Osprey 420SC 2024 Review

Overview

The alloy pontoon boat market in Australia is growing, but demand for these distinctive-looking craft remains relatively small, at least outside of commercial and workboat applications.

That’s not the case across the Tasman. Plate alloy pontoon boats are very popular with New Zealand anglers and adventurers, and this lucrative market is fiercely contested by several different brands.

Here in Australia, we have been exposed mostly to the leading Kiwi pontoon boat maker, Stabicraft. However, Stabicraft has about half a dozen NZ rivals, including Osprey Boats.

Headquartered in Stoke, near Nelson on New Zealand’s South Island, Osprey produces around 30 different production models along with custom builds for commercial applications.

The range of boats includes tiller-steer tenders, side and centre console fishing boats, along with cuddy cabin, hardtop cruiser and walkaround models to 8.5 metres in length.

For this review, new Gold Coast Osprey dealer Going Boating Australia presented us with one of Osprey’s smallest side console boats, the 420SC, paired with a 30hp Mercury outboard engine.

Price and equipment

Interestingly, the Osprey 420SC is also available with a more basic, tiller-steer set-up called the Osprey 420S.

The 420S has the same basic layout as the 420SC side console boat, albeit with a different helm and steering configuration.

Osprey dealer Going Boating Australia has the Osprey 420S tiller model priced from $29,990 when paired with a manual-start 20hp Mercury longshaft outboard engine, and a Dunbier single-axle galvanised steel trailer.

In contrast, our Osprey 420SC test boat has a package price of $38,990. This includes the side console helm station with remote controls, along with a larger electric-start 30hp Mercury outboard engine and the same Dunbier trailer.

Both models are fitted with bow and stern rails, built-in rod rack and rod holders, as well as an H2O Flooring EVA foam-rubber floor to the cockpit, front casting deck/seat, and coaming top.

Paint to the topsides (above the pontoon tubes) is also included by Osprey dealer, Going Boating Australia.

The side console Osprey 420SC also comes with navigation lights; a removable rear bench helm seat; a bilge pump; battery with master switch; rear boarding platforms with port side step; and an optional Lowrance Hook Reveal 7 fishfinder/GPS plotter.

Hull and engineering

The Osprey 420SC is diminutive in size with an overall length of just 4.35 metres and a maximum beam of 1.22 metres.

Structurally, however, this is one tough little boat; it’s built to handle just about anything.

The 18-degree deep-vee hull bottom is made from 3.0mm plate alloy, while the fully welded upper pontoon tubes, which encircle the hull, are constructed using 2.5mm alloy.

Significantly, the airtight and baffled (for separate compartments) pontoon tubes provide 1030kg of positive buoyancy, making this Osprey virtually unsinkable.

As with most plate alloy boats, the hull bottom is reinforced with longitudinal welded alloy stringers to each side of a full-length keel bar.

Cross gussets at regular intervals increase rigidity, while overhead there is a welded tread-plate alloy floor to bind it all together.

As noted, the alloy floor in our test rig was surfaced with Australian-made H2O Flooring EVA foam rubber which is soft, cool and grippy underfoot.

Everything about the Osprey looks and feels overbuilt, made to withstand the toughest sea and working conditions.

Despite the fully welded, heavy-duty construction though, the Osprey 420SC has a listed hull weight of only 240kg, so I expect this to translate into a BMT package trailer weight of around 600 to 700kg, depending on the engine fitted.

Design and layout

The interior of the 420 Osprey is practical in design, albeit a bit cramped in space. The width across the floor is inhibited by the pontoon tubes, resulting in reduced flat-floor space when compared to a traditional 4.0-metre monohull.

That said, the side console is welded directly to the side deck on the starboard side so that there is ample foot/walkway space beneath it.

The helm console is quite small too, but it is certainly suitable sized for a 4.2-metre boat where space is at a premium.

There is room on the front fascia for the steering wheel, switches and engine gauges.

Multifunction electronic displays need to be bracket-mounted overhead, beneath a surprisingly effective acrylic windshield.

Our test boat was rigged with an optional Lowrance Hook Reveal fishfinder/chartplotter.

The throttle box is side-mounted to the side deck coaming, within a comfortable reach of the skipper when seated on a bench helm seat that slides back and forth over the top of the side storage pockets on each side of the boat.

The welded alloy bench helm seat also has a storage compartment beneath port and starboard side vinyl padded seat squabs, and the entire bench can be removed for cleaning or to enlarge the rear cockpit for fishing.

Behind the helm bench seat is provision for a boxed engine starting battery with a master switch in the starboard transom corner, along with a railed-off location on the port side opposite to contain the 25-litre portable fuel tank.

There’s also a water catchment/sump recess with an auto bilge pump located on the floor beneath the outboard-mounted bracket.

