Melbourne Boat Show Guide 2019

boats & kayaks

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SHOW GUIDE

100

114

106

102

100 Northbank 650C with Mercury 250hp V8 Verado 102 Revival 590 X-Rider with Mercury 150hp

2019

116

104 Quintrex 440 SC Renegade with Yamaha F60hp 106 Bar Crusher 615BR with Suzuki 150hp 110 Stessco Skipper 449 with Yamaha F50hp 112 Haines Hunter 625 Offshore HT with 250hp Suzuki

BIGGER . BETTER . BOATIER. 104

110

114 Campion Explorer 632 with 200hp Mercury V6

112

116 Yellowfin re-launched as Yellowfin Plate Boats JUNE 2019

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BIGGER.BETTER.BOATIER.

Using your boat as an effective fish fighting tool WHITSUNDAYS

Mick Underwood

like to have a big green fish too close to the boat, I don’t really want them on the horizon either. In this situation more often than not it can be prudent to get the boat into gear and get after the fish in order to remain in contact with it.

There are a few reasons why we need to use ours boats, now let’s get on with how to use them. The following are some common

instantly once an angler has hooked-up to a substantial fish. If I was on anchor, even with a quick release system, the time it takes to get the boat mobile would be too slow and the fish would win its freedom.

For the same reason I don’t use drogues (sea anchors) to help control the drifts, as the time it takes to get them out of the water is also too slow and will result

It’s a full time job and you need to remain attentive here. Don’t try this style of fishing by keeping your bow into the sea – it simply won’t work. It’s too hard to remain vertically above the anglers lines, you’ll wind up with lines going underneath the boat at all sorts of crazy angles and you have the added risk of one of them becoming wrapped around your

Drifting deep structure

Obstruction free water

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Fish holding area

Bottom structure

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simply to create and maintain effective line angles in order to keep the hooks set into a fish and to keep fight times to a minimum. The longer the fight the greater the chance there is for something to go wrong. Also, if targeting fish intended for release, the longer the fight the less chance that the fish will swim away again in a healthy manner.

A primary reason to use our boat (and this is something that I do a lot of) is to keep a fish away from structure. Structure doesn’t just mean a bit of reef or rocks, it may be other boats fishing nearby, flotsam, moorings, jetties or pretty much anything either in or on the water that may bring a premature and unhappy ending to a fight.

Using your boat can also help you stay in contact with a rampaging fish. When targeting big pelagics on light line, and this is something that I am passionate about, it’s common for a good fish to rip a couple of hundred metres of line off a spool in a single run. While I don’t

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There are quite a few aspects of our sport where we can do things in a certain way to give ourselves the biggest chance possible to get that fish of a lifetime.

The correct use of our mode of transport on the water is one such way that we can all give ourselves a better chance to catch more and bigger fish. It doesn’t matter whether you fish from a kayak, a 60ft luxury game boat or something in between, whatever your chosen fishing platform is, your vessel an important fish fighting tool.

Just like any tool that’s used in any trade it has to be used correctly to be effective. Too many people out there use their boat just as a means of transport to get to the fish when it can be used for so much more.

In this article I am going to talk to you about some different scenarios that I encounter on a regular basis and how I use my boat Reel Addiction to give everyone

onboard their best chance to get that special fish. I can tell you that if I didn’t use my boat to fight fish with, my catch rates would be significantly less than what they are, especially in regards to trophy-sized fish of just about any species.

Before I rattle on too much about what and what not to do in particular situations, I’ll explain some of the fundamental reasons why we need to use our boat to help us out.

One of the first things that comes to mind is to assist the hooked-up angler to maintain that ever important constant hook pressure. Quite often mid-fight I’ll have a big fish turn and start swimming at angle towards the boat, making it necessary to get the boat into gear pronto and do whatever that is required to keep the line tight.

Just about any of the pelagic species will try and pull this trick on you at some point in time and if you’re not ready for it, that big fish that you so wanted may go begging.

Another reason is

Se c

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Wind

1 Bowen Street, Cranbourne, Vic 3977

Ph: (03) 5996 2206

www.cranbourneboatingcentre.com.au

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JUNE 2019

situations that I find myself in and how I deal with them. These scenarios may not relate directly to how you fish in your backyard but I hope that you can take something from this that will help you out.

DRIFT FISHING FOR DEEP REEF DWELLERS What I call deep fishing on my local grounds is water around 35-45m in depth. I appreciate that some of you will consider these depths to be at the shallow end of the scale, but for me that’s as deep as I go.

When I am fishing this country I pretty much never anchor up. For one, it’s too hard to get the boat to hang up properly above a small piece of structure, but the main reason is that I need the boat ready to manoeuvre

in lost fish. Typical targets in this water are black jewfish, golden snapper, nannygai and coral trout.

These are all dirty fighters that once hooked will do everything in their power to make it back into their snaggy homes and we all know that once they get there it’s game over.

When I am engaging in this style of fishing I start my drifts up wind or up current from the fish holding area and allow enough room and time for the anglers onboard to get their lines down to the bottom before reaching the designated hotspot.

I always drift with the stern facing into the sea and bump the engine astern and alter the helm as required to stay vertically above the angler’s offering.

prop, so keep your stern to the sea.

Once above the fish holding area and a lucky angler sinks their hooks into a good one, that’s when the fun starts and it’s time to use your ace card (your boat). When an angler hooks a fish that they can’t turn upwards straight away you need to use the boat to turn the fish’s head for them and manoeuvre the fish away from its home.

Your actions on the helm need to be instant and quite often aggressive.

Always be aware as you go through a drift what direction you need to pull a fish in order to make it to obstruction free water. As soon as you put the boat into gear to start pulling a fish give the order for all other anglers

MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW FEATURE

BIGGER.BETTER.BOATIER. onboard to get their lines out of the water as soon as possible. Lines that are left in the water will only cause problems.

If you’re using forward gear and pushing ahead to pull a fish, then be aware of where the other angler’s lines are in relation to your prop until they are clear of the water. For this reason, where it’s possible I like to pull a fish by going astern so that I can keep everyone’s lines away from the machinery. When pulling a fish away from structure don’t stop too soon. The distances that you have to pull will vary from fish to fish, just make sure that you get them away from any structure before backing the power down.

You will almost certainly lose line during this process, this is largely unimportant as long as you’re getting the fish away from the prickles.

Line can always be wound back onto a reel, a big fish can’t normally be pulled out of a wreck.

CASTING/TROLLING FRINGING REEFS AND OTHER SHALLOW STRUCTURE This is another form of sportfishing that I derive a lot of enjoyment from

and when a combination of good rod handling and boat handling techniques are applied together the results can be stunning.

There is no real rocket science to this one, it doesn’t matter whether you’re casting or trolling, keep your boat on the open water side of any structure that you are targeting. As with the deeper fishing, be ready to manoeuvre your vessel to open water in an instant as the majority of the time the fights with these shallow water reef dwellers are either won or lost in the first few seconds. If you hesitate or are indecisive in what your actions should be, then wave the fish and an expensive lure goodbye.

One of the most notorious fighters that I deal with working around the edges of shallow reefs is the giant trevally. I have lost count of how many of these guys that I have lost over recent years due to them swimming behind the nearest bommie and cutting us off. This is one fish where your boat handling has to be instant and decisive. With giant trevally in particular, even when you do everything right you still won’t win them all, they are the

SPECIAL EDITION

Be aware of vertical line angles in a sea

As boat rises hook pressure increases

Vertical movement of boat

epitome of a gutter brawler and will not come boat side without using every dirty trick that they can.

Sometimes we don’t have the luxury of being able to keep the boat in open water in order to be able to pull a fish in that direction. There are a lot

As boat falls hook pressure decreases

of scenarios that require us to have the boat right up in the shallows and in these situations we need to use a different style of boat handling technique.

For myself, common shallow water drifting scenarios include sight casting on the flats or

drifting shallow weedy country in search of coral trout hiding in the weed.

For anglers drifting shallow weedy country for bream and flathead, you could use the same method.

When targeting trout and other structure dwellers up in the shallows in can

be important to not let the boat get too far away from the fish. The further the fish is from the boat, the better chance it has to find something to hide under.

For this reason I normally always cast downwind/ down current during a drift, so that when a fish

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JUNE 2019

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SPECIAL EDITION

BIGGER.BETTER.BOATIER. of a racket.

CHASING DOWN THAT MONSTER FISH IN OPEN WATER This is a really tough one to cover as there is an endless list of variables involved. Including but not limited to: the size and style of boat being used, the weather and the sea state, the tackle being used, the ability of the angler and of course, whatever is connected to the end of the line.

Please remember that out on the wild blue, no two fights will be the same and as a boat handler we have to learn to quickly read the variables, make decisions on how we’re going to deal with them, and then act accordingly on those decisions in order to catch the fish.

When chasing down big fish in open water I personally believe there is no substitute for experience and as you gain experience mistakes will be made. As long as we learn from our mistakes it doesn’t really matter too much, it’s just part of the learning process.

Kind of like learning to

ride a bike, you’ll end up with grazed knees and a bruised ego a few times along the way.

To try and minimise this, I’ll point out a few errors that are commonly made and how best to avoid them.

GETTING LINE BACK ON A FISH You’ve spent an hour or two steaming out to your wide grounds, got your gear in the water, hooked-up on a beauty and now it’s out on the horizon somewhere and you’ve got to get it back. Don’t try and get the line back too fast. Keep your heart rate down and take your time. There is no point in manoeuvring your boat towards a fish faster than the angler can wind the line back onto the reel. As with any angling situation, remain focussed on keeping good constant hook pressure to your fish.

Unless you happen to be on the helm of a twinscrew purpose designed and built gamefisher that has been built to back down on fish by manoeuvring astern, don’t do it. Even if the fish has been hooked-up over the stern by trolling, wait until

Drifting the flats and other shallow areas Weed & bommies

Reef and weed

Pu thi ll fis sw h ay

is hooked-up the boat is already moving in the direction of the fish, which gives me a chance to get on top of the thing fairly quickly. It can still be necessary to manoeuvre your boat up in these shallow areas in order to dictate good angles to the fish and keep it out of the prickles.

When going through these shallow drifts keep visually scanning the entire local area so that you are aware of where any clear obstruction free water is.

So that when you need to use your boat you already have it in your head where you need to get that fish to.

Don’t be too aggressive when pulling a fish up on the flats, use a little finesse. Start carrying on with your boat up on the flats and you run the risk of doing some expensive prop and/or gearbox damage and by causing too much calamity you’ll just shut the place down. To sum the shallow stuff up, be aware of what’s where in your local environment, try not to let structure dwellers get too far away from you and don’t make too much

Casting direction

Obstruction free water

Direction of drift

Working reef edges

Wind current

Pull the fish out here

Bommies Open water

Hook up Fish holding area

Troll line

Fringing reef

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the other lines and teasers have been removed from the water before starting to work on the fish. Most of us fish from vessels that are designed to manoeuvre ahead, so once the dust has settled a bit, position the hooked-up angler on your boat suitably so that you can use forward gear and move ahead to start taking line back on a fish.

FINISHING THE DEAL When fishing offshore one of the biggest mistakes is to wind up in a position where you’re fighting a big fish vertically under the boat. When coming up to the closing stages of a fight on a good fish don’t let the thing get underneath you, do whatever is necessary with your boat to keep the fish out beside the boat, behind it, out in front, wherever, just not underneath you.

For one, once you get to this stage of the fight on a good fish the angler will be suffering from some degree of fatigue and their ability to maintain good angling technique will possibly be starting to wane. Forcing a tired angler to try and start vertically lifting what could be several hundred pounds of fish with

maxed out drag pressures is opening the doors for something to go wrong.

Another reason to avoid this situation is hook pressure. When fishing out wide in offshore waters, unless you’ve lucked it out and are fishing on the best day of the year, there will be some amount of wave and swell action causing the boat to rise and fall.

With a fish vertically under the boat, every time the boat rises to the crest of a wave this increases the pressure to a hook, and when the boat falls off the top of a wave and drops down into a trough this decreases the pressure to a hook, working it loose and this also opens up the doors for an unhappy ending.

A few years back when on the closing stages of a fight with an estimated 950lb+ Atlantic blue marlin, we had a capable young angler in the chair and he had done a great job of getting the fight to this point. This was the biggest fish that we had seen that season and the excitement levels onboard were at fever point. The boat was rising and falling sharply as we were in a patch of nasty wind against tide swell. The drag on the

Tiagra 130 was at sunset while we were trying to get the last few metres of line off this fish, which was pulling vertically down straight under the rod tip.

I was standing at the transom, leader gloves on and just itching to get a double wrap on the 700lb leader. I could see the top of leader, it was just beneath the surface of the water.

We were so close I could almost taste the success and then it happened, the hooks pulled and everything went limp. If I had got my hands on that leader it would have beaten my best blue on leader by at least 150lb and been one of the pinnacles of my angling career. Instead, due to using the wrong angles through poor boat handling, that fish is now permanently etched in my mind for all the wrong reasons. Don’t let this happen to you.

This article by no means covers every aspect of how we can utilise our fishing wagons to help tilt the odds in our favour (I could write a set of encyclopaedias on this).

But I hope that what I have mentioned here helps all of you budding skippers out and that the next monster that you get on a line makes it to the side of the boat. Good luck.

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SPECIAL EDITION

BUSINESS PROFILE

BIGGER.BETTER.BOATIER.

Cranbourne Boating Centre

Melbourne has a number of long established marine dealerships – dealerships recognised to be leaders in their field and Cranbourne Boating Centre in Cranbourne is one of them.

Trading for almost 40 years and established by Rodney Avard, it is now a second-generation dealership with Avard’s son David at the helm. He is proud of the achievements the business has had in the

past and is keen to continue to improve the customer experience for anyone coming to see them.

THEY STOCK SOME OF THE BEST BRANDS IN THE GAME • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Businesses don’t last unless they have quality products to offer and when I spoke to David he confirmed exactly that. Melbourne people want tough, well-made boats with reliable, quality outboard motors on the back of them.

Cranbourne Boating Centre stock three major boating brands: the Formosa Tomahawk Plate series of boats, Makocraft aluminium boats and Tournament Pleasure fibreglass boats. These established brands offer a range of hulls to suit the hardcore angler looking to chase tuna out of Portland, the avid angler who wants to catch a snapper or two in Port Phillip Bay, and those anglers looking to get started and fish our local estuaries, lakes and rivers. They also have cruising options available as well.

The outboard brands are just as impressive. You can match your chosen boat with either a direct injected 2-stroke

Evinrude E-Tec outboard or one of the leading 4-stroke engine technology, Suzuki outboards.

No package is complete without a quality trailer underneath it. Cranbourne Boating Centre matches either Easytow or Mackay trailers with its packages. David explained that they ensure getting any of their BMT packages from A to B and in and out of the water is safe, simple and hassle free.

QUALIFIED STAFF YOU CAN TRUST • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • A business is only as good as the team behind it and David employs five factorytrained staff that are experts in their field. The services offered are everything from motor servicing (all brands) to repowers, custom electrical fit outs, customised stainless work, covers and much more.

David explained that they are a one stop shop and that he is confident they will be able to help with even the most discerning customers needs.

AWARDED FOR EXCELLENCE • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Cranbourne Boating Centre has won a number of dealer of the year awards including the Tournament Pleasure Boats dealer of the year and Makocraft Dealer of the year. However, winning the Evinrude Dealer of the year on a number of occasions is what David is proud of the most. He explained that this award not only focuses on units sold, but the excellence of the spare parts department and service qualifications.

True reward and recognition for the efforts of his team and his hard work.

GET IN TOUCH WITH THEM • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • David and his team love catching up with people and the best place to do that is at the dealership itself. Their address is 1 Bowen Street, Cranbourne.

They stock a great range of accessories, from marine electronics, trailers parts, safety gear or something as simple as a few nuts and bolts, there is every chance you will find it there. Of course you can check out the boats while you’re there too.

Cranbourne Boating Centre is also very proactive with their social media. Follow them on Facebook, Cranbourne Boating Centre, to keep up-to-date on all the current specials and new boating package arrivals.

range of the Formosa Tomahawk plate boats, including the new big and bold Formosa 740 Enclosed Half Cabin. This super capable offshore offering is sure to be popular amongst visitors to his stand.

If you are looking at fibreglass hull

You get notifications about upcoming promotions, like the ‘20% off your servicing needs’ running until the end of July. You can also check out their website www.

options there will also be a number of Tournament Pleasure Boat packages on display, with packages available at special boat show prices.

On the outboard front you can check out the latest Evinrude G2 outboards or the quite rare Suzuki SS series performance outboards at the stand. There is plenty of interesting stuff for you to check out.

If you are going to the show, go and see David and his team at stand D10. – Peter Jung

cranbourneboatingcentre.com.au or ring them on 03 5996 2206.

GOING BIG AT THE 2019 MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Cranbourne Boating Centre will once again be at the Melbourne Boat Show in 2019. Dave was very excited when I spoke to him about the show and what people attending the show would see at his stand.

He explained that the Australian boat market is big on plate boats at the moment, so he is excited to be displaying a comprehensive 78

JUNE 2019

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Success with small craft storage brisbane

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Safe storage of priority items and tackle is one of the major challenges that owners of small boats face.

While it’s generally accepted that storage space within small vessels – say under 5m – is always going to be a test of ingenuity, most anglers seem to enjoy the challenge of getting their boat set up to their satisfaction.

What do you need?

Let’s consider what needs to be stored in that small trailer boat. My view is that it comes down to safety equipment first, then those items we need for our own comfort, which

so you need some means of securing tackle in transit.

The larger the boat the better the storage Obviously, if the boat has come off a tandem trailer there will be a lot of really useful storage space on hand. Larger boats have plenty of room to store everything you need, but inevitably even the largest storage areas will eventually be taken up with gear.

Storage under seats, within a cabin, or in cockpit-length side pockets are a blessing, and some larger craft even have storage racks for rods or gaffs built into T tops over the helm area. There’s no question that bigger is better when it comes to storage, but most of us don’t have that option. Still,

you can store what you need in a small boat – you just need to get more creative. Trying to store everything in a small boat is going to involve some compromises, and it comes down to making the most of what you have to make things work.

Setting up the tinny We are all familiar with

were doing a lot of fly fishing with 3m fly rods. The little tinny had no rod holders or rod racks of any kind, so I installed a basic set of horizontal rod holders with the aft one set up on the rear thwart to port and another set up on the front seat also to port.

