Antares 12 Flybridge

 

Issue: December 2005

Viva La France

Versatility's the key to this boat's success

WORDS + PHOTOS IAN MACRAE

Boating and fishing go hand-in-hand, so it stands to reason most boaties will use their boat for fishing at some stage. But it's the frequency of these fishing trips that should help determine the boat for you.

It's great to get out there with the boys on a fishing battlewagon every now and then, but what happens when these trips only represent a small portion of your boating?

All boaties know buying a boat is something of a compromise. Dad wants a fishing boat, mum wants a cruiser and the kids just want to muck around and have fun. So finding a boat that can cater for everyone's needs is a bonus.

The Beneteau Antares 12, with its fishing pack, is such a boat. She's a flybridge cruiser with many of the attributes of a fishing boat, without skimping on luxury or home comforts.

FISHABILITY
On the fishing side, her aft cockpit is reasonably large and uncluttered and her gunwales are high enough to brace against when fighting a fish.

There are also four stainless steel rod holders (with reel clips for security) in the gunwales, which are fine for part-time fishos, but their positioning would need to be looked at for those spending more time fishing than cruising.

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A live-bait tank and deck wash are part of the fishing kit. There's also a fish box under the cockpit floor and a five-slot rocket-launcher style rod rack on the rail at the rear of the flybridge.

The T-top that shades the flybridge features a forward-facing spotlight and a floodlight for the aft cockpit. There's also an in-roof watertight cabinet above the skipper's head for the radio gear.

Unlike the lower helm station, the flybridge helm doesn't have much dash space for all of the electronics most fishos run these day, but fitting one of the smaller GPS/sounder units should get you by.

Still on the upper helm, it features side-by-side skipper and navigator's seats. These are comfortable, but fixed. They don't allow the skipper to stand and drive facing backwards when backing down on a hard-running fish. For those wanting outriggers for trolling they are an option.

I have mentioned a few of the 'fishing' negatives about the Antares 12, but remember, this boat isn't meant to be a full-on game boat.

So unless you're out there chasing 'granders' each marlin season, this boat makes for an excellent fishing platform.


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