2016 Sea Fox 186 Commander: Review

American centre consoles are a dime a dozen, as consumable as hamburgers and fries, and much-loved fishing conveyances from the Florida flats to the South Carolina coast. It’s at the latter home and hotbed of offshore sportfishers that the Sea Fox are born. Built with saltwater fishing lore, this entry-level 186 is an exemplary American centre console that punches above its weight. It's smart, sophisticated and seaworthy, a big-little boat and a fantastic fishing machine for tackling anywhere from The Shelf to the skinny sandflats. One of our best tests and finds of 2015. Read on…

OVERVIEW

Enter Sea Fox, a comparatively young company formed in the 90s and based in South Carolina. Both these things augur well in today’s centre console market. Fresh thinking, plenty of drive. Yet Sea Fox doesn't depart from convention like a recalcitrant teenager. It doesn’t try and reinvent the centre console.

Instead, Sea Fox harnesses time-proven boating lore, ticks all the boxes that we keen anglers need ticked, and uses thoroughly modern composite construction methods. The yard rolls it together in a beautifully integrated hull and self-draining deck backed up by twin high-flow bilge pumps.

Along with safety and durability, a key part of the Sea Fox philosophy is value for money. The company is also cognisant of the need to include family. So these purpose-built sportfishers have convertible seating and extra comforts like toilets in step-down consoles as standard.

Harnessing the latest outboard engine technology – the 150hp Evinrude ETEC H.O. direct-injected two-stroke motor on our test rig was the maximum recommended – adds power, refinement and efficiency to the equation.

But this 186 Commander, the entry-level Sea Fox in the centre console range, had something else that pushed our buttons. Despite the boat’s relatively modest size, and the inshore-fishing inference from those fore and aft casting platforms, this 18-footer has a big-boat feel, with a nice kick in the sheerline and signature Carolina flare.

Offshore, it feels and performs like a true bluewater boat. As such, the 186 has broad fishing application. From big bays to hot bluewater, from the mangroves to the sea mountains, the 186 is more than capable and inspires.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
- Starting at mid-$50K and ending around $70K
JSW Powersports on the Gold Coast, the Australian Sea Fox importers awarded 2015 International Dealer of the Year, are getting pretty smart about their packages. This 186 was a great bundle. Not one to hold back, they went with maximum horsepower and some extra kit on top.

As a base boat without trailer, with a 115hp outboard, the 186 Commander starts at about $57,760.

Besides the 150hp Evinrude ETEC H.O., upgrades here included twin batteries, Infinity stereo with MP3 and quad speaker set-up, a snappy hull wrap, and the factory Pro Pack with cushioned foot mat, gas struts on the fish box lid, and extra rod holders in the bow.

Other fitted options were fresh and salt water wash downs, a second plumbed forward live well for pitching live baits, and there were twin Lowrance MFDs including a HDS9 and bracket-mounted HDS12 (not included in the following price).

With this kit and the upgraded 150hp Evinrude we’re looking at $66,296 for the 2016 186 Commander.

Ok, so there’s no shade. Personally, I’d stick with the low windage, which is a distinct advantage when drifting and casting lures and fly. Wear some dedicated personal ‘canopy’ aka clothing instead, y’know, the latest bod and head wraps. A bow-mounted electric is another consideration.

Otherwise a bimini will add about $1000. A trailer, which you will need, will cost another $5600. So with bimini on the road you’re looking at about mid-$70K, which is still excellent value.

With a 2.40m beam, you won’t need a towing permit. In fact, there will be nothing holding you back from hitting the highway with this two-tonne rig and heading to where the fish are snapping.

LAYOUT AND FISHABILITY
- Superb stability, storage and an alter ego
Sea-Fox has a Viper bay boat range, but it seems have straddled the space between flats boat and offshore fisher with this 186. The moderately deep-vee hull with 19 degrees of deadrise strikes the balance between stability and wave-slicing ability.

Underfoot, it feels reassuringly solid. You can fish from the forward casting platform to the side of the centre console, from the aft cockpit traced with padded coamings, where you should land your trophy fish, to the supportive transom. I walked along the gunwales without holding on.

