42 Degree South BoatWorks

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42 Degree South BoatWorks Providing performance tuning, corrosion management, tuition and advice on all makes of trailer boats.
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Located in Tasmania, but touring all over Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific North West. I have 35+ years of experience in the boating world, and live for the ocean. My belief is that safety and reliability are paramount, and that every boat owner deserves not only peace of mind, but a boat that is set up correctly and performing at its optimum. I believe in a science based, holistic approach rather than guesswork, and working with the client as an educational exercise - greater understanding of your boat leads to greater safety and enjoyment. I will rarely diagnose an issue immediately, preferring to view the whole picture of the issue prior to making determinations and wasting your time and money. I guarantee my work and will go to any length to ensure you have the boat you deserve. Services:
- Performance optimization including re-propping,
engine height and boat balance (National and
International)
- Diagnostic consultation of engine, wiring and boat
performance (National and International)
- Fit-out and repair work (Tasmania only)
- Corrosion diagnoses and correction, as well as
preventative maintenance and maintenance schedules
(National and international)
- Transducer and head unit installation, setup and
tuning to your hull for optimum performance. (National and International)
- Diagnostic advice and advocation on your behalf in
dealer disputes/warranty claims
- Custom fabrication work for trim tab/anchor winch
and transducer installations
- Trailer setups and customization

I specialize in Stabicraft, Mercury, Suzuki, Yamaha, Garmin and Simrad, but work on all makes and models of boats and engines. I am not affiliated with any brand or dealer, so have the luxury of remaining impartial in my judgement. I will not name and shame, preferring to solve the problem rather than blame the cause.

Having covered the GRP waterfront, time to turn our heads to the alloy/plstic side of things, the ones that just didn’t ...
06/10/2026

Having covered the GRP waterfront, time to turn our heads to the alloy/plstic side of things, the ones that just didn’t quite make the final cut. As for the glass, this does not make them substandard or bad boats, quite the opposite in fact. When the options are so wide and varied to choose from, it’s impossible to include everyone.
These guys missed by the narrowest of margins, so if the top listers didn’t appeal, one of these may well do the job.

Makeira Boats Gen 3 series –

These are possibly one of the best-looking alloy boats on the water and looking up close does nothing whatsoever to change my mind. The sole reason a boat from this range was not included is because I am yet to drive one. First 42 rule of reviews – drive the thing and learn it before writing about it. From a visual perspective I can’t fault these sculptures in alloy, and certainly the reports I have heard from other impartial folk says there is something a little special about Makaira. I cannot wait to get the chance to go for a run on one.

DNA 590HXT –

I’ve written previously about my love for this hull, and how I believe it should be up in the pantheon of greats. To me, the best looking of the pontoon boats and, in this size, the best handling of them by far. I believe I may have referred to them as a Jack Russell in the past, all bouncing energy and smarts. They certainly handle like one – just hit the hammer and go. They will turn on a dime, instantly respond to input from trim and throttle, and basically just go harder and meaner while looking as tough as f**k (ok, maybe Jack Russell mixed with Staffy, or a Staffy mixed with a Doberman…..f**k it, they just go really, really hard). The build quality is superb as is the finish, and I love the look that is so uniquely identifiable. I can’t wait to get my hands on more models to drive and sincerely wish that as a company they grow and get to take on the big boys – they certainly deserve it.

Polycraft 5.99 Cuddy –

Ok, go ahead and get your laughing out of the way, then let’s get to it. Like its smaller sister the 530, this boat produces so much bang for your buck it’s bordering on ridiculous. Yes, they are ugly. Yes, the have a finish like a horse’s tongue. Nope, I’ve yet to find one from a dealer set up properly (tricky buggers that they are). They also happen to be an excellent and reliable sea boat. Admittedly not as fast as some due to the massive beam and sticky finish, but you can take them out in anything mother nature can throw at you and still be safe. They didn’t make the cut simply because the flexing of the plastic hull can be a little offputting, whereas the smaller 530 doesn’t suffer from this. I’ve owned one and done many a mile in it, and would happily own one again.

