2020 Sea Jay 503 Territory SC review

With 40 or more side, centre and aft console boats contained within the Sea Jay boat range, you could say that this Bundaberg based boat maker has some experience designing and building open layout fishing boats.

And you'd be right. This expert knowledge and general know-how is reflected in the excellent configuration and layout of the company's popular Territory series.

The largest of three Territory models, you can order this rugged open Sea Jay 503 Territory with either a centre console or a side console helm set-up. Our test boat for this review was fitted with the latter, and paired with a 90hp Mercury four-stroke outboard engine.

Nitro Marine on the Gold Coast has Sea Jay Territory/Mercury outboard engine packages starting from around $43,000 with a standard Sea Jay single-axle mechanical braked alloy trailer.

The standard boat is well-appointed, fitted with a range of features often listed as options with rival brands; an electric trolling motor plate at the bow and the included transom live bait tank are notable examples.

The Territory also comes with Sea Jay's "Ultimate Edge" full-height ransom with boarding platforms and port side step ladder, as well as a wide, welded side deck with a gunwale rubber insert for scrape and abrasion protection.

Each Sea Jay Territory is equipped with a large elevated casting platform with built-in anchor well; carpeted plywood flooring throughout; carpet-backed hatch lids; a pair of comfy pedestal helm chairs; six plastic rod holders; short bow and amidships handrails; and a centre or side console helm station.

Our Nitro Marine-supplied test boat came with just a few options to complete the package for its new owner. Gloss black paint was applied to the topsides, and non-slip paint to the boarding platforms.

The boat also gained a bimini cover, a Garmin fishfinder/GPS, and more power in the form of Mercury's super-smooth 90hp in-line four-cylinder four-stroke outboard engine.

With the options, larger outboard engine, inshore safety gear pack, and boat and trailer registrations, the as-tested Sea Jay 503 Territory SC package is excellent value at around $46K.

Taking the short bowsprit and rear platforms into account, the Sea Jay 503 Territory has an overall length of 5.26 metres, and a centreline hull length of 4.93 metres. The hull is modest in width with a maximum beam of 2.32 metres.

The Territory's "Adrenalin" hull has a sharp entry at the bow and a modest vee angle aft to provide a good compromise between ride comfort and stability at rest.

The hull bottom, transom and topsides are made from 3mm pressed alloy supported by a beefed-up internal structure with extra ribs for greater strength and rigidity.

The casting deck, flooring and hatches are made from marine plywood, finished with a covering of hardwearing outdoor marine carpet.

The included bilge pump is fitted on the alloy floor, under the transom, and accessed via a small hatch in the aft cockpit floor.

Sufficient foam is placed underfloor for the Territory to achieve a Basic level flotation standard.

The Sea Jay 503 Territory SC has a hull weight of about 493kg. Packaged with the Mercury 90hp outboard engine and a single-axle alloy trailer, you can expect the dry towing weight to be around 1000kg.

The Sea Jay 503 Territory's interior design is similar to other side console pressed alloy boats in the sense that it has a raised front casting platform, deep rear cockpit, and a short helm console with a pair of lift-out seats.

However, Sea Jay has tweaked the 503's layout of the bow/forepeak area by moving the anchor well from its traditional spot right up near the bowsprit, back to a locker beneath the casting deck. This has allowed the fishing deck to expand in size so that anglers can stand and fish right up at the pointy end of the boat.

The difference it makes to the fishability of the boat is not huge, but I believe the layout is an improvement because it makes the best use of the overall space between the stem and the stern of the boat.

The enlarged casting deck in the Sea Jay 503 Territory SC measures 1.72 metres long with a maximum width of 2.04 metres. It is elevated 340mm, or one big step above the main cockpit floor.

Notable features up in the bow area include the re-positioned anchor well, bowsprit and grab rail, port side trolling motor plate, and an unusual upside-down cleat welded off the bottom of the short bow foredeck.

Positioning the cleat like this does remove a potential fishing line snag from the otherwise smooth deck, but I suspect I would occasionally catch my jeans or leg on it while standing on the bow platform.