It looked a bit rough, but the system worked and was

Very long rod lockers come in handy on small craft.

When rod tips are going to contact hard and unyielding surfaces, a section of soft material prevents damage.

Top: This roomy looking alloy craft features lots of work room and flexible seating. There is even room for a set of rod holders to be horizontally mounted to port just under the gunwale deck. Above: There’s some useful storage here, but some rubber padding glued on the bottom and sides would make it that bit better. includes apparel and tucker, and then the all-important fishing gear. What about the catch? We can’t just throw our fish into the engine well, so keeping fish fresh is a necessity.

With safety first, you need to keep life jackets as accessible as possible, so they are within easy reach at all times. Personal comfort items are of a lesser priority and can be tucked away where they won’t affect the fishing work area. Soft bags will take care of clothes, a waterproof box for the tucker, and an insulated fish bag will certainly take care of fish coming home.

Then we come to fishing gear. The last thing any sensible angler wants is for valuable rods and reels to be bouncing about on the floor as the boat navigates choppy conditions, 80

June 2019

the common little 3.65m tinny, the 12ft. I used to use a boat this size to fish freshwater impoundments and estuaries.

The only storage within this handy little outboard craft was the under-deck area up front. I set it up with an off-floor shelf with a marine ply floor bulwark next to it.

The allowed the necessary safety gear to be stored under the foredeck while the anchor and rope were down lower at floor level. This worked well, and nothing ever moved from its designated place, no matter how rough the conditions were.

We’d travel fair distances on Monduran Dam looking for big barra, so cushions were always on hand to ease the discomfort of sitting on hard metal during long trips.

Next came the issue of rod storage, which was challenging given that we

bass dams were easily stored, but larger barramundi posed real problems, so we usually let them go after a few photos.

If it rained, some things did get wet, and when the

One of the things that make bow rider crafts so attractive is the great storage under the front seating. able to safely hold spin and fly rods while we powered along to a chosen fishing spot.

Everything else was packed in tackle boxes or other containers with lids, and if we wanted to keep a fish or two for dinner we put them into an insulated and iced down fish bag. Fish from the estuaries or

Even though things were pretty rough, the author and his wife managed to keep valuable fly rods safe. Note the sheep skin cushioning for those long runs, and the green tub to contain fly line while casting.

boat was unattended on its trailer we removed everything of value for safe keeping, but our systems worked and we really enjoyed fishing out of that little boat.

your challenges For most small boat owners there are similar solutions that can assist with storage. Side and centre console rigs can usually be set up with a series of upright rod holders up front or along the sides of the console to carry rods while on the water. Never carry rods there when the boat is being towed behind the car.

If there is sufficient uncluttered room along interior sides of the craft, budget style rod holders can be installed.

Take care not to go screwing things through the side of the boat unnecessarily; you can do this by using appropriately sized self-tappers. If you do need to bolt right through the side, simply put plenty of silicon on the job.

Many boats can also be set up with the flexible rod holders spaced out on corresponding flat surfaces, so that rods are safely stored while on the water.

A rod holder set

The aft section of the rod holders in the author’s craft handle two fly rods rigged and ready for action.

SPECIAL EDITION horizontally on the lid of an aft compartment, another set up on the front deck or on a seat will see a couple of rods stored easily and within reach.

If the craft is tiller steered, set them up away from the skipper’s helm area.

These days a lot of smaller boats are set up with side pockets, and while these are often too small to be useful for rod storage, they can assist by holding a gaff, folded landing nets, wallets of plastics or other tackle that might need to be kept close by.

Downsize those tackle boxes Tackle boxes need to be of just the right size to readily accommodate the essential

compartments are not very tackle friendly, so it’s a good idea to visit a cheap shop and secure a few metres of soft rubber matting to line these compartments.

that it’s quite satisfying finding innovative ways to create storage space. Just remember that some parts of the boat must stay as they are. I recently saw a small

Innovation wins again. The owner of this craft has worked out a perfect way to store that rod.

A typical smaller side pocket, best suited for smaller items that might need to be kept handy.

tackle for the trip. When you are fishing from a small boat you simply don’t have the luxury of taking everything that might possibly be of use.

Anglers do tend to specialise these days, so it’s not unusual to see a couple of smaller boxes, maybe a roll or two of plastics plus matching jigheads stored in a small boat as it leaves the ramp. Compact tackle is good tackle that does not obstruct fishing room.

If you get a new tackle box, it might be wise to gently turn the hose on it at home to simulate light rain and see

how the box shapes up. Some will leak and it can be very annoying to open a tackle box and see valuable chemically sharpened hooks sitting in water that’s discoloured by their corrosion.

Soften up those metal compartments Lastly, quite a few of today’s alloy boats are set up with some storage, with punt-style rigs with their handy up front hatch covered compartments coming immediately to mind.

Unfortunately, bare metal

There’s the potential to set up a set of side mounted rod holders here, as those well-spaced ribs would be an ideal spot to mount them.

Contact cement will keep the soft liners in place, and it’s surprising just how efficient this system is in both keeping the noise down and keeping valuable items undamaged.

Last thoughts Storage in small boat can definitely present a few challenges but I have found

tinny with a battery sitting mid thwart where a big hole had been cut in the top of the middle seat to accommodate the battery. Exchanging in-built flotation for a sure method of sinking the craft in the event of a mishap is definitely taking storage just a bit too far!

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71-77 Chickerell Street, Morwell, Victoria 3840 P: (03) 5134 6522 E: sales@crawfordmarine.com.au June 2019

81

WHAT’S NEW BOATING RAYMARINE LIGHTHOUSE UPDATE 1

RAILBLAZA TRACWEDGE

New LightHouse Annapolis 3.9 operating system unlocks new features and functionality for Raymarine MFDs. As with every Raymarine LightHouse operating system update, downloads are free and easy at http://www.raymarine. com/multifunction-displays/lighthouse3/.

ClearCruise Augmented Reality (AR) is now supported on FLIR M132 and M232 thermal camera systems. Day or night, AR shows you valuable identification data for navigation aids, AIS contacts and waypoints. The AR display even updates automatically to work with the pan and digital zoom capabilities of the M232 for true 360° viewing. ClearCruise AR is only available on Axiom MFDs. The RealBathy feature lets you build detailed bathymetric charts in real-time, and Annapolis 3.9 now supports intuitive pinch-to-zoom touchscreen control as well as touch-and-drag range shift. There’s also Yamaha Command Link Plus Integration. www.raymarine.com

The Railblaza TracWedge enables the easy installation of StarPorts and SidePorts into the gunwale tracks on most aluminium boat brands in Australia under 4m.

There is no drilling of holes required, and ports can be moved easily.

The TracWedge fits gunwale channels on Quintrex, Stacer, Savage, Stessl, Stessco and Sea Jay open boats. There are two models available, the StarPort (#03-4127-11) and SidePort (#03-4126-11). They receive all Railblaza accessories, including rod holders, drink holders, navigation lights, fish finders and baitboards.

It keeps your boat tidy and free of clutter, and are easily moved to a new position along the gunwale.

For more information on these and other boat/kayak mounting products, visit the Railblaza website. www.railblaza.com

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2

Scanstrut has released the world’s first 12/24V waterproof wireless charger range – the ROKK Wireless.

The IPX6 waterproof 12/24V Qi certified waterproof wireless charging range enables charging for the outdoor environment, without the need for phone charging cables. Designed from the ground up, this is the world’s first waterproof wireless charge system created specifically for use on board, with the unique technology housed in an IPX6, fully encapsulated and sealed unit.

Working directly with 12/24V systems, ROKK Wireless is ideal for life on the move and is perfect for boats and caravans. It’s easy to install anywhere you need your phone, either indoors or outdoors. No more wires.

Exceeding the latest and highest standards of the Qi wireless protocol, ROKK Wireless is independently certified to deliver ultra-safe charging anywhere on board. www.scanstrut.com

NEW FUSION AMPLIFIERS

3

Fusion has released two new additions to its industry-leading range of marine audio entertainment products, the Signature Series 6-channel and 8-channel class-D marine amplifiers.

These new 6-channel 1500W and 8-channel 2000 W amplifiers deliver an impressive power rating and are designed to suit all audio installation requirements.

These powerful amplifiers are built with Class-D amplification for higher efficiency and output, a rigid aluminium heat sink, a subsonic filter, variable low and high pass crossover filters, and are 2 Ohm stereo stable and include variable bass boost, behind a stainless-steel front panel with a mirror finish. Ensuring low current draw from the battery while delivering increased power, the efficient design makes it suit any boating environment.

Carrying Fusion’s True-Marine accreditation, these amplifiers are protected by a 3-year warranty. Fusion has also laughed a high quality, corrosion-resistant range of RCA cables and connectors. www.fusionentertainment.com 82

June 2019

MASTERVOLT MAC PLUS SERIES

PRODUCT GUIDE

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1

2

5

Charging the service batteries on your boat can be challenging. Recharging tends to take a long time and batteries may not receive a full charge. Smart alternators and start/stop systems make the problem even worse.

Traditionally, a service battery is linked to the starter battery by means of a charge relay. The starter battery is located close to the alternator and receives most of the charge current. However, the service battery is usually further away. Long cables cause voltage drop, leading to slow charging, failing appliances and reduced battery life.

Modern engines have smart alternators which provide a variable voltage; after a brief charging period, voltage is reduced and the charging stops. Furthermore, the energy produced by regenerative braking leads to voltage peaks. Service batteries coupled in the traditional way will receive hardly any charge and may be damaged by the peak voltages.

Mastervolt Mac Plus DC-DC chargers, available in 12V or 24V, monitor the service battery and compensate the voltage loss.

The 3-step charge method ensures a quick and safe charge. Moreover, by stabilising the charge voltage, the service battery and sensitive equipment are protected.

Price: SRP $1079 www.bla.com.au

HUTCHWILCO 170N PFD

3

4

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The new Hutchwilco 170N inflatable lifejacket (#BASC0170) features ARS technology (Advanced Roll Over System) with a 170N asymmetric bladder for superior self-righting and head-up support.

The new higher spec version of the inflatable which has a 170N interlock bladder partnered with a UML Pro-Sensor indicator inflator mechanism. It has a indicator window to show you that your jacket is good to go.

The 170N lifejacket somes with stainless steel adjustment system and D ring. The outer cover has a soft neoprene neck for more comfort, plus a mesh back for improved fit and comfort, and an integral crotch strap with stowage pouch. It also features a spray hood in both models, a burst zip closure and quality 50mm webbing.

One size fits most adults, and it comes in navy/black.

Price: SRP $149 www.hutchwilco.co.nz

5

6 Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au

SCAN THE QR CODE!

June 2019

83

SPECIAL EDITION

BIGGER.BETTER.BOATIER.

Get ready for exciting new releases at the Show!

This year the RACV Marine Melbourne Boat Show is celebrating 59 years of operation, and the 2019 Show is looking to be the biggest and best yet.

You’ll be blown away by how much is on offer, featuring over 100 vendors, debuting countless innovative products, and promising the hottest deals – this year’s event is not to be missed. Don’t take our word for it, read ahead to see what some of the biggest brands in boating are bringing to the Show. It truly shows that ‘Life is Better with a Boat’.

C4A BAR CRUSHER

•• • • • ••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • •

new models from Bar Crusher!

•• • • • ••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • •

As usual, iconic Aussie fishing boat brand Bar Crusher is remaining tight-lipped about its display at the Melbourne Boat Show, but has confirmed the introduction of even more new models!

Among an always-impressive fleet of fishing weapons on display at the Melbourne manufacturer’s home-state event will be a selection of models from the popular foldingroof cuddy cabin (C) series, centre console/ walk-around (XS and WR) series, awardwinning hardtop (HT) offshore series, and hardtop pilothouse (HTP) series.

All we managed to get out of Bar Crusher about the new models making their debut at the 2019 Melbourne Boat Show was, “We know people are going to love them, as we’ve always taken customer feedback on board and

continued to innovate and keep pushing the boundaries of plate aluminium boat design and construction.”

Designed and built for Australian conditions, all Bar Crusher boats incorporate exclusive innovations such as the Waveslicer deep-V, non-pounding hull for an ultra-smooth ride, Rigideck engineered sub-floor system for maximum hull strength, and Quickflow water ballast technology for excellent stability at rest.

All models from the 490 through to the 615 are built on Bar Crusher’s industry-leading Gen2 hull. This design combines key features, including a wider negative chine running forward, optimised wider chine aft and the distinctive Delta Flare – a complex V-shaped planing plank that starts wider at the transom and narrows as it runs forward. The result is

greater hydrodynamic lift for more efficient planing and improved fuel economy, a higher bow attitude and better spray deflection for a drier ride.

Extensive testing by Bar Crusher’s R&D team has proved that the 490, 535, 575, 585 and 615 have received significant performance benefits from the next-generation hull design, with the larger 670, 730 and 780 models continuing to be built on Bar Crusher’s highperformance deep-V hull.

Renowned for quality construction, superior performance and maximum fishability (with a range of standard features that other manufacturers charge as extras), every Bar Crusher boat is factory-packaged on a customdesigned trailer, which ensures towing, launching and retrieving is a breeze. Selfcentering and aligning perfectly every time,

visiting the stand.

There will also be an impressive range of Haines Hunter fibreglass boats on display, including the 625 Enclosed, 565 Offshore, 595 Offshore, 535 Profish and the 2100R. If you prefer aluminium boats, there will be a huge range of Clark boats on display including the Cod Catcher SC, Navigator, Estuary Fishmaster, Dominator, Sunseeker and Legend models. There is sure to be a boat in the Clark range to suit any fisher’s needs.

There will also be a range of Anglapro boats on display, including the Sniper Pro, Sniper Elite, Getaway and Outlaw models. The Anglapro boats are built tough with their XCore construction.

Boats & More will be displaying the full range of the Australian built and highly regarded Camero Ski Boats. On display will be the Legend, Vision 21i, Vision 21v and CRX22 models. Camero boats have been building Australia’s most innovative and functional ski boats for over 40 years.

There will be a range of Suzuki and Mercury portable engines on display. These will be available to purchase with a portable engine trolley, making them easy to transport home from the show.

A full range of Mercury, Suzuki, Evinrude and Seadoo products are available from Boats & More. They are also available from Compleat Angler, which has stores in Shepparton and Echuca.

Be sure to see the friendly team at Boats & More on stand E7. They are sure to be able to tailor a package just for you. More information on their products is available at their website, www.boatsandmore.com.au. – Boats & More

E7 BOATS & MORE

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June 2019

Bar Crusher’s innovative Bar Catch system also allows for single-handed launch and retrieve.

Whether you’re a first-time boat buyer or have owned 10 boats and are looking for your next one, drop by and say g’day to the team and pick up a copy of Bar Crusher’s boat buyer’s guide to assist with your research at this year’s Melbourne Boat Show. Be sure to stop by their stand at C4a to see all the special deals on offer.

For more information, check out their website at www.barcrusher.com.au. – Bar Crusher • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ••••

Boats & more bring more to the boat show • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ••••

Don’t miss Boats & More’s stand at this year’s Melbourne Boat Show! Not only will there be a great range of fishing boats and ski boats, but you will also have the chance to win your choice of either a Garmin Striker 5cv Plus fishfinder valued at $449 or a Raptor Temper Fibreglass kneeboard valued at $399 simply by

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Chelsea yamaha bringing the goods •••••••••••••••••••••••••••

At this year’s Melbourne Boat Show, Chelsea Yamaha has a selection of boats from its range of Haines Hunter, Stessl, Stessco and Horizon boats, all fitted with premier-brand Yamaha outboards.

With over 200 different models of boats to choose from, whether you want a 4m tinnie or a leading offshore-dedicated fishing boat in either fibreglass or alloy, Chelsea Yamaha has the boat that suits your needs and budget. Being a Yamaha dealer, they can also offer hot deals on finance with YMF and insurance with YMI. Located in Chelsea Heights, just minutes away from the Patterson River boat ramp, it’s conveniently positioned to provide customers with on water tests.

With a complex of 4000m2, it has a showroom, workshop, chandlery and an

SPECIAL EDITION BAY 5

ROLLER DOOR 2

BAY 9

BAY 8

ROLLER DOOR 4

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BAY BAY 10 11 KIOSK 3

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BAY 16

BAY 17

Sirocco

194.2m2

351.0m2

169.0m2

299.0m2

130.0m2

4

BBA

Hot Tackle 78.0m2

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9

3000

5

4 678.0m2

8

3000

29

3000

15

3000

37

3000

19

3000

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St Kilda B/S

Port Philip B/C 320.0m2

5000

R'Marine 12

Navico

Boating RV

27.0m2

B&T Direct

27.0m2

108.0m2

90.0m2

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Fusion 3000

CH Smith

S/F Marine 54.0m2

9

135.0m2

Melbourne Boat Show Bar

4495

7

337.0m2

3M FIRE EGRESS ZONE

ORGANISER OFFICE 3 3

18

9

3

6

18

3 BIN

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS DOOR

SIGNAGE BLADE HAS BEEN TAKEN OUT (MARCH 2016) BIN

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••

MCCD LINK

B5 CHELSEA YAMAHA

ORGANISER OFFICE 5

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in-house marine trimming shop. All facets of high level complex marine fit-outs can be completed here. The qualified marine technicians cover fit-up of new engines, servicing, and installation of all marine electrics and electronics, so the installation of other accessories (such as winches, pumps and toilets) is also available. The trim shop handles custom stainless fabrication for biminis and rocket launchers, and custom fabricated clears, storm and travel covers.

On its website, www.chelseamarine. com.au, current boats stocked are clearly packaged and priced, as well as a parts BOASM19 catalogue for all Yamaha motors that includes MCEC diagrams and pricing. - Chelsea Yamaha

3

8

SINK

1500

4.102

ORGANISER OFFICE 4

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25

RACV MARINE VIP

BENCH

3000

4.101

ENTRANCE DOOR 9

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3

LIFT

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2000

3.102

ENTRANCE DOOR 7

SINK

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ORG OFFICE

ENTRANCE ENTRANCE FEATURE DOOR 6

BENCH

2.102

ORGANISER OFFICE 2

2000

+

3.101

FIRST AID

SINK

500

DUMP BIN BENCH

SINK

2.101

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BENCH

TICKETING OFFICE

ENTRANCE DOOR 4

BENCH

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DUMP BIN

CE AN RE

TR EN ATU FE

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Southern Formula

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ORGANISER OFFICE 1 1000

1000

1000

36.0m2

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3000

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75.0m2

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3

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Crawford Marine ABSVic

Hobie

Inverloch Marine

120.0m2

17

3000

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Marie Shop

150.0m2

24

4500

15

15

180.0m2

BRP

120.0m2

21

3000

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ABS ACT/NSW

10

6

56.0m2

3000

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Opp Lock 4x4

Sealegs Int.

