Trade-A-Boat – April 2018

Under the floor is a deep stringer
matrix encased in fibreglass and
resin that is foam-filled in the voids
not taken by the 380lt fuel tank and
oversize kill tank.
When we jumped aboard the
feeling of size endured. Here is a
cockpit with room for a cockpit crew
of at least three to move freely. An
800mm gunwale and secure toeholds
are in just the right place and high
enough to keep you onboard yet low
enough to allow pumping of standup
tackle without hitting the side.

THE FINISH
That gargantuan killtank, two
plumbed livebait tanks, an eleven-
slot rocket launcher, grabrails, a
dive door and one of the best tackle
tables in the business all enhance

the fishing experience and reinforce

the Haines fable. If you can’t get

comfortable and catch big fish from

this cockpit, you should take up golf.

Before getting underway, I settled

in to make myself comfortable at

the helm. Twin fair dinkum and

very comfortable helm chairs face

a two-panel armour glass screen

with opening side windows under a

perfectly moulded hardtop. The dash

has loads of room for large screens,

comfortably accommodating a set of

12in Garmin XSV screens and a 7in

one for engine monitoring. Vision

from the driver’s seat or a standing

position is excellent. The enclosed

cabin offers exceptional weather

protection and would be at home

under a tropical sun or facing a bitter

wind off Tasman Island.

The forward cabin is high enough

for standing and has sleepover-size

bunks and a pump-out electric

toilet, while up on the bow a Viper

drum winch sits inside a robust rail

behind a prominent bowsprit and

underslung plough anchor.

THE RIDE

Clicking the twin 200 Yamahas

into drive, we were away, rising

effortlessly onto the plane and to a

cruise of 24kts at 3500rpm, riding

high above the short chop of the bay

as we headed offshore. The ride was

soft, and the boat felt a little nervous,

so touches of trim tabs were applied

to settle things down. After getting

a feel for the boat, the throttle was

sent to sunset, and the engines

kicked us enthusiastically toward

tradeboats.com.au 115

Haines Hunter 700