Noble Super-Vee 7.4 –

Of all the comments this one has come up the most, and while I don’t view it in the same league as the ultimates, Ben Noble has to be given credit for back in the day creating a plate boat that could match it with the GRP boys at the time, and was a genuine innovation. I’m not getting into the comings and goings of who and where they are built now – it’s none of my business. What is my business is to say that this particular hull at the time was about the most surefooted and dependable platey around. They still hold their own against much more modern designs, and will tackle any sea you throw at them. While I like the walkaround version, my vote is for the enclosed hardtop. With this on top and a pair of good four-strokes on the arse, the sea is yours for the taking. The smaller Super-Vees I will reserve comment, but this hull was a belter way back when and is still a belter now.

Every model of Naiad Boats –

Built by Kirby Marine in WA under licence, these unusual RIB’S have conquered the tourism, rescue and coast guard crows like no other. Based on an extremely slim-line and deep-v alloy hull with inflated pontoons, there is nothing out there quite like these. I tend not to enjoy RIBS, as I find them too light and flighty for my usage (doesn’t mean they are bad, just my personal preference), but any opportunity to get on a Naiad and cruise I’m there. The alloy component of the hull does most of the work and has the heft to keep the boat steady in anything up to a hurricane. The pontoons only have contact with the water when at rest or punching into a decent sea – the rest of the time they are a handy set of training wheels to come into action when required. The fact that so many tourism operators, Marine Safety operations and even the Police use these hulls speaks far more about them than I can. Those fella’s know what they are doing, and you can take their recommendation ahead of mine!

SeaJay Plate Xtreme Pursuit 720 –

The last to make this list, but certainly not least. As far as big production boats making offshore claims I tend to steer clear, but this truly is an excellent hull that deserves mention and recognition. They are not the fanciest (despite the epic name), they are not the mostest sickest send it boat, but f**k me they are good boats for the money. Far more is delivered than expected, from the finish to the way they handle the coastal seaways that is their true stomping ground. They are built extremely heavily for a production boat, and this shines through when you have a bit of slop around – they really do eat it up in an impressive way. The finish is great, the standard inclusions are in Barcrusher territory, and they deserve far more recognition than they receive. Consider them recognised!

So, there you go. No more lists for a while, time to focus on other things. First up I’ll be paying tribute to a departed comrade, a boat that for me set the bar so high that they deserve a eulogy.

More to come soon!

An ‘almost made it’ is not a reflection on the quality of these boats – each and every one of them are excellent choices...
01/10/2026

An ‘almost made it’ is not a reflection on the quality of these boats – each and every one of them are excellent choices for their intended purpose. Read on for the grp list!

Sea Devil 620 –
I’m convinced there is a secret network spread throughout Australia that meets once a year to discuss who is going to build a specific hull shape for that year – sort of like a Freemason organisation but without the secret handshake. All the hulls are massively capable and excellent at running at full tilt into a decent sea, and share pretty much the exact same DNA. The Sea Devil 620 is one of the spawn of this secret collective, with a flooding tunnel added for uniqueness. It is a true blue-water weapon, capable of brilliant handling, good stability at rest and overall useability. It didn’t make the list purely due to my discomfort with the level of finish quality, and a ‘dated’ feel. I’m not the biggest fan of the flooding tunnel on a glass boat either, and having repaired a few I’m not convinced that they are a great idea.
Does that mean you shouldn’t buy this boat? Hell no. They are a fantastic boat, and worthy of consideration if you are in the market. As a side note, they are also the hull I have managed to jump the highest out of anything I have driven.….if that’s your thing!

Tristram 701 Offshore –

A truly, truly beautiful boat. The only reason that Tristram (the Kiwi Premier of GRP boats) and this model didn’t make the lists is that I’ve not driven one. That was one of my criteria for inclusion – actual real-world experience. I have spent time in others of their range and without exception they are wonderfully built, thought out and executed. A fantastic sea boat along the lines of Whittley, but a higher grade level of fitout in the general build. Always worth a look.

