SUMMER 2009/2010
The latest edition of Modern Boating magazine is out now! To get your copy delivered to your door, simply click on the link
The latest edition of Modern Boating magazine is out now! To get your copy delivered to your door, simply click on the link
Modern Boating and Big Hat Productions head out for a glorious day on the water to give the Seawind 1160...
All the answers
Even the fussiest cuddy cab connoisseur will run out of questions for this boat
WORDS & PHOTOS: WARREN STEPTOE
Boats that fulfil the entirely compatible roles of social vehicle and serious family fishing machine have—through competition between marques looking for a piece of this most popular genre—been developed in this country to a high degree. It's difficult to buy a bad one. Our boat builders are so good at this type of boat that anything new that doesn't reach the heights of established standards disappears quickly.
However, what is unusual is to find a boat that stands out from what is an elite crowd like Haines Signature's new 543F does.
Sure, you may be looking at just another cuddy cab family/fishing boat. But it's when you become picky, fussy, pedantic and completely hard to please that this boat makes you take notice.
There's a checklist of things I can rely on to whinge about in boat tests, but the Haines Signature answers all those questions I already have formed for a negative scorecard.
Question. Is there a low minimum planing speed so the hull stays up and running clean without constant attention to the throttle during the inevitable rough wet trip home; helped along by a soft dry-riding hull?
read on below advertisement
Answer. Our test boat had a minimum planing speed of 5.9 knots with the 115hp Suzuki ticking over at 2800rpm; and a sophisticated industry-leading variable deadrise hull. In small boats like this it doesn't get any better than the Haines Group's 'SVDH' (Signature Variable Deadrise Hull.)
Q. Does it have effective shelter so the inevitable rough wet trip home isn't a case of being battered by cold, wet, flying spray?
A. When you're seated in the helm and passenger seats you're well behind a screen that's tall enough to offer a high degree of protection (especially with the bimini top and clears optioned onto the test boat) and yet when you stand up you can see over it really well.
Q. What about comfortable helm ergonomics, so the rough trip home isn't a physical pain, regardless of whether you stay seated in the comfy bucket seat or need to stand at the wheel?
A. That's covered. And, as mentioned in the last point, vision over the screen when required is critical to safety often enough.
And what about the fishing stuff?
Q. Are you able to brace yourself around the cockpit periphery without your leg going over centre past your toes?
next page »
« go back
WORDS & PHOTOS: WARREN STEPTOE
Boats that fulfil the entirely compatible roles of social vehicle and serious family fishing machine have—through competition between marques looking for a piece of this most popular genre—been developed in this country to a high degree. It's difficult to buy a bad one. Our boat builders are so good at this type of boat that anything new that doesn't reach the heights of established standards disappears quickly.
However, what is unusual is to find a boat that stands out from what is an elite crowd like Haines Signature's new 543F does.
Sure, you may be looking at just another cuddy cab family/fishing boat. But it's when you become picky, fussy, pedantic and completely hard to please that this boat makes you take notice.
There's a checklist of things I can rely on to whinge about in boat tests, but the Haines Signature answers all those questions I already have formed for a negative scorecard.
Question. Is there a low minimum planing speed so the hull stays up and running clean without constant attention to the throttle during the inevitable rough wet trip home; helped along by a soft dry-riding hull?
read on below advertisement
Answer. Our test boat had a minimum planing speed of 5.9 knots with the 115hp Suzuki ticking over at 2800rpm; and a sophisticated industry-leading variable deadrise hull. In small boats like this it doesn't get any better than the Haines Group's 'SVDH' (Signature Variable Deadrise Hull.)
Q. Does it have effective shelter so the inevitable rough wet trip home isn't a case of being battered by cold, wet, flying spray?
A. When you're seated in the helm and passenger seats you're well behind a screen that's tall enough to offer a high degree of protection (especially with the bimini top and clears optioned onto the test boat) and yet when you stand up you can see over it really well.
Q. What about comfortable helm ergonomics, so the rough trip home isn't a physical pain, regardless of whether you stay seated in the comfy bucket seat or need to stand at the wheel?
A. That's covered. And, as mentioned in the last point, vision over the screen when required is critical to safety often enough.
And what about the fishing stuff?
Q. Are you able to brace yourself around the cockpit periphery without your leg going over centre past your toes?
next page »
« go back
