather on the gasses the moulds give off and that depends on what they have been eating.

The ability of moulds to “gas off” material that could poison them gives rise to what researchers have called the “sick building syndrome,” and most boats can suffer the same fate if colonised by mould and mildew.

Stainless steel, melamine laminate (one trade name is Formica) and similar inorganic materials have often been considered impervious to mould growth. However, they are traditionally used for food preparation counter tops. These counter tops are usually wiped “clean” with kitchen cloths used for general kitchen clean-up. These rags themselves are never truly clean and they really wipe up only the “big chunks.” They, therefore, leave minute amounts of food on the surfaces – a veritable smorgasbord for mould. It is this food the mould feeds on.

Mould can also cause serious physical, cosmetic and structural damage. As mould grows it digests, and damages, whatever it grows on and if it gets a good hold on carpet or upholstery those items almost always have to be junked. A similar fate awaits ceiling tiles and

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headliners. If mould takes hold on cloth, leather or vinyl it can destroy them quickly. Moulds love cotton thread used as stitching on cushions and they can destroy it quickly. Once the cushions are “opened up” the mould will quickly colonize the cushion stuffing and it will have to be junked.

As noted earlier, mould can also take hold on hard surfaces such as melamine laminates, fibreglass or even stainless steel. The enzyme the mould spore excretes as it feeds creates a microscopic roughness on any shiny surfaces. We once cleaned a mould covered stainless steel counter top and noted that the surface had a number of dull blotches scattered randomly across it in the exact locations of the biggest clumps of mould. We had to polish out the dull blotches and that was a lot of work.

Once mould gets a hold on high gloss melamine laminate, the enzymes dull the finish and the original finish cannot be restored. The surface will have to be refinished with a special paint.

Mould is stubborn and to kill it the surface must be scrubbed vigorously with a stiff brush and detergent, or better still a solution of 90% water and 10% household bleach. The area should then be rinsed thoroughly and dried. Simply wiping it off with a damp rag will not do the trick.

Mould not only damages boats, it can also be a health hazard. Many studies tie exposure to mould and mildew to a variety of health problems, most of them relating to respiratory systems.

As noted above, mould spores are constantly on the move, in the millions, through the air. They are everywhere. They are very small, very light and very hardy so it’s really not possible to keep them out of any structure, so there’s no point in trying. Since it’s impossible to shut the mould spores out, what we have to do is control interior conditions so the little suckers can’t “hatch” and grow.

CLEANING UP Cleaning up mould and mildew is not a difficult job – it just takes a bit of knowledge time and elbow grease. Mould is one of the few things in nature that can grow and reproduce without light. That means it can grow in dark corners of drawers, under bunks, in the back of cupboards and other areas that never see the light of day. Therefore the first step in cleaning up mould is to discover exactly where it is growing. This is important, since even the smallest amount left after a clean-up will immediately begin to grow and spread to the freshly cleaned areas.

Once the extent of the mould has been established, a mould eradication kit should be assembled. That kit should contain protective (rubber) gloves, eye protection, a stiff scrubbing brush, a number of wiping rags

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Often all it takes is a light rub with a cloth coated in cleaning liquid to get the squabs back to looking new.

The difference is obvious and all it takes is the right cleaner and some ‘elbow grease’.

or sponges, and a hard-bristled toothbrush. Also in the kit should be any of the mould and mildew cleaners available at most marine retailers.

Another very good cleaner is a solution of 10 % household bleach and 90 % fresh water. Adding more bleach will not make cleaning easier.

Since many of the mould cleaning products contain a bleach of some type, test any cleaning solution on a small area of material to be cleaned up, in order to make sure that the material is colour fast.

Wipe, or spray, the cleaning solution directly onto the mould and scrub it vigorously with the scrubbing brush. Don’t forget to wear eye protection.

Use the toothbrush in tight areas. Once the mould is loosened, wipe it away and clean the area with fresh water. Then dry it, either with a

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clean cloth, or, better still, let it air dry.

If the mould has taken a good hold on fabrics, even the best clean-up, while it will remove the mould, may well not remove the stains caused by the mould. Generall nothing can be done about that other than to replace the fabric. If curtains, carpet, cushions, bedding, or the like, are attacked there are two approaches to solving the problem. The first is to junk them and if the mildew has spread through the fabric, that’s probably the best approach.

However, if the items do not show major marking they can be washed in a regular washing machine, with regular detergent, then soaked in a cold 5% bleach/water solution for 24 hours and then machine washed

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THE SOFTRIDER IS THE ULTIMATE NZ MADE MARINE PEDESTAL...

It utilises a gas powered cylinder inside the pedestal to absorb the harshness of boating, enabling height adjustment and suspension. With 8 different Softrider heights and 2 sliders and Footrests to choose from, the Softrider Pedestal is a must. Check out our range of Fixed Height pedestals. All our pedestals can be used in conjunction with all our seating range.

A serious case of mould, which may be better to replace the fabric.

again. If the items can be dried naturally in the sun, that should be done. If not, machine drying works fine. Carpet is usually most difficult to clean this way, so it is usually the first item junked.

The manufacturers of some of the mould control products on the market state that after the mould is removed the product should not be flushed off with fresh water. The purpose behind this is to leave some of the active mould fighting ingredient in the product on the surface to fight mould regeneration. There is a school of thought that holds that all mouldy surfaces, after the mould has been cleaned, should be wiped down with bleach and allowed to air dry. This, too, will leave some of the mould fighting ingredients on the surface. There’s nothing wrong with that approach as long as bleach, or other mould fighting product, is not left to dry on surfaces used to prepare food or which regularly come into contact with people on the boat.

Once the mould is cleaned up a boater should concentrate on eliminating the conditions which led to mould and mildew build-up.

Mould requires only two items to grow. The first is moisture and the second is food. Moisture comes in two forms. The most obvious is water leaking into the boat so a good mould control regime is to track down any leaks and stop them. The second, and not so obvious, source of moisture is water vapour. The amount of water vapour in the air, compared to the amount the air is capable of holding before it condenses into a visible liquid, is measured as relative humidity. Relative humidity in excess of 60% will be sufficient for mould to start to grow.

Since water vapour, unlike a leak, is invisible it is much more difficult to track, but is easy to measure with an instrument called a hygrometer. These instruments, available at any marine chandlery, home supply store, or hardware store, can range in price from about $25 to a few hundred dollars.

The more expensive ones are, generally, more accurate and respond more quickly to changing conditions. If a boater is serious about keeping a boat mould and mildew free, a hygrometer is a must. It’s the only readily available, relatively inexpensive, instrument that will measure relative humidity. Without a hygrometer, a boater cannot tell if changes in ventilating, or heating, are doing the job.

The easiest way to keep water vapour under control is to make sure a boat is properly ventilated. It is important to stop the leaks and control the humidity or mould will start to grow again after clean-up.

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HELMBOLSTER The Deluxe Captain Bolster Seat is part of our extensive seating range. This modern helm chair with chunky aluminium frame. Is for those looking for that solid modern look and comes with lift up arms for ease of access. .

HI TECH PLASTICS BOLSTER SEAT The Hi Tech Plastics Bolster seat is a rotational moulded seat featuring maximum strength, comfort and durability. NZ made upholstery featuring marine grade high impact foam with 70mm cushioning, heavy duty stitching and marine grade vinyl. It also features UV stabilised vinyl and high quality 316 stainless steel fixings which will stand the test of time. The perfect Stand and drive or sitting helm seat. Meets the Standards recommended by ABYC.

BOLSTER ELITE The all new Hi Tech Elite Bolster Seat is now part of our extensive seating range.

This modern helm chair is perfect for those looking for that solid modern look and comes with lift-up bolster for ease of access and stand up sit down comfort.

Strong rotationally moulded frame with moulded inserts for Bolster arms and Swivel fixing.

DB240

Hi Tech Plastics 2002 Ltd and Marine Tech Industries 10 CLow Place, PO Box 5303, Frankton, Hamilton 3242, New Zealand.

Phone +64 7 843 3343 Fax: +64 7 843 3346 email: info@hitechplastics.co.nz

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BOAT TEST

SEABOSS 620 HT

The Mercury 150 four-stroke was a good match, and we managed to achieve 41.0 knots.

I’d confidently describe Seaboss as a boutique brand.

While they don’t pump huge numbers into the market, they have a very strong following. It’s a brand you don’t hear any negative stories about. I have reviewed a number of Seaboss boats over the years and had always rated them as one of the better boutique builders.

What I like about Seaboss is that you aren’t overwhelmed with the offerings. There are only five models in the range, consisting of two cabin models – the 550 and 620 as well as three hardtops in the 620HT, 670HT and 700HT. You can choose a boat that suits your size bracket, add the options you want, and away you go.

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Being a boutique brand, the sole dealer is Thompson Marine, run and owned by Ron and Julie Baskett who have owned and operated the business since 1996. They started to build and provide Seaboss Boats to the market in 1997 and for a brand to survive 20-years in the New Zealand market certainly says something about the quality and performance. Certainly much bigger brands have been and gone in that time.

The boats are built locally in Rotorua, and there is a steady stream of hulls coming through the factory where they await the finishing touches for their new owners.

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UNDERRATED The quiet achiever in the New Zealand market, Seaboss is a small brand, with a limited range and by all accounts is underrated. Freddy Foote set off for Rotorua to check out the revised 620 HT model.

helm.

The helm area is finished in aluminium, with the two Mercury engine gauges above, a Garmin MFD below and switch panel alongside. Though this particular model wasn’t fitted with them, sliding windows are available for the helm and passenger sides.

Seating was made up of squab upholstered seats mounted on bases with storage available underneath. This configuration is just one of many options available. I would be inclined to go for a king/queen style seat up where you would gain extra seating and storage without sacrificing too much cockpit space.

Room to Move The Seaboss 620 HT sits in the middle of the range and is also available in a cabin version. The 620 HT has a roomy and functional layout, with all the amenities you would expect to find on a boat in this size bracket.

Forward in the cabin, there is storage space available underneath the two side squabs, and side shelves. Not the size boat that you will overnight on, however, the cabin has more than enough room to stow away all your gear.

A hatch is located on the foredeck, giving access to the anchor well, although an auto rope/chain capstan can be fitted, allowing all anchoring duties to be performed at the

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BOAT TEST

In the centre of the transom are two large lockers that house all the onboard systems.

SEABOSS 620 HT

A removable bin seat aft also provided additional seating space should you need and can quickly be moved out of the way when not needed.

Storage in the 620 HT was quite plentiful, with a large underfloor compartment between the two seats, carpeted side shelves providing great storage options for rods and some small storage shelves built into the sides of the helm area.

Across the transom, you’ll find a very generous full widthboarding platform, with a substantial ‘T’ style-boarding ladder in the starboard corner providing access through to the walk-thru. Opposite is a sizeable live bait tank with viewing window, while in the middle is a really neat bait station with storage underneath, rod holders and cup holders built in.

In the centre of the transom are two large lockers that house all the onboard systems for the boat such as the batteries and switches. There are four-rod holders built into the coamings and a further six in the rocket launcher.

A big wide opening gives easy access to the cabin.

Plenty of side storage and deep toe kicks for stand-up fishing.

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Max Power We took the 620 HT out for a spin on Lake Tarawera, arguably one of the most picturesque lakes in the Rotorua district. Our test boat was fitted with a Mercury 150hp fourstroke, the maximum engine rating for the hull.

The Mercury 150 4S was a good match, and we managed to squeeze 41.0 knots out of the boat with a comfortable cruise speed of 31 knots at 4000rpm. The 150hp 4S sits at the high end of the horsepower rating for the hull, with it able to be powered by as little as 115hp. I reckon the 150hp was a good option, especially if you want to load the boat up with gear and passengers. Feeding the 150hp 4S is a 130L underfloor fuel tank.

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Across the transom, you’ll find a full width-boarding platform, with a substantial ‘T’ style-boarding ladder.

Sensitive to Trim

Boutique Brand

I found the 620 HT quite sensitive to trim when underway, noticing that when you trim the bow of the boat down, you experience a significant decrease in speed. Trim it up, and it gathers speed quite quickly.

The 620 hull has a 5mm bottom with 4mm sides, with a 3mm cabin. The hull is a relatively shallow deadrise of 17 deg. Our test day conditions were virtually calm, so was quite difficult to find any rough water. However, I have tested similarly sized hulls from the Seaboss range in the past, and I’ve always found them to be a solid performer. Stability at rest was good, with the hull only showing a very slight heel as two of us moved around the cockpit.

The 620HT comes on a tandem axle trailer and weights around 1420kg. Launching and retrieving wasn’t a problem, with two of us managing easily enough.