Northbank 650HT –

One of the best of its kind in the South, the big Northbank does handle like a dream, is built like a tank, and features some of the best in-cabin ergonomics around. It missed out purely because of the cost factor. Too expensive for the everyman, but not quite in the league of all-timers. You can add Cruisecraft to this as well for the same reason. You would never regret buying one, but I just couldn’t find the niche for it to fit into. I have loved this boat since it was released, and if you are looking for a crossover that is capable of pretty much anything and have the coin for it, look here first.

Ho**er 800 and 600 Pro Fisherman Series –

An absolute belter of a boat for the FNQ crew. Ho**er builds an unusual hull featuring a very narrow beam to length, and on paper it shouldn’t work. In reality it works better than well - they are sensational. On water, I’ve yet to drive a boat that can eat up the chop generated in the far North the way these do, and particularly in a quartering sea they are class leaders. You expect them to roll like a bastard or dig in, and they just don’t. Beautiful finish, clever design of the topsides and the console protection, just an all-round top boat. They missed out purely because of their ‘niche’ nature, and the simple reality that there weren’t enough spaces to include them. At some point I intend to review both these hulls as a single article, because I truly love them.

Haines Hunter 565R –

Screams of outrage were heard when I didn’t place this hull in the original top 10 everyman list. Seriously. I copped more messages for its omission than any other boat. Here’s why though – I think it is criminally overrated, and poorly built. I can’t be any more honest than that. They should possibly have been on the list for the handling, which I will grant is reasonable and soft for 5.5mtr boat, but I just can’t look past the amount of them that I have seen with stress cracks, transoms not sealed properly, just generally poor work. Give me a re-built older version, and then we are talking. Leave your abuse for this one in the comments, and I’ll do my usual trick of ignoring it.

CamCraft (any model) –

I can think of no boat that I have driven that is more exhilarating, more bats**t nuts, more of f**king everything. Whether the 233 knockoff or the 6.8 Offshore fitted with 700hp (68knt top speed), CamCraft take it to an extreme that no one else does. If you are into deadrise numbers and monohedron hulls (Think of a trimaran with a ridiculous 30˚deadrise at the stern and additional triangular chines) then these are the boats for you. They are rare as hens’ teeth, and about as practical. If you can find the builder to actually build you one, go for it – you won’t find a faster boat into a sea than this. They were not included in the list for two reasons – the hens’ teeth part, and the whole poaching thing. Do the crime and do the time for sure, but I just can’t support what this bloke has done. End of inclusion.

Understandably, whenever you venture forth into a list of lists, you will unwittingly/deliberately leave off boats that ...
29/09/2026

Understandably, whenever you venture forth into a list of lists, you will unwittingly/deliberately leave off boats that either just didn’t quite make the ultimate cut, or be washed with a wave of consternation that some hulls didn’t get the attention readers felt they deserved.

This is fair and good and how it should be – none of us know it all, and we all have our views. I’m going to be leaving the lists behind to focus in on some more specific subjects for a while, but before I do there must be a ‘best of the rest’ part 1 and 2. Part 1 to deal with the more affordable field, and part 2 to acknowledge those that didn’t make the ultimate list for a variety of reasons.

It’s worth remembering that between Australia and NZ there are roughly 800 boat builders working, so to have made any list is something of an achievement. The boats on the upcoming duo are in no way at all bad boats, they just missed (for me) the ‘X’ factor or mass appeal that was required, at least in my books anyway.

It doesn’t hurt that writing these lists has been so much damn fun either. You can have too much of a good thing, but that rule doesn’t apply to boats!

Roll on the ‘Almost Made It’s’!

More lists on the way. What do you want to see?
28/09/2026

More lists on the way. What do you want to see?