6

112.0m2

Chelsea Yamaha

3000

3000

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3000 3000

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HSV

5000

12

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84.0m2

3000

884.0m2

21

Regal Marine

9

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3000

NM

WIN

Streaker Marine

WIN

3

30

112.0m2

Mic's Marine

3000

304.0m2

16

Mercury

16

592.0m2

3000

Melb Marine Centre

16

240.0m2

16

Jeanneau/Glastron

16

464.0m2

6

128.0m2

16

16

432.0m2

3000

12

65

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3000

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Ride Aust

6

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Isuzu

Yamaha 16

672.0m2

16

Geelong Marine World

16

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9

6

3000

240.0m2

7

3000

Axopar 54.0m2

AMI

3

3000

390.0m2

12 11 5000

27

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1.101

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Isuzu Iron Summit

26

26

3000

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8

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1000

15 14

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112.0m2

24.0m2

44.0m2

10 374.0m2

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1012.0m2

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308.0m2

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Cobalt

418.0m2

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Sundance Marine 22

374.0m2

22

22

Cranny B/C

660.0m2

5000

42

4000

3000 3000

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12

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22

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3

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154.0m2

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638.0m2

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6

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41

3000

6

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International Paints & Awlgrip

17

3000

6000

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EGRESS ZONE

330.0m2

36.0m2

36m2

46

4000

Club Marine

72.0m2

3000

9m2

14

3000

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Mastercraft 22

6

3000

308.0m2

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19

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9m2

17

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Sav winch

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30

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6

9

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18m2

29

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18.0m2

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15

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Premier Yachting

W' gul Marine

6

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14

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DP

9.0m2

27.0m2

Tacklebusters 110.0m2

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AFN

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3000

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3000

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Safey Hub

104.0m2

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20.0m2

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29

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65.0m2

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8

3000

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3000

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R'Bay Pontoon

Aussie Boat Sales VIC

Dunbier Gp

6

3000

13

Stage

286.0m2

10

3000

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Ski Force

23

3000

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130.0m2

13

3000

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Ski Force

27

3000

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91.0m2

15

3000

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APM

507.0m2

22

3000

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65.0m2

10

3000

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TRE 13

273.0m2

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3000

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13

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91.0m2

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3

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15

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HORIZON UNVEILS NEW MODEL •••••••••••••••••••••••••••

PLAN TYPE:

CLIENT MASTER

BAYS 3-20

moreton.net.au

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JOB CODE:

JOB CODE

Chelsea Yamaha is once again flying the flag for Horizon Boats and Stessl Boats at the show this year. They will have a number of boats from both brands on display and are excited to have the brand new Stessl 530 Bluewater Runabout, which will be making its debut at the show.

ACCOUNT model MANAGER: This Platetrix has REVISION NO: 19 popular undergone a redesign andELnow has a fully REVISION DATE: 5/2/2019 9:29 AM welded raised aluminiumDESIGNER: deck area and SHOW DATE:

20TH JUNE 2019

To page 86

AC/MC

FILE PATH: O:\EXHIBITIONS\VIC\EXHIBITIONS\2019Q2\BOASM19\FLOORPLAN\V19\BOASM19_MCEC_PL19.DWG

424 PRO

514 PRO

The highly refined skills of a Sniper means they can not only hit their target with precise accuracy but apply their skills in any environment.

That’s how we designed our deep V side console. It’s the ultimate cross over. Stable and capable in enclosed waters and tough and comfortable in the rough stuff.

The Sniper is fully equipped to target fish, anywhere. 3mm and 4mm construction with aggressive ribbing support means you can have total confidence in your hull strength.

A Deep V dead rise means you don’t have to slow down in the chop. The interior features the decking, storage, tanks and electronics you need to enjoy fuss free fishing.

The sniper package will give you the confidence to step your fishing up to the next level.

524 ELITE

For more information or to find your nearest Anglapro dealer visit www.anglapro.com.au

484 PRO June 2019

85

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BIGGER.BETTER.BOATIER. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

From page 85

a modern, swept back look. The 530 Bluewater is a perfect boat for the bay – the raised deck and tinted windscreen provide good shelter from the elements, and the new opening walkthrough hatch gives you much improved access to the bow. The Platetrix hull is foam filled, and the ride is quiet and efficient.

In other news, Horizon and Stessl boats are moving into a new custom-built manufacturing facility in the Gold Coast Marine Precinct. This facility is three times the size of their current factory and it will enable them to streamline production and improve their manufacturing processes. The move in date is the end of May, which means all orders taken at the show will be produced from this new facility.

To see some of the boats that will be on display at the show, visit www.horizonboats. com.au and www.stessl.com.au, and be sure to check out stand B5 to see the special deals available. – Horizon Boats

crawford marine features Campion Boats at boat show

B16 CRAWFORD MARINE

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

At this year’s Melbourne Boat Show, Crawford Marine will be displaying their latest acquisition: five quality Campion Boats designed to suit all angler’s needs.

You can check out everything they have on offer at stand B16.

Crawford Marine has been producing boats for more than 45 years, and their range reflects their decades of experience.

The dealership is also an agent for Stacer aluminium boats, Dunbier trailers, and now Campion, which recently relaunched in Australia.

As a regular and long-time Melbourne Boat Show exhibitor, you can expect to come across five Campion boats including the

B5 HORIZON BOATS

Explorer 492 CC, Explorer 632 SC, Explorer 542 SC, Explorer 622 HT-WA, and for the non-fishers the Allante 505 Bowrider.

The Explorers have all been designed with anglers in mind, meaning they are created to be the ultimate tool when fishing.

Featured at the show will be the new Campion boat, a 23’2” Explorer 622 HT-WA. You can also take a look at some of their other popular models, like the Explorer 632 SC. For more information on some of the impressive Campion boats that will be on display at the show, contact Crawford Marine on (03) 5134 6522 or check out their website on crawfordmarine.com.au. – Crawford Marine

range will be there, including the Wild Rider, Crossfire, Outlaw, Sea Master, Sea Runner, Assault Pro and Proline Angler. All will be packaged at very competitive prices and, as always, customers will get great value when purchasing a new Stacer from Melbourne Marine Centre.

The popular Northbank fibreglass boats will also have great representation at the show.

Melbourne Marine Centre will have seven models on display available for customers to climb through, including a new release 750HT, with an enclosed wheel house.

Other models on display will include the 500C, 550C, 600C, 650C, 650HT-F and standard 750HT. Northbank provides a quality Australian-built fibreglass boat that performs

C7 MELBOURNE MARINE

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ••••

Melbourne Marine Centre go big at boat show • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ••••

Melbourne Marine Centre, located at stand C7, are going in bigger and ‘boatier’, in line with the boat show itself. Awarded the Stacer National Dealer of the Year for 2018/19, they will have a great variety of Stacer aluminium boats on display. Almost all the models from the

D7 JV MARINE

1 Bowen Street, Cranbourne, Vic 3977

Ph: (03) 5996 2206

www.cranbourneboatingcentre.com.au

86

June 2019

exceptionally well in the water, while still keeping value for money in mind.

All Northbank and Stacer boats are powered by the reliable and efficient Mercury 4-stroke outboards. Melbourne Marine Centre will have some great re-power deals on all Mercury outboards available for the show, so if you’re looking for a new engine make sure you go and see Melbourne’s only Premier Mercury Service Centre for Outboard and Mercruiser.

Show visitors can also take advantage of very competitive insurance packages with Club Marine, and also special boat show pricing on the complete range of Garmin electronics.

SPECIAL EDITION There will be a boat show bonus drawn for one lucky customer who purchases a boat from Melbourne Marine Centre during the show.

Keep an eye out on their Facebook page for more details.

Speak to the staff at Melbourne Marine Centre about a Northbank or Stacer, and you’ll soon see that they share the same passion for boating as their customers do. They will have brand representatives on hand to assist with any questions you may have about Stacer, Northbank, Mercury, and Garmin.

Melbourne Marine Centre are also supplying one of the two major prizes for the Melbourne Boat Show: a Northbank 500C, powered with Mercury 75Hp 4-stroke, and fitted to an Easytow trailer.

The package will also include a Garmin sounder, Fusion stereo, and loads more for the lucky winner. Make sure you enter the draw for a chance to win!

For more information visit the Melbourne

brand new models in their bowrider range.

The new 530 and 560 X-Riders will be on display for the very first time in Australia to complement the 590 X-Rider released last year, as well as the whole Revival range, from the 520 Runabout through to the monster 640 Offshore hard top.

Built right here in Melbourne, the Revival range was a huge seller at last year’s Boat Show and for good reason – they are so versatile, soft riding and offer excellent value for money. If you are into family boating, cruising or serious bay and offshore fishing, the Revival fibreglass range will have a boat to suit your needs.

JV Marine World will have specials on all boat packages on display as well as Mercury 4-Stroke outboards and Evinrude E-Tec outboards. When it comes to great value fishing packages, you’ll find them all at the JV Marine World stand.

Newly crowned National Quintrex Dealer of the Year, you can bet the JV Marine stand

D7 JV MARINE AMBERJACK 520

Marine Centre website at melbournemarine. com.au, or come visit them during the show. – Melbourne Marine Centre • • • • • ••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • •

visit JV marine’s monster stand • • • • • ••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • •

Australia’s largest boating retailer, JV Marine World, are once again attending the Melbourne Boat Show with a monster stand (D7) that’s chock full of boat packages to suit all occasions.

Adding to the excitement this year will be the release of the new Yellowfin range from the

will have more ‘Quinnies’ than you could poke a stick at. There is something for everyone, with small open boats for freshwater use, side consoles, centre consoles, runabouts, cabin boats and a whole lot more.

It is no wonder JV Marine was named National Quintrex Dealer of the Year; they pride themselves on being a family business and boast that they are a ‘one stop marine shop’.

JV Marine World has two locations that total 13 acres, one in the western suburbs of Melbourne and a flagship 10 acre store in Braeside that is quite the spectacle.

With such a diverse business, the company sees customers of all shapes and sizes but primarily focuses on families who have a passion for the water.

BREEZAWAY 460

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D7 JV MARINE

SKIPPER 449

Telwater factory. These are a complete redesign of the Yellowfin range, with new standard features, options and paint schemes, and it will have brand new models including a folding hard top and centre cabin.

JV Marine will have a huge range of these new boats on display for the very first time in Australia, so if you are into serious offshore fishing make sure you check them out!

Revival fibreglass boats will have its largest ever display at this year’s show, including two

This company is an example of succession planning at work. Mark Stav, son of founder John Stav, is at the helm, and with his father’s trust is leading the marine conglomerate into success.

JV Marine World is a master marketer, from its two In House Boat Shows to the company’s massive presence at the Melbourne International Boat Show. A social media guru and online ace, the dealership’s

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FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO FIND A STESSCO DEALER NEAR YOU

VISIT WWW.STESSCO.COM.AU

To page 88

June 2019

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SPECIAL EDITION

BIGGER.BETTER.BOATIER.

From page 87

marketing team sets the bar in the marine industry.

If you want to get a peek at some of the awesome packages available, check out their website at www.jvmarine.com.au or pop into their Braeside or Laverton store, where you can see the family-oriented business at work.

Don’t forget to stop by their stand at this year’s Melbourne Boat Show (stand D7).

– JV Marine •• • • • ••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • •

side consoleS from STREAKER MARINE •• • • • ••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • •

The Streaker Marine stand at the 2019 Melbourne Boat Show is sure to beat expectations! Their revolutionary display will feature Australia’s premium brands including Cruise Craft, Quintrex and Yellowfin Plate boats. All are powered by Yamaha outboards.

Streaker Marine will be a side console sanctuary this year, showcasing over 12 Quintrex side console models. Keep your eyes open for two new runabout models,

which are also set to make their debut. The full range of Cruise Craft boats will also be on parade, including the new 720 Explorer.

This impressive fleet is designed and built in Australia, for Australian conditions and they truly are the triple threat – family friendly, fishing fit and watersports suited.

Adding to this line-up will be the unveiling of the 2019 Yellowfin Plate boat range. The largest ever Yellowfin display will allow you to get up close and personal with these offshore masterpieces.

A must see!

Competitive finance rates from YMF and insurance policies from Club Marine and YMI are also available.

Streaker, unlike any other dealer, also offer private, half day on-water boat handling courses in your new rig, so you can walk away confident with your purchase.

The friendly Streaker team love boats, and they have a wide range of knowledge and experience to pass on to customers.

Red carpet service and some never before seen deals will be available this year, so make sure you head over to the Streaker Marine stand (C3), or visit www. streakermarine.com.au. – Streaker Marine

B11a RAYMARINE

C3 STREAKER MARINE

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ••••

Raymarine making a splash • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ••••

The Raymarine stand is a must-see, with hard-to-beat deals and amazing products on display. One of the many products you can see at this year’s event is the Raymarine Element, a new generation of advanced, combination sonar and GPS displays.

Building on the success of Axiom navigation displays, the Raymarine Element incorporates RealVision 3D sonar technology, improving your underwater view with 3D bottom imagery and more precise location of fish targets. Element also introduces new HyperVision 1.2MHz sonar technology, featuring ultra-high CHIRP sonar frequencies. HyperVision

shipping in the first quarter of 2019.

You have all this and more to look forward to when you stop by the Raymarine stand (B11a) at this year’s Melbourne Boat Show. For more information, visit Raymarine’s website at www.raymarine. com.au. – Raymarine •••••••••••••••••••••••••••

HUGE RANGE AT The Haines Group STAND •••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Don’t miss your chance to check out an exciting array of show-stopping products from Australian marine industry icon, The Haines Group.

From their flagship brand, Haines Signature Boats, you’ll see a huge range of boats on display at the Geelong Marine

HAINES GROUP

F F U T 0 0 3 E S A E L E NEW R

Y

DU RA BI LI T Y Y ST AB IL IT Y & SA M E LE GE ND AR

st deck • Now with ca ll design • Improved hu ut aces througho • Non slip surf rage • More dry sto MILDURA LUCKNOW WARRNAMBOOL BENDIGO SHEPPARTON TRARALGON WILLIAMSTOWN WODONGA -

Baldwin Boats Bairnsdale Boats Richardson’s Marine Salem Boats Boats & More Gippsland Boat Supplies Aussie Boat Sales Leigh Martin Marine

03 5022 7596 03 5152 3220 03 5562 6373 03 5443 5717 03 5822 2108 03 5174 1223 03 9397 6977 02 6024 6555

Check out the full range of Polycraft Boats at

www.polycraft.com.au

or contact us on 1800 336 603

88

June 2019

enhances the DownVision, SideVision, and RealVision 3D sonar, displaying structure, vegetation, and fish with lifelike detail.

The new LightHouse Sport operating system and intuitive keypad controls let anglers quickly mark spots and create high-definition bathymetric maps using the RealBathy real-time sonar map generator capability. The quad-core processor delivers instantaneous chart redraw, smooth RealVision 3D imaging, and fast response.

The Element series consists of 7”, 9”, and 12” display models, and it will begin

HAINES GROUP

World stand, including the most-recent release, the 580BRX. Built for sports boat enthusiasts but with crossover functionality, the 580BRX features a newly designed seating configuration and updated internal styling. Along with its famed signature variable deadrise hull for superb on-water performance, it’s a great choice for the Victorian boating scene.

The Haines Signature Boats range offers everything from affordable entry-level options for families looking for their first To page 90

SHEPPARTON

ECHUCA

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TACKLE • SKI • SERVICE • SALES

MASSIVE Boat Show Deals

or a Raptor Temper Fibreglass Kneeboard valued at $399

a Garmin Striker 5cv Plus Fish Finder valued at $449

ENTER CONTEST AT OUR STAND

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SPECIAL EDITION From page 88

boat, to fishing machines with all the bells and whistles for serious anglers, so check out the range at Geelong Marine World or swing by stand B3 at the Melbourne Boat Show.

At Cranbourne Boating Centre (stand D4) and Geelong Marine World, you’ll find a range of Tournament Pleasure Boats on hand. Perfect for crossing the bay or heading out wide, the Tournament range is designed and built to withstand the harshest of Australian conditions, so visit one of their two dealer stands to check out the quality and craftsmanship of the Tournament models on display.

If it’s an outboard you’re after, visit one of the many Suzuki Marine dealer stands, or track them down at their main stand (D2).

Suzuki’s range of 4-stroke outboards are known for their fuel efficiency, value and performance thanks to such innovations as Lean Burn Control System, maintenancefree timing chains and offset driveshaft.

Starting with the lightweight and portable 2.5hp model, all the way up to their flagship 325 and 350hp models – which feature innovative technology such as their dual prop, dual louver system and dual water inlet – there’s a Suzuki Marine outboard to suit any type

BIGGER.BETTER.BOATIER. riding hull and stability to burn. This is truly the all-rounder that delivers.

The Stessco Breezaway comes standard packed full of features. The range of Breezaways comes to you from the Merlin Marine & Leisure Pty Ltd stable, known for their tough built Aussie boats that represent great value for money.

There isn’t a shortcut taken with this range of boats.

From the 440 up to the 480, the Stessco range of Breezaway boats just might be the best valued bang for buck boats at the show.

Be sure to check the range of Stessco boats at stand B5. You won’t be disappointed. For more information, check out their website at www.stessco.com. au. – Stessco

ANGLAPRO

chine design that gives you the best of both worlds. You’ll love the superb ride and handling, and also the comfort of having the industry’s best platform at rest, with stability that will surely impress.

The Sniper range starts with the everpopular 424, and ranges right up to the massive 624.

If you’re coming to the Melbourne

B5 STESSCO

ANGLAPRO

boaters. That’s what people are saying, and Stessco are happy to accept that accolade.