Overall, the 620 HT is a great boat. Well finished, well appointed and for a touch over $89,000, it’s a lot of boat for your money. As I outlined earlier, Seaboss is a boutique brand with a compact range that caters to most sectors of the alloy boat market. The quality and finish of the boats has always been up with the very best and being a smaller brand, Ron Baskett and his team apply even more attention to detail in presenting a fabulously wellfinished product.

With a steady number of hulls continuously coming through the factory, you won’t have the wait time of some of the much bigger brands with dealer networks, so getting that new boat for this summer probably won’t take as long as you might think.

Stability at rest was good.

Not an overnighter but still plenty of space.

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BOAT TEST

The 620 HT has a roomy and functional layout.

SEABOSS 620 HT

SPECIFICATIONS Model: Price as tested: Type: Construction: LOA: Beam: Deadrise: Height on trailer: Trailerable weight: Test Power: Propeller: Power options: HP Range: Fuel Capacity: Trailer:

Seaboss 620 HT $89,750 Hardtop Alumnium 6.2m 2.42m 17 Degree 2.95m 1420kg 150hp 19� Mirage SS Outboard 115hp-150hp 130L Tandem

Notable Standard Items Side coaming pockets, fully lined cabin with squb, rear boarding platform, 4 x rod holders, boarding ladder, live bait tank.

The helm area is finished in aluminium.

FUEL & PERFORMANCE DATA

Notable Options on Test Boat 150hp Mercury four-stroke, paint, Maxwell anchor winch.

Boat Supplied by: Thompson Marine Ph 0800 95 95 90 Email: thompsonmarine@seaboss.co.nz www.seaboss.co.nz

RPM 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 5000 5200

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Knots 8.0 11.5 23.2 26.0 31.0 35.0 37.7 41.0

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BOAT TEST

PUREKRAFT 550 CENTRE CONSOLE

DRIVEN

By Design Classy new fisher is proving popular around the world as either a turnkey package or a kitset. Mike Rose went to Tauranga to check it out.

Tight turning in either direction was rail-like and predictable and, as the pictures show, the hull design keeps the spray well back and down.

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One suspects that most boaties reading this will not have heard of Purekraft boats. They will, entirely reasonably, infer that it is a new manufacturer, one just releasing their first model.

They would be wrong. Very wrong. Purekraft’s Tauranga-based designer and manufacturer, Hall Marine Design, is not only a good decade old, it has also sold hundreds of its vessels, ranging from 5 to 15 metres, to owners in Australia, Asia, the US and, of course, New Zealand.

As its name suggests, HMD is primarily a design group. Led by marine designer and naval architect, Jarrod Hall, it has a further three designers on its staff, one a naval architect and the others boasting an industrial design background.

The company was initially design-only focused, creating designs for both industry and local boatbuilders (they still design for a number of well known New Zealand brands).

However, about five years ago, Jarrod started to field calls from a variety of boaties keen to build their own alloy boats and wondering if it was possible to get some sort of kitset.

Correctly gauging that those requests were indicative of a wider demand, HMD created a range of designs that could be assembled by those with a fair degree of welding proficiency.

All were “design-driven”, very influenced by weight distribution and featuring fine entries, 18-degree deadrises and warping hulls.

The boats were offered as flatpack or folded kitsets (the flatpack versions obviously being easier and cheaper to transport but requiring more DIY work), or as hull and deck packages. Before being finalised, the designs were built

by Jarrod and his team, not only to ensure they all worked properly but, just as importantly, so they better understood the internal fit-out and the ways the various pieces worked together to create a useable, customer-friendly interior.

After satisfying this initial demand, Jarrod and his team began marketing their kitset designs more widely. They quickly discovered that the desire to build one’s own alloy vessel was not just a New Zealand or Australian one. Through word of mouth, their website and exhibiting at trade shows, they were soon fielding inquiries — and exporting kitsets — to numerous far-flung destinations.

The interior design is simple, practical and surprisingly innovative.

Demand for turnkey, too Following their success in the international kitset market, HMD decided to give their increasing range of models its own brand name and Purekraft was born.

They also thought it would be a good idea to showcase their new brand at the 2017 Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show. It was, but not entirely for the reasons they expected.

While the Purekraft’s smart, clean design and innovative layout appealed to many, and the idea of a kitset aluminium boat attracted a lot of attention, most of the genuine interest came from people wanting to know if they could buy a version ready made, a turnkey model.

Although this was not the first time the company had been asked to provide turnkey packages, the level of such inquiry at the show took them by surprise. While they were keen to take advantage of the interest, HMD was not really set up to be a production boat manufacturer.

However, in one of those fortunate twists of fate, the company was also approached by an established fabrication company. Called Rivet Engineering and based in New Plymouth, they were looking to get into boatbuilding and had come to the show seeking a suitable designer. It was, as they say, a perfect match.

As a result, HMD is now able to offer three small to mid-

A small casting deck in the bow also doubles as a dry locker and a seat.

Dive locker:

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The now almost-obligatory livebait tank is to port.

size turnkey models: 480, 550, 650 in a choice of centre console or cuddy cabin; and models ranging from 650 to 850 with four options: centre console, cuddy cabin, hardtop or Crosscab (featuring a fixed roof and sliding doors).

Super smart

The alloy baitboard has a handy open locker under for tackle.

One of the first things one notices when encountering a Purekraft vessel is just how smart and classy they are. When the subject of this review, a 550 Centre Console, arrived at the Sulphur Point boat ramp in Tauranga, it immediately turned heads.

Even in these days of painted hulls, wraps and impressive graphic packages, this rig stood out.

Its alloy trailer, for example, was not only exceptionally smart looking, it also featured a striking cage-like arrangement surrounding the front half of the boat, obviously intended to house stone guards.

The 550’s exterior was also striking: the black hull decorated with yellow blueprintlike straight lines, miniature circles and eye-catching angles. The Purekraft logo graces the aft quarters while, low down on the bows, is the legend: PURE FREEDOM. The interior is no less attractive. The bare alloy is brightly polished and is offset by dark grey, almost black, anti-skid on the side decks, transom lockers, for’ard hatch cover and aft platform; with a lighter version protecting the cockpit floor. Also providing contrasting accents are the powdered-coated black bait station, console module and innovative seat base.

Described by Jarrod as a “dynamic seat box”, this standard Purekraft fitting is a clever piece of kit. For a start, there are six positions in which the seat back can be placed, from almost flat facing forward to ditto facing aft. The top and back section can also hinge forward, with the latter’s permanently-mounted timber board becoming a handy cockpit table, complete with protective fiddles. Underneath is another standard “extra”: a substantial Waeco chilly bin.

The 550’s centre console is a sharp construct of black powdered-coated alloy, shiny, swivel-able stainless steel T-top supports, clear Perspex protection and modern Garmin electronics.

To ensure his MFD screen is as large as possible, Jarrod has done away with the boat’s Honda 90’s traditional gauges and instead linked the motor directly to his Garmin GPSMap XSU. This enables him, when required, to display all the engine information he could possibly need: revs, speed, fuel consumption in a variety of formats, range, oil pressure, water temperature, etc) and his 12” screen. The rest of the time, the screen can be used in the conventional way: to display charting or underwater information (in a wide variety of combinations) and information from the Fusion stereo system.

The screen is flanked by a pair of Blue Seas DC panels, a control for the Maxwell RC6 windlass, a Garmin VHF and a panel containing USB and DC charging outlets.

There is also a handy flat panel above the dash and a large dry locker underneath.

High above, the T-top is swathed in black and houses the vessel’s aerials, running/ anchor light, four rod holders, the speakers for the Fusion sound system and a pair of bright LED cockpit lights.

In the bow, the chain (10m) and rope (70m) rode is tastefully hidden behind a large plastic hatch, the Manson Supreme anchor is permanently mounted on its bowsprit and there is a cleat for tying off.

There is also another handy dry locker, complete with drainage channels, that doubles as both a bow seat and a casting deck.

An innovative rubbish locker helps keep things tidy.

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The 12” Garmin MFD is linked to the outboard so there is no need for the tradition engine gauges. The centre console is a sharp construct of black powdered-coated alloy, shiny, swivel-able stainless steel T-top supports and clear Perspex protection.

The clever console seat has 6 positions for the back rest and can hinge to create a table with the standard Waeco chilly bin close at hand.

Practical stern The black powder-coated Purekraft baitboard dominates the transom and features three integral rod holders and a large tackle shelf underneath.

To starboard is something rarely if ever seen on this size of boat: a dedicated twin-bottle dive locker, complete with cut-outs to hold the bottles safely upright.

On port is a similarly creative addition: a handy trash locker, complete with smart yellow graphic and a removable plastic flange to hold the bin liner in place.

Under the step-thru’ to the platform is the now almost-obligatory plumbed livebait locker, while the twin batteries, isolating switch and fuel filter are all safely out of harm’s way in the transom locker.

Completing the 550’s appointments is a underfloor kill bin (large enough for another two dive bottles), deep side lockers (with the starboard one housing the Jabsco washdown hose), a “hidden” retractable ladder (cleverly set into the transom) and a further three rod holders per side (making a total of 13). Another nice touch is the smart yellow measuring markers on the inside of both coamings.

Smooth operator Tauranga kindly turned on an ideal day for our review of the Purekraft 550 Centre Console: brilliantly fine and flat inside the harbour and quite windy and boisterous outside.

Initially I thought Jarrod had underpowered this rig, especially with two reasonably robust lads and a couple of dive bottles on board. I was wrong.

The 90hp Honda four-stroke pushed the 1300-kg vessel along just fine, getting out of the hole quickly and reaching a top speed of 31.3 knots at 5900rpm. That was a bit low for the WOT, suggesting that, with the correct propeller, there might be a little more top end, and perhaps some better fuel economy, to come.

Cruise-wise at 4000rpm we were doing a respectable 19 knots

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The T-top houses the aerials, running/anchor light, four rod holders, speakers for the Fusion sound system and a pair of bright LED cockpit lights.

while using 16.6 litres per hour. At 4500, it was 22.6 knots at 18.9lph; and at 5000, 26 knots at 25.5lph.

Throttle control was smooth, tight turning in either direction was rail-like and predictable and, as the pictures show, the hull design keeps the spray well back and down. The lack of a hard top means there is very little of the type of windage that necessitates trim tabs and, consequently, Jarrod hasn’t fitted any. They weren’t missed.

Outside the harbour in the typically confused chop, the 550 handled the bouncy stuff with aplomb. While there was an occasional bang, as one would expect, when charging directly upwind; at an angle, across the waves and downwind there were no problems at all. In fact, the handling was so smooth and predictable, we could literally tight turn at speed at any direction to the waves, without having to pick either our time or spot.

Summary Not being a competent welder, I find the idea of a kitset aluminium rig intriguing rather than appealing. Others, lots of them, obviously disagree. Jarrod says that, while the turnkey options are becoming more popular, so, too, are the kitsets.

Having not seen one of these DIY vessels, I have no idea how they turn out. However, I can report that the turnkey versions are very impressive indeed. They look good, perform well, are innovative and come with a number of standard features that, on another brand, would probably be optional extras.

There is certainly a lot to admire here.

SPECIFICATIONS Make &Model: Manufacturer: Priced from: Price as tested: Type: Construction: LOA: Beam: Deadrise: Height on trailer: Trailerable Wgt: Test Power: Propeller: Maximum RPM: Top Speed: Power Options: HP Range: Fuel capacity:

Purekraft 550 centre Console Purekraft $67,716 $92,095 (alloy trailer) Centre Console 5mm / 4mm 5.61m 2.12m 18 deg 2962mm with t-top, 2205mm without t-top 1361kg BF90hp 3B AL 13.25 x 17 5900 31.3 knots Outboard 80-115hp 100L

Trailer:

Purekraft

Notable Options on Test Boat 12” MFD, T-top with speakers & downlights Maxwell RC6 anchor winch, Vinyl wrap, Alloy trailer Contact: Purekraft Kitset Boats, Ph +64 7 575 7091 / +64 21 222 4277 E: info@hallmarinedesign.com www.hallmarinedesign.com

ALLOY BOAT 2017 ISSUE #13

Cruising at 4000rpm gave a respectable 19 knots. At 4500, it was 22.6 knots and at 5000, 26 knots

PERFORMANCE & FUEL rpm 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 5000 5500 5900

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knots 2.2 3.2 4.2 5.0 6.9 10.8 19.0 22.6 28.6 28.4 31.3

L/h 1.5 2.7 4.8 7.5 8.7 12.6 16.8 18.9 25.5 33.0 35.7

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21 YEARS & 21 OUTBOARDS That Made a Mark

DANNY CASEY OFFERS HIS THOUGHTS ON 21 OUTBOARDS THAT IMPRESSED HIM FROM THE PAST 21 YEARS AND YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED AT WHAT HE CHOSE. Nearly every month without fail, some automotive magazine will invariably come up with a list of vehicles which really made an impression or which set the world afire with tremulous excitement and wanton desire. They are usually romantic, evocative pieces where the reader feels like a loser because he or she failed to foresee how that vehicle in its heyday would either change one’s life or change the world.

