2019 Yellowfin 6200 Rear Console review

The five new rear console models are included in the new and refreshed Yellowfin Plate boat range that launched early in May. We covered off the specifications, features and models variants in our launch review, but as a reminder, the range comprises a mix of centre consoles, soft and hardtop cuddy cabins, folding hard tops, full cabin cruisers and, for the first time, a series of Northern Territory-style rear console boats.

The Yellowfin Plate rear console boats are available in 5800, 6200, 6500, 7000 and 7600 model sizes. The launch model, and the subject of this review is the Yewllowfin 6200 Rear Console powered by an Evinrude E-TEC G2 150hp V6 DFI two-stroke outboard.

The debut model was available for sea trials on Brisbane's Moreton Bay during the media launch event, but to get to know this innovative new craft a little better, we followed up with a separate, more thorough boat test on the Gold Coast.

The Yellowin 6200 Rear Console is a big, open deck fishing trailer boat with the helm console and engine controls situated aft instead of amidships. A regular centre console version is also available if you would prefer a more traditional set-up. The two different layouts are much the same in price, specs and fit-out.

Our test model, the Yellowfin 6200 Rear Console, is available from Brisbane Quintrex with package pricing starting from $61,920 with a single Evinrude E-TEC 115hp extra-longshaft (25-inch) DFI two-stroke outboard with hydraulic steering and digital controls.

The price also includes a tandem-axle Quintrex alloy trailer with mechanical brakes, 12 months Queensland boat and trailer registrations, and an inshore safety gear pack.

Some of the factory-fitted features included a compact rear-mounted helm console, three lift-out pedestal helm chairs (with six in-floor seat sockets), along with a welded checker-plate self-draining rear cockpit (with non-return scuppers), elevated bow casting deck and storage locker, side pockets and transom battery shelving, transom live well, transom door, wide side coamings, six stainless steel rod holders, a 240-litre sub-floor fuel tank, and more.

That $60K-plus sounds like a fair ask for a big, open tinnie, but the 6500 is much more than that. With this very tough, over-built plate alloy boat you can fish NT and FNQ rivers and streams for barra as well as head wide offshore in pursuit of marlin, sailfish and other ocean species. The Yellowfin's variable deadrise, deep vee hull will handle diverse sea conditions with ease.

As a demonstrator model, our test boat was armed to the teeth with options and additional gear, although almost all of these options form part of a single kit called the Platinum Pack. This optional pack is simply a collection of the good gear that most anglers will likely want to buy anyway, and includes two paint combinations, an electric trolling motor plate at the bow, rear dive ladder, cup/sinker holders, transom cutting board, raw water deck wash, berley bucket, LED hardtop light kit, GME VHF radio, Zipwake trim tabs, and a trailer spare wheel, wheel carrier and cover.

Our test boat was also rigged with a Lowrance HDS 12 fishfinder/GPS and the powerful 150hp Evinrude E-TEC G2 DFI two-stroke outboard, which combines with the Platinum Pack to lift the drive-away price to $74,548.

The Yellowfin 6200 Rear Console is a plate aluminium boat with a heavy-duty 6mm hull bottom, 6mm transom, 4mm topsides, and a fully welded 3mm internal checker-plate floor. This differs from some rival brands that are marketed as full plate boats, but actually have a carpet over-plywood floor and a lighter weight, less durable internal rib structure.

Conversely, there is no doubting the strength of Yellowfin's "milk-crate" style Marine-Core sub-floor structure. To maximise rigidity and reduce distortion, each hull uses 6mm thick stringers spaced just 200mm apart, along with 5mm lateral ribs at 500mm intervals from the bow to the stern.

The keel and chines also feature additional welding and 5083 marine grade alloy is used throughout.

The hull has a variable deadrise with a fine entry forward that twists aft to a vee deadrise angle of 20 degrees. The chines are wide to add stability, but the hull bottom is smooth and strake-free. A barely perceptible knuckle in the otherwise smooth topsides strengthens the 4mm sheet alloy.

The Yellowfin's rear console layout is essentially the same as a centre console boat, but with the helm console driving position moved right to the stern. This opens up more forward deck space for anglers to fish and gives the skipper the best vantage point in the boat to watch all the action. From the stern, the driver can also keep tabs on family and crew to make sure they stay safely seated whilst underway.

Whilst much of the fishing space in the Yellowfin 6200 Rear Console is forward of the console there is a small, 1.0 metre-long aft cockpit between the console and transom wall.

With the centre pedestal helm chair and two flanking crew chairs positioned in this aft cockpit area there is no space to stand and fish, but any, or all of the chairs can be moved from the three aft floor sockets to the three sockets further forward.

Two of the extra three in-floor seat sockets are located in the lower cockpit area ahead for the console. The third is situated up on the casting platform to allow anglers to sit and cast lures from the bow whilst operating a bow-mounted, foot-controlled electric trolling motor.

Our test boat did not have a trolling motor fitted, but it was optioned with the trolling motor plate on the port side of the bow. Batteries for a 24-volt system can be housed in the locker, which doubles as a step up to the elevated casting deck.

If you're not using a trolling motor, the step locker is great for general storage, or you might consider using it as a fish box given that there is no sub-floor kill tank available.