Aft of the anchor well the fishing deck has a series of carpeted deck hatches that open up to reveal a large storage space with a carpeted false floor.

There's also a pedestal seat mount in the centre of the platform to accommodate one of the two included pedestal chairs.

The interior of our test boat has a flow-coat style, flecked white paint finish. The external topsides are also painted, but Nitro Marine decided to leave the side decks/coamings as raw, unpainted alloy.

This way, anglers can drag crab pots or cast nets over the sides of the boat without having to worry about scratching paint work.

The no-paint treatment extends around the inside perimeter of the boat, and aft across the top of the transom wall.

Built into the port side of that transom wall is an included live bait tank. It is relatively small compared with some but will cater for a dozen or so live baits.

Beneath the live well is a useful storage compartment that complements a short side storage pocket to starboard. Oddly enough, there is no side pocket on the port side of the boat.

A battery is located on the starboard side, secured on a platform/shelf under the transom, just aft of the removable pedestal helm seat.

The starboard helm console is just the right size for the Sea Jay 503 Territory SC – not too big, not too small.

There isn't enough fascia space to flush-fit an electronics display, but there is plenty of room for a bracket-mounted fishfinder/GPS combo unit.

There's also space for the engine instrumentation, switch panel, fold-out cupholders, and a small glove compartment.

A short acrylic windshield with surrounding grab rail tops the console to provide some shelter.

The rather plain-looking plastic steering wheel and side-mount throttle are easy to reach from a seated driving position, and there is floor space underneath the console to tuck your feet.

The lower, main cockpit area lies adjacent to the console unit, stretching 2.29 metres from the casting deck bulkhead aft to the transom wall, by 2.18 metres across the beam.

There is ample space here for two anglers to stand and fish over the port side, with a third up on the bow platform.

As noted earlier, the aft cockpit is also quite deep and safe, with between 615mm and 640mm of internal freeboard.

For mixed fishing and boating applications, the rear cockpit layout is generally very good.

That said, there is no toe/foot space at floor level beneath the transom, so I would consider adding a padded coaming bolster overhead so I could stand more securely.

The Sea Jay 503 Territory SC is an excellent, easily handled boat with excellent stability and a comfortable ride, albeit within the constraints of a mid-size alloy boat.

All lightweight tinnies have the potential to ride firmly in rough water.

This boat is no exception, but if you run the Sea Jay 503 Territory SC at a modest cruise speed, the ride and comfort level is right up there with the best boats in this market segment.

The Sea Jay 503 Territory SC is also easy and fun to drive, safe, dry, well-mannered in a following sea, and very stable at rest.

With the maximum-rated 90hp Mercury four-stroke outboard engine on the transom, the Sea Jay 503 Territory SC was also pretty speedy.

We recorded an impressive top speed of 34.2 knots on the Gold Coast Broadwater. Generally, the boat felt quick, sporty and agile throughout.

Nitro Marine's base-model Sea Jay 503 Territory SC comes with the smaller 75hp Mercury four-stroke outboard engine.

I suspect the power and performance of this smaller outboard engine would actually be more than sufficient for most fishing applications.

Performance

Range on 95% of the 90L fuel supply at 3500rpm: 138.8nm

Packaged with a Mercury 75/90hp four-stroke outboard engine, and Sea Jay alloy trailer, the new Sea Jay 503 Territory SC presents as a smart package for mixed boating and fishing activities.

I'd opt for the larger motor for social tow sports, but would otherwise be content with the smaller, cheaper, 75hp engine.

We came away impressed with the new Sea Jay 503 Territory SC.

This well-priced open console fishing boat compares favourably with the big-name competition in this market segment.

Priced from: $43,000 including a Mercury 90hp four-stroke extra-longshaft (25-inch) outboard engine with analogue gauges, single-axle Sea Jay galvanised steel trailer with mechanical brakes, inshore safety gear pack, and 12 months boat and trailer registrations.

Price as tested: $46,000. As above but with an engine upgrade to the 90hp Mercury outboard engine with Smartcraft digital gauges and an alloy-framed T-top with rocket launcher.

Supplied by: Nitro Marine