Whilst it would admittedly be hard – no matter how big an outboard “tragic” one is - to think of one that stirs the loins like, say, a Ford Escort

Cosworth, the first BMW M3 or the very last iteration of the Mazda RX7, there have been, since 1996, some truly memorable, innovative and trendsetting outboards that have changed the way we go boating while making it smoother, more comfortable, more pleasurable and easier on the wallet.

This list – subjective, I grant you, as everybody’s choice will differ – of the 21 most innovative and daring outboards of the last two-and-a-bit decades (since this august publication first broke cover in 1996) is presented here. From the perspective of changing

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the parameters of powered boating, they are my picks as the cream of the crop – that’s not to say that they are all the “best” in an ultimate, absolute sense, but they certainly changed the ground rules and set the threshold much higher. Note that whilst there can never be an ultimate “winner” as such, I feel we should also highlight the one outboard that I believe to be of such immense significance as to demonstrate that what was new would soon become the norm.

Anyway, here we go...

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21 OUTBOARDS THAT MADE A MARK

1. Suzuki DF60 / 70 4-stroke I do not believe it an exaggeration to state that without the introduction of the above motor for the 1998 model year, the prognosis for Suzuki’s future in the outboard industry would have been bleak and eventually terminal. This engine - the first automotive-based outboard they’d ever done – made everyone sit up and take notice. Why hadn’t they seized the chance before? They had a reliable, timeproven 1,298cc engine that had seen years of sterling service in the SJ-series Sierra 4WD and they pragmatically yet creatively found another use for it. It was fuel injected, too, when the only other true competitor at the time had carburettors.

By the weight-pared standards of today, this engine was heavy, at about 155kg, but it was still a good 20kg lighter than its only true competitor of the era, the Honda BF75. It is hard to imagine the fervour, excitement and awe this outboard created, but anyone fortunate enough to have seen, heard and driven one knew beyond any doubt that this was the future.

2. Tohatsu 18hp 2-stroke

4. Yamaha 2.6 litre HPDI

There was nothing epoch-making, startling or ground-breaking about the punchy, gutsy little twin-cylinder Tohatsu 18hp, except that it filled a horsepower niche in which nobody else had an offering. It was (and still is) perfect for those who wanted more than a 15hp could offer, at the same weight, but who couldn’t quite stretch the budget, or the tinny’s engine capacity, to a 20hp.

This was a back-to-basics 50:1 premix 2-stroke and a twin cylinder of nearly 300cc (so a bit of a “thumper”) but, at a weight of just over 40 kg, it was truly a portable fisherman’s friend. Funnily enough, more than in any other region, Queenslanders really seemed to take this motor to their hearts.

3. Honda BF8 and 10 While Honda had always done solid albeit plodding business with their old BF8 (a derivative of their original BF7.5 from the 1970s), they were on somewhat of a roll with new products in the early 2000s, particularly when it came to portables. It could be said that the new BF8/10 series was revolutionary and definitely not evolutionary, as it was the first small Honda engine to adopt their curvy, rounded “dolphin-type” styling, and it did away with the antiquated shear-pin drive propeller on the old BF8 and the awkward bulkiness of the old BF15-derived 9.9hp model.

In addition, if my memory serves me correctly, the BF8/10 series was the first portable outboard to have a tiller handle moulded from resin, which dampened and tuned out any vibration that may have reached the twist-grip throttle.

I remember one time asking a Yamaha engineer, who was undertaking some midlife improvements on their own portable F8C and F9.9F motors, what engine he considered the industry benchmark. Without hesitation, he replied (and I still remember his exact words): “The Honda BF8/10. Quite frankly, it is excellent.” In that, he was right.

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Back in 1999, when the major outboard companies had an each-way bet on what form any new, leanemission technology should definitively be embraced, there was a reasonable (albeit limited) offering of both 4-strokes and direct-injection 2-strokes. In terms of direct-injection 2-strokes, Mercury and OMC (which was still around then – just) had committed heavily to Orbital and Ficht respectively, which then left Yamaha with only the 4-stroke F115A as its largest lean-emission engine.

By 1999, however, Yamaha addressed this deficiency extremely and surprisingly quickly by introducing the HPDI (High Pressure Direct Injection) range of V6s, from 150-200hp. While these engines may well have been a pragmatic step for Yamaha before they could develop a 4-stroke range, they were far from being a half-hearted stopgap. Although the same cubic capacity plus bore and stroke of the venerable carburetted 90-degree V6s, the HPDI block had a series-specific V-configuration of 76 degrees. The motor’s real strong point was its “heart”, a huge high-pressure pump mounted atop the block, which literally ram-jetted fuel into the cylinders at up to 700 psi (a pressure almost three times greater than the competitors’ DI engines).

Although the later, larger series of HPDIs – namely the 3.3litre 250/300hp motors – could hardly be given a glowing endorsement as a paradigm of durability or reliability, the 2.6 litre models almost certainly rank as some of the best motors ever made

by Yamaha, or indeed any other manufacturer. So good, strong and reliable were the 150-200hp HPDIs that I reckon they would still stack up as a sound used buy even when 20 years old.

In an interesting footnote, so popular and high profile were these engines in Australia and New Zealand that this market eventually gained its own regionspecific branding – the whole range (not just the bass models, as per the US) was liveried and branded as VMAX.

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21 OUTBOARDS THAT MADE A MARK

5. Suzuki DF140 Like the first DF60/70 previously introduced by Suzuki just three years earlier, the DF140 – a 2,044 cc development of the 1,950cc DF90/115 introduced in 2000 – showed that the company saw a viable and sustainable future in the outboard business and that they believed 4-stroke was the only way forward. In fact, since the introduction of the DF60/70, Suzuki never again invested one single Yen on the development or update of any of their oil-injected 2-stroke outboards.

It’s hard to understand now the excitement and fervour this motor caused when released.

All the European RIB manufacturers embraced it the way Titanic passengers would have scrambled for a lifeboat – it was compact, slim, neat, powerful and, above all, very, very light (about 191kg in XL shaft). Quite a high revver (it went best if allowed to reach 6,200 RPM), the DF140 was also probably a bit shortwinded and “peaky”, but due to a very low gear ratio (2.38 on the early models and then subsequently 2.59), it still managed to accelerate in a very linear, strong and tractable manner.

Like the later Yamaha F70A, this single motor must have made a colossal impact on the overall profitability of Suzuki’s marine division, as its international ubiquity, at least in those early years before the competition caught up, was incredible. It wasn’t without its problems – the stainless steel blind plug in the alloy exhaust housing on the older models (the unalike metals making for a pronounced corrosion issue) was one issue and early oil coolers (subsequently deleted) which were prone to water ingress were another. However, with the DF140, Suzuki defiantly and proudly showed others, especially its cross-town rival, Yamaha, that it would no longer be a supporting player in the outboard game.

6. Evinrude E-Tec 75 / 90 DI 2-stroke Any poor souls unfortunate enough to have been subjected to previous ramblings from me would certainly have correctly assumed that I have always had an immense affection for the old Outboard Marine Corporation, particularly its Johnson brand.

However, with Johnson long gone (and, under BRP, unlikely to ever return), I would concede that the latter-day Evinrude, as the sole brand left from the halcyon OMC era, is a worthy carrier of all that heritage and history.

Without again revisiting the debacle of firstly Ficht, then the slightly rectified and marginally better Ficht RAM system followed by the moderately effective and reliable Evinrude Direct Injection, it has been starkly clear that, as a point of difference, Bombardier was always going to persist with the DI policy embraced by OMC. To this end, BRP’s first all-new models, the three-cylinder E-Tec 75 and 90hp, caused a huge stir when introduced for the 2003 model year. Owing nothing whatsoever to the venerable and time-proven OMC 3-cylinder looper, these engines were theoretically very under-stressed at 1,295cc and weighed in at 145kg – heavy compared with a conventional 2-stroke but lighter much lighter than a 4-stroke of the time. At the time, the technology on these engines did very briefly make the Japanese ask if they were on the right track with 4-strokes. After all, here was a 2-stroke with 3-year service intervals that had reached the pinnacle of technological excellence through three iterations and myriad revisions of the original DI system that was OMC’s nadir. Moreover, it worked very well, very smoothly, very cleanly and very reliably, too. For someone like me, who thinks he knows something about engines (albeit from the perspective of a self-taught layman), I always reckoned that there would be durability and reliability issues because the motors ran lean on both air/ fuel mixture and oil/fuel mixture – running conditions which markedly contribute to piston detonation and seizure respectively – but these fears proved unfounded.

Some years ago, while back home in Ireland, I drove a 6.5m RIB with the first of the twin E-Tec 90s on it and was quite impressed by the surge of acceleration and effortless power.

If you can get your head around the fact that a nonprofessional simply cannot do anything other than perform routine maintenance on E-Tecs and that the engines are still “total-loss lubrication” (i.e. all the oil in the reservoir depletes and burns off), then one of these might suit you very well.

7. Honda BF60 I have to admit to always liking this engine. Introduced in 2003, it was the first Honda to have a slightly different profile and shape to that of its rounded, “dolphin-themed” siblings.

Somewhat of a curio in that one doesn’t see a huge number on the water, this engine has a purposeful, rather than a soft, “liquid”, look and it’s light, too – 108kg (very good) for the model with the standard lower unit and 116kg for the high-thrust version with the BF75/90 gearbox.

The BF60 was Honda’s first midrange fuel-injected engine and its power unit is 998cc (virtually the same size as its 996cc competitor, the Yamaha F60) except that where the Yamaha has four cylinders, the Honda makes do with three. By all accepted laws of engineering and physics, an inline 3-cylinder configuration is not good for both anti-vibration and balance characteristics in a 4-cycle engine. With either an inline four or a six, there are two equally sized and weighted ends of the crankshaft to cancel out and dampen vibration – but Honda’s designers on this engine must never have received the memo.

But all the better this little motor is for it, too. It idles like a sewing machine, accelerates with a nice, slightly offbeat bark and has a nice, almost soothing “thrumming” at high speed. Even today, in terms of appearance, this engine is, I think, the most “un-Honda-looking” of their entire range and it has not dated at all – on that basis alone, it has to be well worth a look.

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21 OUTBOARDS THAT MADE A MARK

8. Yamaha F150A Although the F150A was far from being the first epoch-making 4-stroke, it could be posited that it was the first 4-stroke that truly came in a “useful” size. Granted there were, at the time, smaller 4-strokes and larger V6 4-strokes, but this was the first one, in terms of size, power and weight, that suited the range of boats with which most people identified and which many builders produced.

Launched with much fanfare in 2004, the DOHC, 16-valve F150A was a sleek, svelte, compact and well-proportioned inline 4-cylinder engine. It just looked right and, at slightly under 2.7 litres (2,670cc, actually), was only 74cc larger than its 150 HPDI sibling. It was also a superb repower engine, being exactly the same weight as the HPDI and just over 25 kg heavier than Yamaha’s older 2-stroke V6s.

It is hard to comprehend now, with a subsequent plethora of 150hp 4-strokes hitting the market since, just how much excitement and fervour this engine caused. The first batch in this region sold out with eye-watering alacrity; so did the second, and the third.

If one considers the tens of thousands of hours now amassed by thousands of F150As worldwide, the engine must be seen for the paradigm of dependability, reliability and durability it was designed and engineered to be. Technical issues were rare; other than a problem with the harmonic balancer that, surprisingly, took Yamaha an inordinately (and annoyingly) long time to rectify and a dog clutch chattering problem caused by installing large-diameter propellers, it would not be a stretch to place the F150A in the same venerable class as a 70-series Land Cruiser.

engines. Bruestle signed on in 2002 and, in 2004, the Verado, an inline six-cylinder (a Mercury speciality), was introduced. It was unique in that it was the very first outboard with fly-by-wire controls and integral power steering and it seemed to feature a completely unique mounting plate, with the transom bracket actually incorporating some built-in “setback”, thereby changing all the rules on how high to ideally mount the motor.