Just as importantly, and the bit that really wowed me, was the amount of freeboard and buoyancy. The big flared bow up front really adds to this boat’s seaworthiness, the sheerline provides added volume above the waterline, while the cockpit is deep enough that you feel contained.

Meanwhile, the boat had a bow sprit and deep anchor well, plus plenty of recessed stainless steel grab rails in the bow, around the centre console, and forming the frame for the leaning post.

Rod storage exists in under-gunwale racks — also for gaffs, paddles, tag pole and so on — and alongside the console in vertical holders for three flick sticks. If you’re a hardcore offshore angler you might add a rack to the transom, certainly some safety lines and clips and covers for your outfits left in the rod holders during the run to the grounds.

But in keeping with the modern way of fishing, a bunch of lightweight bluewater threadline sticks is all you need to nail game fish these days, to jig the deep reefs and pitch baits, when not casting lures or, back inshore, flies and plastics on other rods.

The problem is: this boat is so versatile you will want to bring the lot and you will need to store those rods somewhere. A custom T-top (a bimini is the only factory option) would help. The transom could also be fitted with a custom drop-in rocket launcher that doubles as a cutting board with rod holders when bait fishing matters. Some ideas...

Underfloor storage? The entire forward casting platform conceals a foam-insulated fishbox; the inside of the centre console is a big dry compartment easily accessed through a billfold door; while there are handy pull-out storage bins under the aft quarter-seat squabs. Additionally, you get a portable 'Esky' on deck.

The second forward live-bait tank, fully plumbed and ready for pitch baiting, is under the ‘mother-in-law’ seat ahead of the centre console. It’s a 33-litre tank, an adjunct to the main mid-transom tank of 75-litre capacity.

The engine is a 25in XL and the boat has a lot of aft buoyancy to carry all this weight.

As far as centre consoles go, the 186 doesn’t have its helm pushed too far back so there is a decent aft cockpit for fishing. Thanks to flip-down corner seats, there is also a full-beam rear casting platform.

Although there are no toe kicks along the low transom, which isn’t really tall enough for leaning into any way, the aft padded side coamings provide plenty of support. If you’re on a billfish, fight it from the padded cockpit coamings while running forward. Otherwise, there’s plenty of casting and fishing room for two-to-three anglers on this boat.

Apres fishing, you can pick-up the family and add the optional forward sunpad cushion from the back of the car . The kids can ride on those aft flip-up jump seats, which have sturdy powder-coated aluminium hinges, and there's a portable toilet as standard in the console, where you can change into your bikini.

But if you haven’t got a family yet, well, forget all this. In this age of equality, your partner is likely into fishing and playing the role of top crew. She’ll also want the cushions left back home. For it’s hard not to get excited about the fishing prospects aboard this centre console. You might even consider a pair of 15ft outriggers. I would. Telescopics.

Among the details that appealed were the hinged storage for personal items at the helm, the standard fish ruler inside the console bi-fold door, the piano hinges, gas struts, all through-bolted deck gear, and 316 stainless steel fitout ready for saltwater boating. Sea-Dek foam padding adds to the helm comfort underfoot.

HULL AND ENGINEERING
- Lifetime warranty, composite construction, big-boat fitout
Despite the easily managed 2.40m beam, the 186 feels big. The 19-degree hull has pronounced strakes and serious reverse chines. The deep and flared bow adds to the lift and carrying capacity. Sea Fox rates the boat to seven people, which only matters if you are using it as a commuter or tender.

ON THE WATER
- Great ride, super dry and stable
The twin-width helm and console was loaded on our test boat. The stainless wheel with crank knob adds to your sense of control of what is an eager little beaver. The wheel is offset to port, but you can drive one-up standing on the centreline OK.

The main engine gauges and toggle switches are centred on a carbon dash panel, leaving room either side for flush-mounted and bracket-mounted electronics. See the photos of the dash. It’s a very neat layout and, of course, includes drink holders, which double as great lure and storage cups.

We squared everything away for what was a savage southerly buster during this test. It turned the Broadwater into a whitecap carpet and there was a nice swell building offshore. While the severity of the weather mightn’t translate to the photos and video, they were testing conditions that would otherwise keep you well inshore.