The casting deck is arguably large enough for two anglers to stand up there and fish, but is best for one. It measures 1.4 metres long with a maximum width of 1.72 metres.

Underneath there is a cavernous storage locker with a false floor to keep safety gear dry. This big locker or bin is large enough to take a good-sized icebox/cooler.

Surrounding features include low-set bow rails, a decent-sized anchor well, a chunky looking welded bollard, and rubber grip-pads to the tops of the extra-wide coamings.

Like the bow casting deck, the rear cockpit has a checker plate alloy finish that does get glary and very warm underfoot in direct sunlight. On the plus side, the interior is easy to clean at the end of the day with a simple hose-out.

The overall length of the lower cockpit is 2.35 metres from the forward step to the transom wall. The cockpit is flanked by full-length, elevated side storage pockets and low-set coaming grab rails ideally placed for the crew to hang onto whilst underway.

The narrow helm console also has excellent grab rails, with one on each side and a third on top of the dash.

There is no windscreen, but you don't really need one. The console is narrow but quite tall so the structure provides some shelter from the elements.

The console has a handy storage shelf underneath and there is enough flat-panel fascia to accommodate engine gauges and a single large electronics display. Our test boat was rigged with a Lowrance HDS12.

The sturdy stainless steel steering wheel and binnacle throttle are well positioned, and the boat is surprisingly comfortable to drive whilst standing or sitting at the helm.

To cater for offshore anglers there is more than 710mm of internal freeboard all around the perimeter of the rear cockpit, except at the starboard side transom door where the height drops to around 580mm

Other transom features include the elevated rear battery shelf (with toe/foot space underneath), the portside aquarium-style live bait tank, and the optional, removable bait station/cutting board.

Externally the transom has wide, unpainted boarding platforms, an optional berley bucket and a starboard side boarding ladder. There's also a hatch so you can gain access to the bilge for servicing.

The Yellowfin 6200 Rear Console is rated for a single, extra-longshaft outboard up to 175hp, but will perform better than adequately with power in the 135-150hp range.

Our test boat was rigged with the 150hp Evinrude E-TEC G2 DFI two-stroke outboard and we had more than enough power. Hole shots were quick and virtually instant, the hull jumping onto the plane and accelerating very strongly up through the rev range to a wide-open throttle top speed of 40 knots.

Through the mid-range, the throttle response is immediate and brutal, to the extent that the skipper needs a gentle, deft touch to make subtle changes to revs and boat speed. That said I would not have it any other way. Too much power is generally better than not enough, and that's certainly the case here.

The Yellowfin 6200 series hull can handle the power easily enough, too. Throughout our test the boat felt safe, well balanced and generally very solid. The combination of the heavy-duty 6mm plate bottom and the fine bow entry shape proved adept at softening the ride into bay chop and ocean swell.

The test rig also proved to be quite dry and forgiving in a following sea, and very stable at rest due to the wide waterline beam and broad aft chine flats.

Performance

Range on 95% of the 240L fuel supply at 3500rpm: 282.8nm

The revamp and expansion of the Yellowfin Plate boat range is set to heat up the local production plate boat market. Yellowfin has always been a player in this field, but only in the cabin boat sector. The range is now a lot more diverse thanks to the introduction of new centre cabin, centre console and rear console models.

These new console models are certain to attract new buyers to the Yellowfin brand and they deserve to. The boats are keenly priced, well built and cleverly designed.

Our test boat, the Yellowfin 6200 Rear Console, is a perfect example of the new breed of Yellowfin. This striking new craft is built like a tank, safe, seaworthy, and loaded with good gear and equipment. The interior layout also suits a variety of fishing applications and activities to cater for both inshore and offshore anglers.

Specifications
Model: Yellowfin 6700 Rear Console
Length overall: 6.17m
Beam: 2.4m
Depth: 1.25m
Deadrise: 20 degrees
Hull weight: 900kg (est)
Weight on trailer: 1585kg (dry, est)
Bottom alloy: 6.0mm
Transom alloy: 6.0mm
Topsides alloy: 4.0mm
Maximum power: 175hp (25-inch extra-longshaft)
Maximum engine weight: 245kg
Engine as tested: Evinrude E-TEC G2 150hp DFI two-stroke outboard
Fuel: 240L
Flotation standard: Basic
Maximum persons: 5

Priced from: $61,920 with a single Evinrude E-TEC 115hp extra-longshaft (25-inch) DFI two-stroke outboard with hydraulic steering and digital controls, a tandem-axle Quintrex alloy trailer with mechanical brakes, 12 months Queensland boat and trailer registrations, and an inshore safety gear pack.

Price as tested: $74,548 including an upgrade to the Evinrude E-TEC G2 150hp extra-longshaft (25-inch) DFI two-stroke outboard, along with the addition of a Lowrance HDS 12 fishfinder/GPS and the Yellowfin Platinum Pack that includes two paint combinations, electric trolling motor plate, rear dive ladder, cup/sinker holders, transom cutting board, raw water deck wash, berley bucket, LED hardtop light kit, GME VHF radio, and a trailer spare wheel, wheel carrier and cover.

Supplied by: Brisbane Quintrex