The Verado had a relatively small (laughably so, in fact) cubic capacity of just 2,598cc, although it did deliver anywhere from a relatively unstressed 200hp to a maximum, in 2004 (on premium fuel), of 275hp. And it was typical Mercury - a relatively narrow (for a 4-stroke), tallish, vertical, inline six with a completely “square” engine (i.e. bore and stroke exactly the same size).

This last characteristic ensured that, like all inline sixes with the same configuration (and any engineer will tell you that nothing runs as sweetly and evenly as a “square” inline six), its balance and smoothness would be outstanding. Furthermore, it was supercharged – not ram-air charged but equipped with a proper, engine-driven mechanical blower. This was new, rarefied territory indeed and I have to admit that, at the time, I was sceptical and sneeringly dismissive of the whole supercharger idea. I reckoned that, being in a hostile marine environment, the supercharger, while “whooping” in gulps of air, would ingest myriad droplets of water as well – but it seems I couldn’t have been more wrong.

One minus point, though, was that the Verado was heavy. Mercury optimistically listed the weight as 288kg, which may have been mildly acceptable on the 275hp version (at just over 1kg per horsepower) but made for a rather abysmal power-to-weight on the 200hp version. However, after a few years of tweaks, running modifications and minor revisions while bedding in the original 200-275hp series, the power-to-weight issues would eventually be decisively addressed.

9. Mercury Verado 200-275hp Let’s face it: about 12-15 years ago, if asked to take a stab at what manufacturer (a manufacturer that, to boot, didn’t even design or build proprietary automotive engines) could pull an entirely new range of high-technology, high-horsepower 4-stroke outboards out of thin air then build an image, an entire sub-brand and a cult out of that product, the last company to come to mind would have been Mercury. But that’s what happened.

Prior to 2004, Mercury’s only large 4-stroke offering was a black version (now very rare and seldom seen, actually) of the Yamaha F225A. Unlike the 75, 90, and 115hp 4-strokes then offered

by Mercury, the 225hp motor did not use a Yamaha power unit on a Mercury leg; the whole unit, from power unit to lower unit, was supplied under the long-standing (but fast becoming fraught and untenable) OEM arrangement with Yamaha. Therefore, the company that had always prided itself on its ability to “set the water on fire” was in trouble.

But around that time, Mercury hired a man called Claus Bruestle, who had had an outstanding and much-lauded career in the design department at Porsche – a company that, conveniently, had always known quite a lot about wringing power from inline six-cylinder

is known worldwide for its strength and length of tenure as a manufacturer of outboard motors.

However, the oldest manufacturer of outboards in Japan (outboards that, for decades, have been the default choice of Japanese commercial fishermen) is Tohatsu. Sure, they have made some prosaic, bland but strong models over the years, but occasionally – and with increasing regularity and rapidity – they have brought to market some absolute gems. One that comes to

10. Tohatsu TLDI 115 Like Toyota, a manufacturer of very worthy, trusty, dependable and rugged products who can occasionally come up with flashes of innovative brilliance, the same could well apply to Tohatsu. While it might be fair to say that Yamaha, despite also being a manufacturer of automotive engines, motorcycle engines and motorcycles,

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mind was their first model based on Ralph Sarich’s Orbital directinjection technology, the TLDI (for Two-stroke Low-pressure Direct Injection) 50hp model, back in 2000. The TLDI 90 in turn followed this in 2001. More so than OMC or Mercury, Tohatsu realised that reliability and durability would be enhanced by injecting the fuel at low pressure instead of the high-velocity principle embraced by those two competitors at that time.

Although Tohatsu has latterly embraced 4-strokes very proactively, undoubtedly one of their forgotten and leastappreciated gems is the last addition to their TLDI range, the 115hp model, released in 2006. The inline 4-cylinder TLDI 115 was supposedly a precursor to a 135hp version, but I have never seen one of those (has anyone?). I haven’t seen many TLDI 115s in this region, either, but owners to whom I have spoken in other markets rave about them – about their strength, their power, their economy, their virtual indestructability and the rarefied cachet that comes with owning one. Furthermore, in terms of weight, compactness and styling, this motor cedes nothing to any of the leanemission engines (DI or 4-stroke) that followed it. One for the connoisseur, maybe?

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Electronic fuel injection? No big deal, right? Well, it certainly was on a 25-30hp outboard motor, especially as the system did not require a battery to run it – I.e. it was completely self-contained and independent of the starting battery. Moreover, the remarkable thing is that say, Yamaha, who had similar technology and systems on dirt bikes, did not introduce this – quiet, low-key, “plodding” and modest Tohatsu did. To say that battery-less electronic fuel injection was an epoch-making feature on an outboard is an understatement.

To have a battery now powering only an electric starter (if fitted), and the boat’s accessories without diverting precious amperage to run the motor’s injection system, was like having an extra charging system at no extra cost.

Although others subsequently embraced this technology on like-sized engines, there is no doubt that Tohatsu was ahead of the pack and set the benchmark. In our region, this 25/30hp power unit is much more commonly used on motors sporting a Mercury badge (Tohatsu supplies it to Mercury), but apparently there was an Australian dealer who used to sell nearly one hundred fuelinjected Tohatsu 25/30 outboards per annum.

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F150A architecture figured highly in its creation.

Unusually, the F350A was constructed – obviously with width and double/multiple engine mounting considerations in mind – in a 60-degree configuration, which is not an ideal cylinder angle for optimum balance on a V8. On a V8, the ideal cylinder angle, to give balance and equal firing cycles, is 90 degrees and, if such a motor has to have, due to space and width constraints etc., a narrower cylinder angle, then harmonic, or second-order, balancer shafts will almost certainly be necessary – which the F350A does not have. The motor uses a flywheel damper instead (a complex and chequered issue in itself, which will not be addressed here!).

The narrow 60-degree configuration, however, gives the F350A a pleasing, loping, “off-beat” note at midrange but a gruff growl at top end to please any petrol head.

While the F350A has two direct competitors today in the form of the new mainstream consumer Verado 350 (no longer a specialised product from Mercury Racing) and the just-introduced Suzuki DF350A with contra-rotating propellers (which I personally believe will now set the new benchmark for the class), it must be borne in mind that this motor single-handedly created an entire genre and led to the introduction of large outboard boats of a type never previously seen.

12. Yamaha F350A That many boat manufacturers (particularly in the US) now offer large centre consoles, oversize bowriders, walk-arounds and sports cruisers in outboard form as opposed to the more traditional sterndrive power in those segments is probably due to one engine: the Yamaha F350A. Introduced for the 2008 model year, the F350A was, at the time, the largest consumer outboard available, as well as being the first and only (which it still is) V8-configuration 4-stroke. It was also the first 4-stroke outboard to have a cubic capacity (5,330 cc) close in size to the conventional V8 sterndrives with which it would be competing. It may be simplistic to say that the F350A concept evolved from an exercise on theoretically doubling up the F150A’s pistons and rods but as the bore and stokes of both motors are virtually the same, it is a fair bet that the

13. Honda BF50D

14. Yamaha F70A

You may think this a strange pick, as this little motor had already been around for over 16 years, having been first launched in 45hp guise in 1992. It was truly a seminal, epochmaking outboard, though, as it was proof positive that 4-strokes need not be bulky, ungainly and heavy, or slow. It also utilised – unlike the later, larger-horsepower Honda engines that followed it – a marine-specific (rather than automotive-based) power unit of 808cc. Despite having only three cylinders (sometimes a bit lumpy and uneven in a 4-cycle engine), it was a smooth, sweet motor with a “square” configuration - the bore and stroke were of the same dimension (70mm), which rendered vibration virtually non-existent.

Without raking over old ground, I have previously written about the refreshingly smooth, rounded, “soft” appearance of this particular Honda engine and how the styling undoubtedly influenced others’ 4-strokes that arrived many years later.

There was never much wrong with the original Honda BF45/50, except for somewhat torpid acceleration and a slightly intrusive (although melodic, some thought) carburettor induction “whoop” – but I personally never found that particularly irritating. It took them a while to update it (and indeed it has recently been further extensively updated – an update not covered here), and it was not until 2008 that it finally gained electronic fuel injection. It further gained Honda’s BLAST (boosted low-speed torque) system which enriched the air-fuel mixture for stronger, more sprightly acceleration and then leaned it off (as much and as safely as possible) at high speeds so that the motor would run more cleanly, more crisply and more economically. Even with the added fuel injection system, Honda was still able to list the weight at just under 100kg.

I have been guilty in the past of stating that, when it comes to their surprisingly modest sales volumes in the 4-stroke outboard market, Honda (the world’s largest manufacturer of engines) somehow managed to “steal defeat from the jaws of victory.” They never capitalised on their head start and early innovation, and they never maintained their impetus and momentum. However, the smooth, creamy, compact little BF50D is a prime example of the old adage: “But when they were good, they were very good.”

If any outboard, by any manufacturer, showed that 4-strokes were now the norm and no longer a heavier alternative, the Yamaha F70A was that outboard. I have no idea how many thousands of these have been sold since it broke cover in 2010, but I’d nearly bet that this single engine has added a disproportionately huge number of zeroes to the credit side of Yamaha’s balance sheet. In Europe, hundreds of mid-sized RIBs sport one, and in this region, it is fast becoming the de rigueur unit for sub-5m tinnies. It is also virtually purpose-built for repowering older boats that just cannot carry the weight of previous-generation 4-strokes.

But why, when Suzuki also makes a first-class 70hp and the other manufacturers make excellent motors close to that size, is there such an aura around the Yamaha F70A? Well, the weight for a start – it comes in at just under 120kg, which is within 10kg of its predecessor, the 2-stroke 70BETOL, and it is exactly the same external size as the sibling on which it was based, the F60. It would have to be said that one of the engine’s best features – unnoticed and unappreciated because it is an internal component and therefore unseen – is its complex and highly effective single camshaft with double rockers, one for each of the 16 valves. This little camshaft, with its intricate, highly wrought design is quite close to being a work of art and makes for a free-spinning and high-revving little engine.

If the F70A has any drawbacks, it is probably that it is a bit “buzzy” (although exceptionally pleasant to the ear to those who love to hear an engine working) and peaky – in that maximum power comes in very late and over quite a short band. It is a frenzied, rather frenetic little outboard that needs to spin to 6,300RPM to give of its best – but it will do that hour after hour for day for day after day. It’s like Yamaha put a motorcycle engineer on the case and this is what he came up with – a screaming demon.

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15. Mercury 150hp 4-stroke ( 3.0 litre ) In a complete and pronounced departure from the Verado policy of high technology and high complexity, Mercury took a relatively “sensible” and relatively sedentary route with the introduction of the 3.0 litre inline 4-cylinder 150hp 4-stroke in 2011. This back-to-basics philosophy worked well and the normally aspirated motor had a large 3.0 litre capacity with a conventional 8-valve head – the valves were very large, however, to ensure the best scavenging possible (without the putative “peakiness” of twin-cam, multi-valve engines) and required no adjustment ever.

With Mercury listing the weight at only 206kg, it is the lightest 150hp 4-stroke on the market, and it is also a very strong engine in that its actual output is very close to the upper threshold of the plus-or-minus 10% variance limit for stated horsepower to which all manufacturers must adhere.

On several boating forums, posters have opined that Mercury will eventually rework this motor to develop 200hp, but I disagree. To do that would almost certainly call for a twin-cam, multi-valve head and/or variable valve timing, and the weight gain in such a cylinder head alone would defeat the purpose of what Mercury set out to do with this particular engine. As is, this motor is a sterling example of the old adage that there is no replacement for displacement.

16. Suzuki DF15A / 20A ( electronic fuel injection ) While Tohatsu may have stolen Suzuki’s thunder as far as the concept of battery-less fuel injection on a portable outboard was concerned, the latter was the first to lower both the horsepower range for that technology and the weight of the motors so equipped. Traditionally, 20hp outboards have never sold in large numbers in this region (it has always been either a 15hp or a 25hp), due mainly to the fact that a 20hp unit is usually a detuned version of the 25hp model. However, with this series of Suzukis, it would be hard to argue against the 20hp, as it is the same weight (Suzuki state 44kg for the lightest, short-shaft version) as the 15hp.

I’m truly surprised there aren’t more of these brilliant little motors on the water as they truly move the game on and bring hitherto unheard of levels of user-friendliness and refinement to the portable market.

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21 OUTBOARDS THAT MADE A MARK

17. Mercury 75-115hp 4-stroke Mercury undoubtedly got great mileage and value for money from the original Verado power unit. It started as a supercharged 2.6 litre; then they lopped two cylinders off it, but left the supercharger on, and made it the 4-cylinder 150/175/200hp Verado with a displacement of 1,732 cc. Then they used the same 4-cylinder block again, minus the supercharger, on their first in-house 75-115hp engines that replaced the power units they had previously bought in from Yamaha.

