Best boats of the 2021 Perth Boat Show

A number of boat manufacturers and dealers used the event to introduce Perth boaters, and the rest of Australia, to a range of new products making a splash.

But it wasn't just the new stuff turning heads. In among the new stuff, there was one particular older boat that caught our attention.

Here, then, are the boatsales.com.au picks of the 2021 Perth Boat Show – old and new.

Holidaying in, and exploring, your own region is becoming more and more popular in today’s world which is why Fish Hunter Boats' unique boat-trailer-camper combination was a highlight of the show for me.

This is a case of a manufacturer offering the right product at the right time. South Perth-based Fish Hunter Boats is an aluminium boat builder that specialises in no-fuss, tough-built boats for fishers and divers.

Using its 460XS Tourer – a 4.6-metre open tinny designed for a tiller-steer outboard of up to 60hp – as the base, Fish Hunter Boats has modified the trailer to add an aluminium frame that goes up over the boat.

It then adds a roof-top tent and some extra bar work so the structure can carry additional necessities such as surfboards, stand-up paddleboards or even a kayak.

It also comes with a side awning and swing-out table.

The 4.6-metre tinnie comes standard with bait board/Targa bar with four rod holders, a helm seat with armrests, tackle tray holders, a Lowrance sounder and all safety gear.

The boat on display was fitted with a 60hp Mercury outboard engine in a package priced at
$47,500.

The Pirelli Pzero 42 deserves mention on looks alone. It is the epitome of luxury day cruising, with a massive sunbed in the bow and dining area and an equally large deck area down the back.

Fitted with the best of everything and using only top-of-the-range materials, it comes standard with features including an ice maker, fridge/freezer, hotplates and ample storage to ensure you have everything you need for a day on the water.

Below decks, there is a double bed and separate head for making it more than comfortable for a weekend (or longer) away.

Performance comes from three 300hp Mercury outboard engines that will ensure you will not have to waste any time getting to your chosen destination.

With a price tag of $799,000, it is a boat that is attracting plenty of attention from those looking to downsize from large luxury cruisers.

On show for the first time, the Revival R640HT X-Series is a boat for someone who likes the finer things in life.

Based on the already popular R640 offshore boat built by Melbourne-based fibreglass boat specialist Revival, the R640HT X-Series has a beefed-up transom to allow a 250hp Mercury outboard engine to be bolted on instead of the standard 225hp maximum-rated engine.

It also comes with upgrades including diamond-stitched helm upholstery, rubber flooring, a premium sound system, under-seat helm and passenger iceboxes, and LED cockpit lighting.

This boat is like finding a car you like and buying the top-of-the-range model to get all the extra trimmings and technology. My only surprise was to hear that the new owner of this $147,000 boat was going to use it for crabbing, fishing and pulling cray pots. All I could say in response was: “Won’t he scratch it?”

An old boat is not normally on a list of showstoppers, but I had to include this 1987 Boston Whaler 11 Super Sports in my highlight list.

The boat was bought several years ago by a Perth customer with plans of using it for crabbing, but it was badly damaged in the sea container on the journey from the US and was written off by the insurance company.

After several years of neglect, West Coast Boat Works managing director Brett Prior came into possession of the little Whaler and decided to restore it as a demonstration of the type of work they could do.

The result is an outstanding little boat that is going to attract plenty of attention
everywhere it goes.

The 3.3-metre Whaler was originally designed to be used as a tender or inland fishing boat, however, the restored version that is now worth around $15,000 for the hull alone would certainly stand out among the inflatable dinghies tied up to the jetty at the Rottnest Island Hotel or any other popular marina.

Sitting among all the other aluminium fishing boats, the Westerberg Aurora 8m stands out like a bodybuilder on steroids, attracting a crowd pulled in just by ther sheer scale of it.

Most of the space in the Aurora is in the aft cockpit, making it ideal for fishing, diving or
cray fishing.

While it’s big in size, it’s not that big on comforts – this is a boat made for filling fish boxes, not catching rays.

That said, the Westerberg Aurora 8m is designed to handle family outings and extended trips, and comes equipped with a large V-berth and bunks in the forward cabin, and a head, but that is where the luxuries end. It also has a Seakeeper gyroscopic stabiliser on board to smooth out the roughest of waters, either on the move or at rest.

At 8.0 metres long and 2.7 metres wide, and weighing 4000kg including the trailer, you are going to need something big – and a permit – to tow it.

The Westerberg Aurora 8m on display at the show was priced at $208,000.