Oceaneer 7.8m CC

There aren't too many 7.8m bluewater fishing boats on the market you can legally tow with a Commodore or Falcon. That's what Mike Randall from Oceaneer Boat Builders set out to achieve when building the company's new 7.8m centre-console.

And Randall succeeded - keeping the single outboard BMT package to 1800kg by carefully constructing the vessel from 4mm alloy plate bottom and sides and checkerplate decking. (Though bear in mind, with 250lt of fuel underfloor and a truckload of fishing gear onboard you'd probably be pushing that arbitrary limit.)

Oceaneer Boat Builders is based at Ocean Grove (Vic) and specialises in custom and semi-custom plate boats from 6-12m. All Oceaneer boats are constructed to survey specifications so are ideal for commercial applications.

PAINT THE TOWN RED
Randall purposely left his demo boat unpainted to display the quality of his company's workmanship. It's common practice among boatbuilders to fill the depressions left from working plate alloy and use a coat of paint to hide the evidence. The bare hull of the Oceaneer proved there were no hidden surprises and was a credit to the Randall team's workmanship.

The first things you notice about the big centre-console is its smooth flowing sheerline, very sharp entry and pronounced chines.

While centre-consoles aren't that popular in Randall's homewater, the demand for this type of vessel has certainly been demonstrated around the northern half of the country. Randall's business partner is a very keen gamefisherman and often tows the big centre-console to Bermagui to chase yellowfin and striped marlin.

Our testing ground for the Oceaneer was the notorious stretch of water known as 'The Rip' - where Port Phillip Bay empties into Bass Strait through a relatively narrow entrance. When the tide is running out this is a very nasty piece of water and not a place for the faint-hearted. While The Rip wasn't at its nastiest on our test day, it still provided a good indication of the Oceaneer's sea-keeping ability.

The testboat was fitted with a single 200hp carbed two-stroke Yamaha outboard spinning a 19-inch standard prop. After testing, it's our opinion that a 17-inch prop would have been better suited as we only managed to pull 5000rpm at wide open throttle (WOT). Top speed was a GPS-confirmed 35kt, while a relatively quick 27kt cruise was achieved at 4000rpm.

While some centre-consoles (especially plate alloy) can be wet, the Oceaneer was a pleasant surprise. The sharp entry slices the water nicely and the displaced water hits the large chines and bounces back down.

Pulling into hard turns you really feel the chines bite in and the boat turns very flat. No matter how hard you pull on the wheel it won't lean into a turn.

RIPSNORTER
Indeed, the 7.8m CC seemed to revel in the sloppy conditions with seas from all directions except for a head sea - then you knew you were in a tinnie. When heading into a short, sharp head sea there is no substitute for length and weight when looking for a smooth ride. While the Oceaneer has the length, it doesn't have the weight and coming off the back of some of The Rip's finest was hard on the knees.

The outboard is mounted on a half-pod configuration with boarding steps either side. The transom can be configured for twin installations if required. The starboard boarding step incorporates a sealed berley pot with screw-top lid and while probably not big enough to keep the shark boys happy, it's ideal for the infrequent berley chomper who prefers to set and forget.

The transom is free from clutter, allowing you to work right into the corners while fighting or wiring a fish. Coaming height is good and grabrails provide for additional security. A small SoPac-style hatch in the transom bulkhead provides access to fuel filters and wiring looms.

The cockpit sole itself is fully sealed and fully self-draining, with huge scuppers providing an exit for any unwanted water. Hawse pipes in the transom corners lead to alloy cleats, while stainless cleats are mounted amidships. There were four flush-mounted rodholders in the testboat's gunwales.

A deeply-padded bench seat with backrest is big enough to accommodate the helmsman and one passenger. This seat works nicely as a lean-to seat as well. Heavy-duty aluminium pipe supports the chair and there is a four-pot rocket launcher mounted behind the backrest. There is also facility for a 75lt livewell which fits under the chair and drains directly overboard so the deck is not covered with water.

The console itself is quite a good size and SoPac hatches on either side provide access to batteries and dry storage. The dash is large enough to install a decent complement of electronics. The testboat had a large waterproof switch panel, Yamaha gauges, Simrad CE32 colour plotter/sounder, GME VHF and 27meg radios and stereo. Other features included a stainless steering wheel and flush-mounted compass.

A small acrylic windscreen provided necessary protection; however I would probably opt for a full screen and/or a set of clears. Mounted off the console is a heavy-duty T-top with canvas cover. The T-top provides mounting locations for outriggers, GPS and radio antennas, spotlights and a four-pot rocket launcher.

Forward of the console you step up to a raised foredeck. Coaming height is still good even with the raised deck and a low-profile bowrail provides additional security but maintains the boat's flowing lines. A removable lean-to seat is centrally located on the foredeck - just the thing to prop against while chasing schools of feeding tuna around with spin rod at the ready.

There is a lockable storage compartment under the foredeck which is absolutely enormous. It is separated from the aft compartment by a waterproof bulkhead. Both compartments feature separate automatic bilge pumps.

The bow area also features a good-size anchor compartment which leads through a chain pipe to a heavy-duty cross-bollard and bowsprit. The anchor chain locks nicely into the bollard so when necessary, the ground tackle can safely remain on the bowsprit ready for use.

TRAVELLING ROADSHOW
I can see the Oceaneer 7.8m CC appealing to the travelling gamefisherman. The guy who wants a big centre-console to tow up and down the coast following the tournaments but doesn't want to go out and buy a Suburban or F250 to tow it.

Being a lightweight hull means you don't need massive horsepower to push it, which is a good thing considering current fuel prices. With the correct prop a 150hp outboard would do the job; however I'd spend the extra and opt for a direct-injected two-stroke to minimise fuel costs and boost range.

The workmanship on the Oceaneer is some of the best I've seen and if you're in the market for a plate alloy vessel then Mike Randall's pride and joy is worth closer inspection.