There wasn’t much wrong with the first Verado-influenced 75-115hp engines except that they were a tad heavy and rather ungainly and awkward looking – there was a rather incongruous “dome” on top of the engine cover, for instance. But in how to successfully, pragmatically and profitably exhaust all permutations of a modular platform, it could be said that Mercury had set a textbook example.

When the new 75-115 series arrived in 2014, it was obvious that Mercury had once more used the “less-is-more” (in relation to both moving parts and technology) philosophy to great effect. With a large engine displacement (2.1 litres) and, again, an 8-valve head, this was a tractable, powerful, under-stressed engine in the mould of the 150hp introduced just over two years before. Not to mention that the weight of 165kg (so-so for a 75hp but excellent for a 115hp) was 16 kg less than its predecessor. This grass roots, relatively low-tech and unstressed approach has been good for Mercury, and these engines, despite being as different as night and day to the Verado, complement it very well.

18. Suzuki DF25A / 30A ( electronic fuel injection ) Strange, you would think, to pick these engines when Tohatsu introduced similar models in the same class seven years earlier. But the DF25A/30A took the whole premise a step further by lowering the weight - at a supposed dry weight of 72 kg for the electric start model with power trim, it trumped the Tohatsu by 10 kg. Suzukis, in the old 2-stroke days, were always lardy, cumbersome, heavy engines – solidly, competently and even innovatively engineered but packaged and presented rather poorly – but it is patently obvious that whoever is doing their designing now has a wholly different philosophy and mindset.

Again, I’m surprised I haven’t seen more of these on the water, as they are magnificent tinny, repower and small RIB motors. This engine, once the secret gets out properly, will be one of the best-selling outboards of all time. I would nearly put money on it.

19. Tohatsu 40 / 50hp 4-stroke Once you get used to the somewhat “out there” look of the fuel-injected Tohatsu 40/50 4-stroke, I think you could become quite fond of it – in fact, it’s probably (only nobody has yet realised it) one of the best outboards built in Japan. Why, I hear you ask. It’s not as if it is in a horsepower segment of its own or in a technology class in which nobody else competes. Nor is it markedly faster or particularly more silent than the competition. What it is, though, is a complete clean-sheet design from Tohatsu, which demonstrates emphatically that it follows no one when it comes to designing, engineering and manufacturing 4-strokes.

For a company that only 3-4 years ago had a relatively paltry 4-stroke offering, the BF40/50 series, along with the OEM-supplied Honda engines from 60-250hp, shows that Tohatsu definitely wants to make a few more waves than has been the case to date.

Honestly, if someone wants a compact, tidily packaged 4-stroke outboard that comes in at around 100 kg, there are only two choices: this and the Honda BF50 - the others are all closer to 120. The Tohatsu may be light in weight but it is no technological lightweight.

20. Mercury Verado 350 / 400hp It is virtually inconceivable and immensely commendable that any engine company could take a base power unit that, in its lowest state of tune, produced 200hp and end up eventually extracting twice that amount of power from the same basic architecture, with the same cubic capacity, and with little or no weight increase. However, that is what Mercury did. I don’t know if they were at any time worried about the limitations of the original Verado and how they would ever increase its output with decreasing its durability.

First came the 300hp in 2007 (which got the power-to-weight ratio into the region of 1kg per horsepower) and then the 350hp, which was originally a bespoke, limited-use, limited-warranty speciality unit by Mercury Racing.

Nevertheless, by 2015, the Verado 350 was a mainstream consumer offering, with only a 400hp sibling built by Mercury Racing.

I personally feel that, with 400hp, the Verado has reached the pinnacle and gone as far as it can - and likewise for outboard power in general. If there is a volume, viable segment for conventional (i.e. non-bespoke) outboards over 400hp, I reckon such a segment has yet to be developed.

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21. Evinrude E-Tec G2 V6 200-300HP

OMC five decades ago!) rather than by means of a conventional mechanical shift operated by a servomotor, as per the competitors.

One feature that dampens my ardour somewhat, though, is the motor’s outer cowlings – screwon covers, one on each side. These covers come in a multitude of colours with a selection of myriad stripes that allows owners to colour-match the motor(s) to the boat. A tad kitschy and tacky, if you ask me, not to mention that the Evinrude name runs vertically down the covers – everybody knows that, when it comes to easily identifying a brand, it is much better if the name of the product can be read horizontally. Then there is the weight; at 253 kg, it’s not by any means overly heavy, but it’s not light either – in fact, it’s pretty much in the 4-stroke arena weight-wise, so there is no discernible advantage there. Still, if you are an E-Tec diehard or ex-Optimax owner looking to stay resolutely in the DI sphere, then that is unlikely to deter you.

In terms of “out there” technology, innovation and boundarypushing creativity and genius, the G2 E-Tecs are in a class and league of their own. Personally, I think they incorporate too much highly-strung and avant-garde technology just for the sake of it and, for that reason, they are not for me. However, if you are someone who hates to conform, loves technology and believes rules are there to be broken, then BRP has a colour palette to suit you.

In an outboard world now full of 4-strokes, one would have to award full marks to BRP for tenacity, resilience and courage of conviction for sticking with their beliefs and adhering to their point of difference. Before the launch of the E-Tec G2s, many people on myriad boating forums were convinced that BRP would at last go down the 4-stroke route on a revolutionary series of engines that had cost a fortune to develop. Everyone, however, was wrong.

Once you get over the initially polarising and contentious style of these motors (which to me look like a giant USB stick fixed incongruously to a boat), there is a lot of superb technology that, if not patented, will definitely be examined and appropriated by any competitor worth its salt. The built-in electro-hydraulic steering is magnificent – so sensitive, intuitive and precise, apparently, that there is no need for a tie-bar on dual engine set-ups. Then there is the power trim and tilt manifold, which, ingeniously and innovatively, is mounted on the motor’s centre section rather than between the clamp brackets. Instead of the rams extending upwards from just above the surface of the water when fully extended, they point downwards from the midsection and are high out of the water – so no growth or barnacles.

Moreover, the motor tilts markedly higher than any other outboard - a full 81 degrees - so there will never be any of those straggly, bearded skegs you often see on outboard boats left on moorings.

There is also the rigging tube that carries all the wiring to the motor (there are no manual throttle and shift cables). Internally, the wiring is routed and fixed around the front of the power unit but in such a way, and with just enough slack, to allow the motor to swivel without dragging or pushing the external rigging tube.

The rigging tube, which lies flat, undisturbed and unmoving in the engine well, can either affix to the starboard or port side of the motor. Someone in the US (a tad anal, in my opinion!) installed a twin rig which had the rigging tube for the starboard motor coming in the left-hand side and the tube for the port motor coming in from the right-hand side – perfect symmetry and a nice, aesthetically pleasing rigging touch.

Gear shifting is electronic, activated in the gear case (just like

The One That Changed the Game As I said in the introduction, there is no overall no.1; there is no best, and there is no outright winner – they are all winners in their own context and in their respective segments. However, if there was one outboard so significant as to forge a decisive path and set the trend for what would eventually be the norm, that outboard would unquestionably be…

The Yamaha F150A (page 185) . I consider this outboard, when introduced, to have been truly sui generis (i.e. of its own kind or in a class by itself). Despite now having strong competition from nearly every other brand, it is still a creditable, worthy and strong performer. However, back then, when it was on its own, it set the tone; it set the pace, and it set the rules.

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LOA

Beam Hull Const

Type

ALLENCO 4.6 Runabout 5.20m 1.86m 6mm 5.00 Runabout 4.70m 2.17m 6mm 5.3 Cuddy 5.70m 2.17m 6mm 5.5 Cuddy 5.80m 2.27m 6mm 5.9 Cuddy 6.28m 2.27m 6mm 6.25m 6.50m 2.50m 6mm 6.60m 6.90m 2.50m 6mm 6.70m 7.00m 2.50m 6mm 6.80m 7.10m 2.45m 6mm 7.50m 7.80m 2.50m 6mm 8.00m 8.30m 2.50m 6mm 8.50m 8.80m 2.50m 6mm 9.00m 9.40m 2.80m 8mm * All hulls also available as pontoon boats and larger boats overwidth.

RU CC CA CA CA HT/CA HT HT/CA HT/CA HT HT HT HT

Make/Model Semifly 40 Semifly 45 LRC58

LOA

Beam

Hull Const

Type

12.51m 14.72m 19.04m

3.88m 4.84m 4.09m

6mm 6mm 8mm

HT HT HT

5.30m 5.50m 6.15m 7.21m 7.61m 8.21m 8.50m 9.41m

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CA CA CC HT HT HT HT HT

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1.88m 2.45m

4mm 5mm

TS/CO CC

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1.86m 2.05m 2.35m 2.35m 2.45m 2.45m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.60m 2.70m 3.00m 3.05m

4mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6/8mm 8mm 8mm

CA/CC CU/CC/HT CU/CC/HT CU/CC/HT CA/CC/HT/WA WA HT/CC HT HT HT HT HT HT

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2.10m 2.25m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.82m 2.94m 3.10m 3.10m

5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm

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CC/CA/RU CC/CA/RU/HT CC/CA/RU/HT HT HT/CA

4.20m 4.60m 5.10m 5.44m 5.90m 6.00m 6.00m 6.58m 6.79m 7.50m 8.79m

1.64m 2.00m 2.00m 2.35m 2.35m 2.43m 2.40m 2.40m 2.43m 2.50m 2.5m/3.1m

5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 4mm 5mm 5mm 4mm 5mm 5mm

RU RU RU CA CA HT CA/HT HT HT HT HT

5.00m 5.50m 6.00m

2.45m 2.45m 2.45m

4mm 4mm 4mm

CC CA/HT/CO HT/CA

AMF PRO SPORT 580 Pro Sport 610 Pro Sport 660 Pro Sport 720 Hardtop 770 Hardtop BAXTER C 420 Jet C 460 Jet C 510 Jet B 540 B 590 B 600 SC (Cat) B 600 B 635 B 650 WC (Cat) B 750 B 800 SC (Cat)

470 565 595 635 650 650 Profish 690 720 750 820 850 950 1080 EXTREME 500 Sport Fisher 545 Sportfisher/Console 645 Gamefisher 650 Gameking/SF 695 Gameking 745 Gameking 885 Gameking 985 Gameking 1185 Gameking 1100 Gameking

BLADERUNNER 5m cat 5.5m 6m Cat BLUEFIN Bluefin 620CC Bluefin 620HT Bluefin 650HT Bluefin 665HT Bluefin 700HT Bluefin 720HT Bluefin 720 WK Bluefin 769HT Bluefin 769 WH

6.20m 6.20m 6.50m 6.65m 7.10m 7.20m 7.20m 7.69m 7.69m

2.30m 2.50m 2.45m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m

5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm

CC HT HT HT HT HT HT HT HT

5.90m 5.60m 6.00m 6.40m 6.60m 6.70m 7.00m 7.50m 7.70m 8.00m 8.70m 9.10m 9.50m

2.30m 2.30m 2.30m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.80m

5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm

CA CU CA HT HT HT HT HT HT HT HT HT HT

6.00m 4.60m

2.25m 1.84m

3.65m 5.05m 6.06m 7.12m 8.13m

1.67m 1.93m 2.13m 2.43m 2.48m

BLUEWATER Bluewater 5.4 Bluewater 550 Bluewater 5.8 Bluewater 5.9 Bluewater 6.1 Bluewater 6.5 Bluewater 6.8 Bluewater 7.3 Bluewater 7.5 Bluewater 7.7 Bluewater 8.5 Bluewater 8.9 Bluewater 9.3 COAST CRAFT 560 Rapid Runner 460

CA RU

www.fishcity.co.nz FC BOATS FC390 FC430 FC465 FC535 FC525 FC560 FC595 FC600 FC620 FC640 FC675 FC680 Sealegs FC730 Sealegs

3.90m 4.30m 4.65m 5.35m 5.25m 5.60m 5.95m 6.00m 6.20m 6.40m 6.75m 6.80m 7.30m

1.82m 2.02m 2.00m 2.05m 2.15m 2.25m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m

3mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 6mm 6mm

TS/SC TS/CC/SC RU CC/SC CU HT/CC/CU CU CC HT CC HT CC CC

www.hamiltonjet.com - 03 962 0530 HAMILTON MARINE Jet 132A Jet 141A Jet 151A Jet 152A Jet 161A

