2018 Australian Master Marine 7000 Halo Offshore review

For more than two decades, Australian Master Marine (AMM) has sat at the forefront of plate alloy boat design. While others have come and gone, AMM has endured and prospered. This Brisbane based, family owned company is regarded as one of the best plate boat builders in the country with a loyal and repeat customer base.

The AMM boat range stretches from around 4.9m through to 10.0m. Full custom and commercial boats are available, but the company is best known for its Tournament series offshore hardtop cabin boats, Weekender cruisers, and smaller Sea Class entry-level open boats, consoles and cuddy cabs.

AMM has now launched a centre console sport fishing boat called the 7000 Halo Offshore. "Halo" is a reference to the design of the alloy hardtop, which does not need rear support struts and appears to float above the black-framed, tinted windscreen – just like a protective halo.

You might expect some movement from the Halo hardtop without any rear bracing, but it proved to be rock solid and rattle-free. The absence of bracing struts also opens up space at the helm for unrestricted movement.

The AMM 7000 Halo is a well designed, superbly built heavy-duty plate alloy boat, but the interior fit-out in the standard boat is deliberately minimalistic to contain costs. This allows AMM customers to buy the basic boat and outfit it to their own needs.

The latest AMM comes with the trick Halo hardtop and the dual-width centre console with head compartment and toughened glass windscreen. It also gains an elevated forward casting deck, a carpeted, self-draining rear cockpit floor, wide side decks, six welded rod holders, dual batteries, underfloor kill tank, side pockets, anchor well, transducer brackets, a 240-litre fuel tank, and more as standard.

The package price for the AMM 7000 Halo starts from $147,650, and include AMM's heavy-duty off-road dual-axle alloy trailer (with 16" wheels) and a top-of-the-range Suzuki 350hp four-stroke outboard engine with digital controls.

If $150K exceeds your budget, you might consider swapping out the semi-custom trailer for a regular Dunbier galvanised steel braked trailer, and pairing the boat with a smaller, Suzuki 250hp outboard engine. This will reduce the package price to a more manageable $127,150.

On the flipside, those with plenty of coin to splash out on a sport fishing trailerboat would probably buy the boat exactly as we tested it, loaded to the gunnels with $50K of extra kit. Key additions include the helm seat box/lean post with fold-down aft seat, tackle drawer and slide-out ARB Elements 60L fridge/freezer, Hella Marine lighting package, Stress Free anchor winch with Sarca anchor and rode, fresh and saltwater deck wash, 300L sub-floor insulated ice box with pump-out, console toilet door and electric flush toilet, soft-feel EVA foam rubber flooring (instead of carpet), 130L plumbed aquarium-style live bait tank, rocket-launcher rod rack, a windscreen wiper, dual 300-litre fuel tanks, hull flotation foam, and more.

With an electronics suite including a Furuno TZT2 15-inch fish finder/GPS display, a GME VHF radio, and a Fusion Bluetooth stereo system, the package price for our test boat rises to $200k.

The layout of the AMM 7000 Halo could be likened to a grown-up version of a smooth water bass and barra boat, in that there is an elevated casting deck forward, combined with a deep aft cockpit.

There is even an optional plate on the port side of the bow to mount an electric trolling motor.

The elevated bow fishing deck turns the AMM 7000 into a genuine multifunction fishing boat, equally capable of fishing for barra in Australia's northern river systems, as it is pursuing game fish offshore.

Up forward has ample space. The bow fishing deck is around 950mm long with a maximum width of 1.87m. It is elevated 505mm above the rear cockpit floor, which amounts to a large step-up from the rear deck – although there is a mid-level step built into the side pocket to make access easier.

The bow fishing deck has 415mm of freeboard. This is a tad low to be able to stand and fish securely in rocky seas, but ideal for lure casting and fishing in calm river and bay waters.

For rough water work, we would consider adding a thigh height rail around the bow deck to provide support and bracing while standing up.

Other bow features include a large anchor well (rigged in the test boat with the optional anchor winch), wide side decks for easy rod holder installation, internal/recessed grab/bow rails, pop-up cleats, a sub-floor fender/gear storage locker, two more storage lockers (accessed from the side walkway), and a bench seat (with optional cushion) on the front of the console.

The 1.2m wide helm console is positioned forward of amidships, straddling the bow and stern fishing decks. This width allows two people to sit or stand at the helm and stay sheltered from the elements by the full-height, tempered glass windscreen and surrounding side windows.

The cleverly designed Halo hardtop overhead shelters the seated crew from the sun and provides a base to mount outriggers and radio aerials, as well as the optional rocket-launcher rod rack and deck lights.

A radio box underneath the hardtop houses the optional VHF radio and Fusion stereo head unit.

The windscreen frame and fascia are blacked out to reduce sun glare at the helm. This proved quite effective as we found the engine instruments and fascia-mounted Furuno multifunction display easy to read in strong daylight.

There is room on the fascia for two of the big Furuno TZT2 15-inch displays, though only the one was fitted to our test boat.

Following current trends, the helm in the 7000 Halo is offset to the port side to allow a companion to stand, or sit, alongside the skipper to starboard.

We found the optional stainless steel steering wheel and binnacle throttle well placed and the boat comfortable and easy to drive, largely because of the inclusion of deluxe helm chairs with flip-up front bolsters, and a well-positioned, angled footrest.