24/09/2026

Number 1 – Whitepointer 263

‘The time has come, the walrus said, to talk of other things. Of ships and seas and sealing wax, and whether seas have kings.’

Another borrowed and crucified quote, but in this case entirely justified. Do seas have kings other than Neptune? Yes, and it’s taken out the number one spot in this list of all lists. These lists have been an absolute blast to write, and a lot of work to compile what I believe to be the current all-timers irrespective of cost on the market. Next year will be a whole new list as innovations continue, newcomers cement their place in the pantheon, and the reinventions that I know to be in the pipeline are released to market.

For now, though, there can be only one king.

The 263 is without question the ultimate of ultimates, the big daddy, the brainchild of a genius and the ongoing legacy of a builder who transcends craft into art. Originally conceived by Mr Edencraft himself Erick Hyland, the hulls continue to evolve and be tweaked even further by Dave Trimble, the man who stepped into the biggest shoes to fill possible, and who has not just filled them but has gone up a size or two.

His dedication to finding ways to improve every small detail are past obsession or pride and into the extremely ‘intense’ category. Luckily, he has the skill to back it up, and the biggest beneficiaries are the buyers. No need to shoot transoms any more or give macho magazine copy. Dave just gets on with the job of being the best of the best. In his own words, ‘We focus on the parts you can’t see, not just the parts you can. Once you let any laziness in and think the customer won’t notice, time to go do something else.’ Amen Dave.

So, the boat.

There is one simple reason why this hull beat the Edencraft Formula 233 by the slimmest of margins, and that is the hull entirely capable of blowing your socks off no matter what the sea direction, then being able to settle down to a stable work or fishing platform at rest. None of the rocking and rolling. All of this is achieved without the need for blade tabs, Zipwakes or Seakeeper Rides. Coming from me, the ultimate ‘it needs tabs’ guy, it is a rapid backtrack on ‘all boats should have tabs.’

This hull just doesn’t need them.

To put it in the simplest terms, this hull is the marine equivalent of the Bugatti Chiron. Able to putter along and feel like a Volkswagen hatchback, then unleash utter hell at the drop of the throttle. You have never felt anything like it, and you need to, even if you must do a Robert Johnson and sell your soul to Old Nick for a drive.

The ability of the hull to be able to do both is a big reason why it is here in number 1. Even with 900hp slung off the back, the hull is just completely unflappable. It makes the ordinary man feel like a hero to drive it, as it also achieves that rarest of things in the high-speed deep-v world – it is an incredibly forgiving hull.

You can f**k it up in any way you like, and this hull will just pull you out and keep going. No fuss, no diva-like histrionics, just good, old-fashioned design and building. Not many of its ilk can lay claim to that.

Out at sea, this hull is pure monster. While not as soft riding as say, the Veitch 27 or even the Edencraft 233, the margins are so slim you won’t notice. It also holds the ace up its sleeve – it can and will perform utterly brilliantly in any sea direction. Believe me, I’ve tried over multiple versions and conditions to upset it, and if you could picture a middle finger coming out of the dash accompanied by ‘is that the best you’ve got?’, that’s probably the best description I can give. That it will do all of this at 40 knots plus makes it all the more impressive.

They truly are the ultimate in everything. Ultimate build (I mean seriously, look at the photos of the laminate. Any glass builder would stash those photos under the bed), ultimate ride, ultimate looks, ultimate hardtop configuration and build.

Ultimate everything.

To drive one at the limit is to have chosen the red pill instead of the white, to dive down the rabbit hole, to give in to an immersive experience unlike anything else.

Hyland famously quipped ‘If you have to ask the missus, you can’t afford this boat’. Not too far from the truth either. They are not cheap, but what you are paying for is toughness, design, freakishly good handling and a boat that will outlast you 10 times over. They are worth every penny and then some.