They have the open runabout boat with a paddock of room to either fish, ski, snorkel, or simply lounge around and cruise in. You can also choose the classic all-rounder that’s as much at home on the rivers as it is on the high seas. It’s built on the outstanding Stessco Softride Hull, delivering a reverse chine that again gives you the best of both worlds with a great of boating application, whether that be for recreational or commercial use and everything in between.

There will be a total of eight dealer stands at the show: Boats & More (E7), TRE Motorsport (E6D), Bar Crusher Boats (C4a), Geelong Marine World, Mic’s Marine Services (C7b), Cranbourne Boating Centre (D10), Warragul Marine (D1) and Sundance Marine (D9).

With two boat brands, Haines Signature and Tournament, as well as Suzuki Marine outboards, you’re sure to find something to get you out on the water.

For more info visit the Suzuki Marine website at www.suzukimarine.com.au.

– Suzuki Marine

D15 MY MARINE

•• • • • ••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • •

Anglapro SNIPER Series •• • • • ••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • •

From the stable that delivers Aussie built, Aussie owned, value-for-money tough built boats (Merlin Marine & Leisure Pty Ltd) comes the Sniper range.

Anglapro is featuring these amazing boats at this year’s Melbourne Boat Show, so now is your chance to see what all the fuss is about.

The Sniper range has not forgotten what keen fishos have asked for in a boat; this fishing weapon comes packed full of accessories as standard, and is ready to be put to the test.

This side console package is built on the famous Sabre hull, with a reverse 90

June 2019

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••

my marine debuts new productS •••••••••••••••••••••••••••

MY Marine will be debuting a number of amazing new products at this year’s show, and will give visitors an exclusive look at some incredible offers.

After discussions between the dealer network and offshore fishing enthusiasts, MY Marine are excited to release the all-new Stabicraft 2250 centre cab, in its two popular cabin options. This vessel has a true offshore hull, with a list of standard options to keep even the most keen fishos happy. Best of all, it can be towed by most crew cab utes.

The 2750CC will make an appearance, with the all-new Yamaha 425 XTO V8 outboard. A spread of all current Stabicraft models, from the 1410 to the 2400 super cab, will be on display for you to get an up-close look at.

Surtees will have the 750 Gamefisher on display, with twin F150 Yamahas.

To page 92

Boat Show to purchase a new boat, be sure to come by the stand and give this fantastic, honest, reliable, bulletproof range of boats a look – you won’t be disappointed.

If you want more information on the Sniper range, check out the Anglapro website at www.anglapro.com.au.

– Anglapro • • • • • • • • •• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Stessco, The boats built for Victorians • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Stessco’s boats just keep getting better, and are perfectly designed to suit Victorian

D15 MY MARINE

CHELSEA YAMAHA Awesome Boat Show Specials DEAL ENDS 30TH JUNE, 2019

495 Sportfish

535 Sportfish

(A) Indicative

102 p/w*

$

SPECIAL • Yamaha 60hp 4 stroke • Navigation lights • Bait tank • Bow sprit • Catch tank • Cabin cushions • Vic registration

$31,900

(D) Indicative $ p/w*

78

• Yamaha 90hp 4 stroke • Navigation lights • Bait tank • Bow sprit • Catch tank • 2 rod holders • Cabin cushions • Vic registration

$23,999

(E) Indicative $ p/w*

85

(G) Indicative

COMPARISON RATE P.A.

$26,390

SPECIAL • Yamaha F90hp 4 stroke • Bimini with fixed bar • Transom door • 2 tone paint • Garmin Striker 7sv • Vic registration

525 Scorpion

$41,390

$46,550

580 Coastrunner

(H) Indicative

133 p/w*

• Yamaha F70hp 4 stroke • Factory rocket launcher • Bait board • Garmin Striker Plus 5cv • Bimini & targa • Vic registration

10.15% 10.72%

(F) Indicative

147 p/w*

• Yamaha 50hp 4 stroke • Navigation lights • Bait tank • Bilge pump • Front/rear casting decks • Full motor well • Vic registration

$

$54,900

520 Bluewater $

(I) Indicative

188 p/w*

$

SPECIAL

INDICATIVE INTEREST RATE P.A.

• Yamaha 115hp 4 stroke • Navigation lights • Bait tank • Bow sprit • Catch tank • 2 rod holders • Cabin cushions • Vic registration

SPECIAL

485 Sunrunner 131 p/w*

$43,900

SPECIAL

460 Renegade

SPECIAL • Yamaha 40hp 4 stroke • Navigation lights • Bilge pump • Boarding ladder • Transom door • Vic registration

(C) Indicative

173 p/w*

$

SPECIAL

440 Breezaway

$

(B) Indicative

139 p/w*

$

580 Sportfish

SPECIAL • Yamaha F70hp 4 stroke • Folding boarding ladder • Bait board • Garmin Striker Plus 5cv • Bimini • Vic registration

$42,000

SPECIAL • Yamaha F130hp 4 stroke • Transom door (walk thru) • 2 tone paint • Bait board • Garmin Echomap 95sv • Vic rego

$59,850

“Repayment amount shown is the weekly equivalent of the monthly instalment of (a) $442.09 (b) $601.85 (c) $748.29 (d) $336.9 (e) $368.73 (f) $637.13 (g) $568.43 (h) $576.55 (i) $814.20. It is indicative only and is calculated based on an interest rate of 10.15% p.a. (Comparison Rate 10.72% p.a.), Package price of (a) $31900 (b) $43900 (c) $54900 (d) $23999 (e) $26390 (f) $46550 (g) $41390 (h) $42000 (i) $59850 , less a deposit of (a) $6380 (b) $8780 (c) $10980 (d) $4799.80 (e) $5278 (f) $9310 (g) $8278 (h) $8400 (i) $11970 and 84 instalments in arrears with a final balloon payment of $0 and an application fee of $395. Interest rate used is based on an average individual credit rating and meeting mandatory credit criteria. Repayments and interest rate may vary depending on your individual circumstances, financial position, credit rating, information provided, loan amount and loan term. Offer valid until 30/06/2019.

Comparison rate is based on a 5-year secured fixed rate consumer loan of $30,000. WARNING: The Comparison Rate is true only for the example given and may not include all fees and charges. Different terms, fees or other loan amounts might result in a different comparison rate. Credit criteria, fees, charges, terms and conditions apply. Yamaha Motor Finance Aust. Pty Ltd. ABN 29 101 928 670. Australian Credit Licence 394553”

* Boat images for illustrative purpose - models may vary slightly

CHELSEA YAMAHA – 9772 1212

13 ASHLEY PARK DVE CHELSEA HEIGHTS – chelseayamaha.com.au

June 2019

91

SPECIAL EDITION From page 90

There will be a good spread of ‘built to fish’ models for you to peruse. The popular 495, both 575 models (hard tops and folding roof), the 610 and the 700 Gamefisher will all be on hand.

Three new boats from the Parker range will also be on display, including the huge 850 Voyager runabout, the all-new 790 Explorer and the modern looking 660 Centre Console.

All their boats are powered by Honda and Yamaha outboards, ensuring a fast and smooth trip on the water.

Be sure to stop by stand D15 to get a closer look at all the impressive boats, and get an exclusive look at some new packages. For more information, drop by their website at mymarine.com.au.

– MY Marine

D1 WARRAGUL MARINE

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June 2019

BIGGER.BETTER.BOATIER. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Something for everyone AT WARRAGUL MARINE STAND

D1 WARRAGUL MARINE

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Warragul Marine Centre is returning to the Melbourne Boat Show and showcasing McLay Boats. With over 30 years of innovation and design, McLay Boats are one of the most respected aluminium boat builders in New Zealand, with a reputation for being tough, safe and durable. Their range of boats suit families looking for adventure, or the hardcore fisher.

The Sportsman 591 Hardtop is a rugged, no-frills fishing boat that manages to provide one of the largest cockpits in its class. Divers and fishers find this is a great platform for inshore or offshore work. This true hardtop comes in at just 2850mm in height, and the flotation is all located inside the gunwales, achieving a low centre of gravity and brilliant stability at rest. Packages start at just $52,000, which is exceptional value for a plate alloy hardtop package!

The CrossXover range are designed with families in mind, a boat that can also be used for fishing and diving but is equally at home towing water toys or cruising your favourite waterways. The options are endless for this boat, with a stove, oven, extended bunks and flushing toilet as just some of the extras that can be added.

With models ranging from 4.4-11.4m

in every configuration imaginable, there’s sure to be a boat in the McLay range to suit you and your budget.

Powering these boats are the very efficient, smooth and compact Suzuki Marine 4-strokes. With Lean Burn technology, the fuel consumption figures are out of sight. Warragul Marine Centre is one of only a handful of Elite Suzuki Marine dealers, and the team take great pride in their repower fit-outs. Be sure to come and talk to them about the special Boat Show deals they can do for you.

The team from Warragul Marine Centre – comprising of Simon and Kirsten Wakefield, David Garcia, as well as representatives from McLay Boats and Suzuki Marine – are looking forward to a busy and successful Melbourne Boat Show. See you there at site D1. – Warragul Marine Centre

120 years is a long time to be around.

Want to know how we do it?

We build the qualities people want in a boat. Strength. Safety. Great design.

Practical Innovation. Unbeatable value for money. Simple, huh?

It’s a formula that’s kept us building amazing boats, and our owners getting the most out of life, for 120 years.

The weekend’s coming, talk to your closest Savage dealer now.

Be prepared. Get Savage.

Find out more at savageboats.com.au

SAV120FiShingMthly001

June 2019

93

SPECIAL EDITION

BIGGER.BETTER.BOATIER.

•• • • • ••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • •

Mercury Marine celebrates 80 Years with massive Display

The new 400hp engine – built on Mercury’s proven L6SC Verado platform – is suitable for a wide range of applications including bluewater fishing boats, larger sport boats, centre consoles and pontoons.

Importantly, the added power has not taken away the smooth and quiet operation for which Verado outboards are widely known.

Weighing just 303kg, the same as the 350hp Verado, the newest Verado is the lightest outboard in the 400hp+ category by more than 130kg.

The 400hp Verado will exclusively use the 5.44” 1.75 HD (heavy duty) gearcase and is compatible with Mercury Joystick Piloting for outboards. It will be available in the same model variations as the 350hp Verado with colour options of phantom black and cold fusion.

Given Mercury has the widest range of engines on the market, their stand at the Melbourne Boat Show isn’t all about ‘big muscle’. Visitors will also be able to check out Mercury’s range of ultra-lightweight portable outboards.

C6 MERCURY MARINE

•• • • • ••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • •

Mercury Marine is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year – an unmatched heritage of experience, innovation and technical leadership that sets it apart in the marine industry.

Over the last decade, Mercury has invested more than $1.4 billion into the expansion of its research, development and manufacturing capabilities, and the fruits of all that money and hard work are on display at the 2019 Melbourne Boat Show.

Starring at the show will be Mercury’s new range of V-8 and V-6 outboards, from 175hp all the way to 300hp.

Highly configurable, these nextgeneration engines can meet the needs of a wide variety of boat lovers – from the

C6 MERCURY MARINE

C6 MERCURY MARINE

Verado’s refined performance, and the FourStroke’s fuel efficiency and rigging versatility, to the competitive edge that the Pro XS models provide.

These engines are naturally aspirated, durable, powerful and provide options that boat owners have never had before. And Mercury’s technological leadership is clear.

The new 250 and 300hp V-8 Verado outboards provide exhilarating performance across the rpm range. Sea trials show the 300hp Verado is up to 20% quicker than its closest competitor, while still providing up to 8% better fuel economy.

The Verado driving experience has been further enhanced by class-leading reduction in noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) to provide an ultra-quiet ride.

Mercury’s new 250 and 300hp V-8 FourStroke engines are high-tech without being high-stress. The high-displacement, quad-cam design of the new V-8 powerhead generates plenty of torque, especially at mid-range.

Indeed, the 300hp FourStroke delivers up to 9% more torque than the nearest competitor at 3500-4500rpm. It boasts class-leading 4.6L displacement, yet is the lightest in the 300hp class by more than 4.5kg.

The new 175hp V-6 along with the 200, 225, 250 and (for the first time ever) 300hp V-8 Pro XS outboard engines are quite simply the next generation of

C6 MERCURY MARINE

performance.

Featuring Mercury’s new compact cowl, these engines deliver everything serious boaters and fishers need on the water, including ample torque from their high-displacement powerheads and superior acceleration due to their quad-cam design and Transient Spark technology.

Across Australia, more and more boaters are turning to diesel, and here again Mercury is leading the way, with Boat Show visitors able to inspect the new line of 3.0L diesels for sterndrive, inboard and water-jet applications.

Available in 150hp, 230hp and 270hp variants, these engines have been engineered, developed and tested over three years to lead their class in: acceleration; reliability; ease of installation and maintenance; and reduction in noise, vibration and harshness.

The engines use a new water-cooled, variable-geometry turbocharger and common-rail fuel delivery to provide exceptional performance and substantial improvements in acceleration and top speeds.

With impressive low-end torque and exceptional durability, this new line of engines are the result of Mercury’s focused efforts to get the best of both worlds – high performance with lower emissions to reduce impact on the environment.

Mercury subjected these engines to intensive testing including ‘accelerated life’ tests that exposed the motors to greater rigors than any customer would impose in normal operations.

Significantly, these new engines are fully compatible with Mercury SmartCraft technologies, so users have instant access to a broad array of engine-related information, as well as maintenance alerts and troubleshooting guidance. The engines also integrate with Mercury’s Joystick Piloting for Inboards (JPI) and Joystick Piloting for Sterndrives (JPS) to give the driver outstanding control and manoeuvrability.

As boats get bigger, there’s a need for more power, and Mercury has risen to the challenge with the introduction of the all-new 400hp Verado outboard – the most powerful Verado on the water.

It means boat lovers can now have the power they want, with the durability and reliability that the Verado brand is known for around the world.

From 2.5-25hp, these compact outboard motors will take you wherever you need to go quickly and reliably. Featuring batteryfree EFI for fast, dependable starting, instant throttle response and better overall performance, these engines are small but they are still packing plenty of power.

With engine protection warning systems for low oil pressure and over revving, Mercury ultralight outboards are ideal for tinnies, RIBs, tenders and sail boats. They are easy to install and operate, with reliable starting, low vibration, and instant throttle response.

With all that and more, the Mercury stand (C6) is a must see for everyone visiting this year’s Melbourne Boat Show.

For more information, visit the Mercury Marine website at www.mercurymarine. com.au. – Mercury Marine

BIGGER.BETTER.BOATIER. •• • • • ••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • •

Passport to fun with new Hobie kayak •• • • • ••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • •

Introducing the all new Mirage Passport, the newest member of the Hobie pedal kayak family. It’s equipped with Hobie’s tried and true MirageDrive Classic, the pedal drive that started it all, and will have you cruising through the water in no time.

Built for adventure, a simplified rudder that kicks up on impact, and a replaceable rudder skeg, prepares the Passport for even the most rugged adventures. Bow bungees stand ready for securing gear or a dry bag.

Even the Hobie Soft Cooler (small) will fit. Also included is the Forward Accessory Mount, perfect for rigging the Hobie Bimini or a Sail Kit. Outfitted for kayak fishing, the Hobie Mirage Passport features two moulded-in rod holders, two H-Track accessory mounts and plenty of cargo space to stash all your gear.

Compact yet stable, this kayak can easily be car-topped while still being steady enough

to stand on. Plenty of accessories help you to build your dream boat: Sail Kits, Bimini sunshades, dry bags and coolers.

Create your ultimate setup with the Mirage Passport The new Passport has just the right number of features to be versatile, yet with a pure simplicity: • Colours: two great options, Seagrass or Slate Decks, on a Light Grey Hull for stunning contrast.

• Hull Design provides a stable platform that tracks well and stacks like a dream for storage and car-topping.

• Injection-moulded MirageDrive. The MirageDrive Classic is standard equipment.

SPECIAL EDITION

SPECIFICATIONS Hull Length.........................3.2m (10’6”) Width................................... 0.86m (34”) Capacity........................... 147kg (325lb) Fitted Weight....................... 29kg (65lb) Full Rigged Weight............. 34kg (75lb) The Classic Drive is Hobie’s non-GT drive with ST fins. Both of the newer MirageDrive versions, the GT and the MD180, fit in the well if you want to upgrade, and of course the Classic Drive can also be upgraded with Turbo Fins.

• Seat: aluminium frame with suspendedmesh seating area. The Passport seat is easy to install, breathable and comfortable, and doubles as a fully-functional beach chair on land!

• Rudder: the rudder system features a simplified adaptation of Hobie’s Twist ‘n’ Stow rudder. The Passport rudder is manually raised and lowered, and held in those

positions automatically by an in-line shockcord. If the rudder encounters an underwater object, it will kick up. After it has cleared the obstacle, the bungee will automatically lower the rudder back into position.

• Steering: all-new push-pull rod for a simple and easy-to-use steering system.

Built-In Storage • Bow storage well with crisscross bungees.

• Rear cargo well with cart scuppers and crisscross bungees. Can be easily customised with the all-new pad eye/hook combo fittings.

• 8” centre hatch.

• Accessory mount for great accessorizing opportunities, from the Bimini to the Sail Kit and more.

• Side-mounted rail tracks provide plenty of additional accessorizing and personalisation opportunities for anglers and recreational kayakers alike.

• Two rod holders! – Hobie

June 2019

95

SPECIAL EDITION

BIGGER.BETTER.BOATIER. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ••••

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Sale of Australia’s biggest BOAT BUILDER

Yamaha returns with exclusive deals

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ••••

BRP, the manufacturer of such iconic brands as Evinrude outboards, Sea-Doo jetskis and Can-Am quad bikes, has announced that it is acquiring 80% of Australian company Telwater. Telwater

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Yamaha Motor Australia, in conjunction with their Victorian dealership network, continue to exhibit the latest in outboard technology alongside some exclusive offers at the 2019 Melbourne Boat Show. With the largest display of outboards covering all horsepower ranges, there will be something for everybody at this

TELWATER

manufactures the hugely popular Quintrex, Stacer, Savage and Yellowfin Plate boats, and also distributes Evinrude in Australia.

Paul Phelan, Telwater’s current owner and Managing Director, will continue to play an important role in the operations of the business, and will hold 20% of the company’s shares. Telwater’s Coomera factory and its 270 employees will continue to operate business as usual.