4.20m 4.60m 4.70m 4.70m 5.00m

1.90m 1.90m 1.90m 1.75m 1.90m

5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm

RU RU RU RU RU

DIYNO KITSET 361 501 601 701 801

3mm 4mm 4mm 5mm 6mm

RU CA HT HT HT IMAGE

DICKEY Custom 750/XS Semifly 28 HT/Softop Custom 800 Custom 850 Custom 950 Semifly 32 Semifly 36

www.imageboats.co.nz - 03 214 4573

7.88m 8.82m 8.72m 8.82m 10.14m 11.11m 11.25m

2.48m 2.80m 2.48m 2.48m 2.82m 3.46m 3.46m

6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm

HT HT HT HT HT HT HT

ALLOY BOAT 2017 ISSUE #11

5.8 Elite 6m Elite 6.4 Elite 7.45 Fishfinder 7.5 Fishfinder 8.25 Fishfinder 8.25 Fishmaster 8.25 MasterJet

190

6.10m 6.50m 6.40m 7.45m 7.50m 8.50m 8.50m 8.73m

WWW.BOATMAGS.COM ALLOY BOAT 2017 ISSUE #10

2.30m 2.35m 2.35m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.80m

5mm 5mm 5mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm

CA HT CA/HT HT HT HT HT HT

Make/Model 8.75 Fishmaster 9.0 Fishmaster 10.4 Cruisemaster 11.3 Cruisemaster

LOA

Beam Hull Const Type

Make/Model

9.00m 9.25m 10.50m 11.30m

2.70m 2.80m 3.10m 3.05m

MAVERICK

www.innovisionboats.co.nz

6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm

HT HT HT HT

Renegade 500 Rebel 500 Renegade 500 Twin

- +64 021 407000

6.06m 6.56m 8.08m

2.40m 2.50m 2.70m

5mm 5mm 6mm

Fortress 441 Sportsman Package 461 Fortress 481 Fortress 521 Fortress 551 Sportsman Package 521 Sportsman Package 551 Sportsman Package 571 Fortress 571 Fisherman 581 CrossXover 561 CrossXover 581 CrossXover 601 Sportsman Package 591 CrossXover 611 CrossXover 651 Cruiser 701 Gen 11 Cruiser 751 Gen 11 Cruiser 801 Gen 11 Premier 701 Premier 801 Cruiser 931 Walk Round 1100

www.keelowcraft.co.nz - 03 208 9995 3.20m 4.20m 4.50m 4.80m 5.60m 5.60m 4.70m

1.37m 1.45m 1.50m 1.54m 1.80m 1.80m 1.47m

5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 6mm 6mm 5mm

RU RU RU RU RU CA HT

7.10m 8.10m 9.10m 9.60m 10.40m

2.40m 2.50m 2.70m 2.80m 3.30m

6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm

HT HT HT HT HT

3.70m 4.10m 4.50m 5.10m 6.20m 6.70m 7.05m

1.80m 1.95m 2.07m 2.35m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m

3mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 5mm 5mm

TS/CC TS/CC TS/CC/FS FS/CC CU/CC/HT HT/CC HT

5.80m 6.20m

2.30m 2.30m

4mm 4mm

CA CA

6.40m 7.70m 7.80m 8.70m 9.10m 9.70m 10.0m 10.80m 12.50m

2.50m 2.60m 2.60m 2.80m 2.80m 2.90m 2.90m 3.10m 3.60m

8mm 8mm 8mm 8mm 8mm 8mm 8mm 8mm 8mm

CA HT HT HT HT HT HT HT HT/FB

KWIKKRAFT 661 Offshore 761 Offshore 861 Offshore 922 Offshore 1022 Offshore

Nluline 380 Nuline 450 Nuline 520

4.40m 4.60m 4.80m 5.00m 5.50m 5.18m 5.50m 5.65m 5.65m 5.80m 5.60m 5.80m 6.00m 5.95m 6.10m 6.60m 7.05m 7.50m 8.01m 7.01m 8.01m 9.30m 11.40m

1.85m 1.85m 2.00m 2.00m 2.08m 2.00m 2.08m 2.20m 2.20m 2.28m 2.08m 2.20m 2.28m 2.20m 2.28m 2.30m 2.35m 2.45m 2.48m 2.35m 2.48m 3.00m 3.09m

4mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 6mm 5mm 6mm 6mm 6mm

TS RU TS CO CO CA CA CA CC CA CA CA CA CA/HT HT HT HT HT HT HT HT HT HT

3.80M 4.80M 5.20m

1.90M 1.90M 2.00m

4MM 4MM 4mm

TS TS/RU/CC CA/CC

ORCA 3.8 4.5 5.4 6 7 7.0 Party 8.0 Party Seablade 19 Seablade 22 Seablade 24 Orca 6200 Walkaround

MAKAIRA Coaster 640 Cape Runner 740 Cape Runner 750 Ranfurly 840 Ranfurly 880 King Bank 940 King Bank 970 King Bank 1050 Wanganella 1200

CAT (CC) CAT (CA) CAT (CC)

www.orcaengineering.co.nz - 07 349 2977

LAZERCRAFT 580 620

4mm 4mm 4mm

NULINE

KINGFISHER 370 Minicat 410 Minicat 450 Minicat 510 Minicat 620 Powercat 670 Powercat 705 Powercat

2.31m 2.31m 2.31m

Hull Const Type

MCLAY

HT HT HT

KEELOW (Jet Boats) Riverwild 320 Riverwild 420 Riverwild 450 Riverwild 480 Riverwild 560 Voyager 560 Highlander 470

5.00m 5.00m 5.00m

Beam

www.mclayboats.co.nz - 03 417 8135

INNOVISION 606HT 656HT 808HT

LOA

3.80m 4.50m 5.40m 6.00m 7.00m 7.00m 8.00m 6.52m 6.70m 8.29m 6.20m

1.60m 2.05m 2.33m 2.40m 2.40m 2.40m 2.50m 2.25m 2.43m 2.65m 2/40m

3mm 4mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 3mm 3mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm

TS TS/CA/CC CA CA/HT/CC CA/HT/CC PB PB CC CC CC CA

7.22m 8.30m 9.30m

2.50m 2.50m 2.80m

6mm 6mm 8mm

HT HT HT

PINNACLE Pinnacle 720 Pinnacle 830 Pinnacle 930 PUREKRAFT 480 Centre Console 4.95m 1.97m 5mm 550 Centre Console 5.60m 2.12m 5mm 650 Centre Console 6.67m 2.40m 6mm 650 Cross Cab 6.67m 2.40m 6mm 650 Hardtop 6.67m 2.40m 6mm 750 Centre Console 7.70m 2.60m 6mm 750 Cross Cab 7.70m 2.60m 6mm 750 Hardtop 7.70m 2.60m 6mm 850 Centre Console 8.70m 2.75m 6mm 850 Cross Cab 8.70m 2.75m 6mm 850 Hardtop 8.70m 2.75m 6mm Note: Xcab is an enclosed centre cabin with side access door.

www.marcoboats.co.nz - 07 889 7083 MARCO 400 Dory 420 Dory 440 Dory 480 Dory 510 Thresher 520 Dory 520 Angler 550 Striker 550 Bowrider 570 Angler/Striker 600 Souwester 625 Souwester 650 Souwester 700 Souwester 760 Souwester 880 Souwester 950 Souwester

4.00m 4.20m 4.40m 4.90m 5.10m 5.20m 5.20m 5.50m 5.50m 5.70m 6.00m 6.25m 6.50m 7.40m 8.00m 9.30m 10.0m

1.90m 1.90m 2.10m 2.10m 1.90m 2.07m 2.07m 2.07m 2.07m 2.20m 2.20m 2.27m 2.49m 2.49m 2.49m 2.90m 3.0m

4mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 8mm 8mm

TS/CO RU/TS/CC CA/RU/TS/CO CA/RU/TS/CO RU CA/RU/TS/CO CC/CA/RU CC/CA/RU BR CC/CA/RU CC/CA/HT/WA CC/CA/HT CC/HT/WA CC/HT/WA CC/HT/WA HT HT

QUINTREX Quintrex 350 Explorer Quintrex 350 Dart Quintrex 370 Explorer Quintrex 370 Quintrex 370 Dart Quintrex 390 Explorer Quintrex 400 Dart Quintrex 400 Hornet Quintrex 400 Trophy Quintrex 400 Trophy Quintrex 420 Dory Quintrex 420 Explorer Quintrex 420 Trophy Quintrex 430 Top Ender Quintrex 420 Angler Quintrex 440 Hornet

www.maverickmarine.co.nz - 0800 736 342

WWW.BOATMAGS.COM

CC CC CC Xcab HT CC Xcab HT CC Xcab HT

191

3.58m 3.64m 3.75m 3.76m 3.80m 3.85m 4.00m 4.01m 4.01m 4.05m 4.27m 4.29m 4.29m 4.41m 4.29m 4.43m

ALLOY BOAT 2017 ISSUE #11

1.45m 1.49m 1.50m 1.45m 1.58m 1.79m 1.69m 1.73m 1.76m 1.87m 1.87m 1.87m 1.87m 2.00m 1.87m 2.02m

1.6mm 1.6mm 1.6mm 1.6mm 1.6mm 1.6mm 1.6mm 2mm 1.6mm 1.6mm 2mm 2mm 2mm 2mm 2mm 3mm

TS TS TS TS TS TS TS TS TS TS TS TS TS TS RU TS

12 MONTHS DIRECTORY/BRAND AWARENESS ADVERTISING OFFER FOR ONLY $100 PER MONTH Pacific PowerBoat Magazine Alloy Boat Magazine Pacific RIB Magazine Pacific PassageMaker Magazine Pacific PWC Magazine PRINT & DIGITAL COPIES AND BOATMAGS.COM DIGITAL MARINE DIRECTORY LISING For further infomation contact: alex@boatmgs.com - 02102865298

DB184

www.amfboats.co.nz

24a Klinac Lane, Waipapa, Bay of Islands, Mobile: 021 121 8889 e: info@makairaboats.co.nz • www.makairaboats.co.nz

LOA

Beam Hull Const Type

4.43m 4.48m 4.50m 4.50m 4.50m 4.54m 4.54m 4.61m 4.61m 4.65m 4.69m 4.72m 4.75m 4.84m 4.96m 5.00m 5.01m 5.05m 5.05m 5.05m 5.21m 5.21m 5.21m 5.21m 5.21m 5.26m 5.32m 5.41m 5.41m 5.41m 5.41m 5.41m 5.41m 5.41m 5.61m 5.61m 5.61m 5.61m 5.61m 5.61m 5.88m 5.88m 5.88m 5.88m 5.88m 6.13m 6.16m 6.16m 6.16m 6.16m 6.16m 6.43m 6.43m 6.43m 6.43m 6.93m 7.44m 7.44m 6.81m

2.02m 1.90m 2.00m 2.10m 2.05m 2.01m 2.01m 2.10m 2.10m 2.09m 1.96m 2.09m 2.05m 2.05m 2.10m 2.05m 2.25m 2.09m 2.09m 2.09m 2.25m 2.25m 2.25m 2.25m 2.10m 2.09m 2.10m 2.25m 2.22m 2.25m 2.22m 2.22m 2.25m 2.38m 2.25m 2.25m 2.25m 2.30m 2.25m 2.25m 2.38m 2.38m 2.38m 2.38m 2.38m 2.21m 2.40m 2.40m 2.40m 2.40m 2.40m 2.40m 2.40m 2.40m 2.40m 2.40m 2.40m 2.40m 2.40m

3mm 2mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 4mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 5mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 4mm 5mm 5mm 5mm

TS RU TS TS CO RU TS RU SC TS TS SC TS SC RU SC TS BR RU TS RU BR RU CC CO TS CC CC CA RU BR BR RU CO RU CC CA CO BR BR RU CA CC CO BR TS CC CA CC BR RU RU CA CC HT BR HT HT CA

4.75m 5.05m 5.05m 5.45m 5.45m 5.45m 5.80m 6.02m 6.25m 7.01m 7.45m 8.45m

2.05m 2,10m 2.10m 2.10m 2.10m 2.10m 2.25m 2.20m 2.33m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m

4mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm

CA/CC CA CA CA CA CA CA HT HT HT HT HT

3.05m 3.55m 3.48m 3.81m 3.85m 4.25m 4.45m 4.60m 4.90m 4.32m 4.62m 5.14m 5.32m 5.45m 5.95m 3.21m 3.60m 3.80m 3.90n 4.27m 4.41m 4.55m 4.85m 5.25m 4.40m 4.55m 5.04m

