Boating New Zealand — February 2018

82 Boating New Zealand

PRICE AS TESTED

$79,500

MANUFACTURED BY

Seabring Marine Industries,

Florida, USA

http://www.montereyboats.com

IMPORTED BY

Pinnacle Marine

http://www.pinnaclemarine.co.nz

Monterey 196

MS Montura

loa 5.97m

beam 2.3m

draft approx 0.41m

weight on trailer 1,700kg approx

deadrise 19 degrees

construction solid GRP

engine Mercruiser 4.5-litre

MPI, Alpha One leg

fuel 121 litres

cruising speed 26-30 knots

max speed 44 knots

SPECIFICATIONS

Versatile set-up

with crowd-pleasing

bow-rider layout

Performs and

handles well

Well equipped

for the price

Motorguide electric motor

adds fishing utility

Fun to drive

HIGHLIGHTS

WATCH IT

is the electric ‘trolling’ motor on the bows. Such

motors are ubiquitous in North America, fitted

to any recreational vessel with sport fishing

pretensions, and is becoming popular with the

sport fishing fraternity in Europe too.

Electric motors are seldom used for trolling,

but are instead used to quietly move a boat and

hold it in position against wind, tide or current.

Some units can be programmed to navigate

pre-selected routes, along an underwater

contour for example, while the boat’s occupants

cast towards potentially productive fishing

water; others interface with the boat’s GPS

system and/or depth sounder.

The Motorguide W55 electric on the review

boat was a wireless model controlled via a foot

pedal, allowing the angler (usually the angler

in the bow) to control the boat’s position

hands-free, so he or she can keep on fishing.

The Motorguide plugs into a receptacle in the

Montura’s bow where it feeds off a dedicated

deep-cycle battery.

I’ve used such motors often enough in

fishing situations to know they are fantastic.

Fishing in Taupo, the Motorguide could be

used to hold the boat over trout visible on

the sounder, which could then be targeted by

jigging or using soft plastics.

FUN BOATING

The Monterey 196 MS Montura is a very usable

vessel. With its open layout, bowrider styling

and comfortable interior, it’s great for summer

boating. Although not a fishing boat per se, at

least not in the traditional New Zealand sense,

the Montura is well suited to US-style lure

casting, which is becoming more popular in

New Zealand.

In a lake fishing role, this boat with its

electric motor is perfect for jigging and

fly-casting, while the Motorguide could also

perform trout-trolling duties. Either that, or

an auxiliary outboard could be fitted, as is

common on lakes around the country.

The Monterey certainly performs well and

is fun to drive. It’s well equipped for the money

and finished to a decent standard as well. The

factory supplies a 10-year warranty. BNZ

The Monterey

certainly performs

well and is fun to

drive.

ABOVE The Monterey
felt perfectly at home at
Kinloch, on Lake Taupo.