As I’ve emphasised already, the 186 Commander is stable and it’s safe. It’s also amazingly dry, especially for a centre console, thanks again to that flared bow and the power. We blasted down the Broadwater and out the Seaway and the only note I made was: cruising at 30 knots.

Cruising at 30 knots? Er, I was too busy enjoying this great ride to get caught up in jotting numbers. Top speed is up to 40 knots, says JSW Powersports. But back at cruise, with mainly trolling once you get there, the 189 litre fuel supply will last a full day.

You will be burning around 30-35 litres at 30 knots, a bit more than a litre per nautical mile, and I’d expect sensible operation at mid-20 knots for mid-20 litres per hour. At trolling speeds up to 8 knots, the 150 ETEC will burn less than 8 litres per hour.

Of course, the 150hp Evinrude ETEC H.O. is a 60-degree V6 two-stroke with a 2.6L block. It is one of the lightest 150s in its class and creates a lot of acceleration — throttle response you just don’t get with a four-stroke — that turns the 186 into a pocket rocket.

The 133A alternator is also whopping, while the three-year service interval is sparing for owners.

VERDICT
- A big little boat ready to tackle whatever you throw at it
Back at the wheel, all those years of previous centre console drooling and driving came flooding home. It’s against this baseline of sea time and experience that I pass comment on this boat.

The 186 Commander is a fantastic sportfisher. It’s got what I look for in an offshore hull: stability, seaworthiness, safety, a smooth and dry ride, comfort, good ergonomics, and a big-boat feel. I’d happily ride out some weather in the 186, knowing that at displacement speeds in the storm it’s got a high bow that rises up over the swells. And it’s self draining.

The 186 also has a hot fishing layout for today's keen anglers. Jason Hedges, the Sea Fox National Sales Manager, was in the throws of heading to Hervey Bay when I called him after our test. This 186 had been sold to some Brisbane anglers who fish Moreton Bay and out to the reefs. They were wrapped. He was about to fish the Viper 22 up there.

At the same time, this Commander is right at home back inshore, with the casting platforms and low-windage letting you lob lures in the zone for longer. And there’s also a sporty boat and a family boat underneath, with the seating flipped into play and Little Johnny trolled back on a tube around WaveBreak.

All of this means the 186 Commander is exactly the kind of serious cross-over fishing boat we need, I need, today. It’s ideal for boaters north of the Victorian border. You could add a custom T-top. I thought I would want that. Now I think I’ll just wrap myself in some cool clobber, mount a few GoPros, and go for it.

RATINGS
Overall rating: 4.80/5.0
Mechanical/equipment: 4.8/5.0
Packaging and practicality: 4.8/5.0
On the water performance: 4.7/5.0
Value for money: 4.9/5.0
X-factor: 4.8/5.0

LIKES
>> True offshore performer with all-round serious fishability
>> Loads of freeboard, buoyancy, lift and seaworthiness
>> Fore and aft casting platforms, twin live wells, great console
>> Keenly priced for a sportfisher that ticks all these boxes
>> Excellent factory and local backing

NOT SO MUCH
>> The little bungee straps that keep the aft jump seats down need fine tuning
>> You might want a T-top (custom option only) if you’re not into casting lures or fly fishing
>> Finish inside the centre console could be improved

Specifications: Sea Fox 186 Commander
Price as tested: $66,296 loaded with 150hp Evinrude ETEC H.O. and options as above (plus trailer)
Priced from: $57,760 with 115hp outboard
Length overall: 5.6m (18’ 6”)
Beam: 2.40m
Bridge clearance: 2.40m
dry weight: 997kgs
Maximum weight: 1247kg
Deadrise: 19 degrees
Engine: Evinrude ETEC H.O. 150hp
Maximum HP: 150hp
Draft (hull): 0.35m
Fuel: 189 Litres
Water: 45 litres
Persons: Seven

Supplied By:
JSW Powersports
T:  07 5529 2616
F:  07 5529 2332
www.jswpowersports.com.au
http://www.seafoxboats.com.au