AMM 4900 Custom Console: Review

Australian Master Marine is best known for its class leading plate alloy offshore fishing craft and weekend cabin cruisers, but the company is also adept at building smaller plate boats – as evidenced by the recent release of the 4.5 – 5.7m Sea Class range of semi-production models. Full custom built craft are also available in the smaller sizes – like this excellent 4.9m Custom Console built with a heavy duty 5mm deep vee hull bottom.

OVERVIEW

- Custom boats a specialty

Leading Brisbane-based plate aluminium boat builder, Australian Master Marine (AMM) has concentrated on producing its larger, Tournament and Weekender cabin boats in recent years, but the company is happy to custom build just about any style of craft between 4.5 and 10m in length.

Having made this observation, smaller sized, full custom AMMs are pretty rare. You don’t see too many small custom craft from this alloy boat builder – so when a new model does come along, you can guarantee it will be pretty special. So it is with the subject of this review, the 4900 Stealth Custom Centre Console.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT

- First class finish and fit-out

AMM does not skrimp on the quality of materials or workmanship, and this was reflected in the superb standard of construction, fit-out and finish on the 4900 centre console offered for this review.

The Stealth black paint-work on the mirror smooth topsides was stunning, virtually blemish free, while inside the AMM team have gone for a natural checker-plate floor finish for strength, durability and easy cleaning.

Build quality on the 4900 was excellent throughout, and it was loaded with custom gear and equipment – including a plumbed live-bait tank, custom horizontal rod locker to port, folding centre console helm station, and electric trolling-motor mount at the bow.

All this gear adds to the bottom line price of course, but as a full custom, high quality craft that is finished to this level, you should expect to pay a premium.

As tested, with a Suzuki 90hp four-stroke outboard fitted with hydraulic steering and a custom AMM alloy trailer, the AMM 4900 is priced around $52K.

The price includes the above kit plus dual batteries, fully welded, self-draining cockpit floor, forward casting deck (with insulated ice box), underfloor kill tank, cutting board/work station, boarding platforms and ladder, six built-in rod holders, a Raymarine 7" Dragonfly multi-function display and a VHF radio.

A basic boat without the exterior paintwork (alloy boats don’t need to be painted) and no electronics, rod locker or bait tank will set you back about $46k.

INTERIOR LAYOUT

- Built for fishing through-and-through

AMM has built a fishing rig or two during the past two decades and this is evident in the interior layout and features of the 4900 Custom Centre Console.

With this craft, you can fish the lakes and impoundments one day, and go offshore fishing the next. The hull has the size and seaworthiness for a multi-function role, and the interior layout is versatile with plenty of cockpit freeboard (600mm) to keep you safe and secure in a sea.

At the same time, the bow casting platform with lift-out pedestal seat and trolling motor plate lends the boat to casting lures/flies in lakes and impoundments.

The casting deck is relatively short (490mm x 1.77m) by some measures, but it is a sufficient size for a single angler. Underneath the deck there is a large insulated ice box – which can double as a kill tank to keep your catch fresh. You could also rig this as a live-fish well for catch-and-release tournament fishing.

If you prefer to keep the ice box for drinks or general storage, there is an underfloor kill tank in the rear of the cockpit near the outboard well.

Forward of the trolling motor plate on the foredeck is an open anchor well. It has space for a suitable anchor, chain and warp – but would be improved with some outdoor carpet laid down to dampen any clatter from the anchor and chain.

Bow rails surround the bow and the stern on both sides.

The main cockpit section in the AMM 4900 is 2.7m long by 1.87m wide. Behind the lean-seat style alloy framed helm seat there is 1.87m of space back to the transom – which is just enough.

The helm console is a two-person model, as is the alloy-framed lean-seat. Cleverly, the helm seat frame is designed so that you can fit an esky underneath it.

On the trailing edge of the helm seat frame is a four-rod vertical rod rack. The back-rest for the helm seat slots into the two outer rod holders, but can be removed and stowed away to utilise the rod rack properly.

The centre console is quite a large unit, leaving just enough space to the sides to stand and fish or walk forward to the bow. It does not have a windscreen, but is high enough to provide some wind shelter. There is also an excellent grab rail.

The bracket-mounted Raymarine GPS/fish finder on the test rig is a little too exposed when situated on top of the console unit – so it needs to be rigged to be removable for safe-keeping.

In other areas the design of the console works well. There is space for the engine instruments, steering wheel, throttle box and switch panel, and there is a glove box style locker and a shelf under the console.

A key feature of the console is that the top section can be folded forward to reduce the overall height of the boat/trailer package for garaging.