I remember the first one of these I tuned years ago. To say I was nervous is an understatement. Arse-puckeringly terrified is more accurate. The big girl came with a big reputation even back then, and I didn’t want to f**k it up and look like a numpty. I needn’t have worried in the slightest. The conditions that day off Narooma were less than optimal, with a decent Noreasterly blowing and a residual swell rolling through from the south.

The bar was kicking up, and once outside that the channel between Montague Island the mainland made for some ‘interesting’ conditions. Even my beloved Penguin would have been messy. The big 263 took to it like it was intent on teaching the sea a lesson. I remember as I got my head around her a feeling of euphoria, of being in the hands of the pinnacle of trailer boats. As I dared to push harder and faster, that feeling just increased. It didn’t take long to be confident enough to push as hard as I’ve ever pushed a boat, and I swear I could feel the big girl grinning and saying ‘f**k yes, now you understand. Let’s you and I really give it a go.’

I did, and it changed my boating life forever.

I’ve still never felt a hull so sure-footed, so willing to react to every tiny input and have the responsiveness of a dinghy along with the speed of a race car. You don’t have to drive it flat out, but you are a stronger person than me if you can resist the urge. It’s just too much damn fun.

Unusually for a trailer boat, they don’t fit into any specific category. They are not a cross-over family/fishing rig, not a nuts-out point and shoot like a big Cootacraft, not a piece of history and legendary ride status like the Formula 233.

They just are, and are so much more impressive for it.

The upshot is that for 2026, this is my pick for the greatest of all, the one ring to rule, the grandaddy of all grandaddies. Every box is ticked, every dream confirmed, every boat p**n moment satisfied. Let’s see what next year brings!

For now, though, let the king rein. It has earned it.

Number 2 and 3 – Edencraft Formula 233 Classic Soft and Hardtop To paraphrase a film quote from Quinten Tarantino’s Jack...
22/09/2026

Number 2 and 3 – Edencraft Formula 233 Classic Soft and Hardtop

To paraphrase a film quote from Quinten Tarantino’s Jackie Brown; ‘When you absolutely, positively gotta kill every motherf**king fish from the sea, accept no substitutes.’

Amen.

A brash claim perhaps, but one that needs to be made as we get to the end. For those screaming at me why I hadn’t included Edencraft to this point, here you go. I was saving the Classic 233 for this pinnacle. I also want to honourably mention the Bass Strait Ocean Pro 24 as having missed this spot by the slimmest of margins (and by the way, what a f**king incredible boat it is too). When it comes to the 233 however, even I must stick to the classic, and that is in the hands of Edencraft.

Not the lightweight, 200hp sterndrive of old, but the heavyweight, well-powered behemoths heading out of every port to slay the abalone and urchins for the commercial guys, or out chasing the pelagic for the domestic sailors. The Classic for me is a no brainer, as it is as close as you can get tracing all the way back to Erick Hyland and Alan Ball, legends both. The Edencraft was born under Erick’s mantle, and to not acknowledge the lineage would be to do the hull and Erick a disservice. In the hands of the Maher family now, they have taken the hull and built a dynasty of slick marketing, desirability and quality around the hull that Erick and Alan made simply the best.

I’m also not going to give you a history lesson – The Captain has that well and truly covered and their words make essential reading. Make sure you check all their articles to complete the picture. There is no video in existence that can truly give you the feel of driving one of these, but the boys have done an epic job of it.

What I’m going to do is tell you why we are dealing with two different boats, one with a hardtop and one without. The hull remains the same, but the hardtop changes the character.

The Classic soft top first.

If the ‘E’ type Jag was a ph***ic symbol on tyres, consider the 233 the marine equivalent. Narrow waisted, curvaceous, classic. Seeing one on a trailer makes you want to just run your hands all over it…..yes, there’s a reason I’m single. I have strange images when it comes to boats. That curve of the upperworks, the lines of the hull, the perfect flair - beauty personified.

Bluntly, I think the windscreen only 233 Classic is the best-looking boat ever to grace the trailer-boat scene. If the Cootacraft is a Lambo Countach, then the 233 is the Ferrari F40 in the pin-up stakes. Just. Utterly. Gorgeous.

