DECEMBER '08 / JANUARY '09
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Modern Boating and Big Hat Productions head out for a glorious day on the water to give the Seawind 1160...
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Webster Twinfisher 4.9
The vessel's helm is quite forward so the sense of boat is less than the sense of the sea ahead. The craft was quite dry with most deflected spray going under the sponsons.
The 80hp four-stroke Yamaha outboard was exceptionally quiet, produced a handy cruise speed of 20 knots at 4400rpm and wound the vessel out to almost 30 knots at 5800rpm. The craft seemed to have plenty of power so a slightly larger pitch prop would probably boost the top speed a little without putting the craft below her rated rev range.
Tim Edney was very keen to demonstrate those tight turns I mentioned and I have to say it was quite fun flicking the boat around on one sponson—quite a lot of fun, surprisingly, for what looks like quite a conservative boat.
LAYOUT AND FEATURES
The tested vessel's helm and seating was functional and practical. The plastic wheel and off-the-shelf glove box show that the Webster is not vying for a European design award—but at least there was a glove box and an off-the-shelf drink holder! The fish finder, engine gauges and VHF radio—essential tools—were all included to keep the fisherman happy. The anchor well was open and large enough to take two anchors if required and the well was set up so that an anchor could be dropped and tied off by leaning forward through the screen—a good feature.
read on below advertisement
The Webster's cockpit was serviced by a padded box seat providing ample stowage while creating enough space for two or three people to work the lines. The combings were about 10cm wide and there was also a lip at floor level providing room for your feet when fishing from the side. Other stowage areas included side pockets, forward of the helm, and rocket launchers for rods.
Other standard features besides the aforementioned live bait tank and transom door include tinted windscreen, an elevated battery shelf and fixed floor carpets. There are a range of options including an electric motor mount, rear lounge, rocket launchers and upgraded seats. Removable carpets, however, would be a good feature—they'd make it a lot easier to clean up after a messy day out.
The updated Webster Twinfisher 4.9 is an honest package that will endure the test of time. By not getting too carried away the Webster 4.9 manages to stay just under the $40,000 as tested but it is possible to spend more depending on features chosen. On the other hand, the base model with a 60hp outboard would cost $34,000.
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The 80hp four-stroke Yamaha outboard was exceptionally quiet, produced a handy cruise speed of 20 knots at 4400rpm and wound the vessel out to almost 30 knots at 5800rpm. The craft seemed to have plenty of power so a slightly larger pitch prop would probably boost the top speed a little without putting the craft below her rated rev range.
Tim Edney was very keen to demonstrate those tight turns I mentioned and I have to say it was quite fun flicking the boat around on one sponson—quite a lot of fun, surprisingly, for what looks like quite a conservative boat.
LAYOUT AND FEATURES
The tested vessel's helm and seating was functional and practical. The plastic wheel and off-the-shelf glove box show that the Webster is not vying for a European design award—but at least there was a glove box and an off-the-shelf drink holder! The fish finder, engine gauges and VHF radio—essential tools—were all included to keep the fisherman happy. The anchor well was open and large enough to take two anchors if required and the well was set up so that an anchor could be dropped and tied off by leaning forward through the screen—a good feature.
read on below advertisement
The Webster's cockpit was serviced by a padded box seat providing ample stowage while creating enough space for two or three people to work the lines. The combings were about 10cm wide and there was also a lip at floor level providing room for your feet when fishing from the side. Other stowage areas included side pockets, forward of the helm, and rocket launchers for rods.
Other standard features besides the aforementioned live bait tank and transom door include tinted windscreen, an elevated battery shelf and fixed floor carpets. There are a range of options including an electric motor mount, rear lounge, rocket launchers and upgraded seats. Removable carpets, however, would be a good feature—they'd make it a lot easier to clean up after a messy day out.
The updated Webster Twinfisher 4.9 is an honest package that will endure the test of time. By not getting too carried away the Webster 4.9 manages to stay just under the $40,000 as tested but it is possible to spend more depending on features chosen. On the other hand, the base model with a 60hp outboard would cost $34,000.
next page »
« go back
