2022 Highfield Sport 330 review

Highfield RIBs have not been around for all that long. The brand launched in 2011 with a range of mostly commercial RIBs and work boats developed with technology and know-how derived from Australia, but the brand is French/Chinese-owned with the boats made in China.

Remarkably, in less than a dozen years, Highfield has become the world's top-selling brand in the RIB tender sector and a major player in the larger 5.0-metre-plus RIB market.

In this relatively short time, the Highfield range has expanded significantly. There are now around 40 different models ranging from traditional roll-up inflatable tenders you can stow in your car, to commercial- and military-grade RIBs for professional workboat applications.

All the RIB models are made with deep-vee aluminium hulls and use inflatable tubes made from either Orca CSM Hypalon or Valmex PVC fabrics.

In 2020, Highfield launched the Sport range of side and centre console RIBs with forward controls. There are now a dozen models between 3.0 metres and 9.0 metres in length.

For this review, Highfield Boats Australia presented the second-to-smallest RIB, the Highfield Sport 330, paired with a 30hp Tohatsu four-stroke outboard engine.

Package prices for the Highfield Sport 330 start from $34,7490 with the aforementioned Tohatsu 30hp longshaft (20-inch) outboard with mechanical steering, trim and tilt, and an SE Sport 200 hydrofoil, as well as a white coloured hull, single-axle Evolution trailer, and 12 months of boat and trailer registrations.

Our test boat was essentially standard but for the addition of a Garmin Ecomap UHD 65cv multifunction display with a NMEA 2000 link, and a Fusion MS-RA60 marine audio system with speakers.

With the electronics, the drive-away package prices rises to $37,349.

The Highfield Sport 330 is a diminutive but tough little boat with an overall length of 3.36 metres and a beam of 2.04 metres. It weighs 199kg and can carry a maximum load of 549kg or five people.

Beneath the inflatable tube perimeter, the Highfield has a "high-tensile chromated" and powder-coated 3.0mm aluminium deep vee hull with a steep transom deadrise of 20 degrees. The vee angle is naturally much sharper again up at the stem.

The sturdy alloy hull is surrounded by 430mm diameter inflatable tubes made using high-quality Orca chlorosulfonated polyethylene-coated fabric (CSM) from French maker Pennel & Flipo. This product is the modern version of Hypalon.

The Highfield inflatable hull tubes also have three separate air chambers to ensure the boat will remain afloat should one section deflate.

Externally the pontoon tubes have a full-length rubbing strip/strake to protect the hull when the boat comes alongside a wharf or mothership.

A full-length keel guard strip takes care of the hull bottom when the boat is pulled up onto a beach, boat ramp or rocky foreshore.

Inside the boat, the Highfield Sport 330 has a fibreglass side console and a self-draining aluminium deck with EVA foam flooring to provide a non-slip surface.

Forward is a 30-litre alloy fuel tank built into the space beneath the front seat. The fuel line, steering and throttle linkages, and the like are all routed under the floor to keep the decks clear and uncluttered.

All seat cushions are made with high-quality vinyl fabrics, double-diamond stitched for durability and an upmarket aesthetic. The cushions use reticulated foam and an open weave backing so they won't hold moisture or cause mould.

At the bow is an elevated, but flat fibreglass step/pad surfaced with EVA foam rubber to make it easy to disembark onto a wharf or mothership.

Bow cleats and navigation lights are recessed to keep them out of the way and to remove a potential tripping hazard.

Folding stainless steel davit lifting rings are located internally at the bow and stern. The two aft lifting points are situated high up behind the aft bench seat for easy access.

The Highfield Sport 330 also has two welded transom lifting points and four lock/tie-down rings welded to the hull bottom

The Highfield Sport 330 is only 3.3 metres long so there is not a great deal of interior space to move about. There is, however, fixed seating for four people as well as the broad inflatable side tubes that are nearly as comfortable to perch on.

As noted, all seat cushions are double diamond-stitched. Our test boat also had a carbon-look fabric around the outside of each cushion to spruce them up further.

A seat in the forepeak faces aft toward the helm console. Beneath it is a locker that houses the fuel tank.

The filler hole for the fuel tank is conveniently located on the top of the storage locker, forward of the hinged lid. With this set-up, you can fill the tank without opening the hatch. On the downside, for some tender applications, the fuel tank is not removable so it can't be topped up externally.