Putting superlatives aside for a minute, there is simply not a point and shoot machine like the all-classic 233 in existence. There is a reason for the legend status. Beefed up, fitted with a pair of 200’s, they can cover the ocean like it is not there, carry a s**tload of weight while remaining safe and fast, and do it all without batting an eyelid. The Maher family were smart enough not to f**k with the legend, and it shows. I’ve spent time in the Edencraft International factory on another project, and I can vouch for the quality and detail. Build quality is heavy and reliable, finish is beautiful, and you can only understand and feel the epic nature one of these hulls once you’ve driven one at full tilt into a sea.

They are the driver's boat personified.

Picture a greyhound at the track, but instead of the fake rabbit there is a real one at the end. Instead of chasing it, the Classic gives it a sniff as it goes past, then forgets it has seen it. That’s how good this hull is into a headsea or following sea. Probably has time to give the rabbit a good hu***ng on the way past.

And what of the hardtop version? Well, the best way I can label it is more of everything. More weight, more power, more bling, just more. Does it handle as well as its wave-breaker festooned counterpart? I don’t think so, but the margins are so slim that it’s a moot point. Theres a little more roll in a beam sea, a lot more roll at rest, and I’ve never been convinced on the look – it’s a little like painting a smiley face on the Mona Lisa. You don’t f**k with the classics, man.

What it does do is give you a feeling of security and indestructibility on the open ocean that few boats can match. It’s built hard and tough as f**k and is an absolute joy to be enclosed in while you attempt warp-speed in a Beaufort Force 8. Also credit for the epic dash space and ergonomics. Might not be the prettiest, but damn it just works.

To drive either is to know what it feels like to be an eagle, effortlessly riding the thermals in search of prey. It’s a short description but is also entirely accurate. Take every review you’ve ever read, and times it by 10. That’s the most succinct description I have.

Are they worth the money? Well, that’s a question of perspective. To some no, to me yes. You are buying a slice of US and Australian history built by a company that knows how to build, and it will never, ever depreciate in value or desirability. You are buying into the club that knows, that understands why the 233 is legend and always will be. You are becoming a part of the mythology, the lineage, the all-time of all timers.

So why have I not put this hull at number 1? A couple of reasons. While focussing on the mythology, it’s easy to forget that these greyhound-waisted hulls roll like a pig at rest. Quid pro quo; can’t have one thing without affecting another. It shouldn’t come as a surprise with that beam/length/deadrise, but for the average punter it can be a bit much to stomach. Another reason is the necessity of blade tabs to really make the hull work. The original had them as a static lip built into the hull (curiously one of the only ways to tell if you are looking at an original), but with no controllability they were removed from the mould and replaced with adjustable beasties.

The other reason? There is one other boat. One to rule them all in the ‘don’t give a f**k about money, I want the best’ category. Not for the Send It crowd this one. It’s rare, it’s unique, it’s like a unicorn mated with a phoenix and the offspring, like Genesis, is one apart from the pack and able to slay them all.

To conclude on the Edencraft Formula 233 Classic however, I take my hat off and bow to you. The hull started as a legend, has been built by legends, and continues to set the bar. Don’t buy it to ‘send it’, buy it because it is simply awesome on the ocean and perfectly built (I don’t use that work lightly either, but it does apply). Get it tuned right and forget about ever owning another boat. You won't need one.

Thank you, Maher Clan, you truly have kept the legend the legend.

Number 4 – Stabicraft 2750UCCNow we are really at the pointy end of things and entering the ‘if you want to play you got...
20/09/2026

Number 4 – Stabicraft 2750UCC

Now we are really at the pointy end of things and entering the ‘if you want to play you gotta pay’ extra bonus time. These boats are not anything resembling cheap, but if you got it, do it, because they are the prime representatives of what can be achieved when the design gloves are off.