1.11m 1.14m 1.53m 1.27m 1.72m 1.95m 1.95m 1.95m 1.95m 1.95m 1.95m 2.05m 2.30m 2.33m 2.33m 1.41m 1.48m 1.58m 1.85m 1.96m 1.96m 2.05m 2.05m 2.09m 1.87m 2.05m 2.07m

1.2mm 1.2mm 1.6mm 1.2mm 2mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 4.mm 4mm 2mm 1.6mm 1.6mm 2mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 4mm 3mm 3mm 3mm

TS TS TS TS TS TS TS TS SC RU RU RU BRRU/CA BR/RUCA CA TS TS TS TS TS TS TS TS TS TS/SC TS/SC/CC SC/CC

RAMCO 4750 Prelude 5050 Prelude 5050 Sportsman 5450 Prelude 5450 Prelude 5500 Dominator 5800 Interceptor 6020 Fisherman 6250 Fishmaster 7010 Provider 7450 Seahunter 8450 Ultimate SAVAGE

AUCKLAND’S SPECIALIST BOAT REPAIR CENTRE Insurance Work Specialists • Launch, Yacht and Runabout Repairs • Antifouling and Gelcoat Work • Full Marine Maintenance Service Spraypainting and Jetski Repairs 58 Diana Drive, Glenfield Steve@boatrepairs.co.nz www.boatrepairs.co.nz

Recognised

member

Phone: 09 441 2000 Fax: 09 441 4000 Mob: 021 908 156

ALLOY BOAT 2017 ISSUE #13

DB056

DB249

Tel: 06 345 8513 – jodi@amfboats.co.nz – 234 Taupo Quay, Wanganui

Make/Model Quintrex 440 Trophy Quintrex 430 Escape Quintrex 450 Fishseeker Quintrex 450 Top Ender Quintrex 450 Trophy Quintrex 440 Angler Quintrex 440 Dory Quintrex 450 Escape Quintrex 450 Top Ender Quintrex 460 Dory Quintrex 440 Top Ender Quintrex 460 Classic Quintrex 470 Fishseeker Quintrex 480 Trophy Quintrex 470 Coastrunner Quintrex 500 Trophy Quintrex 500 Fishseeker Quintrex 470 Freedom Sport Quintrex 470 Escape Quintrex 470 Top Ender Quintrex 490 Escape Quintrex 490 Freedom Sport Quintrex 490 Coastrunner Quintrex 490 Legend Quintrex 490 Top Ender Quintrex 520 Dory Quintrex 520 Classic Quintrex 510 Legend Quintrex 510 Spirit Quintrex 570 Escape Quintrex 510 Freedom Sport Quintrex 510 Freedom Cruiser Quintrex 510 Coastrunner Quintrex 510 Top Ender Quintrex 530 Escape Quintrex 530 Legend Quintrex 530 Spirit Quintrex 530 Top Ender Quintrex 530 Freedom Sport Quintrex 530 Freedom Cruiser Quintrex 570 Coastrunner Quintrex 570 Spirit Quintrex 570 Legend Quintrex 570 Top Ender Quintrex 570 Freedom Sport Quintrex 600 Fishseeker Quintrex 610 Top Ender Quintrex 610 Spirit Quintrex 610 Legend Quintrex 610 Freedom Sport Quintrex 610 Coastrunner Quintrex 650 Coastrunner Quintrex 650 Spirit Quintrex 650 Freedom Quintrex 650 Offshore Quintrex 610 Freedom Cruiser Quintrex 690 Offshore Quintrex 690 Offshore SDP Quintrex 690 Spirit

305 Jabiru Punt 355 Jabiru 345 Jabiru 375 Jabiru Cartopper 385 Jabiru 415 Jabiru 435 Jabiru 455 Jabiru 485 Jabiru 415 Bay Cruiser 435 Bay Cruiser 485 Bay Cruiser 515 Bay Cruiser 545 Bay Cruiser 575 Bay Cruiser 310 Water Rat 355 Snipe 375 Snipe 385 Big Boy 425 Big Boy 445 Big Boy 455 Safari 485 Safari 525 Safari 435 Scorpion 455 Scorpion 485 Scorpion

192

WWW.BOATMAGS.COM

T Thompson Marine Make/Model

LOA

Beam Hull Const Type

3.60m 4.10m 4.40m 4.70m 4.80m 5.35m 6.10m 6.70m 7.30m 8.50m 8.89m

1.80m 1.90m 1.90m 2.17m 2.17m 2.20m 2.30m 2.40m 2.40m 2.45m 2.80m

SCORPION 360 Dinghy 400 Dinghy 440 Runabout 470 500 Bowrider 535 Cuddy 610 670 Wheelhouse 730 Wheelhouse 850 Wheelhouse 890 Wheelhouse

www.scottwaterjets.com

3mm 3mm 3mm 4mm 4mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 6mm 6mm

TS TS RU CA/CC RU CA CA/HT HT HT HT HT

- 03 615 8851

SCOTT (Jet Boats) 3.30 m 3.55 m 3.55 m 3.70 m 3.70 m 3.90 m 3.70 m 4.30 m 3.70 m 4.45 m 4.45 m 4.55 m 4.60m 4.60m 4.60m 5.10 m 6.50 m 13’ 6”

1.46 m 1.46 m 1.46 m 1.46 m 1.46 m 1.53 m 1.46 m 1.64 m 1.46 m 1.64 m 1.64 m 1.64 m 1.64 m 1.64 m 1.64 m 1.96 m 1.96 m 1.35 m

10mm 10mm 10mm 10mm 10mm 10mm 10mm 12mm 10mm 12mm 12mm 12mm 12mm 12mm 12mm 12mm 12mm 5mm

RU RU RU RU RU RU RU RU RU RU RU RU RU RU RU RU RU RU

• Engines 2 – 900hp • Sales & Spare Parts • Full Service Facilities

DB166

3.30 Puddle Hopper 3.55 Puddle Hopper 3.55 Scud 3.70 Puddle Hopper 3.70 Scud 3.90 River Boat 3.70 Scud 4.30 River Boat 3.70 Scud 4.45 River Boat 4.45 Cross Over 4.55 Scud 4.60 River Boat 4.60 Cross Over 4.60 Scud 5.10 Sea Scud 6.50 Sea Scud 13’ 6 Sprint Boat

14 Saunders Place Avondale, West Auckland. Ph: 09 818 5604 www.bensemann.co.nz • info@bensemann.co.nz

WES T AU C K L A N D

MARINE Outboard Motor Specialists Mercury & Mercruiser Servicing

www.seaboss.co.nz - 0800 95 95 90 SEABOSS 5.50m 6.00m 6.20m 6.70m 7.00m

2.42m 2.42m 2.42m 2.42m 2.50m

5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm

1 Akatea Road, Glendene, Auckland 0645

CA CA CA/HT CA/HT CA/HT/CA

P: 09 818 9230

e: westakmarine@xtra.co.nz DB178

550 600 620 670 700

www.westaucklandmarine.co.nz

www.senatorboats.com - 0800 SENATOR SENATOR MH 630 MH 670 MH 700 MH 760 MH 800 + Wide beam MH 850 Wide beam MH 920 Wide beam Offshore 1020

6.49m 7.15m 7.3m 8.0m 8.35m 8.8m 9.3m 10.80m

2.38m 2.5m 2.5m 2.5m 2.7m 2.7m 2.7m 3.10m

5mm 5mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm

HT HT HT HT HT HT HT HT

3.5-4.8m 2.00m 6.50m 2.50m 7.00m 2.50m 7.50m 2.70m 7.60m 2.90m 8.0-10.0m 2.8-3.5m

5mm 5mm 5mm 6mm 6mm 6mm

CC HT HT HT HT HT

5.45m 6.20m 6.50m 6.80m 7.10m 7.50m 7.50m 7.80m 7.80m 8.20m 8.60m 8.60m 9.00m

2.20m 2.40m 2.40m 2.45m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.80m 2.80m 2.80m

5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm

CA CC HT HT HT HT HT HT HT HT HT HT HT

4.95m 5.63m

2.00m 2.15m

4mm 4mm

CA/CC CA/CC/HT

SKELTON CRAFT Bardozer Phantom 6500 Phantom 7000 Phantom High Bow Ocean Series HT760 Carbon Series SOUTHERN XP516 XP616 CC XP646 HTO XP676 HTO XP716 HTO XP746 HTO XP746 HTE XP776 HTO XP776 HTE XP816 HTE XP856 HTO XP856 HTE XP896 HTE

• Hatch Windows • Sliding • Engine Room • Saloon • French/Bi-Fold Doors • Sliding • Fixed

495 Workmate 550 Workmate

WWW.BOATMAGS.COM

DB238

SURTEES

193

Phone 09 438 6884 | www.seamac.co.nz

ALLOY BOAT 2017 ISSUE #13

Make/Model

LOA

Beam

575 Workmate 610 Workmate 610 Gamefisher 650 Gamefisher 700 Gamefisher 750 Gamefisher 850 Gamefisher

5.75m 6.10m 6.10m 6.50m 7.00m 7.50m 8.50m

2.15m 2.35m 2.35m 2.35m 2.35m 2.50m 2.80m

Make/Model

Hull Const Type 4mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm

CA/CC/HT HT/CC HT/CC HT/CC HT/CC HT/CC HT/CC

LOA

Beam Hull Const Type

COLKEN Colken 451 Cuddy

4.5m

2.05m

4mm

TS/CA/CC

3.10m 3.60m 3.60m 4.20m 4.20m 5.40m 5.80m 7.50m 8.50m

1.72m 1.72m 1.72m 1.72m 1.72m 2.22m 2.26m 2.48m

3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 4mm 5mm 6mm 6mm

TS TS TS/CA TS/CA CA/CC CA/CC CA CA CC

3.03m 3.90m 4.40m 4.50m 4.60m 4.80m 5.15m 5.35m 5.70m 6.60m 6.80m

1.01m 1.71m 1.71m 1.71m 2.02m 2.05m 2.13m 2.15m 2.27m 2.47m 2.47m

3mm 3mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 5mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 5mm 5mm

TS TS/CC CC CC/CA CA CC CC/CA CA HT HT HT

3.40m 4.10m 4.40m 4.95m 5.75m 6.30m 6.80m 7.50m

1.65m 1.75m 1.75m 2.00m 2.25m 2.30m 2.30m 2.50m

3mm 3mm 3mm 4mm 4mm 5mm 5mm 6mm

TS TS CA/CC/HT CA/CC/HT CA/CC/HT HT/CA/CC HT HT

COMMANDO 3.1 Trooper 3.6 Trooper Delux 3.6 Trooper 3.9 Trooper 3.9 Trooper Sport 5.4 Trooper 5.8 Wide Body 7.5 Silverado 8.5 Trooper

www.surteesboats.co.nz - 07 322 8461

DNA ULTIMATE Ultimate 18 Ultimate 21 Ultimate 21 Elite

6.05m 6.35m 6.35m

2.30m 2.45m 2.45m

5mm 6mm 6mm

CA/CC HT HT

5.60m 5.60m 5.80m 6.20m 6.60m 6.60m 6.60m 7.20m 7.20m 7.20m 7.40m 7.40m 7.40m 7.60m 7.60m 7.60m 8.20m 8.20m 8.20m 8.40m 8.40m 8.40m 8.40m 8.80m 8.80m 8.80m 9.20m 9.40m 10.50m

2.10m 2.10m 2.10m 2.35m 2.45m 2.45m 2.45m 2.45m 2.45m 2.45m 2.45m 2.45m 2.45m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.75m 2.75m 2.75m 2.70m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.90m 2.90m 3.10m

6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm

CA CC CA HT/CA HT/CA HT/CA HT/CA HT/CA HT/CA HT/CA HT/CA HT/CA HT/CA HT/CA HT/CA HT/CA HT/CA HT/CA HT/CA HT/CA HT/CA HT/CA HT/CA HT/CA HT/CA HT/CA HT/CA HT/CA HT/CA

300 D 420 440 JetX 450 480 XC 480 JetX 515 CCX 535 XC 570 XHT 660 XHT 680 XHT

WHITE POINTER 550 Sports 550 Cente Console 5.80 Sports Jet 6.20 Sports Hard Top 660 Sports Hard Top 660 Sports Cruiser 660 Custom Cruiser 7m Sports Hard Top 7m Sports Cruiser 7m Custom Cruiser 730 Sports Hard Top 730 Sports Cruiser 730 Custom Cruiser 750 Sports Hard Top 750 Custom Cruiser 750 Sports Cruiser 8m Sports Hard Top 8m Sports Cruiser 8m Custom Cruiser 840 Pro Sportsman 840 Sports Hard Top 840 Sports Cruiser 840 Custom Cruiser 850 Sports Hard Top 850 Sports Cruiser 850 Custom Cruiser 920 Custom Cruiser 940 Pro Sportsman 1050 Pro Sportsman All models avaliable in 8mm