With a more solidified partnership, the desire to own a Telwater/Evinrude boatmotor-trailer package has never been so strong. Telwater’s 230 dealerships across Australia, Asia Pacific and Europe will continue to benefit from the organization’s state-of-the-art manufacturing know-how, and will add to BRP’s design and innovation track record.

“Over 30 years ago, I started as a welder,” said Telwater MD Paul Phelan.

“Today I am handing over part of the Telwater organization to BRP, an expert in every industry it is in. Growing Telwater to what it is today has been an extraordinary journey, and I’m excited to see it join the BRP family.”

Mr Phelan said that Telwater’s boat brands will learn from BRP’s innovation, and BRP will be able to leverage Telwater’s competitive advantages, including its stretch forming capabilities and manufacturing expertise.

Telwater manufactures over 8000 boats and 5500 trailers annually, with over 60% market share in the Australian boat building industry, and exports to over 20 countries. – Telwater

C4 YAMAHA

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June 2019

year’s Boat Show. As with all Yamaha engines, legendary reliability and unmatched quality comes standard.

Yamaha aims to inspire visitors this year by dedicating their display to the various marine lifestyles that can be enjoyed in Australia. From camping to offshore fishing and much more, Yamaha’s display at the Melbourne Boat Show will be sure to capture the best of living an on-water lifestyle, which stays on brand with the Boat Show message that, ‘Life is Better with a Boat’.

Complementing the complete Yamaha Outboard range is Yamaha’s leading range of outboard technology. There is a selection of products packed with all the features to provide a seamless boating experience.

Exhibiting Yamaha Dealerships are also offering exclusive deals at the show on a range of their premium products. So, you can get the quality that Yamaha is known for, at competitively low Boat Show prices.

Yamaha Motor Finance are making ownership easy with super low comparison rates on eligible repower options over 24-60 months and on WaveRunners over 24-36 months.

Completing the suite of offers is Yamaha Marine Insurance. Their policies come with a range of benefits that help make owning a boat stress-free. They also offer three years of new for old replacement on your new Yamaha. A hassle free process and guaranteed use of Yamaha parts on all repairs are just some of the reasons YMI is the ultimate in marine and PWC protection.

For more information on the products that will be on offer at the Show, visit www.yamahamotor.com.au/outboard and be sure to stop by stand C3 during the Melbourne Boat Show for exclusive deals. – Yamaha

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MARINE INSURANCE

YMI Marine making their mark at Melbourne Boat Show Everyone gets caught up at the Melbourne Boat Show looking at all the incredible watercraft available for purchase. But, as soon as you purchase your amazing new boat at Boat Show prices, you’ll need some quality boating insurance. Yamaha Motor Insurance has you covered, as the ultimate option for marine and PWC protection.

Located at stand C4 during the Show, their knowledgeable staff will be on hand to answer all your insurance questions.

Their comprehensive boat and personal watercraft insurance packages are designed so that you can personally choose the insurance cover that best suits your boating needs.

YMI offers a range of insurance coverage for all boats (new and used) and personal watercraft.

YMI Marine policy includes a range of impressive coverage benefits. They cover accidental loss or damage (including malicious damage) to your boat or personal watercraft. If something happens in the first three years of registration to your Yamaha powered boat or WaveRunner, YMI Marine offer a complete replacement following a declaration of it being a total loss (Conditions apply).

They understand the importance of your craft and that accidents happen, so they have a New for Old policy on mechanical and electrical components of your Yamaha Outboard motor. This provides boat owners with peace of mind when heading out on the water, the second you have any issues just contact the YMI claims team.

You can go out without a worry, as they also cover personal effects owned by you and your passengers on board, covering clothing, shoes, waterproof gear and manchester, with $1,500 per item and $10,000 in aggregate.

YMI Marine understands the stress that comes with boating and that you cannot control where you are when accidents happen, so they offer emergency assistance for towing costs $5,000 in total. No matter what happens, help will be on the way and will get you to safety.

They also offer up to $50,000 cover to the named insurer from an accident occurring when using your boat

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or personal watercraft, for death and permanent and total loss of sight, use of a limb, thumb or any finger. You can go out knowing that YMI puts your safety first.

No matter what the situation, Yamaha Motor Insurance promise a hassle free claims process. They understand that accidents are stressful enough, and want to work with you to ensure a quick and satisfactory resolution. Not only that, but they also offer 24/7 emergency claim service. You don’t get to pick when accidents happen, so their friendly staff is always available to help you.

YMI Marine offer a stress-free pay by the month option, but most incredibly, they offer an optional, innovative Lay-up cover, which is a premium discount for the months your boat or personal watercraft (WaveRunner) is not used.

The best thing about insuring with YMI Marine is that you know you are getting genuine Yamaha replacements on parts.

Your boat will be running better than ever, as quality is of the utmost importance. Yamaha prides themselves on having innovative and reliable products, and that won’t change when you need to replace part of the craft.

They offer competitive rates on all policies, and have something to suit owners of all ranges of watercraft.

In addition to all this, YMI offers premium discounts for age and boating experience. You cannot put a price on knowing you and your boat are covered, and when you insure with YMI Marine you know that you and your craft will be well looked after.

Yamaha understands that a boat is often an owner’s most treasured possession, and so they aim to provide you with the peace of mind that comes with quick and easy insurance solutions.

If you would like to know more, jump onto the YMI Marine website at www.ymia.com.au, call 1300 794 454 or email marinecustomerservice@ymia.com.au.

Make sure you stop by their stand at this year’s Melbourne Boat Show stand C4. Their friendly and knowledgeable staff will be on hand to answer all your questions and make sure you choose the best policy for you.

Yamaha Marine Insurance is the ultimate in marine and personal watercraft protection.

They promise to provide the highest quality service at competitive rates. – YMI Marine

June 2019

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SPECIAL EDITION

Melbourne BOAT SHOW FEATURE BIGGER.BETTER.BOATIER.

Northbank 650C with Mercury 250hp V8 Verado - SC

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Main: Some would call it the Butter Bean-mobile. We call it the Northbank 650C. Built in South Australia and retailed in Melbourne by Melbourne Marine Centre, this is an impressive craft. Above: Radio dialogue. FM: “Righto, give it some this time.” BB: “No worries. Thought you’d never ask!” for his first boat test. There were no problems ‘sending it’ for the camera. None at all!

As expected, if you drive this big rig hard, it’s fast and

Length.......................................................... 6.5m Beam.......................................................... 2.44m Height on trailer.......................................... 2.4m Capacity...............................................8 persons Max HP.......................................................... 250 Transom Deadrise......................................... 21°

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to $150,000.

For more information or to organise a test ride in a Northbank, visit the team at Melbourne Marine Centre at www.melbournemarine.com. au. You can also Like their Facebook Page for updates

PERFORMANCE

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to see if one would fit in his garage. It took a couple of modifications, but they made it fit and the rest is history.

He now has around 40 hours on a Northbank 650C (cuddy cabin) that’s powered by a V8 Mercury Verado (250hp) and sitting on a custom Mackay trailer.

And yes, it even has a pie warmer on board.

Dean’s not afraid to drive this rig, either. He did well

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I’m unsure if I’m allowed to actually call him by his nickname, Butter Bean, but Craigeburn’s Dean Pallone rocked up to the Patto River launching ramp in his pride and joy for this test. Dean’s a customer of Andrew Stephens’ Melbourne Marine Centre and the story of the sale reminded me of a joke that’s probably a little too saucy to delve into here.

Regardless, he went shopping for a repower of his old fibreglass boat and came back with this weapon of a boat on order.

Well, it wasn’t really that simple. Dean’s meticulous about his toys and Andrew was up to the task, even driving out to Dean’s place

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feedback from our customers and it’s great to have Dean so happy with his rig,” said Andrew. “We like going the extra mile to make sure that our customers are 100% happy with their rig.”

Packages that are by no

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less than totally economical.

We got it to 86km/h, which is hauling ass for a cabin boat.

At that speed, it delivered even money, a kilometre for each litre burned. Back off the stick, though, and you get 50% more distance for your dollars. We achieved 1.5km/L at 57km/h and 4,500rpm.

Like all Northbanks I’ve tested, the hull sounds and feels solid underfoot.

We’ve driven these boats in all conditions – from a Port Phillip Bay you could waterski on behind an outboard to a choppy Sydney Harbour with a diesel inboard – and these Rob Cuming designed hulls all ride the same.

In the spectrum of fishing to family boats, this one swings well towards fishing.

There’s drop in snapper racks, multiple places to store your rods (in the rocket launchers or upright along the gunwales) and a suite of electronics that lets you find where the fish are.

That’s not to say that there’s a Spartan level of comfort. Shade, a lockable cabin and a neat gunwale door to allow easy ingress, while the boarding ladders and transom door make it easy to load and unload while the rig is on the trailer.

Small luxuries, like the custom SeaDek on the cockpit floor and the suite of

LED lights (from underwater on the transom through to the cockpit all add up to make this a really neat looking rig).

“It’s good to get positive

RPM....... Speed (km/h)......... Economy (km/L) Idle............................ 4............................... 1.6 1000........................... 8............................... 1.5 2000..........................13............................... 1.1 3000......................... 26............................... 1.0 4000......................... 47............................... 1.3 4500......................... 57............................... 1.5 5000......................... 68............................... 1.3 5900......................... 86............................... 1.0 means basic for a Northbank 650C and Mercury start from $126,000, ready to go and catch a snapper in the Bay. Dean’s rig with all of the extra fruit came in a lot closer

and boat show appearances, like at the 2019 Melbourne Boat Show. Just search Melbourne Marine Centre on Facebook.

All the owners are impressed by their V8 Mercury 4-stroke. This is the first owner of the Verado iteration, with AMS (advanced mid section) which deletes nearly all vibration. They’re ridiculously smooth and quiet.

Melbourne BOAT SHOW FEATURE

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SPECIAL EDITION

These pocket-mounted vertical rod holders take those extra four rods that make all the difference. Anyone who says you have too many fishing rods is dead-set wrong.

The only thing better than a rocket launcher is a second, offset one that lets you get more rods up there. Butter Bean’s definitely one to feed the addiction.

The folding ladder, duckboard and transom door are essential for boarding the boat while it’s on the trailer. They’re pretty handy as well when you’re going for a swim.

That’s a Mercury Vessel View up top, a big ol’ Simrad below and a digital throttle and shift to the right.

The fire extinguisher is within easy reach of the helm and helps you sort out any pie warmer incidents.

21° of transom deadrise means that you need a special talent to land this rig hard. Specifically, if you can get it launching at a 21° lift to port or starboard you can bang it good. That’s harder than it sounds.

Underwater LEDs on the hull and LEDs on the trailer, where were boaties without them?

There’s a mountain of space in the cockpit and the SeaDek custom flooring matches perfectly.

Dean says that it’s easy to keep clean.

The optional side door lets you bring in fish that surpass your expectations (but not your ability to plan). Or it lets the kids in, your choice.

We think that the ruler on the deck is a special touch.

It’s like a snapper deck of cards: Spigot, bait board and six rods.

If you’re serious about live bait nowadays, you need the clear panel to let you connect with your tasty treats at an emotional level before you send them to their death.

You can tell a Verado version of a Mercury from the standard V8 by that silver midsection. It called an AMS and contains all of the engineering that insulates the boat from engine vibration. Standard V8s are all black.

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Melbourne BOAT SHOW FEATURE

SPECIAL EDITION

BIGGER.BETTER.BOATIER.

Revival 590 X-Rider with Mercury 150hp 4-stroke

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This was only the second Revival boat that we’ve tested at Fishing Monthly.

The first was a cruiser-style (trailerable and suitable for comfortable weekends away) and is about as far away as you can get from this – the Revival X-Rider.

Built in Melbourne by Sam Cantonese, the brand is sold and championed by Melbourne mega-dealer, JV Marine World.

“The Revivals are a great step up into fibreglass boating, as you get great value for money with a Revival package,” said JV chief Mark Stav after the team pulled up at Launching Way for the test.

In fact, it wasn’t a great day for a boat test – glassy,

PERFORMANCE

Main: There’s no denying that the Revival X-Rider is a good-looking rig.

The Mercury and hull colours work well together. Above: When you drop the throttle, there’s plenty to smile about. The 3.0L Mercury 4-stroke spun a 17” 3-blade Enertia propeller and stayed on 75km/h at WOT. allowed the owners to comfortably take four people out on the water skiing and relaxing or you could add the rod holders, take out the

specifications Length.......................................................... 5.9m Beam............................................................ 2.4m HP Max.......................................................... 175 Tow Weight............................................. 1,800kg Capacity.............................................. 7 persons Fuel.............................................................. 130L Transom deadrise..........................................21° sunny conditions where every boat seems to run great – even though the weather was perfect. It did reflect, however, conditions that you may be out in enjoying what the X-Rider has to offer.

The package tested was actually a customer’s boat that had been designed for both fishing and tow sports.

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speeds was the quietness of the hull. I’ve definitely been in noisier craft over the years, and the build of this rig felt solid at all speeds.

As tested, this rig rolls out the door at $77,000 from JV Marine, though packages

tables and there’s a perfectly good craft for squidding and snapper fishing.

Right away, we were all impressed with the looks of the boat. The red and black colour scheme complemented the 150hp Mercury 3.0L 4-stroke perfectly, and it would definitely turn heads at the ramp. The question was, however, would it get

up and go out on the water?

After an easy launch we transitioned from the calm waters of the Patterson River to the calm waters of Port Phillip Bay and dropped the throttle. The X-Rider jumped onto the plane and was very responsive to both throttle and trim. You could say that it was pretty fun to drive. We know that Mark drove it like he stole it, even though he only borrowed it.

We have noticed, subsequently, that Mark is a big fan of the wide-open throttle setting in any boat that he captains.

In a nutshell, this rig will comfortably entertain with four and seriously fish with two people on board.

The bowrider layout is fairly standard. The test rig had a spigot-mounted table that could bounce between the cockpit and the bow.

Alternatively, you can

drop the anchor and add the rod holders, spin the helm seats around and you’re ready for a PPB snapper to jump on.

Powered by a Mercury

RPM......Speed (km/h)........... Economy (km/L) 650............................5................................. 2.6 1000..........................8................................. 2.4 2000........................ 13................................. 1.6 3000........................ 33................................. 2.3 4000........................ 50................................. 2.0 5000........................ 65................................. 1.5 5600........................ 75................................. 1.3 Best Economy.3,500rpm, 43km/h at 2.5km/L of 43km/h at 3,500rpm that delivered 2.5km/L. That gets you nearly twice the range than driving around at full speed.

Noticable at higher

with fewer inclusions at $69,999.

You can get information at revivalboats.com.au or jvmarine.com.au.

A unique combination of fishing and watersports, the X-Rider does both pretty well.

begin more www. www.

Melbourne BOAT SHOW FEATURE

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Supplied on a twin axle Dunbier trailer, this rig weighs in at about 1,800kg and is most suitable to tow with a larger SUV or twin cab ute.

SPECIAL EDITION

The helm is comfortable with a built in footrest and plenty of visibility in all directions.

Top: The foldable bimini and rocket launcher only provides shade for the helm seating.

Above: The anchor and winch is all out of the way and doesn’t intrude into the bow entertainment area.

Mercury’s 3.0L 150hp 4-stroke platform has years under the belt now. It delivered 2.5km/L at 3,500rpm on this rig and had plenty of midrange torque to get the X-Rider up and running.

With the bunk infill added, there’s plenty of lounging area up front. Take it out and add a table and there’s room for four.

The walk through is plenty wide enough and lined with the custom SeaDek, which looks a million bucks.

Three people will comfortably fill the bench seat. Add two at the helm and there’s room for a fun day on the water for five.

With a transom deadrise of 21°, the X-Rider is capable of a soft ride when conditions get a little nasty.

The wet storage boxes at the transom are a great idea. This one is where the squid go, helping to keep the cockpit clean (we saw the leftover ink).

At Fishing Monthly, we love flush-mount sounder space. This owner fitted Mercury Vessel View with the Simrad transducer.

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SPECIAL EDITION

Melbourne BOAT SHOW FEATURE BIGGER.BETTER.BOATIER.

Quintrex 440 SC Renegade with Yamaha F60hp

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As no fuel metering gauges were available on this craft, the article quotes Streaker Marine supplied economy figures.

Main: Streaker Marine’s Quintrex Renegade 440 SC (side console) package is a blank canvas. You can fit it out as a freshwater or inshore boat depending on your fishing needs, and it can do both jobs on a budget.

Above: Powered by Yamaha’s F60 4-stroke outboard, this boat gets up and goes, although the conditions on the test day meant that the most comfortable and economical speed was under 4,000rpm. it sits at a price point where it’s within reach of a lot of people. And you don’t need

Length (max)............................................... 4.6m Beam.......................................................... 2.11m Depth......................................................... 0.96m Max motor Weight.................................... 120kg Capacity.............................................. 5 persons Materials.................................... 3mm aluminium Height on trailer........................................ 1.70m Max hp......................................................... 60hp Hull Weight................................................ 370kg

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onto the front deck.

The front deck also provides a heap of storage under it, albeit not dry.

Plenty of anglers find room for an ice box under here and some gear in waterproof bags. There’s additional

PERFORMANCE

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which you can build your ideal rig.

Featuring that clean, plate-aluminium look and plenty of open deck space, the Renegade is one of Quintrex’s best sellers and

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Streaker Marine sells plenty of Quintrex boats every year, and Sean Savage and his team at the dealership always put in a massive effort at the Melbourne Boat Show to display a big range of boats and provide attractive deals to get them sold.

When offered the choice of which boat they wanted included in the Boat Show feature this year, they brought the 440 Renegade Side Console (SC) with a 60hp Yamaha.

It was a smart choice. The boat show is full of anglers wanting to upgrade their small boats or just aching to get off the bank.

The Renegade is a great option for both of these desires, offering a solid platform from

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(figures supplied by Streaker Marine). It’s more of a challenge remembering to fill the tank than finding the cash to pay for it.

We had this hull out in some sloppy conditions and there was always a

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to upgrade the family car to tow it.

The 440 was supplied on a single axle Quintrex trailer that’s factory matched to the boat.

“Quintrex’s aluminium

I-beam trailer is to trailers what four-strokes are to outboards,” said Sean Savage. “It’s hard not to buy one. They’re light, they’re easy to clean, they tow great and they’re easy to load.”

Also, they’re easy to manoeuvre around a small garage, that’s the combination of the light hull weight and the single axle iteration.

