2019 Savage 445 Osprey review

Last year Savage celebrated its 120th anniversary of continuous boat-making, quite an achievement in this modern world. Yes, the company has changed hands several times, but the boats are still being built to a high standard and the Savage name continues to earn respect among boaters and anglers.

Savage has for some years been owned by Queensland's Telwater. Savage aluminum boats are made on the Gold Coast alongside Telwater's Quintrex and Stacer alloy boat brands.

More than 50 models make up the modern Savage alloy boat range. They kick off with the diminutive 310 Water Rat dinghy/tender and top out with the impressive 615 Bluewater half cabin.

In between there is a size and configuration to suit most Aussie boating pursuits. Choices range from basic alloy tinnies through to bass and barra style boats, forward windscreen runabouts, bowriders, center and side consoles, and more.

Among the smaller Savage models are the Savage Ospreys, a series limited to two sturdily built, smooth-sided tiller-steer open boats.

Experienced boaters and old salts may recall the original Savage Osprey was a 4.6-4.8m runabout launched in the late 1970s. Its modern-day namesake is a substantially different boat, but it is still aimed at novice boaters and fishermen.

Our test boat for this review is the larger of the two tiller-steer Savage Ospreys, the 4.45-metre model, paired with a Mercury 40hp four-stroke outboard.

Mike's Marine in Brisbane has package prices for the Savage 445 Osprey starting from $14,400 when paired with a Mercury 30hp longshaft (20-inch) four-stroke outboard and a single-axle galvanised steel trailer.

That's a great price for a big tiller-steer tinnie, and a sum that boating newcomers and retirees should comfortably be able to afford.

The 445 Osprey comes with lots of features. Inside you'll find a carpeted forward casting platform and cockpit half-floor, poly plastic anchor well on the foredeck with a cleat nearby, fully-welded, extruded side coamings, bow and stern rails, a chunky rear beach seat, side pockets, transom step, transducer bracket, elevated battery and fuel tank platforms, transom grab handles, foam flotation to Basic standard, and more.

The Osprey is no stripped-out, bargain-basement special. It has lots of good gear and features included in its sub-$15K package price.

The Osprey is so well outfitted that the only options deemed necessary for our test boat were two rod holders and a glovebox built into the rear seat thwart.

The engine was also upgraded to Mercury's 40hp, in-line three cylinder four-stroke outboard with electric start, and power trim and tilt.

The extras lift the test boat's drive-away price to $16,750, but this also includes an inshore safety gear pack and 12 months of Queensland boat and trailer registration. Now that's great value.

As you would expect from Telwater, the Osprey can come with several more options, the most notable being paint to the hull and interior, or a vinyl hull wrap.

It can come with a side console helm station with steering wheel and remote controls, but that will add significantly to the price. Moreover, if you feel the need for a console helm station you would be better served by upgrading to one of Savage's excellent side or centre console Scorpion models.

The Savage Osprey models are over-built for their size. Sturdy, 3mm alloy sheet is used for the hull bottom, transom and topsides, in combination with a matrix of around 10 internal cross-ribs and fully welded, extruded side decks.

In contrast, some rival brands make do with lightweight 2mm hull bottoms and 1.6mm pressed alloy for the topsides.

Adding further strength and stiffness to the Osprey is a full-length keel, a welded foredeck, transom corner gusseting and a large, welded (not riveted) rear seat thwart.

To cope with the power and thrust of outboards packing up to 50hp, the Osprey has a V-shaped transom bracing structure reinforced with a diagonal bracing strut and two gussets between the floor and the transom wall.

Confident in the strength and durability of its Osprey models, Savage offers a five-year factory warranty for recreational use.

For bay, harbour and smooth water estuary boating and fishing the interior layout in the Osprey works well. The elevated deck provides an excellent platform for anglers to stand and flick lures or flies, while in the rear of the boat the ultra-wide seat thwart can also double as a casting deck, at least in smooth conditions.

I'd be tempted to paint the bare alloy seat thwart with a non-slip paint finish to grip up the alloy.

In between the big bow casting deck and the rear thwart, the Osprey has a low, carpeted plywood floor which is comfortable underfoot. Having a low, three-quarter width floor like this (instead of a higher, full-width floor) helps to keep the centre of gravity down lower in the boat and boosts the interior cockpit freeboard to 690mm amidships.

Handy 770mm long side pockets are positioned in the rear of the cockpit, welded to the rear seat thwart and vertical cross-ribs. These side shelves are elevated and should be perfect for stowing deck lines, hand-lines, drink bottles, and more.

Larger items, including safety gear and portable iceboxes can stow in a big storage bin beneath the casting deck. There's a carpeted, false floor in this compartment so you can stow stuff below without it getting wet.

Further forward, inset into the reinforced alloy foredeck is a roto-moulded plastic anchor well and a welded tie-off cleat. The well is open, but reasonably deep so the anchor is unlikely to move about much. The plastic material should also dampen any anchor noise or rattles whilst underway.

Anglers will be impressed with the fully-welded (as opposed to tack-welded) side decks that trace the perimeter of the boat. They provide a flat, 150mm wide coaming surface for installing flush-fitted rod holders or fishfinder mounting brackets, and can also double as seats to perch on while fishing.

The Savage 445 Osprey has a relatively conservative hull shape with a mild vee at the transom with slightly reverse-angled chines, combined with a sharp, wave-cutting forefoot up at the bow. This combination provides ride comfort without sacrificing stability or hull efficiency underway.

The Osprey planes easily, with minimal bow lift, and tracks nice and straight at speed. The hull is also easy to handle and to control, and takes tight turns and figure eights with just the right amount of grip on the water.

In a following sea the bow of the Osprey rises smoothly out of wave troughs, the spray chines shedding water and spraying mist out to the sides, away from the boat.

At rest the Osprey feels solid and stable, easily capable of taking its maximum of five adults onboard.

The 445 Osprey is rated for single longshaft outboards up to 50hp, but you could get away with a 30hp engine to save a few dollars.

With a larger three-cylinder Mercury 40hp tiller-steer four-stroke outboard on the transom, our test boat attained a top speed of 22.7 knots. From idle and up through the rev range the smooth-running Mercury proved strong and responsive.

The big tiller-arm on the Mercury was comfortable to hold, and having the trim button situated on the end of the tiller made it easy to trim the boat up and down as required.

Overall, I found the Savage 445 Osprey/Mercury 40hp outboard to be a well-sorted, safe, seaworthy boat package with excellent performance.

The Savage 445 Osprey is an excellent entry-level boat and a terrific inshore fishing platform. It combines the versatility of a high-sided vee hull design with a practical, easy-care interior layout and modest size for easy launching and trailering.

Best of all, the Savage 445 Osprey can be yours for less than $15K. That's a ripper price for well-equipped 4.4-metre bay, harbour and estuary fishing boat.

Priced from: $14,400 including a Mercury 30hp four-stroke longshaft (20-inch) outboard, single-axle galvanised steel trailer, inshore safety gear pack, and 12 months boat and trailer registration.

Price as tested: $16,750 - as above but with a Mercury 40hp four-stroke longshaft (20-inch) outboard, glove box with drink holder, and two rod holders.

Supplied by: Mike's Marine