Custom 42: One Man's Boat

When you think of top-of-the-line offshore game fishing boats your thoughts naturally turn to North America where monster wooden, fibreglass and now carbon game boats have been turned out by world famous manufacturers for years.

One of the best-known American game-fishing boat manufacturers simply advertises its boats by listing the vast number of game fishing records that have been set on its boats -- no more needs to be said.

But in Australia until recent years, the import duties on such fabulous craft raised their landed prices to levels beyond the means of all but the richest and most dedicated anglers.

So what did the local game-fishing mob do back in the 1980s? They built their own boats -- and many did a remarkable job.

Top Gun, one of the most successful boats in the South Australian game-fishing fleet, is such a craft and now, after almost 25 years with the original owner, she is looking for a new home. She is on the market for $175,000.

Naval architect Alan Payne drew up the hull plans for the 42ft game boat and owner Sam Roccatti commissioned the Adelaide boat builder who sold him his first boat years before to do the work. It was a labour of love for Sam to build a boat that could handle anything dished out by the southern ocean where nautical Croweaters go to do battle with the world’s biggest great white sharks, giant marlin and monster tuna.

Sam briefed Payne on the conditions the boat would face -- the short steep seas in the Spencer Gulf where boats confront a short chop up to two metres high and only three metres apart. A keen game fisherman from the time he bought his first boat as a teenager, Sam knew exactly what he wanted.

An American deep-vee style hull would not do. They're built for the long-fetch rolling Atlantic swells and not short, sharp Adelaide. After more than 30 years of fishing, Sam knew he needed a very fine entry and a flat run aft (also for backing up) to handle the conditions efficiently.

Built of specially-imported mahogany plywood over robust stringers, Top Gun was intended to take whatever the ocean could throw at it. Four ply was used for the topsides and seven ply below the waterline. All the timber was sealed with West Epoxy System and all the corners were sheathed for ultimate strength. A 12x8 inch beam runs the length of the keel and keeps everything together.

The boat is powered by twin 375hp Iveco diesels that bounce her effortlessly up onto the plane and give her a comfortable cruising speed of 16 to 18 knots. She will top out at 24 knots. Sam originally installed twin Volvo diesels but they blew too much smoke for his liking. Four years after Top Gun was launched a few of his professional fishing mates in Western Australia recommended the Ivecos.

"I’m Italian and they are Italian, so it was a perfect match," he told BoatPoint, "After 20 years use they are still perfect. There is no smoke and after a long run you can rub a clean cloth over them and there isn’t a hint of oil. They are also very economical."

More than $600,000 was spent on the construction and fitout of the boat over the 24 months she took to build and she has been lovingly maintained in pristine condition ever since she was finally launched in 1989.

Sam, now 72 and retired from his crash repair business, potters about the boat almost every day and often sneaks just offshore to drop a few crab nets.

"I originally wanted the boat for the trips I take with a bunch of mates down to Kangaroo Island every year," he said, "We go for a week or two and live aboard while we go fishing."

Game fishermen might be rough and tough but they enjoy their comforts, so Top Gun is air-conditioned throughout and has eight very comfortable berths and a large saloon. The flybridge will also comfortably accommodate eight.

The cockpit is also vast so there is ample room to fight and land big fish. One of the keen fishermen who can vouch for Top Gun is professional golfer Greg Norman who has taken a private charter aboard -- and landed a couple of monster Great White sharks when it was legal to do so.