FREWZA 3.4 4.1 F14 F16 F18 F21 F22 F25

www.finlayboats.co.nz - 0274883302 FINLAY Striker 450 Sports 5900 Escape 5900 Ignite 6300 Ranger 8000

ALLOY BOAT PONTOON

4 4.7 5.25 5.4 5.7 5.8 6.5

4.30m 4.50m

3mm 4mm

TS TS/CC/CA

AQUALITE 535 SS 570 SS 601 SS-XRV 645 SS-XRV 665 WHT 775 WHT

5.34m 5.85m 6.03m 6.47m 6.75m 7.55m

2.10m 2.10m 2.44m 2.44m 2.44m 2,44m

4mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm

CA CA CA CA HT HT

4.35m 5.07m 5.52m 5.65m 5.95m 6.47m 7.20m 7.77m 8.55m 9.00m 10.80m

1.95m 2.02m 2.18m 2.32m 2.40m 2.45m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.80m 3.10m

3mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 6mm

TS CA CA HT HT HT HT HT HT HT HT

6.72m 6.92m

2.40m 2.50m

5mm 5mm

HT HT

4.83m 5.30m 5.50m

2.00m 2.00m 2.42m

3mm 4mm 4mm

CA/CC CA CA

4.10m 4.60m 5.10m

2.18m 2.18m 2.18m

4mm 4mm 4mm

TS/CC CC/CA CA/CC/HT

7.08

360 390 470 515 Fisherman 550 Fisherman 590 Sport 660 Sport HT 720 Sport HT 780 Sport HT 780 Overnighter

4.0m 4.7m 5.25m

1.78m 2.06m 2.17m

3mm 4mm 4/5mm

CA CA CA/CC

5.70m 5.80m 6.50m

2.17m 2.17m 2.30m

4/5mm 4/5mm 5mm

CA/CC HT HT

7.08m

2.36m

6mm

HT

3.60m 3.90m 4.70m 5.20m 5.50m 5.90m 6.60m 7.20m 7.80m 7.80m

1.82m 1.95m 2.00m 2.10m 2.20m 2.30m 2.40m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m

3mm 3mm 3mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm

TS CA CA CA CA/HT CA/HT CA/HT CA/HT HT HT

3.80m 4.50m 5.40m 6.00m 7.00m 7.00m 8.00m

1.60m 2.05m 2.33m 2.40m 2.40m 2.40m 2.50m

3mm 4mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 3mm 3mm

TS TS/CA/CC CA CA/HT/CC CA/HT/CC PP PP

ORCA 3.8 4.5 5.4 6 7 7.0 Party 8.0 Party

BAXTER B 480 B 530 B 550

RU HT CA HT/CC HT

KIWI KRAFT

ASSAULT 672 APB 692 APB

4mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 6mm

IMAGE

AQUALINE 435 495 545 565 595 645 705 780 860 890 1080

1.67m 2.31m 2.31m 2.43m 2.90m

HARDY

ADVENTURE Adventure 1430 Adventure 1450

4.30m 6.29m 6.29m 6.75m 8.57m

BLACKDOG CAT - Catamarans 4.1 Dodger BlackDog 4.6 BlackDog 5.1

www.osprey.co.nz - 03 548 7887 OSPREY

BLUEFIN 420 APB 480 APB

4.20m 4.80m

1.87m 1.87m

3mm 3mm

Osprette 380E/S/CO Osprette 450S/Classic Osprette 495 CO/Classic

TS TS

ALLOY BOAT 2017 ISSUE #13

194

WWW.BOATMAGS.COM

4.00m 4.50m 5.00m

1.68m 1.95m 2.15m

2.5mm 3mm 4mm

TS/CO/CA TS/CO/CA TS/CO/CA

LOA

Beam Hull Const

Type

5.20m 5.65m 5.90m 6.10m 6.50m 7.00m 7.50m 8.00m 8.00m 8.50m 8.50m 9.00m

2.25m 2.25m 2.25m 2.25m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.50m 2.80M 2.50M 2.80m 2.80M

4mm 4mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm

CC/CA CA/CC/HT HT/CA HT CA/HT CA/HT HT HT HT HT HT HT

4.30m 4.65m 5.45m 5.85m 5.85m 5.87m 6.00m 6.40m 7.35m 7.50m 7.80m 9.40m

1.74m 1.80m 2.00m 2.14m 2.14m 2.14m 2.25m 2.30m 2.31m 2.60m 2.66m 2.73m

3mm 4mm 4mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm

TS/CC/CA CA CA CA CC HT HT HT HT HT HT HT

Antifouling – Touch ups – Valet – Refits

e: dale@touchofgloss.co.nz | P: 0275 951 443 www.touchofgloss.co.nz

DB192

Make/Model Classic 520 Classic /Plus 565 Classic 590 Plus 610HT Classic / Plus 650 Classic / Plus 700 Classic / Plus 750 Plus 800HT 800HTW 850HT 850HTW 900HTW PROFILE 1401 465C 545C 585C 585CC 585H 600H 635H 735H 750HW 780HW 940HW

FLUSH YOUR ENGINE WITH

REEL 390 400 535 585 650HT

4.05m 4.50m 5.50m 6.25m 7.20m

1.68m 1.60m 1.90m 2.10m 2.26m

3mm 4mm 4mm 5mm 5mm

TS/RU CU CU CU HT

3.67m 3.67m 4.41m 4.36m 6.00m

1.30m 1.54m 1.51m 2.10m 2.39m

3mm 3mm 4&3mm 4mm 4mm

RU RU CA CA CA/CC

3.50m 3.80m 4.20m 4.80m 5.50m 6.80m 7.60m

1.70m 1.70m 1.73m 1.73m 2.20m 2.20m 2.50m

3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 4mm 5mm 5mm

TS TS TS TS/CA CO CA HT

6.13m

2.25m

5mm

CC

4.00m 4.10m 4.10m 4.74m 4.74m 5.04m 5.30m 5.50m 5.70m 5.85m 6.12m 6.13m 6.45m 6.13m 6.45m 6.75m 7.13m 7.93m 7.97m 9.90m

1.65m 1.80m 1.80m 1.87m 1.87m 1.87m 1.52m 1.98m 1.98m 2.03m 2.18m 2.20m 2.38m 2.20m 2.38m 2.38m 2.49m 2.49m 2.70m 2.70m

3mm 3mm 3mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm

TS CC TS CA CC CA CA CA/CC CA CU CA CC CA HT HT HT HT HT HT HT

3.92m 4.55m 5.30m 6.00m

1.90m 1.90m 1.90m 2.30m

4mm 4mm 4mm 5mm

RU CA CA CA/

4.30m 4.30m 4.30m 4.72m 4.88m 5.00m 5.40m 5.60m 5.60m 6.27m 6.40m 6.40m 7.32m 7.62m 7.75m 8.38m

1.70m 1.70m 1.70m 2.02m 2.02m 2.15m 2.16m 2.40m 2.40m 2.31m 2.30m 2.30m 2.30m 2.55m 2.30m 2.49m

3mm 3mm 3mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 4mm 5mm 5mm 5mm 6mm 6mm 6mm 6mm

TS CC CA CA CC CA CA CC HT HT HT HT HT HT HT HT

KILLS SALT CORROSION SALT REMOVING TREATMENT

GOLD MEMBER

Best value for money • Most concentrated (500.1)

0800 272 589

www.salt-away.co.nz

REVO 361 Jet-2 361 Jet-3 442 Powercat 451 601 SEA SURGE

Proud Distributor of AURORA BOAT CARE PRODUCTS, the most advanced cleaning products in the market!

SEALEGS 6.1 D-Tube

Phone: 64 27 462 7586 Toll-Free: 0508 22 55 62 (0508 NAUTICUS) Email: info@nauticus.co.nz www.nauticus.co.nz

SENATOR IS 380 ICC 400 IS 400 RC 450 RCC 450 RC 480 RC 500 RC 520/RCC 520 RC 540 RC 560 RC 580 RCC 580 RC 620 RH 580 RH 620 RH 650 RH 690 RH 770 RH 780 RH 860 SCORPION 392 455 530 600 HT STABICRAFT 1410 Explorer 1410 Frontier 1410 Fisher 1550 Fisher 1600 Frontier 1650 Fisher 1850 Fisher 1850 Frontier 1850 Supercab 2050 Supercab 2100 Supercab 2100 Frontier 2400 Supercab 2500 Ultracab XL 2100 Supercab ST 2750 Supercab

WWW.BOATMAGS.COM

FREE Listing Available For builders of production or custom aluminium boats.

If you wish to be included in this Alloy Boat Listing please send your details to barry@boatmags.com

STYLE CODE: CC = CENTRE CONSOLE CO = CONSOLE CA = CABIN CU = CUDDY CABIN

195

ALLOY BOAT 2017 ISSUE #13

RU = RUNABOUT TS = TILLER STEER HT = HARDTOP PP = PARTY PONTOON

DB183

3.5 3.8 4.2 4.8 5.5 6.8 7.6

ALLOY BOAT SPECIALISTS SCORPION 610 HARDTOP - The best buying hardtop out, full length berths, good head height, fully lined cabin, VHF, fishfinder, complete on trailer with 90hp Mercury. Retail $47,500 SPECIAL $44,500

NEW ZEALAND’S BEST VALUE HARDTOPS $42,500

$37,250

SCORPION 610 CABIN good cabin room with 1900 mm long bunks and good head height complete package on trailer incl 90hp Mercury, canopy, fishfinder, VHF, fully lined cabin Retail $44,700 Special Now $42,500 paint extra

$74,950

BLUEFIN 600 FISHERMAN New 6 metre boat on trailer, including motor. A boat built to hunt. 5mm hull, treadplate floor, nice and stable, heaps of fishing room and big anchor hatch. Complete on trailer including 90hp Mercury outboard.

Retail $39,250 Special Now $37,250

BLUEFIN 665HT OFFSHORE Available with 150hp optimax. Comes on trailer with vhf and sounder. Fully lined, full size cabin. (Paint extra).

Retail $80,500 Special Now $74,950

Mercury FourStrokes have long led the pack in clean, quiet, fuel-efficient power... > Ultimate Durability > Exclusive EFI technology > Available in 40-150hp

SAVE $$$ BUY DIRECT WE MAKE THE BOATS $35,500

SCORPION 470 CUDDY - unbeatable value, roomy boat, complete package incl fishfinder, VHF, deluxe canopy, helm upholstery, back seat upholstery, nav lights, switch panel, baitboard, Sportline trailer, 50hp Mercury, separate anchorwell.

Retail $30,750 Special Now $29,250 paint extra

MORRINSVILLE

Thames Street West, Morrinsville Phone: (07) 889 7193 • Fax: (07) 889 5405 Alan Solly: 021 595 151 • Benj: 021 241 535

Email: sportcraftboats@xtra.co.nz

$92,950

BLUEFIN 620 CENTRE CONSOLE The ultimate centre console. with 5mm hull and treadplate floor standard this is one strong boat. This boat comes complete on trailer including 90hp Mercury, VHF, fishfinder, 6 rodholders, deluxe bait board (bimini extra). Retail $37,250 Special Now $35,500

OPEN 7 DAYS

BLUEFIN 720 WEEKENDER Separate toilet and shower closet with hot and cold water included as standard.

Complete packages on water from $92,950 – paint extra.

OVER 200 BOATS www.sportcraftboats.co.nz

DB109

$29,250

TAURANGA

119 Hewletts Road, Mt Maunganui Phone: (07) 928 7193 Fax: (07) 928 7194 Roger: 027 669 7918 • Jamie: 021 795 597 Jason: 027 606 1063

Email: sales@sportcraftmarine.co.nz subscribe online at www.mags4gifts.co.nz/boating-nz

191

bytenarx 2500 FNZ 1217

rayglass.co.nz

THE ALL-NEW YAMAHA F90 FOUR-STROKE With 14,000km of coastline, over 180,000km of rivers, and 3,820 lakes, there’s more to the land of the long white cloud than land. And now, with its class leading performance, the all-new Yamaha F90 can get you to those undiscovered fishing spots quicker than ever before. What’s more, the F90’s unrivalled reliability means you can relax in the knowledge you’re in good hands. So take the helm, explore what’s on your doorstep and see New Zealand like never before.

SAME PLANET. DIFFERENT WORLD. yamaha-motor.co.nz P29/25757/PP

/YamahaMarineNZ