Fishing features aboard the AMM 4900 include the live-bait tank built into the starboard side transom corner, large alloy bait cutting board over the outboard well, saltwater deck wash, and the horizontal rod locker situated under the port side transom coaming.

The rod locker is carpeted inside and suits the stowage of threadline and baitcasting gear.

The provision of the rod locker has limited the side pocket storage on the port side, but there is a full-length, above-floor side locker over to starboard.

The test rig was fitted with a dual battery system with the batteries enclosed in cases and mounted on slightly raised platforms in the transom corners.

Other features included a bilge access hatch, deck-mounted stern cleats, rear boarding platforms, non-slip paint on the side coamings, and large scuppers in the transom corners for the self-draining system.

ON THE WATER

- Soft ride, great handling, solid performance

AMM’s 4.5 – 4.9m hulls are built with an 18 degree deadrise at the transom. This is quite a sharp vee shape for this size of boat; most competitors have a transom vee in the 15 – 17 degree range.

Shallower vee hulls are usually stiffer at rest, not so soft underway. A deeper vee shape generally softens the ride up, assuming the deeper vee is coupled with a fine entry at the bow.

You can usually expect some loss of stability at rest by opting for a deeper vee shape in a sub 5.0m craft, but this proved minimal with the test rig.

In practice, out on the water, the AMM 4900 proved very comfortable. The hull worked a treat in some choppy waters surrounding the Gold Coast’s Southport Seaway. The finely drawn forefoot, combined with a pronounced keel extrusion and full length deep vee certainly produced the goods with regard to ride comfort. It was softer than many larger boats (in both alloy and fibreglass), sure-footed in a following sea, and sufficiently stable at rest and underway.

With regard to overall performance, the hull was well matched to the Suzuki 90hp four-stroke – which offered a low 30 knot top speed, but importantly, with plenty of oomph in the low and mid range.

VERDICT

- A custom built centre console fisher with pedigree

AMM is a top-tier Australian plate alloy boat manufacturer. The AMM design team has been crafting serious fishing and cruising boats for more than two decades – so they know their stuff.

The 4900 Custom Centre Console reviewed here is just one example of the many types and sizes of craft the company is capable of building.

This boat is a beauty, make no mistake. A custom AMM like this will cost you a little more than your average pressed-alloy boat from a mass-production builder, but there is a significant difference in build quality, finish, handling and performance.

LIKES

>>Soft ride

>>Tough 5mm bottom

>>Inshore/offshore cross-over fisher

>>Mirror smooth paint finish

>> 600mm cockpit freeboard

>> Seat frame can take ice box underneath

>>Non-slip paint on side coamings.

NOT SO MUCH

>> Quality comes at a cost

>> Glare off checker-plate floor

>> Could use noise suppressing carpet in anchor well

>> Prefer a removable cutting board

>> Exposed position of fish finder

RATINGS

Overall rating: 4.68/5.0

Mechanical/equipment: 4.8/5.0

Packaging and practicality: 4.7/5.0

On the water Performance: 4.7/5.0

Value for money: 4.5/5.0

X-factor: 4.7/5.0

PERFORMANCE

5.3kts (10km/h) @ 1500rpm

6.3kts (12km/h) @ 2000rpm

6.9kts (13km/h) @ 2500rpm

7.4kts (14km/h) @ 3000rpm

12.7kts (23km/h) @ 3500rpm

19.0kts (35km/h) @ 4000rpm

22.5kts (42km/h) @ 4500rpm

25.1kts (47km/h) @ 5000rpm

27.4kts (51km/h) @ 5500rpm

32.6kts (60km/h) @ 6000rpm (WOT)

Specifications:

Price: $52,000 including 90hp Suzuki extra-longshaft four-stroke outboard, AMM alloy drive-on trailer, hydraulic steering, GME VHF radio, Raymarine 7” Dragonfly Fish Finder/GPS, upgrade to dual batteries, live bait tank/deck wash pump, custom rod-locker, two-pack hull paint finish. 

Priced from: $45,865. As above but for an unpainted hull with a single battery, no electronics, and no live well or rod locker.

Length overall: 5.3m

Hull length: 4.9m

Beam: 2.05m

Hull weight: Approx. 450kg

Towing weight: Approx. 1,000kg

Deadrise: 18 degrees

Bottom alloy: 5mm

Topside alloy: 4mm

Cockpit floor alloy: 3mm

Maximum power: 90hp

Engine as tested: Suzuki 90hp four-stroke

Fuel: 100 litres

Maximum Persons: Five

Supplied by:

Australian Master Marine

234 Leitchs Road

Brendale QLD 4500

Phone: (07) 3889 7380.

Website: www.australianmastermarine.com.au

Email: info@australianmastermarine.com.au