Hurricane Sports Sun Deck 188 O/B

We decided to get to the bottom of it and took the Sports Sundeck for a run out on the Gold Coast Broadwater.

The 188 O/B is a number of boats in one. It is an open runabout that the new owner is going to be using for impoundment fishing and to that end it has been fitted with removable rod holders that fit into brackets bolted to the various stainless steel rails about the boat.

It is also a great day boat for the family and friends with bow riding lounges and, with a bit of ingenuity, one could even fit it out as a weekender for a couple.

Standard fit was a Humminbird depth sounder and while this was a base model, the sky is the limit if you want to get into the more serious aspects of sport fishing. What ever you option up to, it will have to be gimbal mounted on the outside of the console due to the dash there being full of instrumentation and switches and there being no room behind the short-brow wind deflector on top.

A stereo system is inserted in the fascia of the console and there is a rack and iPhone connectivity plug hooked into it so that you may bring your music with you for the trip. A remote control on the stern of the boat allows you to work the stereo without moving forward.

A ski pole sits in the transom bulkhead in front of a rod-holding rack and a stainless-steel telescopic boarding ladder is fitted to the transom.

The fibreglass deck here has a large hatch that opens to a locker in which wakeboards would fit and if you were going away for an extended trip, a reasonable sized ice box could also live in here.

One may walk up onto the short bow via a gap between the corners of the lounges and there is a removable fishing seat installed here. The anchor well has a flush-mounted hatch and another is fitted on the step leading to this area.

Portside amidships, opposite the helm, a module is built into the cockpit liner. In its top, a small hatch opens to a sink which was not plumbed but the option is there. The rest of the top is designed as a food preparation area and a small cupboard in its fascia would be the place to store food condiments and the like.

Another lounge extends aft from there and occupies that corner. Its base is part of the cockpit liner and deck which is moulded in one piece and a rebate centrally located has a partition behind which you could stow plenty of gear. A section of the seat base is hinged to allow goods to be transferred to and from.

On the starboard side, the transom bulkhead has been rebated to allow easier access to the boarding platform and ladder while in the opposite corner of the platform a plumbed live bait tank is a standard feature.

Another boarding ladder is installed on the bow for easy beach access if required.

The hull is of fibreglass construction and foam filled for positive buoyancy while the decks are also solid fibreglass.

It has a deep V forefoot on the keel which flares out to deep riding chines which extend well forward. This gives the impression of a tri hull but when on the plane the front edges of these chines are well clear of the water creating less drag. Off the plane and dead in the water, their immersion creates the stable platform that tri hulls are renowned for; you have got the best of both worlds here.

You can expect to get around 65 km/h with the 115hp and once out of the hole the engine exhibits a reasonable amount of torque through the rev range. At rest in the water stability was excellent thanks to those aggressively deep chines and underway the boat was very responsive at the ‘easy to handle’ helm.

Tight turns at speed indicated some aeration at the propeller so the engine could have been lowered another bolt hole.

This Hurricane presents as excellent value for money and will keep fishers, day trippers, skiers and with some innovation, overnight campers happy on the water and beachside. It is definitely worth consideration if you're in the market for a trailer boat and especially so while the value of our dollar is so high.