Caribbean 40 Flybridge

It's the product of time, tooling and thorough water-testing. Four years in the making and never has a gameboat been more eagerly awaited. I'm talking about Caribbean's 40, of course, a natural progression for the countless owners of the evergreen 35.

More contemporary than any other Caribbean, the 40 is for big boaters who champion the virtues of fidelity and faithfulness. It's for those who wish to remain brand loyal while progressing to something more seaworthy than their 30-footer.

But for the Melbourne factory, the 40 is even more significant than that, because in a sense Caribbean had to wipe the slate clean and bury old habits to design this long-awaited boat.

For the first time since the 26, Caribbean has designed its own hull rather than adopt a Raymond C Hunt design. Unlike the Caribbean 26, 28, 35 and 45, the new 40 satisfies the present-day mandate for bigger and better accommodation and more room in a master cabin. Thus, the hull is fuller up front.

Yet perhaps an even bigger departure from the Caribbean mould has to do with tooling. While the 40 retains an inherent Caribbean look, it has an exciting and audacious deck moulding that finally recognises that curves rule and, well, hard edges are uncool. Virtually every moulded surface has been rounded for a more '90s look.

Dedicated storage holds now take up what were previously voids, and the factory is even prepared to offer custom-decorated interiors.

But the Caribbean 40 still manages to honour its past. For those who have grown to love the marque, be it a 20-year-old 28-footer or a timeless 35, this new boat is no different. It puts practicality and seaworthiness before style and glitz - a motto the company won't change for anything.

COCKPIT CAPERS
Bobbing at Sydney's Sylvania Marina, the first 40-footer to roll off the production line was set up for fishing and family cruising. It had a boarding platform, but one without ugly stainless struts or hard edges that might smack rather than kiss a concrete pile.

The boarding platform sets the tone for the mouldings inside. Smooth and curvaceous, it's backed by a swim ladder and a two-stage opening marlin door through which a tournament-winning blue could be hauled aboard.

The cockpit, all 10.30 square metres of it, is the highlight of the 40. Moulded, sculptured and the product of input from its dedicated Sydney dealers - gamefishing teams at Sylvania Marina and Mitchells Boat Sales - the 40-footer would be a lovely boat to fish.

The cockpit sole is convex so water flows to outer gutters - no more standing in the bath while reversing up - and the thigh-high coamings and gunwales are beautifully radiused for hanging on short-stroker tackle... or the wire.

In the transom is a deep livebait tank in need of plumbing which could hold a few dozen Bermagui-sized slimies (or, if you prefer, take a case or two of 'empties'). The lid is that starboard plastic stuff which you can cut and replace, while storage pockets in the sides are long enough to take a gaff.

There are moulded steps up to the gunwales that make accessing the bow much easier, while underfloor hides a lazarette with access to the bilge, fuel taps and steering gear. Additionally, a huge underfloor hold on the port side of the cockpit floor offers somewhere to store the rubber ducky and dive gear, and an insulated and removable (though heavy) kill tank to starboard is a nice touch.

Deck gear is typically heavy-duty. There are small stainless hawse pipes leading to mooring cleats in the aft corners, pop-up cleats and secondary cleats amidships, an aft easy-to-reach fuel filler, grabrails around the cabin sides, and a typically high and safe, if not staid, bowrail to keep you on deck when chasing an errant bitie.

Other details of note include a hot and cold transom shower, a big U-tec fridge under the flybridge ladder for bait or beer (the anchoring point for the hatch strut needs beefing up), and a nicely moulded sink and storage unit on the starboard side which could be used for rigging baits.

The testboat had four wooden tackle drawers underneath that hopefully won't swell and stick over time, and which could be handy for holding hardware. I know it's only a small point, but the overboard drain hole for the sink needs to be bigger, given that just a handful of scales are sure to block the outlet.

UP FRONT, UP TOP
While some might criticise the lack of rake in the bowrail, it's just so practical that you'll learn to love it. Access to the bow is super safe, with handrails and a thigh-high bowrail to keep you contained in a sea.

The bowsprit is solid, perfect for doing a Titanic embrace with Winslet, and the rope and chain lockers are extra deep ones in the non-skid but easy-clean deck. But back in the cockpit, a somewhat antiquated flybridge ladder fails to do justice to the reworked bridge.

Up top, you'll find more great mouldings, though the passenger lounges could be wider for sleeping purposes. There's a terrific moulded console with room to flush-mount a GPS chartplotter and radar, with the big, deep-water sounder bolted to the top so you can monitor the bottom without looking away from the water.

A sign of more modern times is the recess on the passenger's side of the dash for a mobile phone, and the twin pedestal seats which, while pushing you forward, were deeply padded. The lounge to port and the L-shaped lounge ahead of the console can seat an extra six people.

A compact bar fridge and four drinkholders tucked up front are handy features in the flybridge. While you need to pull out the portable Engel fridge to get at a drink, at least the cans won't come tumbling out in a seaway as they might with a conventional side-loading fridge.

In summary, the 40's white decks are user-friendly and something of a revelation for Caribbean. Give the decals a computer make-over, perhaps rework the rail a bit, maybe fill in the lower screen, and the boat could cut it anywhere.

INTERIOR GLOSS
I'm one of those types who prefers my gameboat to have a saloon door in the middle of the bulkhead, so to me the Caribbean 40 was set up perfectly. A step up from the cockpit, the saloon door is wide and the unpainted alloy door and window frames are finished in white.

Inside, there are more moulded surfaces finished in two-pack paint.

