Haines Hunter 700 Horizon

Since September 11, many boat manufacturers are reporting increasing interest in family- friendly boats.

It's as if the volatile global climate - and now the threat of war - has encouraged the average bloke to make the most of his time by spending it with family out on the water.

Instead of buying a boat that's designed for blood-and-guts fishing with a couple of mates, many boat buyers are opting for a vessel that'll make mum and the kids comfortable while they fish, ski and swim together.

This trend towards family-friendly boats is seen in the proliferation of bowriders and cuddy cabins on the market, and a general move towards a higher standard of internal fit-out.

Haines Hunter is not dragging its feet when it comes to taking on its opposition in the pleasure cruiser market. In fact, Haines Hunter is considered a leader in trailerable pleasure boat manufacturing.

The 700 Horizon is a perfect example of why the venerable Queensland boatbuilder enjoys such a good reputation.

WAVE TAMER
We jumped on the 700 at Runaway Bay, pointing the deep-vee vessel out over the seaway on the Gold Coast.

It was difficult not to be impressed with the boat's handling characteristics.

Although built around the same hull as the outboard-powered 680 Patriot Trailer Boat recently tested, the 260hp MerCruiser MPI sitting low in its bilge has added some fire to the weekender's belly.

Standard electronic trim tabs had a positive affect on its attitude on the water, particularly in crosswinds, but driving this boat was pretty much point and shoot. The boat is forgiving, responsive to the throttle and easy to handle.

Transition from dead stop to the plane was effortless with the V-eight humming to 5200rpm for a GPS-recorded top speed of 62.5kmh.

Weather conditions on the day were good with 10kmh of breeze not enough to blow any spray on board. The 700 smoothed the metre of swell with no fuss at all, and felt predictable and safe to drive.

Seated at the double bench seat, which is similar to the style found on the 8m Patriot, the wraparound windscreen provided good all-round vision with no blind spots.

Looking out through the 'screen, sturdy stainless bowrails sprout from the cabin sides and run forward to meet at the bowsprit. There is no walkway past the cabin on this boat and access to the deck is through a hatch in the cabin roof.

The hatch is of a generous size to accommodate broad-shouldered people.

A Muir windlass is fitted in the bow making it unnecessary to wrestle with the anchor rope in rough conditions.

ROOM TO MOVE
The cabin is spacious for a boat of this size with a V-berth that converts into a large double berth by dropping in an infill - a comfy playpen for the kids after a long day on the water.

A marine toilet is housed in a compartment on the starboard side of the cabin entrance and has a locking door and standing headroom inside - another family-friendly inclusion.

The cabin liner is plush upholstered vinyl and adds to the cosy, comfortable atmosphere inside.

Hungry storage compartments are found below the V-berth and the lids for these are cut from solid nylon board.

There is enough headroom for a two-metre tall person to sit comfortably anywhere inside the cabin, which is accessed through a neatly fitted bi-fold door.

Running along the portside of the forward part of the cockpit is a bench seat capable of seating three people. Removing the padded backrest gives access to three cupboard doors which hide a drop-down gas cooker, plates, cups and cutlery.

A large grooved fibreglass bench slips out from under the foam seats with a sink located centrally, covered with another nylon board. The hatches on the front of this module open into huge storage areas.

POCKET CRUISER
Behind the helm is another double seat with padded backrest incorporated into the skipper's module. This seat can be removed to allow the occupants to move about a bit more freely.

The forward part of the cabin is well shaded by a bimini. The forward section is fixed to the windscreen and the rear section attached to a full targa that augments the racy look of this boat. Sound system speakers are installed in the inner walls of the targa.

The gunwales and floor on this boat are very high, and as such the bulk of the engine remains below deck. A deep cockpit also inspires a feeling of security while out on the water.

The compact engine box in the cockpit is covered with a padded seat. Either side of that is a vertical hatch allowing access to battery and pump fusing equipment.

The Horizon wasn't designed to be a balls-out fishing machine, but Haines Hunter has installed a massive livebait well in the portside of the transom bulkhead. It would make a good drink bin if insulated and appears to be about 70lt in volume. Opposite the half-transom doorway is a freshwater shower system. This is pretty much a mandatory inclusion if you're planning to spend a summer weekend on the water with mum and the kids.

The swim platform has a contour above the engine leg and within this a wide, shallow door opens to reveal the steering and the engine ignition system. Further access to the donk is through a sealed hatch section in the bulkhead.

The amount of storage hidden below the floor and wall hatches is amazing. They're scattered throughout this boat and it would be no problem at all for a couple to load enough stores for a weekend on the water. An extra battery and an electric fridge would make this boat and even more effective weekender, though.

So why not join the trend towards family boating? Just turn the key, push the throttle down and leave your worries behind. What are you waiting for?