The Stabicraft 2750 was always going to be up here, because quite frankly apart from my own Penguin it is the most fun ocean-going trailer boat I’ve ever driven, and I’ve driven a few. Nothing attacks a big sea quite like this thing. It’s in its own unique class.

First, a number of boats have made this list not only for their handling but also their build quality, design and general amazingness. The big Stabi is here purely for the handling. I’ll get my personal gripes out quickly so we can get to the good stuff.

The hull looks stitched together, and personally I find this a bit of a laugh for a boat of the price. Alloy sheets with the printed numbers left on the hull plates that I’ve seen more than once (note – a wipe with acetone, gone). Suspect paint for the price, as in tuna skin will scrape it off. Parts pulled from models further down the range that don’t belong on a hull of this calibre. Still looks as tough as f**k on the trailer though.

That’s it, gripes over. Now the fun.

Wait until the weather forecast is a little grim, say the 20-30 knot southerly category with a good swell, and launch from any of the southern towns. Head out round the breakwater and take a good hard look at the sea-state. Now hit go on the twins and hang on. This baby was built to dance, and the worse the conditions, the better the dance.

That’s where your money has gone. Utterly flawless handling when it kicks up.

I’m not exaggerating either, I’ve personally done this on many an occasion. Learn how to use twin throttles properly (slightly more power on the outer engine when turning) and keep that thumb stuck to the trim button and just launch it. A lot of my work has been showing clients how to judge the limits of their boat for safety reasons and pushing them past the limits, so the clients are comfortable. It’s not to show off, it’s the best way to stay safe.

This is the only hull I’ve not been able to unstick. Ever.

Launch it off a rolling swell with a breaking crest. No issue. Sideways across that breaking crest? Not a worry. Full tilt down a breaking barway swell with an outgoing tide? Meh, too easy. Might bury the bow and get a bit of water, but all in a day’s work. Hitting the next quartering wave at warp speed? Expect air but a soft and safe – and most importantly – predictable landing. Decide you want to do a full speed donut in the middle of the sea state? Do it, it will just be ridiculous, idiotic fun.

Of course, you don’t have to drive like this, I’m merely illustrating a point. You can quietly and safely navigate through at a steady clip nicely tabbed in, and the ride is superb. Bit of spray, but no matter. The admittedly tight but secure cab will look after you. Revel in the fact you can pretty much survive anything in the name of adventure and fishing, and do it with a confidence that very, very few boats instil.

The cab is a slightly tight place to be by necessity as a walkaround, but it is well thought out, has a heap of room for any bling you might want, and can still double as a family cruiser if that’s your thing. To me to do so is missing the point though. This hull wants to be off the shelf chasing the big pelagics and doing it so easily.
If you are paying to play, you will never regret this hull. Fit her with a set of Suzuki’s or Mercs, get out there and start playing without fear. This is as close as you will ever get to unsinkable, and certainly the most unperturbable ride around.

A short story as well. Long before 42˚was launched, and not long after my son Xavier was born, we headed to the Melbourne Boat Show. I still have a photo of me and Xave in front of this newly released beast, and we are both grinning. It remains one of my favourite photos of my son and I. Little did I know I’d one day be out there pushing the thing past any limit I knew possible.

Stabicraft advertise ‘Adventure with Confidence’. This hull is the very epitome of that mantra. When it’s calm, you won’t notice, but when it really kicks up, you’ll know where your money went. It’s why I own the Penguin. Smaller, but same feeling.

Stabicraft, I truly salute you. You live up to your advertising.

Stabicraft

Number 5 – Seacruiser 7400HT and the SeaCruiser rangeSomewhere down south there lurks my winner for the plate boat of pl...
17/09/2026

Number 5 – Seacruiser 7400HT and the SeaCruiser range

Somewhere down south there lurks my winner for the plate boat of plate boats (excluding pontoon style). Like the Cootacraft, hang around the offshore scene for a bit and you will come across one of these, or one of its ilk.