To port is a conventional U-shaped lounge and dinette which converts to a double berth. On the starboard side there's a conventional straight lounge which converts to a useful couple of pullman berths.

The saloon windows are at a good height so you can get a clear view of the lures working astern. Yet, should a fish strike, you're only ever a few steps away from fishing. In this sense, the saloon and cockpit work beautifully on the new 40 - it just needs a few decorator touches.

While you can order cream instead of easily-maintained grey upholstery (the chosen colour on the test boat) I'd like to see changes to the way vinyl is applied to those lounges. Instead of loose rolls of material, tight vertical pleats would look better. Instead of vinyl pelmets, maybe a fabric would liven things up, too.

However, the galley is just fine. U-shaped and with moulded benchtops, it's enhanced by a high-gloss teak servery and parquetry floor. Standard inclusions are a stainless sink, single-action hot and cold tap, deep freeze and separate fridge, Miele two-burner electric stove, 1800W convection microwave, four drawers, two cupboards and a pantry.

Opposite, the lower helm station can be deleted for a credit, though it has been improved by using a modern, moulded module for the helm. The view forward is okay, but only till such time as you fit a television and video on the dash. More handy was the wet-bar which, in this case, included an icemaker.

KINDNESS IN THE CABINS
While other convertibles may have the edge in looks - not so much furry front runner, for example - very few 40-footers can claim cabins that are quite as commodious as this boat. Rather than fit two small bunks in the guests' cabin to port, Caribbean has a full-sized single bunk over a 3/4 double berth below.

Opposite is the head, which is shared between both cabins and is a real beauty. Rather than glitzy, it's generous. Fully-moulded, it has a separate shower stall with a perspex door (which needs a better locking device), a sink, vanity, big mirror, Vacuflush loo, and even a chrome towel rack.

Then there's the master cabin in the bow with (wait for it), an island berth. A welcome inclusion in a Caribbean convertible, the big berth has room around it to dress, four drawers below, storage pockets alongside, a hanging locker, downlights, mirror, and at least one big hatch for ventilation.

Finally, engine access is under the saloon floor. Surrounded by watertight bulkheads, the engine room has a reasonable amount of room around the twin Caterpillar straight-sixes. I also liked the separate room forward for engineering ancillaries - hot-water heater, 7.5KVA genset (standard fitment!), eutectic units, and so on.

THROTTLES DOWN
Running the same amount of deadrise as the current Caribbean 35 (says Sylvania Marina), the new 40 feels like a buoyant boat at sea. Its fuller bow lifts through the swells, making it particularly useful for trolling, and stability seemed terrific from the bridge.

Engine options are twin 420hp Caterpillar 3126TAs or Cummins 450B motors -in both cases inline sixes. Apparently, the latter will give 31kt top end. With the still tight Cats on the test boat, two-thirds fuel and full water, top speed was a GPS-confirmed 28.5kt.

Offshore from Botany Bay, where the full effect of a 15-20kt south-easterly and rain squalls were felt, the new hull worked well.

Trolling speeds came in around 1100rpm - or a little quicker than the 7.8kt at 1000rpm - and at 2000rpm you can truck across most anything at 19kt and be fishing for blue marlin in an hour.

In better conditions, we might have cruised at 2500rpm for 25kt or, for optimum economy on long-range trips up the coast, 2200rpm will give 23kt.

The Cats sounded quiet, and the hull is a lot drier than the Caribbean 35. Down-swell, it tracked like a train on rails and showed no tendency to round-up.

At last Caribbean's niche between the 35 and 45 is filled. Despite the odd unfashionable decorating touch, we now have a Caribbean to lead the company forward.

What's more, the new Caribbean 40 is genuinely well-priced and includes everything but the icemaker. The genset, flybridge hardtop, clears and all the cockpit goodies are all standard equipment. There's even a delete option on the lower helm station!

As such, this boat will give you more dollar-for-dollar than most other 40s on the markets. And for 11 buyers already, it's been worth the wait.

CATERPILLARS AND BUTTERFLIES

Introduced about six years ago, Caterpillar's 3126TA is fast emerging as the stable's preferred diesel for modern pleasure craft. Delivering 420hp at 2800rpm, the relatively new motor offers a cleaner burn and better fuel efficiency than traditional Cats.

Compared with the trusty 3208, the 3126 is noticeably smoke free throughout the rev range. Thus, sooty transoms and big black clouds hanging on the horizon are a thing of Caterpillar's past.

Though some might miss the V-eight roar, the 3126 offers a smoother note. Of 7.2lt capacity, the inline six features a unit-injector system whereby each injector is driven by a cam arrangement instead of a high-pressure pump.

Being more environmentally-friendly, it may well spell the end of the 3208 series in years to come. Smaller, lighter and narrower, it also offers a better power-to-weight ratio and more servicing room down in the engine room.

Backed by a two-year warranty - with a three-year extension covering major components on all non-revenue producing boats - the Caterpillars aren't the cheapest motors around. But with a mighty support network, servicing is a breeze, whichever port you pull into it.

The first three Caribbean 40s to roll off the production line have been paired with Caterpillar's 3126 motor.

In early sea trials, the boat turned in 30-plus knots. But with all the overbuilt mouldings in place, it's now more inclined to do mid-28s.

Perhaps as a precursor of things to come, you can't get a new Caribbean 40 with 3208s in it. Smoke or not, I'd like to see the boat with the V-eights - if only to have it crack the 30kt barrier.

For more information on Caterpillar engines, contact Energy Power Systems, tel (03) 9574 9222.