Classic Boats -- Top 10 Trailerboats Under 6.0m (Pt 5)

The Kevlacat was much better finished and outfitted and it can achieve a top speed of 30 knots with a pair of 60hp outboards. The bigger, heavier SharkCat is arguably a bit more stable, a bit better in rough water, but it requires a minimum of twin 75hp engines.

The Tournament was the best and most expensive of three different versions of the Kevlacat 5.2m released back in 1987. The others include the base model Cuddy, and the slightly better equipped Pro Sport. All three boats offer outstanding performance in offshore waters, being soft, (especially in short chop), stable, and easily powered.

But it is the Tournament model which has the greatest appeal to sports fishermen due to its impressive inventory of standard features. Some of these included a Reelax game chair, central fish box, plumbed live-bait tank, berley bucket, saltwater deck-wash, self-draining cockpit, deluxe Reelax helm chairs, rocket-launcher and bimini-top, GME 27 MHz radio and AM/FM radio cassette, multiple rod holders, above-floor battery boxes and an ice chest.

For all of these accessories, buyers of the original models did have to pay a hefty premium. The cost of one of these very special boats was around $45K – a huge ask back in 1988. However, as history has shown, the resale value of these classic cats has been very good. Base models now start at around $32K, but expect to pay substantially more for the fully kitted Tournament boats.

The Kevlacat 5.2m is still in production today out of Kevlacat’s Sunshine Coast factory in Queensland. The modern version, tweaked and updated, is called the Kevlacat 1900.

For detailed information on the Kevlacat 5.2m Tournament, and reviews on dozens of other great used boats, pick up a copy of Jeff Webster’s Secondhand Boat Secrets magazine. This 148 page used boat buyer’s guide can be purchased at selected newsagents or online at www.jeffwebster.com.au