The second fixed seat is built into the helm station console on the port side, above the battery storage compartment. There is no backrest to the cushioned seat, but it does allow you to face forward or aft.

The primary seating/storage area is located aft across the transom. This double-wide bench seat with removable cushioned backrest caters for the skipper and first mate.

This broad, cushioned helm chair is surprisingly comfortable and perfectly placed before the sports steering wheel. The Tohatsu throttle lever, however, was positioned a little too far forward for me to operate easily while seated.

That said, the throttle falls more naturally to hand if you stand up to drive the boat. There's also an excellent console grab rail/handhold, along with a recess/cut-out under the console to place your feet when sitting or standing at the helm.

Beneath the aft bench seat cushion, there is a full-width dry storage compartment with a gas strut-supported hatch lid.

There's another storage space inside the console, behind a front opening hatch. This opening also provides access to the back of the dash and fascia for servicing/installing engine gauges and instruments.

The helm console itself is narrow but suitably sized for this small boat. There is flat panel space above the steering wheel for a single 12-inch multifunction display or a smaller display with a separate engine gauge.

A cool feature of the Highfield Sport 330 is the polished aluminium switch panel with push-button switches that use blue LED back-lighting. This panel is standard on all Highfield Sport models and matches the blue courtesy deck lights located under the console.

Other notable features include a 12-volt socket; battery isolating switch; speakers for the optional Fusion audio system; three pontoon tube grab/carry handles to port and starboard; folding stern cleats; non-return scuppers for the cockpit drainage system; provision for an optional ski pole; pontoon tube fixing rings for the optional bimini cover; a welded transom transducer bracket; and a clever welded transom storage recess/pocket for the large hull drain bung.

It would be easy to pigeonhole the Highfield Sport 330 as a great little mothership tender and to disregard its potential for anything else. But that would be a mistake.

Similar to its siblings, the Highfield Sport 330 is much more than that. This is a genuine mini-sports boat, with great handling, a super soft ride, and excellent stability.

Of course, most RIBs are wonderfully stable, which is why they suit tender applications so well. But not all RIBs are good performers at speed. The Highfield Sport 330 is one of the good ones — its deep vee aluminium hull is terrifically smooth and dry through the chop, and it is great fun to drive.

I took the Highfield Sport 330 out for a spin by myself and had a ball flinging this little RIB about on the Gold Coast Broadwater. It corners on a dime, grips up beautifully through the turns, and responds immediately to changes in engine trim, which allows you to set the boat to suit the conditions.

Adding a second person to the mix dilutes the fun a little, but that's to be expected in such a small boat with just a 30hp outboard engine on the transom. That said, whilst we lost a bit of top speed with the added weight, the boat retained its excellent handling and ride.

The Highfield Sport 330 is conservatively rated for a maximum of 30hp. This feels about right with just the skipper onboard, but I reckon it could handle a bit more power with two or more on the boat. I certainly would advocate fitting the maximum power outboard.

With two people onboard, the 30hp Tohatsu four-stroke outboard engine pushed the Highfield Sport 330 to a top speed of 22 knots at 6000rpm. The boat/engine combination had ample power and thrust through the mid-range, but felt a little light on grunt down low.

The test rig planed easily enough with two people onboard but gets there faster if you have the second person sitting up in the bow. Overall, though, the Highfield Sport 330 is a dynamic little boat with excellent handling and performance.

Performance

Range on 95% of the 30L fuel supply: 63.8nm at 5000rpm

It's not difficult to see how and why Highfield has captured much of the worldwide RIB market. The Highfield Sport 330 is a superbly equipped tender and a wonderful little sports boat.

Moreover, if the Highfield Sport 330 is not quite the right size for you, there are plenty of other sizes available, going up (or down) the model range in small increments.

The model below the 330 is the entry-level Highfield Sport 300. The model above it is the Highfield Sport 360.

With so many (a dozen) different Sport models available, there is certain to be a Highfield RIB here to suit nearly every tender/sports boat application.

Priced from: $34,749 including an electric start 30hp Tohatsu longshaft (20-inch) four-stroke outboard engine with mechanical steering, trim and tilt, and an SE Sport 200 hydrofoil, along with a white-coloured hull, single-axle Evolution trailer, and 12 months boat and trailer registrations.

Price as tested: $37,349. As above but with the addition of a Garmin Ecomap UHD 65cv multifunction display with NMEA 2000 outboard link, and a Fusion MS-RA60 marine audio system with speakers.

Supplied by: Highfield Boats Australia