Bayliner Trophy Pro 2052

I don't mean to state the obvious, but what the heck. The walkaround is one of the fishing fraternity's all-time favourite boats.

Just about every multinational boatbuilder makes a walkaround or two, which is just as well.

The world's biggest boatbuilder, Bayliner, is a case in point. Bayliner has been building walkaround sportsfishers for almost as long as Penn has been making fishing reels and the Konahead came into being.

But unlike a lot of boatbuilders, Bayliner's walkaround, known as Trophies, keep a tail jump ahead of the pack. This is certainly the case with the new and nifty Trophy Pro 2052.

The 2052 has some nice touches such as walkarounds which are genuine thoroughfares not little gutters in which you must clamber along. What's more, the boat has sterndrive power and this produced a boat/motor package that felt as one.

Of course, there are smooth lines and the kind of top-quality fittings we've come to expect from big US boatbuilders. And good offshore capabilities to hook serious sportfishers. Sensibly, the 2052 is also a safe boat for families when the bites finished for the day.

ON DECK
The 20mm diameter bowrail is set at a good height and, with ample checkering of the gelcoat, walking around the cabin is a cinch. Amidships, the boat has a bimini top for shade, fixed to the inside of the windscreen.

Instinct may see you grab the bimini framework when moving along the walkaround, however it's a flimsy handhold. The leading edge of the wraparound windscreen is a better option.

Up front is a neat mother-in-law seat with a cushion moulded into the cabin top. It's a great place for crew to sit in rough seas while retrieving the ground tackle.

The moulded bowsprit has a fixed stainless steel roller. Nav lights are housed within polished-metal domes.

Their location seems a little odd but they are no doubt effective.

There are anchoring cleats and a skinny hatch into the anchor well. You will have trouble holding a reef pick in here, the solution being to mount a carrying tube on the bowrail.

A tinted hatch can be used in calm weather to air the cabin. With such wide walkways, you might guess the cabin is tight. But this isn't the case at all. But first, the cockpit.

COCKPIT CAPERS
Coming back off the walkway, on the starboard side, you will step onto the rear of end of the skipper's side seat box. A hatch in the top reveals the livebait tank.

A nearby switch enables you to fill the livebait tank or operate the deck wash. These are both neat standard features, as is the Igloo icebox with a capacity of around 54ltr, held in place with nylon brackets and elastic straps.

But, personally, I believe having the livebait tank at floor level could create problems when bait rigging in rough seas. The angler needs to take the hook rigs forward and stoop to catch baits and pin them.

A better option would be to have the tanks at the work-station on the transom. Having said that, at least this boat comes with a live-bait tank, unlike so many other boats purporting to be sportfishers.

I found the helm to be neatly set out, with well-placed instrumentation and good ergonomics. The passenger and skipper seats, upholstered bucket seats with forward and aft adjustment, were well supported.

There's enough room to mount two large electronic screens, say, a chart plotter and sounder. The compass, which is supplied as standard, is flush-mounted ahead of the skipper but unfortunately it's offset.

FISHING CENTRE
Half-length side pockets in the cockpit can hole gaffs and boat hooks. Padded coamings come in at roughly knee height, which is kid of low, but full marks for the stainless steel rodholders with rubber inserts in each aft corner and across the transom.

There are seats either side of the inboard engine box. Remove these seats you can get to the engine. Note both noise and heat-insulation, ample room at the front of the Mercury V-six to access belts and pulleys, and tight access to the steering ram.

Two kill tanks in the cockpit floor could hold a half dozen metre-long fish - handy when the pan-sized reds are running - or plenty of fenders for those trips to the fish markets when nothing is on the chew.

Access to the batteries is via a hatch under transom. Externally, trim tabs are fitted but there is no marlin board, which gave the impression that this boat is shorter than its stated length.

While we fishos don't want marling boards, as they just get in the way, the are great for diving. As luck would have it, this was a day for diving and fishing.

There was flat water through the Gold Coast seaway and gin-clear seas outside. So calm was it that you could while away the time at anchor in the cabin, with the rods set and the ratchets on.

CABIN FEVER
You enter the cabin via a bi-fold vertical door, which folds back against the portside cabin liner and is held in place with a nylon strap. A perspex fold down lid holds the door closed when you need to lock it up at tournament time.

Stepping down into the cabin - your knees are about level with the cockpit sole - means you gain lots of space. Bunk cushions hide stowage space and there is a padded pocket forward.

A removable table doubles as the infill to make a berth capable of sleeping two people. If you aren't so friendly, leave the infill out and I still reckon you will still sleep two on the vee berth.

The foot well is enormous for a centre cab of this size. It easily holds the legs of five people sitting on the vee berth and there is good head clearance.

A portable toilet is plumbed for water, though it can be removed when needed. Nearby is storage space and together the whole cabin arrangement will work well for weekending.

DRIVE TIME
The boat handled the small swell outside easily, proving dry when cutting though the larger boat wash. There was no wind to wet the windscreen and I noted most of the spray was being pushed down and away.

Manoeuvring in tight situations at speed was effortless with the rack and pinion steering coupled to the Mercury hydraulics. No cavitation was detected and tracking was good. The trim tabs were very effective at lifting or lowering the bow.

At a trolling speed of 7.5kmh, the V-six ticked over at just 800rpm.

At 1850rpm , the boat is just on the plane doing 21kmh. Opening the throttle, the Trophy pulled 70kmh according to the GPS before the rev limiter cut in at 4000rpm.

From a sportsfishing perspective, the boat is capable of serious offshore work. Full marks for its big fuel tank that, with inboard power, will give a full day's trolling and then some.

However I believe the boat as tested needs fine tuning with appropriate grab rails along the walkaround, for example. This could be achieved quite easily by fitting a targa top with stainless framework (and rocket launcher) instead of the flimsy bimini.

For reef fishing, a tube for the grappling anchor is needed. And while we anglers mightn't like it, the boat would be better with a marlin or duckboard so the kiddies can swim off the back.

All of these things can be overcome with your Bayliner dealer. And tricked-up, the Trophy 2052 will match it anywhere. As it is, the boat has a lot of potential, is very well finished and, need I tell you, walkarounds rule, okay.