Blue Fin Drifter Tournament Pro 435

Blue Fin has a large range of models for both family buyers and dedicated fishermen. There are approximately 80 boats to choose from -- ranging from a tiny 2.55m dinghy through to the 5.8m cuddy cabin family boat.

Earlier this year Blue Fin Boats changed hands, and the new owners have set about making their mark upon the company by releasing a number of new and innovative models. The latest is the Drifter Tournament Pro 435, a dedicated sports fisher for smooth-water competition fishing.

At a glance, the new Drifter Tournament Pro looks much the same as Blue Fin’s existing Drifter Tournament series, but the new Pro model has a completely new hull which incorporates a full outboard pod in place of a traditional outboard well. The new EZIRIDE hull is also wider and has slightly reversed chines for improved stability at rest.

The new Tournament Pro is loaded with standard features and equipment -- which makes its $24,825 base BMT package price very good value.

The standard inventory is substantial; serious competition fishermen are not going to be left wanting.

Key features include carpeted front and rear casting decks, side console helm station, two upholstered, folding pedestal chairs (with four seat positions), a casting deck storage bin with clear tackle trays, Fusion audio system (with Ipod dock and speakers), electric motor mounting pad, rod locker, 60-litre fuel tank, 90-litre divided live well, underfloor flotation (to basic standard), custom wiring harness with LED navigation lights, bilge pump, battery switch and switch panel, and a whole lot more.

Basically, everything you can see in the photos of the test boat is standard, except for the custom vinyl hull wrap, and the carbon fibre-look dash insert. These two options lift the package (with 60hp Suzuki four-stroke and Blue Fin trailer) to $26,099.

There are not many options available because the Drifter Pro is so well equipped in standard form. Most are obvious add-ons like a bimini cover, electronics, trolling motor, etc. However, one option tournament anglers might go for is the Pro Tournament live well which comes with a timer and a few other features to make it easier to keep your bait or catch alive.

Another is the upgrade from a 3mm hull bottom to a 4mm bottom.

The casting decks at front and rear are 350mm up above the centre floor area so anglers can cast lures or flies with minimal restrictions. Being up high also makes it easier to sight fish that may be lurking around or under structure such as logs, branches, jetty pylons, etc.

The front casting deck is almost square at 1.76m long and wide. Underneath there is a locker to port which houses six Blue Fin branded tackle storage trays.

A general storage bin is located on the starboard side, while the anchor is situated in a locker/well in the forepeak.

There was no bollard on the bow to tie-off the anchor so it will need to be secured to the bow side rail -- which is less than ideal.

I know some fishermen prefer not to have bollards and cleats on the decks as they may snag a fishing line, but I can’t see the benefit really -- given that most anglers will also have other line-catching items scattered about the boat -- such as a trolling motor and rail-mount rod holders.

Moving aft we come to one of the best features of the Drifter Tournament Pro, and that’s the 90-litre polyethylene divided live fish well. For a standard inclusion the live well is a ripper.

My only concern is that the alloy divider in the test boat had a sharp edge on it which managed to jag my finger. I was told that this was an oversight and that it would normally be rounded off properly.

As noted earlier, the Drifter Tournament Pro comes with two pedestal chairs which can be moved to four different positions, one each for the helm and passenger, another up on the casting deck, and the fourth directly beside the helm console.

The chairs used are good quality products and very comfortable -- as was the general helm position. I would have preferred the helm chair to be slightly closer to the steering wheel, but I’m not a large bloke so it would probably be ideal for most people.

The helm console itself is small and compact -- a bit too small in my opinion. A small console may be easier to fish around, but if you don’t have much dash space it becomes difficult to fit instruments and electronics. In the Drifter there is space for a couple of radios, but a sounder/GPS will need to be mounted on a bracket attached to the side of the console.

Some of the Drifter features toward the stern of the boat include an above-floor side storage pocket beside the helm chair, wide side decks, a full-width storage locker (incorporating the battery and master switch) under the rear casting deck, rear boarding platforms, and the full-length rod locker on the port side.

One neat feature I liked was an additional space under the rod locker that was designed to accept the included tackle storage trays. With tackle storage areas in the bow and stern, you will always have the gear you need on hand.

Unfortunately our Suzuki test motor was not perfectly set-up on the Drifter test rig. The engine tended to cavitate with the leg trimmed anything above a middle trim position and this did influence the handling of the boat. I was not able to trim the bow of the boat up as much as I would have liked, which meant that the boat was not as dry as it could have been.

With the Suzuki trimmed right down, the test boat cornered tightly and with a strong grip on the water. That the Blue Fin performed very well with full negative trim would indicate that the cavitation issue is minor and would easily be resolved by lowering the motor an inch or so on the transom. This would allow the prop to bite in cleaner water and make it possible to trim the motor out, or up further.

In other areas Blue Fin’s Drifter Tournament Pro 435 performed very well. It handled the choppy Gold Coast Broadwater conditions with ease and the comfort level was very good, even though the boat is designed mainly for smooth water.

Most impressive though was the stability of the boat at rest and underway. The 2.04m beam is carried well forward so you can stand sure-footed on the sides up in the bow -- or reach over to net a fish without upsetting the boat.

Underway, there was virtually no listing at speed even with just the helmsman onboard -- and this is often an issue with small side-console boats.

The Drifter Tournament Pro 435 is a very good example of the new breed of Blue Fin. The design and build quality is first rate, and the boat stands out on the water as a capable, safe and functional fishing platform.