Speaking of 4-strokes, the Renegade was powered with a F60 Yamaha 4-stroke, which is the maximum allowable on this rig.

At the most economical cruising speeds around 3,500rpm, this rig delivers economy of over 4km/L

combination of speed and trim that waked it through chop that would be uncomfortable at wide open throttle.

What do we like best about open boats? It’s the 360° fishability. There’s nothing to get in the way and you can achieve an elevated lure casting position by jumping up

storage in the port and starboard side pockets and then a tiny bit more under the rear casting deck.

As tested, this rig weighed in at $31,990, however packages from Streaker Marine start from $28,000. Visit www. streakermarine.com.au for more information or to organise a test drive.

Although the Renegade looks like a plate boat, the pressed strakes under the hull give away its true heritage.

Melbourne BOAT SHOW FEATURE

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SPECIAL EDITION

Open boats are all about the space, and the Renegade has plenty of it.

The half-length side pocket will keep your gear from rolling around the floor, but it won’t keep it dry.

There’s a matching side pocket on the starboard side, adjacent to the helm seat.

The front casting deck will fit one angler and is around half the gunwale height.

Check out the inbuilt step and handrail, which makes it easy to get back into the boat after a swim. Without it, it usually looks like you’re trying to mount the Yamaha.

Like all Yamaha 4-strokes, you barely know it’s running when it is. The next person that tries to start it when it’s already running won’t be the first.

Nearly all of the storage in the Renegade is up and under the front casting deck. It’s reasonably dry under there until it rains.

After that, keep your gear in dry bags.

Supplied on a Quintrex I-beam trailer, the on-road package is light and towable by virtually any vehicle with a tow bar.

That’s a moulded plastic anchor well at the bow, which is usually much quieter than a welded aluminium one.

The side console is simple and effective, and you can bracket mount virtually any electronics you like on top of it. We liked the niche for keys, wallets and phones.

Left: There’s a small baitwell and storage areas under the rear casting deck, port side.

Right: Quintrex’s fold down seats are basic, yet comfortable. There are several mounting options.

There’s no doubt that Quintrex has lifted its trailer game in recent years. I haven’t even got wheels that flash on my car!

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SPECIAL EDITION

Melbourne BOAT SHOW FEATURE BIGGER.BETTER.BOATIER.

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Main: Is there anything better than a brilliant day on Port Phillip Bay, a Bar Crusher and 150 Suzuki horses pushing you along? Above: The 615BR is Bar Crusher’s first foray into a multi-purpose craft, although Matt Urzia will always find a way to fish in it. At rest the Gen 2 hull’s ballast tank takes on hundreds of litres of water and sinks the chines deeper to offer improved stability at rest. extra weight around.

“A lot of our customers want to go out or come home in rough conditions, and the Gen 2 hull lets them do that with maximum levels of comfort,” Pete explained.

If you’re thinking that the 615BR lacks some of its siblings’ fishing chops, you’d be mistaken. The bow riding section has removable cushions and a drop-in deck infill that makes the whole

RPM........ Speed (km/h)....... Economy (km/L) 1000............................ 3............................. 4.0 2000............................ 7............................. 2.8 3000.......................... 11............................. 1.9 3700.......................... 34............................. 2.3 4000.......................... 38............................. 2.1 5000.......................... 53............................. 1.6 6000.......................... 66............................. 1.2 June 2019

are matched with Victorian built EasyTow trailers and, coupled with their BarCatch system, it’s a foolproof as possible to launch and retrieve these rigs, even if you’re boating alone.

Packages with the 615BR start from high $60K, and as tested, this rig weighed in around the mid $80K mark.

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It’s not often you get the head of a company to come out on a boat test, but Bar Crusher’s Peter Cleland showed up at the Launching Way ramp with their first foray into a multi-purpose boat in tow, the 615 BR (bow rider).

When questioned about the genesis of the craft, Peter said they wanted to design a fishing weapon that the family could also go out on, to enjoy a bit of fun with some towsports.

“We stand at a lot of boat shows talking to people, and this design came from that,” he said.

Built on Bar Crusher’s well proven Gen 2 hull, it features a ‘delta flare’, which is like an old style planing plank on a glass boat that gets the boat onto the plane quickly. The chines are wider than their original hulls to deflect more water downwards and the passive water ballast system reduces buoyancy at rest, dropping the chines further into the water and improving stability.

When the boat takes off, this water dumps out quickly and you’re not carrying the

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pseudo-cabin style feel and ride for when conditions get a little nasty.

Performance-wise, the 150hp Suzuki displayed the economy that they’re known for, delivering 2.3km/L at 3,700rpm and 34km/h. Drop the hammers and she got up to 66km/h at 6,000rpm at nearly half the

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for’ard section a flat casting deck. You can easily add a bow-mounted trolling motor to make this a boat that can easily sneak around any part of the country to cast lures in.

The rear cockpit is similarly transformable. Pull out the ski pole and add a bait board to turn this into a classic snapper rig – complete with the windlass up front to pull the anchor for you.

Importantly, there’s family-friendly shade, places to sit, and the ability to get in and out of this boat while on the water, which is all that most of us need to have a good time.

Well, maybe that, and a donut to tow the kids around on.

We particularly like the generous dash space in Bar Crushers that allow flush

mounting of electronics, and that these are viewable from the cockpit easily. With the addition of the soft top, bow cover and clears you get a

Length....................................................... 6.15m Beam.........................................................2.25m Bottom sheet.............................................4mm Side sheets.................................................4mm Fuel............................................................. 140L Min HP.......................................................... 115 Max HP......................................................... 150 Height on trailer....................................... 2.15m Fuel............................................................. 140L economy, 1.2km/L. This rig demonstrably likes cruising economically at the lower end of the planing speeds.

Finally, Bar Crushers supplied from the factory

For more information, get in touch with your nearest Bar Crusher dealer. You can find where your local dealer is by visiting www. barcrusher.com.au.

Suzukis are notoriously economical. This 150hp and 6m+ boat delivered 2.3km/L at 34km/h and 3,700rpm, and a 66km/h top end speed.

Melbourne BOAT SHOW FEATURE

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Inset and above: The Bar Crusher team is always looking at clever ways of using space. The under seat tackle storage here is just one of their additions.

Top: The bait board is simple with a removable Teflon insert. You can swap it out for a ski pole for the watersports days.

Above: There’s always plenty of space on a Bar Crusher helm for all of your electronics, so size isn’t an issue.

Bar Crusher’s solution to a rear bench is solid and reliable. It’s simple to deploy and has a smooth finish while stowed.

There is a distinct separation between the front deck and the anchor well, and hopefully no salt water makes its way into your cocktails.

The 140L fuel tank gives a theoretical range at best economy of over 250km.

With a bow area covered and locked down, the cockpit is quite sheltered. There are plenty of places to hang onto, which your passengers will appreciate.

If you’re headed off for a weekend of camping there’s plenty of space under the bow cover to stow camping gear.

All of these deck cushions remove to turn the 615 into a fishing platform. Leave the cushions in and remove the centre infill and it’s a lounge.

SPECIAL EDITION

Add a bow-mounted electric motor here to really take advantage of the for’ard casting deck.

The slide-in transom door is as simple is it gets.

Designed by anglers, the additions such as the duckboard-mounted berley pot keeps the mess out back where it should be.

All this bait tank needs to work is a functioning water pump. It self levels and drains straight onto the duckboard.

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SPECIAL EDITION

Melbourne BOAT SHOW FEATURE BIGGER.BETTER.BOATIER.

JANUARY MAY Time Time m

1 0113 0801 1

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2 0205 0853 2

WE 1455 TH 2215

3 0304 0948 3

TH 1557 FR 2318

4 0414 1046 4

FR 1700 SA

5 0018 0529 5

Time 0.54 0139 1.48 0822 0.35 1350 1.37 2107 0.65 0248 1.41 0939 0.36 1459 1.38 2203 0.75 0410 1.35 1050 0.36 1626 1.41 2258 0.81 0512 1.30 1150 0.35 1737 2346 1.45 0556 0.82 1241 1.28 1827 0.33

m

18’ S of High LONG 144° 37’ E TimesLAT and38° Heights and Low Waters Times and Heights of High and Low Waters MARCH FEBRUARY m Time m Time JULY m Time m JUNE Time

Time m Time m 0032 0.58 0230 0.73 03001.32 0.68 07120154 1.430.65 0907 10100.36 1.36 13050859 0.411.39 FR 1515 15151.35 0.93 1956 1.310.70 2245 TH 1412 SA 2153 1.37 2121 1.46 0116 0.67 0330 0.80 04021.26 0.61 07520310 1.380.58 1004 11130.39 1.45 13461017 0.391.46 SA 1617 16341.35 0.94 FR 1530 SU 2058 1.310.76 2345 2222 1.47 2249 1.39 0207 0.75 0444 0.84 04581.22 0.52 08400422 1.330.49 1106 12070.40 1.56 14351126 0.361.57 SU 1724 SA 1651 MO 1740 0.92 2205 1.340.78 2344 1.42 2320 1.49 0307 0.83 0045 1.38 05460.82 0.44 09360523 1.290.40 0559 12571.21 1.67 15331228 0.331.68 MO 1208 18300.38 0.88 TU SU 1758 2317 1.390.77 1825

Time 0140 0357 0802 1110 SA 1400 1621 SU2128 2245 0233 0457 0859 1209 SU 1457 1729 MO2241 2341 0341 0550 1008 1302 MO 1608 1826 TU2356

17 17

22

17 17

18 18

33

18 18

19 19

44

0501 0.81 0032 1.29 1.48 19 1132 19 0638 0.35 1730 0.30 TU

0.78 1.23 TH 0.78 1.32

0.72 1.29 FR 0.81 1.34 0.64 1.39 SA 0.80 1.38

0420 0.86 0138 1.43 00350.76 1.46 0.54 10420015 1.281.51 0704 06301.24 0.37 1.51 16440616 0.33 0.29 1305 SU TU 13440.36 1.75 0.77 WE MO 1322 1.76 1918 1915 0.83 1852 0.75 0026 1.47 0222 1.47 0124 1.49 1.43 0103 1.53 0538 0.84 0757 0.69 0715 0.32 0.45 0703 0.29 1156 1.30 1356 MO TU 1411 1.81 WE TH 14291.28 1.79 1.62 0.240.72 2005 19590.34 0.79 0.75 17571939 0128 1.55 0300 1.51 0210 1.52 1.47 0147 1.54 0.760.28 0841 08000.62 0.30 0.38 06480748 1307 1.36 1441 TU WE 1455 1.81 TH FR 15131.32 1.81 1.70 0.180.71 2046 0.72 19032021 20430.33 0.75

WE 1350 1914 0101 0119 0621 0723 1251 WE 1433 TH1848 1958 0159 0202 0730 0805 1358 TH 1511 FR1953 2040 0250 0243 0828 0845 1458 FR 1545 SA2048 2119

1.50 0031 21 6 0115 0635 0.79 21 6 0635 SU 1240 1.29

66

21 21

77

22 22

8 8

0359 4 0000 1030 4 1639 MO 0556

16 16

20 20

7 7

Time 0113 0259 0741 1345 FR 1030 2105 MO 1534 2155 0158 0400 0829 1431 SA 1130 TU 1647 2201 2257 0250 0500 0924 1528 SU 1228 WE 1750 2301

11

55

MO 1325 1852 0.30 1908 0203 0114 1.55 0730 0712 0.73 1.30 MO 1330 1407 TU 0.28 1939 1947 0246 0155 1.58 0816 0749 0.68 1.33 TU 1415 WE 1447 2022 2026 0.27

m 0.72 0.45 1.34 1.59 0.30 0.90 1.36 1.47 0.79 0.40 1.30 1.66 0.30 0.88 1.36 1.47 0.83 0.37 1.27 1.72 0.31 0.85 1.41

16 16

0.78 1.21 WE 0.72 1.33

20 20

SA 1145 SU 1800

2019 2019 Local Time

POINT LONSDALE – VICTORIA POINT – 144° VICTORIA LAT 38°LONSDALE 18’ S LONG 37’ E

Victorian Tide Times

22 22

02230229 1.631.53 0331 0337 0323 02551.54 1.53 23 23 07480830 0.660.30 8 8 0920 0921 23 0924 08450.55 0.3023 1409 1.43 1522 1.37 1553 FR SA

1.50 0.33 WE 1.75 0.70

TH 1535 1.78 20032101 0.150.70

SA 1556 1.79 2123 21270.34 0.71

SU 1618 2139 2159

1.75 0.81 1.48 1.49 0.72 0.35 1.36 1.76 0.26 0.78 1.56 1.49 0.59 0.37 1.45 1.74 0.24 0.75

1.62 1.48 0.45 0.40 1.55 1.71 0.24 0.73 1.66 1.46 0.33 0.45 1.61 1.68 0.26 0.71

1.60 1.51 03140309 1.691.51 0401 0420 0402 1.67 1.43 03411.56 1.53 9 0323 24 24 0859 0.63 0.30 08440911 0.540.35 9 9 0956 241010 9 0235 1000 0.23 0.51 09320.49 0.3424 0827

1.35 1.77 1.501.73 SASU 1601 WE 1458 TH 1505 1650 1.64 1.64 16391.40 1.75 SU MO1646 FR 1612 TH 1528 2102 2105 0.28 0.69 20582141 0.150.70 2157 2225 2236 0.31 0.70 22120.37 0.67

11

22

33

TH 1320 1844 0003 0057 0520 0648 1138 TU 1409 FR 1753 1933 0100 0150 0636 0740 1243 WE SA 1456 1855 2022 0146 0241 0733 0830 1339 TH 1541 SU 1945 2112

55 66 77

Local Time APRIL AUGUST Time Time m

m Time m m Time m 0036 0.65 0215 0.77 0.63 0430 04230846 0.38 1.22 0.54 06520.43 1.39 1.38 1.47 1146 11591439 1.57 0.54 12481.58 0.28 0.32 SA MO 0.99 0.91 1.29 19580.92 1.44 TH 17132210 1.37 TU 1658 FR 1.39 2311 1.40 2332 1.41 0118 0.71 0316 0.81 0.71 05300955 0.33 1.18 0.48 0526 07380.41 1.35 1.29 1256 1.64 0.61 1.56 1241 13331.61 0.30 0.39 SU TU 1543 0.81 1.28 0.98 SA 20590.88 1.39 FR 18152310 1.32 WE 1800 1.40 0209 0.76 0438 0.80 0.78 00381110 1.47 1.18 0.41 0005 08371.40 1.30 1.22 06301705 0.29 0.64 1.64 0616 14300.40 0.35 0.46 MO WE 0.93 22101.65 1.37 SA 1346 1.70 SU 1.29 TH 1330 1852 0.83 1912 0.70 0315 0.78 0008 1.30 0.82 0056 01360601 1.54 0.74 1.44 09531.42 1.28 1.18 0702 0.39 0726 0.28 1.23 0.34 1543 0.40 1220 0.50 TU TH 1.74 0.64 1.72 FR 1411 MO 23251.66 1.38 SU 14341822 1939 0.77 2004 0.59 0.87 0437 0.74 1.30 0058 1.34 0141 02310659 1.60 0.65 1.48 11231.43 1.31 0.82 0745 08191318 0.30 1.32 0.30 17100.40 0.42 1.17 WE FR 1.75 0.62 1.77 TU MO 15191919 0.50 SA 1446 1.67 2057 0.48 2021 0.73 0.79 1.33 0031 1.44 0140 1.39 0223 1.44 0325 1.62 1.53 0.76 0600 0.64 0742 0.56 0825 0.42 0910 0.35 0.28 1.21 1243 1.40 1407 1.42 TH SA 1.74 WE 1.79 SU 1519 1.66 TU 16002002 0.48 1833 0.41 2100 0.68 2147 0.40 0.60 0.71 1.38 01301.44 1.51 04190217 1.62 1.44 1.56 0302 0.67 07110.46 0.50 09590718 0.42 0.47 0.30 0901 1.27 13501.65 1.52 1349 FR SU 1642 1.70 1.52 1.79 1549 TH MO 1940 0.40 WE 0.45 1940 2236 0.35 0.58 0.64 2138 0.65

Time

m 0055 0.44 0730 1.52 1313 0.78 2043

16 16

11

0557 16 16 1303

17 17

22

0200 17 0037 0852 17 0645 1.36 0.42

18 18

33

18 18

19 19

44

19 19

20 20

55

20 20

21 21

66

21 21

22 22

77

22 22

TU 1832

m 0.73 1.33 0.46 1.41

0.72 1.32 WE 1425 0.55 1344 2153 1.55 1.41 1920 0.70 0322 0.67 0125 1021 1.39 1.38 0729 0.42 0.60 TH 1552 1417 2258 1.58 1.44 2000 0.64 0443 0.56 0207 1136 1.43 1.49 0807 1715 FR 0.44 0.60 1447 2356 1.59 1.49 2038 0.58 0548 0.43 0246 1241 1.46 1.61 0842 1822 0.46 SA 1.59 0.59 1516 2112 0.53 0048 1.54 0324 1.48 0643 0.32 0915 0.50 1339 1.72 SU 1545 1.58 2145 1915 0.49 0.58 0400 0136 1.48 1.57 0949 0731 0.54 0.24 MO 1430 1616 1.56 1.79 2002 2216 0.46 0.58 0440 0219 1.48 1.58 1024 0816 0.59 0.21 TU 1516 1648 1.53 1.80 2248 2045 0.43 0.58

02211.44 1.57 0225 1.57 1.43 05160153 1.59 1.48 230342 8 0752 8 0331 08080.51 0.36 8 1045 0817 0.35 0.5823 23 23 8 0936 0921 0.51 0.39 SA 1450 1.63 MO 1429 1.60 FR 1426 1.35

MO 1624 1.76 TU 1618 1.62 TH 1723 1.65 FR 20340.61 0.39 2028 0.57 0.44 2213 2201 23232015 0.33 0.58

03081.43 1.61 0259 1.56 1.48 06170229 1.55 1.51 0521 0300 1.47 240421 9 0826 24 9 0424 08590.56 0.25 9 1130 0855 0.42 0.5024 9 24 1010 0.61 0.34 1011 1100 0900 0.65 TU 1507 1.65 WE 1559 SA 1508 1.42 SU 1545 1.71

