Haines Signature 502DF

What’s the main difference? Well, for a start there’s a redesigned console/bow area. The 502RF tested last year had a walkthrough to the bow with stowage compartments below on either side. The DF has the same walkthrough, but with a built-in mini-cab section. We actually liked the DF setup as it’s a great place to shelter from the elements (especially for the kids) and it can still be used for storage.

The gunwales are nice and high, which does afford a little more protection, and certainly helps keep the kids in the boat. The gunwales also have good-sized sidepockets, rodholders and Tallon receivers, with neat rod racks fitted on either side.

The deck area is a speckled non-slip affair with a centre carpet running forward. There’s a decent-sized deck hatch between the seats, which are mounted on seat boxes with open storage beneath. A nice touch is the white beading finish on all the open edges of the boat -- it just adds that extra touch of class to the boat’s interior.

The 502DF sports a port and starboard dash, with a glove/icebox fitted on the passenger side, a walkthrough section to the bow, large hinged screen and decent space for electronics on the skipper’s side, all protected by a bimini cover.

The only thing we might change would be the position of the Garmin GMI 10 gauges. Were it up to me, I’d fit them next to the sounder rather than behind it, as I couldn’t see them clearly when seated.

Let’s now take a closer look at the 502DF’s main point of difference from its 502RF sibling, namely that open-plan cabin. It’s not huge inside, but it’s still sufficient for some form of protection, and also has plenty of space for gear.

If you have small kids the DF format is simply more practical than that of the RF.

The DF has the same walkthrough section, with a side-opening hinged top that gives you full access to the bow and anchor. It’s a great idea, as it saves you from having to clamber over windscreens to get to the anchor hatches.

Overall, this is a smart and spacious layout; it’s comfortable, but it also serves as a great fishing platform.

The DF’s ride is smooth, soft and pretty dry; it’s also fairly stable for a boat of this size. Unfortunately our test day within the Gold Coast Broadwater was flat, but I’d tested the RF in rough conditions and it performed exceptionally well. The DF shares the same hull, so I can’t see any reason why this model’s performance in less-than-ideal conditions would be any different.

When we tested the 502RF we had to contend with a gusty northerly that was almost entirely head-on for the ride home. Considering the conditions, the boat rode exceptionally well, and we drove most of the way seated instead of standing. After a 15-minute ride we were all dry and far from battered.

With the 90hp, the 502DF was gutsy enough out of the hole and topped out at around 33kts (61km/h) at wide open throttle (WOT). As mentioned, it was dead calm in the Broadwater on the day, so we resorted to some tight figure-of-eights to create a reasonable wake and get some idea of how it handled in the chop. In these conditions, it once more maintained a very comfortable ride that was stable at speed, and also handled well into tight turns. It was comfortable to drive when standing or seated and on the water it felt very safe indeed.