Haines Signature 485SF: One Man's Boat

They say every boat is a compromise -- it just comes down to where you want to compromise.

My former boat (a Skeeter ZX22 V bay) was an amazing machine but we just couldn’t afford the fuel bill that went with it. So this time round we needed to compromise on speed, space and save on that fuel.

Having an amazingly diverse range of fisheries in my home waterway of Hervey Bay means it's a challenge to find a boat that will cover them all. 

For starters, our new boat had to comply with the engine restrictions set by Wide Bay Water on Lake Lenthall which only allows for four-stroke and direct injection two-stroke engines up to 60hp.

We decided the hull needed to be less than five metres to work with a 60hp maximum engine size, small enough to launch single handed and large enough to fish three-up when required. 

It needed to fish effectively on the local impoundments like Lenthalls, Monduran and Awonga, rivers like the Mary, Susan and Burrum, the maze of waters within the Great Sandy Straights, float shallow to fish the flats up inside Fraser Island, and allow us to run wide to the Southern gutters and cross the Wide Bay Bar when weather permitted -- that’s not asking too much is it?

A few months later I got a look at the boat Warren was talking about at the Brisbane Tinnie and Tackle Show. It didn’t take long to assess this boat and make plans for it to become my new project.

This hull has an interesting heritage as it has been a long time in the making. Originally, it was produced as a Seaquell, but with the advent of the Traveller range, it became part of this popular alternative to the main Haines Signature range of boats.

The 485SF's hull involves two mouldings forming the interior and the outer hull, with foam filling between. The new 485SF is the only boat manufactured by The Haines Group which is available as a Signature (485SF), Traveller (TD157) and Seafarer (Vantage). This  build process allows you the flexibility to customise the interior design to suit your fishing style and budget.

I elected to have one with the lot, with options including a bow casting deck with a moulded under-floor storage bin, anchor well, fully-plumbed live well that can double as an extra ice chest, rear casting deck with tackle storage on either side, ice box/fish bin, portside rod locker extended to accommodate fly rods up to 10ft long, 120-litre under floor fuel tank, sports side console, comfortable Signature seats and non-slip surfaces throughout.

I selected a teal-coloured gelcoat for the hull to blend in with the waters around the bay, and a stone-coloured gelcoat for the deck colour to reduce glare when fishing on the flats. 

I fitted a Motorguide wireless 74lb electric motor to the bow and housed the two deep-cycle batteries in the front casting deck along with a C-TEK XS1400 on-board battery charger. I then mounted a second CTEK XS800 12-volt charger to the main cranking battery as well. All you need to do is run an extension lead out to the boat and plug it in to charge your batteries after each session. 

I connected a Lowrance HDS5 sonar unit to the Motorguide up front and had a HDS 8 Combo sonar/GPS unit on the console with additional LSS-1 structure scan module.

The unusual looking black pole on the transom is a PowerPole or hydraulic anchor which allows you to instantly hold position at the press of a button in water up to eight feet deep.

I also fitted a Lowrance VHF radio. For the trailer, I went with a custom-built EasyTow after having them under our last two boats.

The DF60A also features Suzuki's computer-controlled Lean Burn Control system as seen on the DF70/80/90. In comparison with Suzuki's previous generation 60, Suzuki claims a 53 per cent reduction in fuel consumption at a cruising speed of 4500-5000rpm and a consumption reduction of 37 per cent at wide open throttle.

Another new feature is Suzuki's Easy Start system promising more trouble-free key starts; turn the key and release and the engine's starter system stays engaged until the engine fires. 

I also liked the 19amp alternator that's capable of supplying 11.5 amps at 1000rpm to keep all my 12 volt gadgets working. I added Bay Star Hydraulic steering for handling and manoeuvrability.

Stability is fantastic and I can have two anglers up front without any trouble at all. The extra wide gunnels also make it easy to get around quickly on a fish when needed. 

The decks are uncluttered with enough storage to keep everything we need for a day’s fishing organised and close at hand. The non-skid glass decks are fantastic for keeping clean. About the only hassle is removing the passenger pedestal seat to access the rod locker, but it’s still good insurance for carrying more rods than we ever really need.

Overall, I couldn’t have been happier with the 2010-model 485SF/Suzuki 60 combo. It's a versatile and economical sportfisher that stacks up against anything on the market when it was launch -- and it’s Australian made! The engine has a fautless 500 hours, says Scott.

The reason the boat is for sale is a new project, a Haines Signature again, but a bigger class of boat -- a 543CC -- to fish wider and across the top of Fraser Island. 

Meantime, the asking price of this rig is $31,950. You can read the full inventory and specifications and see more pics at http://www.boatsales.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=15130076&Silo=Stock&Vertical=Boat&Ridx=5&eapi=2