The transom is relatively low, but commensurate with this size of boat. There’s enough freeboard out back for me to feel comfortable using this boat in choppy bay waters.

Outside of the transom and the single-engine longshaft outboard mounting bracket there are boarding platforms on both sides, as well as a folding step/ladder on the port side.

From the transom and aft cockpit area, the H2O Flooring-surfaced floor stretches right forward to the bow casting deck.

The elevated front deck is welded in position and exceptionally strong. I suspect it adds significant strength and rigidity to the entire boat.

The deck is large and sturdy enough for a single adult to stand and fish up front.

The front platform also doubles as a bow seat and could be cushioned to make it properly comfortable.

Forward of the front deck is a welded alloy anchor well beneath and behind a small bowsprit and anchor fairlead/bow roller.

There’s also a hefty-looking cleat welded to the front of the anchor well, recessed beneath the deck line so it does not snag fishing or deck lines.

Other notable features include welded bow and stern grab rails, a welded aluminium vertical rod rack (for four rods), along with four cup holders and four stainless steel rod holders flush-fitted into the foam-rubber surfaced wide side coamings.

On the water

The Osprey 420SC has a smooth, strake-free plate alloy vee-monohull with what can be described as a pontoon collar encircling the topsides.

These pontoons provide inherent flotation and enough buoyancy/lift to achieve very close to inflatable boat/RIB levels of stability at rest.

The pontoon tubes also allow for a much deeper vee hull bottom shape than is possible with a conventional vee-monohull.

Accordingly, and to maximise ride comfort, the Osprey 420 has a very fine entry shape at the bow, stretching aft to a deadrise vee angle at the transom of 18 degrees.

On the water, this sharp vee hull shape is very evident as the ride is much smoother in bay chop than any regular monohull in this size range, or larger.

The plate alloy construction also adds a bit of heft and sturdiness to the ride and the handling.

The Osprey is not overly dry out in the choppy stuff with wind-blown spray, but it is smooth riding, very stable, quick to plane (thanks to the pontoon tube buoyancy), and generally well-mannered.

Having noted the above, the Osprey is still quite a small boat so it does have limitations; I’d be happy running this rig a few miles offshore on calm days, but would keep to the bay and harbour in adverse sea/weather conditions. 

That I would even contemplate taking the 420 Osprey offshore says a lot about this boat’s inherent safety and seaworthiness.

With regard to engine power, the Osprey 420SC is rated to accept a single longshaft (20-inch) outboard engine to a maximum of 50hp.

I don’t think you need 50hp, but I would certainly consider a 40hp to be the optimum engine for this boat.

Our test rig was paired with a smooth, lightweight 30hp Mercury, which was good for a top speed of about 22.0 knots with two adults onboard.

That’s arguably quick enough for a 4.2-metre boat, but I would probably go for the slightly larger engine to maximise the capability of the Osprey hull and to have a reserve of grunt/power for loaded boating/fishing applications.

Verdict

The Osprey 420 side console is a terrifically versatile and practical small boat. It’s compact and light enough to move and tow easily about, yet strong and safe enough to handle choppy bay and harbour sea conditions.

It is also stable and rigid enough for use as a mothership tender and as bay-based runabout/fun boat.

With the addition of a range of options – bait board, live bait tank, extra rod racks, and more – the 420 Osprey also has the makings of an excellent inshore/nearshore fishing boat.

With a folding trailer drawbar, I reckon you could also easily squeeze this diminutive boat package into your garage at home to keep it out of the weather.

Specifications
Model: Osprey 420SC
Length overall: 4.35m
Beam: 1.85m
Internal beam: 1.22m
Deadrise: 18 degrees
Hull weight: 240kg
Towing weight: 650kg (est)
Alloy: 2.5mm (pontoon tube)/3.0mm (bottom and transom)
Maximum power: 50hp
Engine as tested: 30hp Mercury FourStroke long-shaft (20-inch)
Fuel: Portables
Passengers: 3

Priced from: $29,990 for the Osprey 420S model including a tiller-steer, manual start 20hp Mercury FourStroke longshaft (20-inch) outboard engine and Dunbier, galvanised steel trailer (no brakes); H2O Flooring EVA foam-rubber to the cockpit floor, the front casting deck/seat, and to the side deck coamings.

Price as tested: $38,990 including a 30hp Mercury FourStroke longshaft outboard engione; single-axle Dunbier galvanised steel trailer (no brakes); Lowrance Hook Reveal 7 fishfinder/chartplotter; H2O Flooring EVA foam-rubber to the cockpit floor, the front casting deck/seat, and to the side deck coamings; paint to the topsides (above the pontoon tubes)

Supplied by: Going Boating Australia