To put it simply, although the margins are fine there is no other ‘custom’ plate boat that competes with the Seacruiser range. Built with insane attention to detail, smarts and the deep understanding of what an offshore fishing platform demands, the Seacruiser is as close to plate boat perfection as you will find.

Designed and built by people who have spent their lives fishing Bass Strait (and everywhere else for that matter), there are so many small features that set this boat and its kind apart it is hard to know where to look. The enlarged dash for the best of the best electronics, the guttering over the bilge to stop annoying trapping of things that shouldn’t be there, the small matter of every single weld looking like a Picasso painting, the high hard-rake bow that looks modelled off an Antarctic fishing boat…..There is just too much to mention without sounding like an advertising blurb.

Way back in the day when I was looking for my ultimate boat the Seacruiser missed out by the smallest of margins (as in when I went to Warrnambool to order the Penguin I nearly changed the order that day for a Seacruiser), and to some small degree I can’t look at a Seacruiser without wondering ‘what if…..’

This should tell you something about them: In over 850 boats that I have been employed to optimise or diagnose issues, I have never once been asked to do a Seacruiser of any size. Ever.

Says a lot, eh?

Ed Richardson and his partner in crime Wayne Howell have taken the concept of the more traditional style plate boat and supercharged it by using a s**t ton of sea experience and construction know-how to essentially build a detail-driven on-water tank. It’s that tough.

So, does it ride like a tank?

Yes, and in the best possible way. The feeling of solidity and structural integrity beggars’ belief and given the intended hunting grounds this is no small thing. Waves and swell are dealt with in a tank-like manner, almost a sneer of disdain for such trivial things. Once this hull gets up and rolling, if it had a voice, it would be saying ‘is that the best you can do?’. The hull excels at pushing the water away from its planing surfaces, keeping the ride dry and tight. No crashing, no banging, no rattling. Nothing would dare to, its all too well built for one part to even squeak in case it lets the other parts down.

Is it the softest ride around? No, but it doesn’t need to be. It is far softer than you would expect and driven with an educated right hand doesn’t need to rely on traditional bandaid fixes like trim tabs or 4-blade props to make the hull work. The twin Zukes on the 7400HT handle pitch and roll with minimal input, and provide a quiet, punchy and stupidly economical punch of power that doesn’t need a genius to get the boat to perform.

That’s one of the little secrets in all the Seacruiser range, but especially this one – they are stupid easy to drive regardless of what you are trying to achieve, whether that be trolling or deep-dropping off the shelf or diving in close. Once in a while a hull gets developed by a manufacturer where the numbers just stack up to create a brilliant platform that exceeds the sum of its parts (Formula 233, Haines V19R, Stabicraft 2100….these hulls sit in the same category). The 7400HT is one of those.

You can be a ‘send-it’ hero and smash through everything and the hull will lap it up, or you can apply a more gentlemanly approach with the same outcome. The hull just doesn’t get flustered by anything. That and the utter brilliance of the build is why it features so high in this list of lists – it and its Seacruiser brethren just stand apart from the others. They just do.

There are smarts applied to the range as well that may not be apparent to the regular buyer, namely the ability to be put into 2C Survey with ease. This may not seem like much, but anyone familiar with the byzantine rules and regs of AMSA knows this is no mean feat. Just another little bit of icing on the cake.

(A note here as well – it’s f**king hard to find a plate boat under 5m at the best of times, and even harder to find one that doesn’t want to knock your teeth out and turn your spine to matchsticks. Ed and Wayne have pulled off the seemingly impossible with the 4800 Bulldog, a boat that lives up to it’s name in spades. Don’t believe me? You don’t have to. Just go drive one and you’ll see).

I’ve lost count of the number of clients who have asked me where to head to find a boat such as this and have been sent to Warrnambool to chat to Ed and the boys.

As the saying goes, ‘build it and they will come’.

Complete and utter hats off Ed and Wayne, you are f**king artists.

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Hobart, TAS
7020

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