Underneath the helm console is a huge head compartment/change-room. Opening the optional port side console door reveals a deep recess with full standing headroom for anyone less than 182cm tall.

There is also a forward storage area, nooks and crannies to stow things such as toilet paper, wallets, and more, along with easy access to electrical wiring behind a canvas drop curtain.

Our test boat was also equipped with the optional electric head and small sink with freshwater tap fed by an optional 100-litre water tank.

Back above decks now, the dominant feature of the rear cockpit was the intelligently designed, seat box/lean post. As well as the dual, front mounted helm chairs, this optional helm box has a fold-out, aft facing bench seat, a slide-out tackle/rigging tray, and underneath that, a pull-out ARB Elements 60L fridge/freezer with its own deep cycle battery.

For even more refrigeration/cooling space, there is also the option for a massive 300-litre insulated icebox under the centre of the cockpit floor –in addition to two mackerel-sized underfloor kill tanks with optional pump-out.

The massive 130-litre, aquarium style live bait tank built into the starboard side transom corner, an optional centre-transom bait board/work station, the enclosed battery storage compartment, the 690mm of cockpit freeboard, and an excellent toe/foot rail bracing support under the transom with full length side storage pockets will also impress anglers.

The rear cockpit layout in the AMM 7000 Halo is superb for just about any Aussie fishing application.

All of the preceding comments have led us to the defining feature of the new AMM 7000 Halo – excellent handling and performance. I have tested many boats over the last 30 years and the 7000 Halo is one of the finest handling, softest riding 23 footers I have encountered.

Aided by the stunning power and high-end torque of Suzuki's epic new dual propeller 350hp four-stroke outboard, the 7000 Halo is scintillating quick, accelerating to a top speed of 44 knots (81km/h). More outstanding however, is that we achieved this top speed whilst running flat-out offshore.

Conditions were admittedly mild, but there was still the typical 1.0-1.5m swell rolling in from the south, along with a 7-8kt northerly breeze.

At high speed the Halo's 20-degree deep vee, foam-filled hull was stunningly soft, beautifully balanced and quiet. There were no rattles from the hardtop, squeaks from the dash, or slaps from the hull as the boat leaped from wave crest to wave crest.

You would normally expect some noise from an aluminium hull, but the Halo's underfloor stringer grid configuration, combined with the use of heavy, 6mm alloy plate and noise dampening foam-flotation, almost eliminated those regular hull slaps and bangs.

The absence of propeller torque list was noticeable. With a normal single-prop outboard engine most monohulls will list slightly to port because of the right-handed rotation. On the Halo, the Suzuki 350's two opposite rotating props balance each other out, allowing the hull to sit straight and level without the need for trim tab correction.

Through offshore slalom turns, hole-shot starts, high-speed following sea runs and more, the AMM 7000/Suzuki 350hp engine combination proved equally effective; quick, well mannered, easy to drive, safe and stable.

The AMM 7000 Halo is a solidly built, cleverly designed boat with class-leading performance and excellent craftsmanship.

As an example of the fine attention to detail, the cup holders at the helm have tube drains underneath so rainwater doesn't collect in them. Now that's going above and beyond.

You do have to pay for all of this excellence. At $200K as tested, the 7000 Halo is not a cheap boat, but it is one of the best AMM has built to date, and one of the finest plate alloy boats on the market.

PERFORMANCE - SPEED
5.2kt (9.6km/h) @ 1000rpm
6.2kt (11.5km/h) @ 1500rpm
7.5kt (13.9km/h) @ 2000rpm
8.9kt (16.5km/h) @ 2500rpm
15.5kt (28.7km/h) @ 3000rpm
24.0kt (44.4km/h) @ 3500rpm
27.6kt (51.1km/h) @ 4000rpm
34.1kt (63.1km/h) @ 4500rpm
36.7kt (67.9km/h) @ 5000rpm
42.2kt (78.1km/h) @ 5500rpm
44.0kt (81.4km/h) @ 5800rpm (WOT

PERFORMANCE – ECONOMY
4.6 L/h @ 1000rpm
7.4 L/h @ 1500rpm
11.8 L/h @ 2000rpm
18.3 L/h @ 2500rpm
25.1 L/h @ 3000rpm
34.0 L/h @ 3500rpm
44.6 L/h @ 4000rpm
62.8 L/h @ 4500rpm
77.4 L/h @ 5000rpm
91.4 L/h @ 5500rpm
107.0 L/h @ 5800rpm (WOT)

Maximum range on 95% of 600L (optional) fuel supply: 402.35nm @ 3500rpm

Priced from: $127,150 with a Suzuki 250hp extra-longshaft (25") four-stroke outboard and a Dunbier tandem axle galvanised steel trailer.

SPECS
Length overall: 7.0m
Beam: 2.5m
Hull weight: 2250kg (est)
Topsides alloy: 4mm (bottom and transom alloy 6mm, cockpit floor 3mm)
Maximum power: 350hp
Engine as tested: Suzuki 350hp four-stroke outboard
Fuel: 2x300L (single 240L standard)
Flotation standard: Basic
Maximum persons: 8

Supplied by: Australian Master Marine