1.57 0.22 FR 1805 1.58 SA 1722 1.49 1.77 TU 1706 1.72 WE 1649 1.60 21230.58 0.41 2051 0.58 2320 2125 2104 0.51 0.44 2247 2252 0.42 0.60

1.61 1.51 04000347 1.711.47 0431 0501 03511.41 1.63 0330 1.53 1.51 0315 00100304 0.34 1.51 0608 0338 04291.56 1.51 0443 1.65 1.40 1.44 10 0356 25 25 250502 25 10 0521 0937 0.58 0.29 09360949 0.430.4010 1029 1057 09450.63 0.181010 0929 0.51 0.4325 10 25 10 25 0907 07180900 1.51 0.30 10190.44 0.4025 1034 0.18 0.57 10 1100 1045 1138 0941 0.72 1537 1.36 1600 1.54 1639 1.42 1738 1.63 1634 1.73 1545 1.67 1639 1546 1.48 TH

FR SA 1647 1.68 SUMO 1723 1.70 MO FR 1609 1.75 TU 1723 1.59 2139 2145 0.30 0.69 21492219 0.180.71 2230 2309 23000.40 0.64 2313 0.38 0.69

1.54 0.26 1217 0.71 SU 1759 1722 1.56 TH 1.44 1.71 MO SU 1749 1.67 TH SA WE WE 22070.56 0.44 2139 0.47 0.45 18512127 1.51 0.59 2356 2204 2342 2320 0.41 0.62

1.60 1.50 04450427 1.711.43 04311.40 1.61 0401 1.51 1.53 00590339 0.37 1.50 0701 0416 05211.55 1.48 0526 1.61 1.37 1.42 11 0427 26 26 260547 11 0627 11 0355 26 26 110502 260540 1015 0.54 0.31 10271027 0.340.4711 1100 10300.70 0.161111 1000 0.62 0.3726 1140 0947 08180934 1.47 0.28 11080.39 0.4826 1111 0.17 0.64 11 1148 1123 1220 1019 0.79 1717 1616 1.37 1652 1.55 1717 1.43 1721 1.71 1623 1.67 1624 1.53 1829 1.58 FR

SA SU 1722 1.61 MO TU 1808 1.64 TU SA 1650 1.71 WE 1758 1.55 2214 2225 0.33 0.69 22382258 0.240.72 2303 2350 23500.45 0.61 2351 0.46 0.67

1.49 0.32 0.79 MO 1841 1757 1.52 TH FR 1.39 1.64 MO SU 1306 TH 1833 1.61 FRTU 2243 0.65 22480.54 0.48 2212 0.47 19432203 1.43 0.61 2356

01520415 0.42 1.48 0039 0455 06241.53 1.45 0615 1.54 1.34 0032 0639 0.40 1.59 1.47 05270507 1.681.38 05101.39 1.57 0433 0.45 1.53 120533 270619 27 27 12 0437 27 12 0458 27 12 27 09181010 1.44 0.28 11590.36 0.5927 1149 0.19 0.72 12 0737 1203 0802 1058 1.40 1030 1050 0.51 0.35 11151103 0.280.5412 1131 11120.77 0.181212 1032 1.49 0.3327 1222 1403 0.87 1858 1.59 1835 1.50 1238 0.73 1835 1.47 1309 0.86 1735 1.65 1758 1.55

1.54 1757 1.43 SU 1.36 MO SA 1654 SU 1747 TUWE 2246 2307 0.38 0.69 23252337 0.330.73 2338 0.50

TH1920 1.51 WE

1.43 0.39 FR TU SA 1756 1.56 WE 1806 1.66 MO FR 1704 1.63 TU 1701 1.55 SA 20402241 1.37 0.64 1933 2321 1922 1.35 0.69 2328 0.53 2246 1.55 0.50

02530452 0.46 1.45 0131 0535 00451.49 0.58 0030 0.54 0.65 0126 0033 0.40 1.56 1.44 06070552 0506 0.45 1.51 1.631.33 05470.51 1.51 13 0525 28 130606 280031 28 28 13 0529 13 28 28 10191047 1.44 0.29 07410.33 1.4428 0714 1.47 1.34 13 0843 0737 0911 1134 1.39 1115 1124 0.48 0.41 1103 1.49 0.3028 0659 12021140 0.240.6113 1203 11511.39 0.231313 1512 0.90 1254 0.70 1233 0.81 1332 0.82 1249 0.85 1410 0.90 1823 1.58 1836 1.50

1.50 MO 1.35 MO 1845 TU SU 1733 2319 2354 0.44 0.69

1840 1.42 FR1303 0.25 TH WE TH 1951 1.54 1916 1.44 1.46 2012

1.37 0.46 SA 1739 1.55 SUTH 1850 1.58 TU SA 1748 1.58 WE SU 1837 1.48 WE 21432320 1.33 0.68 2038 1.32 2015 1918 1.42 2322 1.49 0.54

01450.57 0.55 0114 1.53 1.40 00100018 0.430.74 140015 14 0621 29 08571.44 1.46 29 0817 1205 14 0600 29 1157 0.46 0.50 06480645 1.561.2914 0641 FR 1355 0.80 SA 1324 TU 1917 1.52 WE 1220 0.70

04000534 0.47 1.41 0237 0001 0225 0116 0.40 0539 0.45 1.48 00070.49 0.58 14 29 29 11191129 1.45 0.33 0945 0840 1023 0620 1.42 14 29 1136 1.51 0.2829 06271.41 1.441414 WE 1628 0.90 TH 1525 0.89 SU 1435 0.90 MO 1343 0.92

02510.64 0.50 0202 1.48 0.68 00540104 0.530.74 150055 15 0048 30 10061.39 1.52 30 0924 0732 15 0635 30 1230 0.43 1.37 07300748 1.481.2715 0718 SA 1505 0.87 SU 1424 WE 1303 0.60 TH 1308 0.79

0328 0210 05010003 0.46 0.71 0354 0045 0.39 0614 0.44 1.44 00460.46 0.64 15 30 30 1047 0947 12150625 1.48 1.36 1130 0715 1.48 15 30 1210 1.54 0.2730 07071.44 1.361515 MO 1547 0.93 TU 1447 0.97 TH 1736 0.85 FR 1644 0.81

MO 1815 1.33 2354 0.50

TU 1248 0.24 TH 1236 0.31 20481.40 1.50 19451919 1.451.44 1929

TU 1902 1.32 WE 1333 0.27 FR 1315 0.30 21461.37 1.47 2017 1.48 20452007 1.401.41 2024 01400158 0.640.72 08160900 1.401.29 1405 FR 1421 0.310.87 TH 21442059 1.371.38

31 31

0.63 1.35 0.89 2004 1.42 0.59 1.40 0.96 2057 1.39

TH 1820 1.53 2113 2359 1.44 0.59

FR 1905 1.49 2212 1.41

FR 1230 0.30 2010 19341.38 1.49

SA 1309 0.38 2109 20211.36 1.41 0313 0.43 0128 0.71 1056 07521.50 1.29 1601 WE 13500.97 0.46 SU 2219 21131.37 1.34

31 31

0.73 1.30 SU 1837 1.51 MO 1214 0.55 2245 1.31 2156 1922 1.33 1.41

0.76 1.24 TU 1257 0.63 MO 1215 0.39 23451935 1.32 1.45 2316 2012 1.39 1.36 0511 0.35 1229 1.56 SA 1752 0.68

31

 Copyright Commonwealth of Australia2018, 2018,Bureau Bureau of of Meteorology Meteorology  Copyright Commonwealth of Australia Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00)orordaylight daylight savings savings time when in effect Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) time(UTC (UTC+11:00) +11:00) when in effect Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon New Moon First Quarter LastLast Quarter New Moon First Quarter Quarter Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon Tide predictions for Port Phillip Heads have been formatted by the National Tidal Centre, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Copyright reserved. All material is supplied in good faith and is believed to be correct. It is supplied on the condition that no warranty is given in relation thereto, that no responsibility or liability for errors or omissions is, or will be, accepted and that the recipient will hold MHL and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology Australia free from all such responsibility or liability and from all loss or damage incurred as a consequence of any error or omission. Predictions should not be used for navigational purposes. Use of these tide predictions will be deemed to include acceptance of the above conditions.

108

June 2019

Yellowfin.

Crushes Everything We hand build every Yellowfin with a perfected and balanced layout so you get the ultimate ‘soft and dry’ ride. So we fly over waves, we don’t plough straight into them like a submarine!

We can only do that because our superstructure is superbly balanced and designed. And with 6mm bottomsheets we can take any landing.

With the sharp entry point of our Offshore HD hull and reverse chine design our captains always experience a predictable and stable journey.

‘Soft and Dry’. ‘Safe and Strong’. ‘Australian Made.’ Take your pick.

To find out more visit yellowfinplateboats.com.au To have your mind blown, visit your local Quintrex Yellowfin dealer.

YFFiSHingMTHlY 001

SPECIAL EDITION

Melbourne BOAT SHOW FEATURE BIGGER.BETTER.BOATIER.

Stessco Skipper 449 with Yamaha F50hp 4-stroke - SC

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by Dunbier, the warranty is extended to two years.

Obviously, the Stessco guys recommend sitting these boats on these purpose-built trailers, and anyone who’s owned a boat for a long time will preach the benefits of having a trailer that’s actually built for the vessel it supports.

Walkthrough Before we dropped this rig in the water and pounded it through some Pumicestone Passage chop, I did the usual preliminary walkthrough to see what we were looking at. Even

specifications Length...................................................... 4620mm Beam ...................................................... 2100mm Depth......................................................... 925mm Bottom Sides................................................ 3mm Top Sides....................................................... 3mm Max hp............................................................... 50 Max transom weight....................................165kg Transom Height............................................... 20” Max people.......................................................... 4 Base boat hull weight..................................308kg 110

June 2019

though I am someone who fishes very specifically, this general boating and fishing rig really impressed me with little pieces of convenience that would add up to a more comfortable day on the water.

The transom was an open design, meaning access to tanks, fuel filters and batteries would be very easy, but despite being open it stayed very dry, even in the lumpy conditions we experienced later on.

The enormous splash well also helped to keep everything dry and comfortable for those sitting at the back of the boat.

There was a mountain of workspace behind the cockpit, which would be perfect for restless kids (or adults) waiting for their next bite, and a drop-in style bench seat in the rear of the work space is a great piece of ingenuity. A user can go from seating two people to four people comfortabley by just dropping this apparatus in; of course without it there is even more storage space behind the cockpit!

The high windscreen ensured the ride was incredibly dry, and neatly mounted electronics kept everything simple and clean.

The soft top bimini is just another way to make it more comfortable for those on-board, without complicating the design in any way, and definitely a

DE FOR EX

Main: The smooth, dry ride was a huge plus in the Skipper, especially with a little chop around. Above: The F50hp delivered excellent economy and Yamaha’s trademark quietness.

CO

Stessco have always been a dominant name in the boating scene in Australia, and it’s easy to see why. Their range of hulls alone makes them stand out from the pack, and their applicationspecific designs really endear them to anglers.

What tends to be forgotten about is the fantastic range of runabouts for general boating and fishing that Stessco also produces, and when powered by a reliable engine and sat on a trailer from a trusted brand, they’re perfect for entrylevel boaters.

On this blustery autumn day in South East Queensland, we met up with the team from Stessco and Will Lee from Yamaha to test out a few boats, and here we will examine the 449 Skipper, powered by a Yamaha F50hp.

Some info The 449 is the second largest of the four boats in the Skipper series, and being a ‘standard’ or ‘entry-level’ boat within the Stessco range, it comes with a 12 month structural warranty. If the buyer chooses to sit it on one of the Stessco trailers built

plus when relaxing on a boat in the skin cancer capital of the world!

ON the water Climbing into the boat was easy, and users of all ages and abilities will appreciate having the luxury to enter this boat from both the rear by the platform via a ladder on the transom or by the split windscreen over the front.

On the water this boat performed exactly as promised: a dry and comfortable ride, with the smooth purr of a 4-stroke at the rear. Even in 10-15 knot southeasterly winds the ride never got uncomfortable, even with four adults aboard, three of whom were holding expensive camera gear!

As the performance statistics show, the economy you can get from the Yamaha’s F50hp is nothing short of exceptional, but as with most boats, WOT isn’t the best way to save on fuel. The sweet spot of 4,500rpm delivered great economy at 3.9km/L, and a comfortable speed of 37km/h,

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Bob Thornton

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which would get you across any dam or bay in no time.

Needless to say, this rig could get offshore on the right day if fitted out correctly, however this boat is much more at home in sheltered waters like dams, bays, rivers and creeks. There are better boats for offshore fishing in the Stessco range.

FInal thoughts As I mentioned before, I look for boats designed for a specific purpose, but despite this bias, I really appreciated how simple and easy to use everything in this boat was.

Any entry-level boater would be looking for a boat/motor/ trailer package that is simple, comfortable and user-friendly, and the Skipper 449 ticks all these boxes.

With a price around the mid-$20K mark, this is another reason why the Skipper is the perfect way to get into boating.

For more info about any boats in the Stessco range, visit www.stessco.com.au, or go to Facebook or Instagram at ‘Stessco’.

Simple, but not unattractive. The 449 is a great-looking boat that isn’t going to strain your bank account too much.

Melbourne BOAT SHOW FEATURE

BIGGER.BETTER.BOATIER.

SPECIAL EDITION

The 449 manages to provide an incredible amount of storage space without heaps of hatches, while still managing to keep everything dry for the most part.

The Yamaha F50hp is as economic as it is attractive.

A basic sounder mounted in a simple fashion was very much in tune with the rest of the boat.

A simple anchor well up the front is accessible, and uncomplicated, just like everything else in the boat.

The drop-in style bench seat was a great feature for this simple rig, and means it can go from seating two to four people very easily.

The 449 had no worries getting onto the plane, and even with four aboard and equipment, you could still cruise economically to your fishing/relaxation spot.

The battery box in the rear corner stayed dry, but was also within easy reach should anything need attention while out on the water.

Having the right trailer for the job can only be a good thing, and in this case, it doubles the structural warranty!

Once again, a simple transom makes for easy maintenance and entry to the boat without compromising the finish of the boat.

June 2019

111

Melbourne BOAT SHOW FEATURE

SPECIAL EDITION

BIGGER.BETTER.BOATIER.

Haines Hunter 625 Offshore HT with 250HP Suzuki

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Peter Jung pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au

We have done a number of Haines Hunter boat tests over the years at Fishing Monthly. I believe I have been present for all of them, but as a helper rather than the person putting the boat through its paces. So when Simon Ryan from Boats and More in Shepparton and Echuca said to me that he wanted to test a Haines Hunter 625 Offshore Hard Top they are going to have at this year’s Melbourne Boat Show, I knew it was going to be a good day.

Towing Most boat tests generally start at the boat ramp, but with Simon based in Shepparton and us wanting to do the test in Port Phillip Bay, this trip actually started with the drive from Shepparton to Altona to do the test. Boats and More matched the 625 Offshore to a Dunbier Alloy dual axle trailer. Simon explained that there were a number of reasons for this. The alloy style trailer to reduce the tow weight a little and the dual axle set-up to ensure effortless and safe towing of the package.

Being a country dealer, Simon explained that they are very mindful that many of the customers purchasing boats from them will travel many kilometres to their

Main: The light chop on Port Phillip Bay was never really going to test the capabilities of the 625 Offshore. It is capable of dealing with just about anything you can throw at it. Above: The 250hp APX Suzuki outboard was quiet, economical and had power to burn. fishing destination (saltwater or freshwater) so it is important that the trailer is a perfect match for the boat.

The trip to and from Shepparton certainly was hassle free and the addition of a stone guard at the front of the trailer to protect the hull during any travelling is a great touch.

Having the correct vehicle to tow the package is as important as the correct trailer. You will require a 4WD or larger vehicle to tow this package safely.

Launch and retrieve As impressive as the

specifications Overall Length..........................................6.40m Beam.........................................................2.40m Height.......................................................2.30m Weight (boat only)...................................1150kg Fuel Capacity.............................................270L Max hp......................................................230hp Max hp (tested)........................................250hp 112

June 2019

towing was, launching and retrieving the Haines Hunter was also done with relative ease. The ability to drive the boat on and off the trailer is a big plus and the ease in which a dual axle trailer can be manoeuvred makes it less likely you will have dramas at the boat ramp.

Launching and retrieving is all about having a system that works for you and Simon and Mark had it down pat.

They had the Offshore on the water in only a couple of minutes.

First and foremost a fishing boat I always like to talk about first impressions and the first thing you realise with the 625 Offshore is that it is a serious fishing boat, with the features to match. From the skipper’s seat back you have plenty of space for multiple anglers to fish from. There is a removable side door to get in and out

of the boat as well as bring your larger captures through.

The bait board is sturdy, the transom contains two live bait tanks and everything has a place and is accessible.

Lockable doors provide access to batteries, pumps, and so on, and ensures an uncluttered working area. A deck wash ensures if things do get a little bloody you can just hose it off and let the self-draining deck do the rest.

Looking forward from the skipper’s seat, there is ample space to flush mount your electronics and have radios and more up and out of the way.

The seating is comfortable and can be turned around so you can have a full view of the rear of the vessel. Speaking of views, there is a good 360° view from the skipper’s seat.

The cabin forward isn’t overly large, but provides good storage for your gear and somewhere to retreat to

while the fishing is slow or you are at rest.

Above the decks is a sturdy hard top with rocket launchers for your excess fishing rods.

The safety rail forward ensures anytime you need to venture to the forward deck you can do it in relative safety.

As Simon said to me, if you want to go well offshore this boat is capable of it.

Ride and handling The small chop on the testing day was never going to truly test the Haines Hunter 625 Offshore. It did however give you an idea of how well the Haines hull will deal with anything thrown at it. The advantage of a fibreglass hull is how softly it handles chop and swell. It was obvious on the day that driven correctly the 625 would deal with most conditions and get you home safely.

Suzuki 250hp 4-stroke The Haines Hunter 625 Offshore has a standard maximum horsepower rating of 230hp. Boats and More had the transom upgraded on the test boat to 250hp.

The added power making it even more suitable for those offshore exploits.

The Suzuki 250hp APX on it was certainly impressive. It

was very quiet and pushed the boat to a maximum speed of 70km/h. As you can imagine, the economy wasn’t fantastic at that speed, but drop it back to 48km/h (3750rpm) and your economy was a very respectable 1.4km/L of fuel burned providing a great range of travel for a days fishing.

