2021 Arvor 805 Sportsfish review

That’s where the Arvor Sportsfish comes in. This range of European boats takes the big game fishing platform and philosophy and condenses it into a compact pilothouse-equipped boat sitting on a rough-water hull proven in the North Sea.

Up near the top of the Sportsfish range is the Arvour 805 Sportsfish. Redesigned last year from the keel up, it is the first of a new generation of Sportsfish-badged models that will include the smaller 675 and 605 Sportsfish boats.

The range will soon expand to include another new model, the Arvor 705 Sportsfish.

As well as the plothouse, the Arvor 805 Sportsfish – the subject of our review – includes a twin berth and optional galley for extended stays in remote locations.

The Arvor 805 Sportsfish is aimed at keen anglers and set up to hit the water needing only a few personal touches.

Prices start from $134,500 when fitted with a 225hp Mercury V6 four-stroke outboard engine and excluding a trailer – most owners will keep the boat on the water.

The steep price is justified when you consider the extensive list of standard equipment fitted to the Arvor 805 Sportsfish.

Standard features in the cockpit of the 805 Sportsfish include a self-draining deck; two large kill tanks on either side of the floor: a floodlight; a walk-around transom; starboard cockpit gate; raw water deck wash; and four stainless steel gunnel rod holders.

The pilothouse gains a dinette; seats for both the skipper and first mate; a forward opening portlight; starboard sliding door; a freshwater sink with a pressurised tap; single windscreen wiper; Smartcraft dash-mounted gauges; overhead rod storage; and a fire extinguisher and carbon monoxide alarm.

An optional cruise pack adds a number of family-friendly touches such as bunk cushions, curtains, a cockpit shower and table, and a galley with stove and fridge. Likewise, an electronics pack adds a 9.0-inch Simrad NSS9 Evo3 chartplotter/fishfinder, a four-speaker Fusion audio system, and Mercury VesselView digital gauges.

The Arvor 805 Sportsfish comes equipped with a transom bait and tackle station with a plumbed live bait tank and an extra five rod holders.

The station includes a pair of cup holders and a cutting board. However, the lift-out cutting board could disappear overboard one day, and the lack of a trailing edge on the benchtop means things could easily roll off it.

Toe rails along the cockpit floor are a nice touch.

The pilothouse also has a roof-mounted rack for another five rods below the sunroof. Its span makes it suitable only for light outfits, but the slots will take 7.0-foot rods, a common size in Australia.

A Cruising Pack costing $11,002 adds all the comforts for overnighting, including a fridge, sink, roof hatch, full cabin curtains and berth cushions. Owners can also have the option of a fully enclosed head and basin.

The twin-berth cabin is best suited to two people.

A great fishing option is a second helm located in the cockpit that, when you’re trolling, puts you right in the action. If you don’t get the extra helm, another handy option is a factory-fitted sounder – there’s one on our test boat – that is much more accessible from the cockpit than the one mounted in the pilothouse.

You can also add a sliding door on the port side of the pilothouse to supplement the standard starboard one. It makes moving from one side of the boat to the other seamless.

Finally, consider adding a slide-out sun awning that shades the cockpit.

The angular Arvor 805 Sportsfish stays true to the previous model, preserving its all-weather pilothouse – great if you'd rather not get wet. Despite its more comfy focus, this is still a quick boat – the 300hp Mercury Verado will push it above 40 knots.

Hull rigidity is enhanced using an independent box-beam construction, and a traditional knitted unidirectional fibreglass. Rattles and creaks were non-existent on the test day.

The Arvor 805 Sportsfish sits on a relatively standard hull, built to be stable and comfortable It has a reasonable deadrise producing a competent ride in all conditions.

The bow has a distinctive flare that helps to reduce spray throwing onto the boat, even in the most horrible of conditions. If you do get spray on the window, a press of the wiper switch immediately whisks it away.

The Arvor 805 Sportsfish taps into plenty of clever solutions to the archnemesis of any boat: space. Cockpit bench seats fold neatly into the hull so they’re not in the way when not in use. Underfloor storage spaces are abundant, and internal cupboards can house smaller items.

The helm is simple, making it easy to see what you need at a glance. Engine readouts are clustered together with plenty of space for a multifunction display. All the controls fall to hand easily and I love the fold-out step for your feet.

The pilot’s position is very comfortable, with a well-designed helm seat. A single-pane windscreen stretching the entire width of the pilothouse helps with forward vision.

The walk-up outboard engine for the Arvor 805 Sportsfish is a 225hp Mercury, but our test boat was fitted with a 300hp Mercury outboard engine. This 4.6-litre V8-based unit uses a fly-by-wire throttle and gearshift. Power-assisted electronic steering makes it easy to whip the boat into turns.

The 300hp Mercury is an excellent outboard engine for this boat, delivering spritely acceleration and plenty of power across all revs. A smaller outboard engine will save you money, but should still deliver ample performance.

The Arvor 805 Sportsfish can run a maximum of 350hp in either single or twin-engine configurations.

With all this fishing space and comfort, where can you go? The answer is pretty much anywhere you choose, the enclosed pilothouse making things comfortable even in the toughest waters and meanest conditions.

Despite its bulky looks, this is an efficient hull. The Arvor 805 Sportsfish planes quickly and will accelerate cleanly, even higher in the rev range where power curves tend to fall flat. A top speed of 41 knots is impressive, and, as far as I can tell, class-leading.

The newly designed hull lacks a sharp entry, and widens and flattens relatively quickly, so this is a boat that you will need to drive to the conditions. 

It does a good job of keeping water down and away from the boat most of the time but like any design, when conditions are testing the wind will occasionally force spray onto the boat. Warm and dry inside the pilothouse, you won’t care.

The steering is direct and turns the Arvor 805 Sportsfish in the intended direction. It’s a heavy-feeling boat, but does not get pushed around easily by chop. This is a good thing if you are slow trolling a live bait for marlin.

The Arvor 805 Sportsfish really does take it to the larger and more expensive sports fishing cruisers. Everything you need to mix it with the big boys is here and via a healthy standard equipment list.

All you need to do is choose the electronics you want.

The Arvor 805 Sportsfish is ideal for regularly going a long way offshore to find fish offshore, and in conditions where open boat owners would rather stay home.

While it is primarily aimed at the fishing market, there is still enough versatility to mix it up with family trips.

Most importantly, the design of the Arvor 805 Sportsfish will let you drop baits, cast lures or simply relax after a tough day jigging, all while keeping the family in a decent level of comfort.

Even if you’re not into fishing, the enclosed pilothouse means you can get out more often.

Priced from: $134,500 including pilothouse rod racks; twin berth; foredeck opening portlight; cabin lights; table/dinette; fire extinguisher; sink with freshwater tap and pressure system; pilot and co-pilot seats; starboard cabin sliding door; starboard windscreen wiper; Smartcraft gauges; carbon monoxide monitor; smoke detector; swim platform with ladder; dual fish lockers; cockpit pocket and gunnel rod holders; live well; toe rails; floodlight; fishing/bait station; transom doors; raw water cockpit deck wash; dual battery system; electric and manual bilge pump.

Price as tested: $145,502 including Cruise Pack with fridge; sink; roof hatch, full cabin curtains; berth cushions; mooring kit. Price of 300hp Mercury upgrade and enclosed head not included.

Supplied by: Arvor Boats Australia