Final observations It’s hard not to be impressed by what the 625 Offshore has to offer and the way that the team at Boats and More had set it up. It towed well, it is serious offshore boat, with a motor that is reliable and offers great economy for its size. It screams fishing but has enough creature comforts for the family to enjoy as well.

The extras that Boats and More included like the stone guard on the trailer and the Turbo Swing around the motor (gives you the option to ski behind the boat) further enhances the versatility of the package.

To find out more about this and all the other Haines Hunter packages available you can contact either the Shepparton or Echuca Boats and More stores, go to their website www.boatsandmore.com.au or come and go and see them at the Melbourne Boat Show.

The 625 Offshore HT package is beautifully stable at rest.

Melbourne BOAT SHOW FEATURE

BIGGER.BETTER.BOATIER.

Launching and retrieving is made easier by being able to drive the boat on and off the trailer.

The hard top on the package is solidly built and has plenty of areas to hang on to as well as to put radios and other gadgets.

Above Left & Right: The dash has plenty of space to flush mount all of your electronics and can be easily looked at while you are driving.

SPECIAL EDITION

There are no dramas seeing where you’re going from the skipper’s seat.

Left: Both seats can be turned to face the rear so you can see all your rods while fishing. Right: Boats and More added a Turbo Swing to the package. This allows you to tie a towrope on it and do a bit of skiing behind the Haines.

The removable side door allows easy access on and off the boat as well as the ability to bring those larger fish on-board while on the water.

There is no questioning the fishing space of the 625 Offshore package.

Above top:Everything has a place in the Haines.

A side pocket holds the deck wash and is somewhere to put some of those essentials out of the way but within arms reach.

Above lower: Access to batteries and pumps is simple. There are no tripping hazards to worry about.

There are two live bait tanks and a large kill tank in the 625 Offshore.

A custom stone guard was added to the trailer to avoid damage during travel.

The forward cabin isn’t overly large but provides plenty of storage and a comfortable place to relax and chill out.

The dual axle Dunbier Alloy Series trailer is perfectly matched to the Haines package and is ideally suited to get your pride and joy safely from A to B and back.

There is plenty of rocket launcher rod storage on the hard top of the 625 Offshore.

June 2019

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SPECIAL EDITION

Melbourne BOAT SHOW FEATURE BIGGER.BETTER.BOATIER.

Campion Explorer 632 with 200HP Mercury V6 - SC

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PERFORMANCE

Steve Morgan

RPM......Speed (km/h)............Economy (km/L) Idle...........................5.................................. 2.6 1000..........................8.................................. 1.9 2000........................ 14.................................. 1.2 3000........................ 32.................................. 2.0 3500........................ 46.................................. 2.1 4000........................ 53.................................. 1.7 5000........................ 68.................................. 1.3 5600........................ 80.................................. 1.2

s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

I’ll admit it, I had to Google Campion boats when this test was scheduled. I thought it was a Champion with a spelling error. But once I got sucked down the rabbit hole of research, I found out that these boats were a lot more than a spelling mistake.

Let me introduce Campion boats to you.

They’re Canadian built and brought into Victoria by Crawford Marine’s Terry Raymond. Terry’s been in the business a long time and isn’t quick to jump into a brand before doing his research, and he’s liking the results.

A quality build, Campion is Canada’s largest independent boat builder and makes a range of boats from wake boats through to family and fishing boats. To Fishing Monthly readers, the Explorer range will be of most interest. Trailerable SPECIFICATIONS Length (max)......7.31m Beam.................. 2.34m Hull weight..... 1,120kg Max HP.................. 300 Fuel...................... 220L Transom Deadrise.19° Capacity...... 7 persons 114

June 2019

Main: The brand is Campion (not Champion) and it’s a beautifully built Canadian boat that will be right at home in Australian waters. Above: The Campions I have been in have all featured high gunwales and quality fittings. fishing boats between justunder 5m to over 8m that are a nice balance between comfort and practicality.

This test, we got to take a 632 Campion Explorer Sport Utility for a spin.

The Canadian boat was powered by a Wisconsin, USA built Mercury 200hp, 3.4L naturally aspirated V6 4-stroke and was cradled on a locally-built Dunbier dual axle trailer.

Terry’s literally brought this craft together from all parts of the world.

It wasn’t hard to detect the excitement in this veteran boat dealer’s voice, these boats were straight out of the

container and it was just days since the rig was assembled.

Admittedly, my first impressions were pretty good as well.

Usually, when I test a rig that sports 100hp less than the maximum allowed, hole shot can’t be described as spectacular. Testament to the mid range torque of the new Mercury V6, this rig jumped onto the plane and still pushed you back in the seat when you’re tired of the most economical speed.

The seemingly smaller horsepower didn’t really dent top end performance, with 5,600 RPM yielding 80km/h at a thirsty-ish 1.2km/L. Back

the stick back to 3,500rpm, however, and you’ll get 2.1km/L at 48km/h. Couple this with a 220L tank and there’s a theoretical range of well over 400km for your weekend adventures.

For me, this boat is about halfway between serious fishing and family comfort, and right in the range of what many of us need to get the deal across the line with the rest of the family.

Small comforts like tables, lockable cabins and wet-wells for your gear are easily transformed into a snapper-ready craft and well suited to venturing offshore Lakes Entrance, where we

rode in this boat.

Serious anglers will probably want more flush mounted sounder mounting space, but then again, a 16” Simrad doesn’t get the kids across the line, the cushions and transom door does.

Also, most people buying this boat would install an

anchor winch up front.

Packages with the 632 Campion Explorer Sport Utility start from around $90,000.

Visit www. crawfordmarine.com.au for more details or drop into their yard at Morwell to say g’day to Terry and the team and see one in the flesh.

The test rig was fitted with a 200hp 3.4L V6 Mercury 4-stroke. These engines have become easier to get in recent months and the demand for them has been massive.

Melbourne BOAT SHOW FEATURE

BIGGER.BETTER.BOATIER.

There’s no doubt that this rig will turn heads at the local ramp. Mercury’s angular and minimalist design complements the Campion’s lines well.

SPECIAL EDITION

Campion’s Apex hull flattens out to 19° at the transom.

A boat this size needs electric braking systems and a decent tow vehicle with a 3.0t or greater towing capacity.

A steep angle at the bow tapers off to a 19° transom deadrise, a feature of Campion’s Apex hull.

Small luxuries like a transom door make it easier to load the family on board after a tube or swim.

Set-up for a relaxing day on the water with the spigot-mounted table fitted. Transformed for fishing, this gear can be locked in the cabin for’ard.

The cabin door is lockable for road trips, too.

Above Left: There’s plenty of space in the cabin for stretching out, especially with the infill fitted.

Above Middle: The helm looks great, but only flush mounts moderate-sized electronics.

The small compartment to the lower left of the wheel is great for wallet, keys and other items that are better undercover than out of it. Above Right: Some boat companies fit a portable cooler under the seats, but the Campion features a built in multi purpose compartment.

Initial impressions were a little critical of the new Mercury’s looks, but a year down the track and nobody admits to that any more. In fact, the older models now seem dated in comparison.

June 2019

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SPECIAL EDITION

Melbourne BOAT SHOW FEATURE BIGGER.BETTER.BOATIER.

Yellowfin re-launched as Yellowfin Plate Boats

Big news in the plate aluminium boat market is that Yellowfin Boats, launched 35 years ago as part of the Quintrex family, has just re-launched as Yellowfin Plate boats.

Constructed by a team of 17 handpicked welders on the Gold Coast in Queensland, the re-launch coincides with the increase in range, from the 10 models available previously to 24 boats available now.

Early in May, Australia’s marine journalists got to experience first-hand these new Yellowfin Plate boats, but before that,

With their dedicated “ Yellowfin Plate team,

over 100 hours of welding goes into each craft and the YF team take real pride in their work.

“

Fishing Monthly grabbed Victoria’s two biggest Yellowfin dealers for a test and preview day.

Influenced by commercial captains, Yellowfin Plate boats are equipped with necessities for fishing. But for those who prefer the comforts of boating can option up to a Platinum pack with the options that are favoured by most customers.

The team at YF believe the finer details are what matter most. Through detailed market research, Yellowfin Plate has identified an extensive list of ‘one percenters’ that elevate the finish and seriously enhance fishability.

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Melbourne BOAT SHOW FEATURE

BIGGER.BETTER.BOATIER.

SPECIAL EDITION

Hand built by the best, for the best anglers, Yellowfin Plate boats are manufactured in a purpose-built plate boat factory with over 100 hours of welding in each boat by 17 skilled specialists. Far from mass-produced.

Tested tough by eight full time naval research and development professionals, these boats are designed for serious anglers.

But what did our Victorian dealers, Mark Stav from JV Marine and Sean Savage from Streaker Marine think (you can also watch a video of the day by scanning the QR code on the page hereby).

“Once you’ve had a few boats you can really appreciate top end quality,” Savage said after his first ride in the Yellowfin Plate, “and with an eye for detail, you can really see what they have put into these boats.”

On the water, the quietness on the ride was apparent.

“I’ve been a Yellowfin dealer for over 10 years now. Originally I had 10 models to choose from but now I have 24 models to choose from, starting with the rear console, the centre console, the new centre cab, folding hard top, Southerner and soft top

Fishing Monthly Magazines

Fishing Monthly Magazines

Scan the QR code to watch

National Sales Manager Drew Jackson takes Steve Morgan through the new Yellowfin Plate range.

Scan the QR code to watch

Victorian Yellowfin Plate dealers JV Marine and Streaker Marine provide their feedback on the new range. range,” added Mark Stav, “and there’s definitely going to be a model to suit you.”

With so many versions of the boats available, the chances that there’s a model to suit your needs is vastly improved.

“One thing that stands out is their Marine Core construction. When you look at how these hulls are built and over engineered, you can understand why they ride so soft, with full foam filled flotation, nice and safe, you really can’t beat it,” said Savage.

With their dedicated Yellowfin Plate team, over 100 hours of welding goes into each craft and the YF team take real pride in their work.

“Yellowfin Plate have an Offshore HD hull. The smaller model has a 4mm (aluminium plate) bottom and a 4mm side, while the four larger models have a 6mm bottom and a 4mm side, giving you a soft, stable and dry ride in all offshore conditions,” said Mark.

Of course, that’s what most purchasers ask about their plate aluminium boat, ‘what’s the thickness of the materials?’

“The thing that sets Yellowfin Plate boats apart from its competitors are the one percenters. They do things that are a little bit special and unique to their boats. They way their paint is done, the way that everywhere you look in the boat, you can see that there’s been a lot of thought put in. You can really appreciate the craftsmanship that’s gone into it,” Savage concluded.

Yellowfin Plate National Sales Manager Drew Jackson agreed.

“We’ve done a lot of research over the last 12-18 months and we have really concentrated on this segment of the market, we’ve spoken to our dealer customers and also end users at boat shows to pinpoint key areas, like quality of finish, the one percenters that we call them that make a difference,” he said.

The hulls range in length from 5.8-7.6m.

You can see the full range at www. yellowfinplateboats.com.au. - Steve Morgan June 2019

117

SPECIAL EDITION

Melbourne BOAT SHOW FEATURE BIGGER.BETTER.BOATIER.

• • • • • • •••••••••••• • • • • • • • • •

New Whittley boat to launch at Melbourne Boat Show • • • • • • •••••••••••• • • • • • • • • •

New look $69,990 outboard powered Whittley SL 20, set for 2019 Melbourne Boat Show launch, with hard top option!

Whittley Marine, Victoria’s premier production boat builder since 1953, is set to release the new SL 20 OB model available from $69,990 at this year’s Melbourne Boat Show, with an innovative new Coast Tourer Edition hard top option also available.

The new release also features a larger rear fish and work deck area, to maximize usable cockpit space for anglers. The new release will be on display at the Melbourne Convention Centre from 13-16 June on the Whittley Marine stand, number D4.

The new concept and price point were born from social media and customer feedback, customers wanted a Yamaha outboard powered version of the Whittley brands, SL series of offshore performance hulls. Combined with a full-length screen and fiberglass moulded hard top and sliding lockable cabin door options.

With hard top models previously starting at the series SL 25 model. The new rear wet deck area, lockable cabin door, outboard powered package option is a first in the market from a local Australian boat builder.

Genevie Whittley, sales assistant at Whittley Marine, had this to say about the exciting new model announcement. “Whittley have received feedback from our past, future and existing customers asking for a smaller hard top outboard powered SL model. We are thrilled to be able to move with market trends and offer potential customers what

they were looking for and requesting, and at an exceptional price point. For the first time, consumers have this new style and concept of boat available in a locally built version, designed around our unique needs in a boat, which differ from the larger mass produced boats built for global markets.”

The new model is the first to be developed at Whittley’s new 5,500sqm purpose-built boat building and sales facility located in Melbourne, with the R&D department in full swing with five new Whittley models planned for release over the next two years. Developed and built in Australia, the SL 20, was based purely on customer input and feedback.

“The new SL 20 OB package, can be optioned up to suit customers budgets and applications, with attractive pricing of the soft top model available starting from $69,990 and the hard top Coast Tourer Edition available starting from $79,490, with a further lockable sliding cabin door option available for customers to select as well.

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June 2019

Factory rigged to be powered by a Yamaha F130 four-stroke and packaged on a dual axle Mackay trailer. Whittley has a strong history of working with its key partners to offer affordable and attractively priced unique boat packages to the market, offering turn key packages from the factory and this is shown again with the new SL 20 OB release.” Ms Whittley said.

The new SL 20 OB, offers consumers the option to easily set their package up as an offshore weapon, or a family overnighter or both, this is a unique benefit of the SL series. This boat shouts adventure and endless

memories, without conventional fishing boat confines. Coupled with the convenience and maintenance free nature of a Yamaha Outboard, consumers can expect a lower cost of ownership, ensuring more time can be spent on the water for less in a boat that doesn’t have limits or compromises in its many applications.

Ms Whittley continued to say that, “As with all the SL series by Whittley, end users get more than just a blood and guts fishing boat, with the ability to overnight on the vessel comfortably due to many of Whittley’s traditional cruiser appointments as standard.

Without compromising on the boat’s sea going capabilities, all SL models feature one of the industries deepest vee, standard at a 23° deadrise, ideally matched to the power offered from a premium Yamaha four-stroke outboard.”

Not only has the new SL 20 OB model been released with the hard top and sliding lockable cabin door options. The rear fishing area has also evolved with a new flat back rear transom offered, to maximize the usable rear fishing area of the boat, which has previously been taken up by the engine bonnet on stern drive models. Combined with standard premium rear rubber flooring and standard twin fish boxes (doubling as a seat) the rear work area is designed to cater for the most serious of fisher’s needs.

Ms Whittley finished by saying, “We encourage all new boat buyers to consider this new SL 20 OB model offering from Whittley.

It’s the boats crossover ability, designed for

many different applications, that makes it so unique. With the hull having won a Boat of the Year title, we believe the new release SL 20 OB builds on its award-winning legacy, but with these new features only elevating it to new sportfishing boat heights. Offering a unique fisher/cruiser hybrid packages to the market.”

Whittley Marine, will have on display over 25 new Whittley fiberglass boats and clearwater alloy boats, powered by Yamaha Outboards and Volvo Penta Stern Drives at stand D4 at the 2019 Melbourne Boat Show from 13-16 June at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, with fantastic four day boat show deals available across the entire Whittley range. Reviews by the boating media and critics of the new SL 20 OB Coast Tourer Edition model will be available at the Boat Show.

SPECIFICATIONS SL 20 (OB) Technical Specifications Max people.......................................... 6 Overall length.............................. 6.37m Length on trailer.........................7.50m* Height on trailer...2.20m* (windscreen) Width on trailer........................... 2.40m Beam............................................ 2.40m Deadrise (at transom).....................23° Fuel capacity................................. 210L Water capacity................................ N/A Weight.............1,700kg (approximately) Standard engine............. Yamaha F130 Maximum horsepower.............. 150hp About Whittley Marine Whittley Marine is a third-generation Australian boat-builder based in Melbourne.

This family-owned and operated company has focused its resources on providing highquality boats to boating families since 1953.

A marine industry innovator, Whittley’s award-winning range of family cruisers and fishing boats truly offer “a boat for all seasons” – versatile boating solutions that can be enjoyed all year round.

For further information or to arrange a personal factory tour, contact: Alan Whittley, Director of Sales and Marketing, Whittley Marine Group, +61 421 170 192 or via alan@ whittley.com.au. For additional information about Whittley Marine’s class leading range of fiberglass boats visit www.whittleymarinegroup. com.au. – Whittley Marine

MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW

NEW MODEL RELEASES FROM

SEE US ON STAND NUMBER D4 KEY NEW MODEL FEATURES:

• Rear wet deck area • Lockable cabin door • Yamaha outboard powered • Full length winscreen • Fiberglass hard top • Overnight appointments

THREE NEW MODEL YAMAHA OUTBOARD POWERED HARDTOP SL MODEL DEBUTES

SL 20 OB

• Hard top • Yamaha F 130 • Mackay trailer Starting from $79,490

Call Alan Whittley direct on 0421 170 192 to discuss your fishing boat needs or to arrange a private factory tour.

Proudly designed and built in Victoria, for unique Victorian boating conditions.

MAKING MEMORIES SINCE 1953 June 2019

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UNBEATABLE 150hp FourStroke

The Mercury 150hp FourStroke is the largest displacement and lowest weight outboard in its class. The perfect partner for powering trailer boats.

UNEXPECTEDLY COMPACT MERCURY

HONDA

YAMAHA

DISPLACEMENT COMPARISON SUZUKI

3000

2500

3000cc

206kg 217kg

2867cc

2000

223kg

2670cc 2354cc

232kg MERCURY

THE MERCURY 150HP FOURSTROKE COMES IN AT AN INCREDIBLY LIGHT 206KG* MAKING IT THE LIGHTEST IN ITS HORSEPOWER CLASS.

YAMAHA

HONDA

THE MERCURY 150HP FOURSTROKE IS THE LARGEST DISPLACEMENT, HELPING OUT GUN OTHER 4-STROKES IN THE CATEGORY.

*Based on Mercury’s 150hp (L) model. Information based on all manufacturers’ claimed horsepower and weight figures.

mercurymarine.com.au

SUZUKI